Hair Transformations: What to Consider First

I love doing major transformations of a client’s haircut or color, as it involves so much creativity. The key to successful major changes is a thorough consultation including pictures and a conversation about maintenance window of the changes, price and how the care routine will change at home. Additionally, it’s helpful to discuss the effect this requested change may have on how they are perceived. Sometimes, certain changes can draw attention to features we may want to downplay. Alternatively, maybe it’s sincerely a midlife crisis and we may actually want to take the change in stages and adapt to them over time. It’s the understanding of what is motivating us to drastically change that opens up the conversation as to whether or not a discussed option will likely make the client happy in the long term. Something else to consider is, if the client likes change often, there may be issues potentially with the condition of the hair in which case it would be advisable to consider different options. I consider it time well spent to gather as much information as possible to ensure an enjoyable and permissive transition into new looks where process and expectations are in alignment. 

Part of creating alignment of expectations is creating a planned approach to changes. Often, this is achieved by a series of appointments where different aspects of a transformation are addressed. This could be reconditioning the hair prior to a color application to ensure a pallet is ready to accept a color application evenly. Another possible pretreatment is the removal of minerals that are built up on and in the hair to ensure that it’s not interfering with a chemical process or product penetration of the hair shaft. Ultimately, changes of hair color requires the fabric to be able to sustain whatever change we are heading toward. Thus, anything that needs to be removed or added to the hair structure to ensure success will be recommended. This includes after treatments such as Olaplex, which is at the top of the list for helping to prevent damage and to help to repair any current hair damage that could affect color uptake and shine.

In some situations, we need to ease into a new look by adding color or dimension a little at a time to find the sweet spot, as with adding dimension to platinum blonde hair. As much as we all want dimension once it’s icy blonde, we don’t always want the slightly darker pieces it near the face, and if we do want the dimension more noticeable, the placement has to be just right to enhance your features. Additionally, a client might need time to get used to their look rather and spring boarding back by taking the lowlights out again. So, a multipronged approach can ensure the chemicals can do what they are expected to, and ultimately the hair is better for it. This collaboration not only allows us to use our full capability as hairdressers, but it builds the trust with client that I will act within their best interest, and only with their permission to do so.

Why choose an artist, and why is it worth it?

Having a three-dimension visual sense is not always a given with hairdressers. Some have a background in the arts as I do, and some do not. Each stylist has their own approach to color and shaping hair. I am a kinesthetic cutter, meaning I not only cut the shape required, but I work with the hair’s growth pattern and density to work with the fabric the heads have. Hair must have movement and shine to refresh each look and different clients require unique approaches to achieve that. If your hair is missing something and you can’t put into words, artists can be helpful in identifying changes that may help. We can step out of the box when necessary, which is the ultimate strength of an artist. The technical part of haircutting is task oriented, but some solutions are more than just angles. We must dissect where we can make specific adjustments toward better performance of the hair in a look. This is also true in the placement and choice of hair color, along with the chemistry involved. Artists are sought often for the balance of these things, and my passion for what I can create comes through and helps create long lasting connections with clients. For those seeking this balance, it is absolutely worth the investment.

It seems that everyone calls themselves an artist in the hair industry. It can be somewhat subjective though. What is valuable to one client may not hold value for another, due to varying circumstances. Artistry in hairdressing is more than just “creativity “. It is the ability to have not only the vision of an outcome but an ability to communicate what the process of getting to a result will require. Additionally, there are often many ways to ease into a look through a step-by-step approach, and we need to consider a client’s budget, time frame and desired result. In the case of hair upstyling, not every canvas of hair can support the required looks either due to texture, length, or thickness. The artistic opportunity exists in finding alternative ways to secure a look for an event by adding extensions or other items to the look to compensate for a deficit in the hair fabric.

Artistry is the culmination of the aspects of a technician put in the context of manifesting a look or a style solution. From a fee standpoint, it is not simply ordering a burger and fries from the menu. You are asking a hair artist to come into your life and create something from scratch, just for you, with your parameters in mind. Therefore, the fees will also be in alignment with that, which is often misunderstood. In that process is product cost to produce services, years of practice, continuing education and hours behind the chair. This is just scratching the surface of what artists like me can do, and we do it with every good intent and passion.

