I just got an amazing set of toys from Dark Cat Beads. They are light, beautiful and affordable. A great beginner tool from a wonderful seller.
I wore the sticks all day yesterday with no problems. I tend to get tension headaches very easily (yeah, yeah, I know I'm a stressful individual. I'm trying to find my own personal nirvana to avoid this. Stress is terrible on health, and health affects hair. More on this at a later date.) and often times the straw that broke the camel's back can sometimes be my hair style. The last thing someone like me needs on a very stressful occasion is a million and one pins pressing against my scalp.
These hair sticks are light, flexible and importantly, STRONG. I have waist long hair with a ponytail circumference of 3.25 inches. I managed to wear a rope braid bun with these two sticks for over eight hours without so much as a bit of a headache. I suppose there is some truth to using two sticks in stead of one... the bun's sturdier and the weight more evenly distributed. I don't know too much on this theory as I often only wear one stick. I'll have to test it out more thoroughly in the next few months.
I'm working on a review to show off the workmanship, size and strength in the next couple of days.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
Tools of the Trade
I started by experimenting with shampoo and conditioners that are protein happy. So far, my hair has benefited. (More on this later).
What I've done is invested in:
1) A seamless, detangling comb. yo
2) A wooden comb
3) Boar Bristle Brush (BBB)
5) Hair sticks
6) Pins -- more on this later.
7) Spray bottles
8) Oils.
9) Conditioner. Lots of it. So much so I should invest stock in it.
10) Silicone hair ties (Clear and colored)
I still have my goody brush that most people say is bad for your hair, and in all truth it really is if what you use it for is to detangle, there will be some serious repercussions by way of torn follicles. I use mine to massage my scalp.
I will focus on each tool in its separate entry later on, for each tool has its own special purpose. But for now, I shall leave it as is and call it a night.
I'm still feeling under the weather, my boys are over and we're watching High School of the Dead. Love it.
What I've done is invested in:
1) A seamless, detangling comb. yo
2) A wooden comb
3) Boar Bristle Brush (BBB)
5) Hair sticks
6) Pins -- more on this later.
7) Spray bottles
8) Oils.
9) Conditioner. Lots of it. So much so I should invest stock in it.
10) Silicone hair ties (Clear and colored)
I still have my goody brush that most people say is bad for your hair, and in all truth it really is if what you use it for is to detangle, there will be some serious repercussions by way of torn follicles. I use mine to massage my scalp.
I will focus on each tool in its separate entry later on, for each tool has its own special purpose. But for now, I shall leave it as is and call it a night.
I'm still feeling under the weather, my boys are over and we're watching High School of the Dead. Love it.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Put the scissors down and step away from the chair.
This is something that astounds me more and more these days. I had heard of the occasional "I had a shit cut!" here and there, especially over on the forums but I hear about six of these a DAY. I work for a high-end salon-- you know, the fancy, shmanzy salons that don't offer style books because each cut is one of a kind type of salon. Most women who call in are fed up and annoyed with bad cuts. Either the cut doesn't look right, too much was taken out, she asked for A and got C.. that kind of thing.
Mostly we're fixing mistakes from other salons. More often than not, however, we're dealing with a traumatized client who had a shit experience at XYZ location years ago and it STILL affects them.
I'll give you guys my mother for example.
Mama had LONG, amazing hair in the 60s and 70s. She chopped it short when she went back to the work force in the 80s and kept the terrible cut and perm until the early 00s. It took a lot of coaxing from my sisters' half and gentle guidance from moi (I.E merciless teasing. I blame my teens and her penchant for calling me Shamu even when I asked her not to) for her to finally stop perming. She's got gorgeous wavy hair that women would kill for, an amazingly breathtaking SILVER that many pay for and yet she thought it was terrible.
I started growing out my hair, on a whim three years ago. I started getting serious about it last September. Since 09/10 my hair has gone from shoulder-lengthish hair down to my waist. When she visited in November it was somewhere around BSL and shinier than it had been in years. It spurred my mother into finally taking the plunge and growing it out.
Finally, I had something decent to talk to Mom about. xD (Hey, I was her Surprise at 38. We have very opposing views on a lot of things and have had a very turbulent relationship). Before she went on vacation, her hair was finally past her shoulders, perhaps BSL when stretched out. She needed a bit of a trim to reshape her fro (read: she was visiting a VERY humid location with very hard water. Mama didn't know what to do to tame it. Too bad she couldn't make an international call for my advice. )
So, she decides to go in for a trim to thin out her thick hair.
She walked out in tears and tells me about it two weeks later, still so angry she starts crying.