Choosing the Right Products for your Hair

Products are one of my favorite topics, and I spend countless hours becoming increasingly educated on how products work and why chemically they are worth the investment for all clients. There truly is a combination that can work for each individual and circumstance. I use them and recommend them to solve problems and to make the look we achieve together easily maintainable and repeatable at home. I have worked with many lines over the years, and there are a few chosen lines that I carry in the studio. If I don’t have a product I think you should have, I can get it for you or refer you to where it is carried.

Often, we use a product that works continuously. Sometimes though, as the style changes, the shape of the haircut is altered, or we move into a different chemical service, new products may be required to support the direction. In general, though, with our color services we want sulfate free shampoos. With thermal smoothing treatments, salt free shampoos help maintain the result achieved in the service. A leave in conditioner with sunscreen is a must for everyone, as well as thermal protection applied before styling.

Regular trims can help prevent split ends, along with using styling products that fill in the porosity gaps towards the ends of the hair. Olaplex Number 7 is my favorite for this purpose. Let’s do a consult and figure out a great new routine for you!

It’s amazing what changing up your product selection can do for the day-to-day experience of styling your hair. One part of the effectiveness of great shampoos and conditioners is the pH. If the pH is too high (which in many cases it is) then there is more color fade and less moisture retention in the hair. This is unfortunately true with many professional products that claim to protect hair color and chemical services. All too often there is great marketing and product awareness for consumers with no science to back up why exactly you should choose or use it. I am extremely passionate about finding the best product fit for my client’s needs and instructing them about how to use it. Sometimes clients are not aware about how much product to use, and often too much product can lead one to not enjoy the benefits of using it. Additionally, there are a few brands that are still made in smaller batches which allows for the quality to be more consistent bottle to bottle, while also using ingredients that are better for us and the environment. Did you know that a hair product may only be 5 percent organic ingredients and still be labeled as such? Therefore, it isn’t always best to buy your haircare where you buy your groceries. Most shampoos and conditioners do not biodegrade, with only a few exceptions. This is just a sampling of things to consider when investing in quality hair products. I care about the environment and the future of our world. I do what I can through product education and recommendation to suggest options within that realm for those who share this value and seek it out. I look forward to a fabulous product journey with you!

Styling Routines and Treatments for Curly Hair

I am very passionate about curly and textured hair. I want to be a resource for those who have had struggles with finding the right products for their hair and offer suggestions for routines that can provide results over time.

Upkeep

Many clients with curly hair mention that when they travel to other places in the country or other parts of the world, their hair performs differently. This is due largely to changes in the moisture level of the hair which is key to its performance. This can be true seasonally as well. I recommend having a couple different routines that you find work well and use them as needed. One for the days or locations it’s more humid, and one for when it’s on the drier side. Additionally, a reset clarifying treatment once every couple of weeks followed by a deep conditioner, keeps the hair balanced and without build up. I have favorites within the Innersense, Kavella, and Deva Curl lines.

My Process

I love cutting curly hair dry. This allows me to exercise discretion and observe curl, shape, and expansion while cutting to ensure careful length reduction. I follow up with the shampoo, conditioning treatment and styling of the client’s preference. I honor the curl journey each person is on and has experienced. I am constantly exploring new solutions, education and ideas to suggest to my clients as I believe curly hair girls rule the world!

Some people with curly hair like to go between wearing it straight some days and curly on other days. It can be a challenge to achieve the perfect balance and ensure the hair works well with both approaches of styling. One of the most successful suggestions I have had for my clients in this category is the keratin smoothing treatments. There are two I enjoy the most, the keratin blowout (5 weeks wear) and the natural keratin treatment (4 to 5 months wear). What I love the most about them is that they don’t over straighten the hair. It still has body and can be curled with a curling iron and even still be worn curly with less frizz, which is what most curly people are seeking. Although the blowout has a different, more frequent maintenance window than the natural keratin, the key benefit is that the hair condition is improved with each application and the hair dries faster during a blow dry. It’s incredible how many benefits these products offer clients, and it can be done as an additional service after a color or a haircut. So, in a nutshell you can be happy wearing your hair both straight and curly and there are processes and products I can recommend to support that goal and outcome!