Apparently she wound up with a scissor happy, stubborn biddy who decided she knew what was best for my mother and hacked her hair off. Sure, to a lot of readers they'll go "Eh, its just hair, it will grow back!" and they are right, but they also have to understand that sometimes it is more than 'just hair'. There is an emotional involvement when a person decides to do what is best for their hair for whatever reason. It is a commitment and when some banshee decides she/he knows better and takes away a person's choice, that shit hurts.
Eventually she got calm enough for me to ask her "Did you ever tell her to stop?"
Mama blinked a few times and timidly say no.
Women , men...you DO have the right to stop a stylist in the middle of a cut or style -- hell, you NEED to speak up in general or you'll be screwed. And this same advice can be taken in all aspects of life. Your stylist, your doctor, your friend and even your dog: If you are uncomfortable with something, SPEAK UP. You don't have to be a jackass or a bitch, you just need to be firm.
"Hey, I don't like what you're doing please stop. "
9 out of ten times, the stylist will pause and recoup.
Stylists are NOT mind readers. They may think they understood your desire are are trying their best to give you what you want, but they are human and so are you. If they misunderstand, it is your job to say something.
If a 'stop' doesn't get the hint, feel free to stand up, thank the person for their time and walk out to the front to find a manager.
No salon manager or stylist wants you to walk out of that salon with a style you hate. The final product is a representation of their work, and if you're not happy about it, chances are you will tell everyone you know, therefore, losing the place a ton of business. Chances are you'll either get your money back, be placed with another stylist (hell, even the owner himself) and or both.
And if you're at a place where neither stylist nor manager listens to your query, then you know what? They deserve for you to stand on the top of the loudest building and tell the world on how shitty their service is.
So to recap:
1) Be very clear on what you want with your stylist. Bring a picture if you need to. (If the stylist gets offended, then chances are you don't want to work with him.)
2) Have the stylist tell you, in his own words, what it is that YOU want from them. If they didn't understand you'll catch it before scissors touch your hair.
3) If the cut is still going wrong, then ask them to stop.
4) If they insist they're wrong, you're wrong. Stand up and walk away.
5) Speak to a manager.
No one should have to put up with a shit cut because XYZ said so. What's the point of the person having an It cut that makes them look like they're hotter shit than Selma Hayek if they feel more awkward looking than Carrot Top? Seriously. Grow a back bone.
Mostly we're fixing mistakes from other salons. More often than not, however, we're dealing with a traumatized client who had a shit experience at XYZ location years ago and it STILL affects them.
I'll give you guys my mother for example.
Mama had LONG, amazing hair in the 60s and 70s. She chopped it short when she went back to the work force in the 80s and kept the terrible cut and perm until the early 00s. It took a lot of coaxing from my sisters' half and gentle guidance from moi (I.E merciless teasing. I blame my teens and her penchant for calling me Shamu even when I asked her not to) for her to finally stop perming. She's got gorgeous wavy hair that women would kill for, an amazingly breathtaking SILVER that many pay for and yet she thought it was terrible.
I started growing out my hair, on a whim three years ago. I started getting serious about it last September. Since 09/10 my hair has gone from shoulder-lengthish hair down to my waist. When she visited in November it was somewhere around BSL and shinier than it had been in years. It spurred my mother into finally taking the plunge and growing it out.
Finally, I had something decent to talk to Mom about. xD (Hey, I was her Surprise at 38. We have very opposing views on a lot of things and have had a very turbulent relationship). Before she went on vacation, her hair was finally past her shoulders, perhaps BSL when stretched out. She needed a bit of a trim to reshape her fro (read: she was visiting a VERY humid location with very hard water. Mama didn't know what to do to tame it. Too bad she couldn't make an international call for my advice. )
So, she decides to go in for a trim to thin out her thick hair.
She walked out in tears and tells me about it two weeks later, still so angry she starts crying.
Apparently she wound up with a scissor happy, stubborn biddy who decided she knew what was best for my mother and hacked her hair off. Sure, to a lot of readers they'll go "Eh, its just hair, it will grow back!" and they are right, but they also have to understand that sometimes it is more than 'just hair'. There is an emotional involvement when a person decides to do what is best for their hair for whatever reason. It is a commitment and when some banshee decides she/he knows better and takes away a person's choice, that shit hurts.
Eventually she got calm enough for me to ask her "Did you ever tell her to stop?"
Mama blinked a few times and timidly say no.
Women , men...you DO have the right to stop a stylist in the middle of a cut or style -- hell, you NEED to speak up in general or you'll be screwed. And this same advice can be taken in all aspects of life. Your stylist, your doctor, your friend and even your dog: If you are uncomfortable with something, SPEAK UP. You don't have to be a jackass or a bitch, you just need to be firm.
"Hey, I don't like what you're doing please stop. "
9 out of ten times, the stylist will pause and recoup.
Stylists are NOT mind readers. They may think they understood your desire are are trying their best to give you what you want, but they are human and so are you. If they misunderstand, it is your job to say something.
If a 'stop' doesn't get the hint, feel free to stand up, thank the person for their time and walk out to the front to find a manager.
No salon manager or stylist wants you to walk out of that salon with a style you hate. The final product is a representation of their work, and if you're not happy about it, chances are you will tell everyone you know, therefore, losing the place a ton of business. Chances are you'll either get your money back, be placed with another stylist (hell, even the owner himself) and or both.
And if you're at a place where neither stylist nor manager listens to your query, then you know what? They deserve for you to stand on the top of the loudest building and tell the world on how shitty their service is.
So to recap:
1) Be very clear on what you want with your stylist. Bring a picture if you need to. (If the stylist gets offended, then chances are you don't want to work with him.)
2) Have the stylist tell you, in his own words, what it is that YOU want from them. If they didn't understand you'll catch it before scissors touch your hair.
3) If the cut is still going wrong, then ask them to stop.
4) If they insist they're wrong, you're wrong. Stand up and walk away.
5) Speak to a manager.
No one should have to put up with a shit cut because XYZ said so. What's the point of the person having an It cut that makes them look like they're hotter shit than Selma Hayek if they feel more awkward looking than Carrot Top? Seriously. Grow a back bone.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
LHC Strikes again!
I find myself doing this sometimes. Someone says something or I see someone with a particular hair do, or perhaps I come across an indescribably stupid pseudo science article on the new It item for hair and I can't help but let the LHC babble come out of my lips. And it isn't bad babble, mind you, but try and tested good hair mojo that the general populace has forgotten.
I spread the joy without thinking. I know I have a problem, and what a sweet, sweet problem it is.
It amuses me when I see things like these.
Pass the Coconut Oil
The post is about a goof face who dyed her hair 15 times in 5 weeks and destroyed it. (Wow, even at my Hair Worst I knew better than that! But I know plenty of people who don't, so we'll leave it at that.) Most people may have found this a hilarious LFMF. I found it disturbing... but I DID LOL at the comments about hair care.
It made me wonder if Evilbeagle is a forum member or a lurker.
I spread the joy without thinking. I know I have a problem, and what a sweet, sweet problem it is.
It amuses me when I see things like these.
Pass the Coconut Oil
The post is about a goof face who dyed her hair 15 times in 5 weeks and destroyed it. (Wow, even at my Hair Worst I knew better than that! But I know plenty of people who don't, so we'll leave it at that.) Most people may have found this a hilarious LFMF. I found it disturbing... but I DID LOL at the comments about hair care.
It made me wonder if Evilbeagle is a forum member or a lurker.
I am a little crazy.
And there's nothing wrong with that.
I suppose I am a little bit more on the obsessive side (in a good way) when it comes to my hair. And for the sake of my people, I have decided to start this blog to chronicle the "odd" things that I've come and decided to give it a whirl.
It is amazing to think that perhaps eight or ten years ago I would have thought all this crap nothing but bullshit but here I am, slappin' the oil on my hair, concocting tinctures and allowing my hair to sit in a mixture of vinegar and water as a semi final rinse. I was more than happy buying the expensive, easily accessible goo at the grocery aisles and call it a day. Not to say that my hair was terribly damaged (well, it was when I finally chopped it off senior year in high school, not as much so later as I kept it quite short) but it was a pain to deal with.
I much prefer having long hair that takes me about ten or fifteen minutes (on a bad day) to style than the I-have-to-wake-up-two-hours-before-i-go-anywhere-to-make-this-shit-look-good short hair I had before.
And so, with this in mind, I shall shift about a few things from where I had it before, add a bit more and call it a day.
I suppose I am a little bit more on the obsessive side (in a good way) when it comes to my hair. And for the sake of my people, I have decided to start this blog to chronicle the "odd" things that I've come and decided to give it a whirl.
It is amazing to think that perhaps eight or ten years ago I would have thought all this crap nothing but bullshit but here I am, slappin' the oil on my hair, concocting tinctures and allowing my hair to sit in a mixture of vinegar and water as a semi final rinse. I was more than happy buying the expensive, easily accessible goo at the grocery aisles and call it a day. Not to say that my hair was terribly damaged (well, it was when I finally chopped it off senior year in high school, not as much so later as I kept it quite short) but it was a pain to deal with.
I much prefer having long hair that takes me about ten or fifteen minutes (on a bad day) to style than the I-have-to-wake-up-two-hours-before-i-go-anywhere-to-make-this-shit-look-good short hair I had before.
And so, with this in mind, I shall shift about a few things from where I had it before, add a bit more and call it a day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)