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Hair serves a number of functions for each individual. A few of the functions are listed below. "
It protects the head from the weather and the sun. Because
these things are unique to each individual you have to find what works
for you and use those techniques to accent your best features. Remember:
you should have a good schedule for hair maintenance and adjust it as
the season change. The
hair on your head grows continuously and can reach to great lengths. Hair
has an inner cortex and outer sheath called a cuticle. The cuticle is
responsible for much of the mechanical strength of the hair. Hair has
about 6 to 8 levels of cuticle. The cuticle is the protective part of
the hair, if the cuticle is in good shape (normal) then the have has good
porosity and functions well. If the cuticle has been damaged then it has
less ability to protect the hair and maintain good porosity. You can damaged
the cuticle in several ways, the most common is when you over process
hair with chemicals. Hair grows roughly ½ inch a month, so on average about 6 inches a year. Long scalp hair stays on the head an average of 3 to 5 years. Most people have anywhere from 100,000 to 150,000 strands of hair on their heads. Color is produced from melanin found in our bodies. There are 2 kinds of melanin in hair: Phaeomelanin (responsible for yellowish - blond, ginger and red colors.), Eumelanin ( the most common and responsible for hair shades from brown to black.) * No melanin (pigment) produces white/gray hair. As you age your body has less and less melanin in your body. In the coloring process- colorists must open the cuticle or outer layer of the hair to deposit color in to the hair shaft. The formula of the color then works with the cortex ( inner part of the hair) to deposit (add) or remove (lighten) the color if your hair. History of color Hair color has been used in some way or other since ancient Greece. They used soaps and bleaches to lighten or redden hair. It was a sign of courage. The Romans used dyes made of walnuts that were boiled to produce dye or color of dark shades. Today color is hot, sexy, trendy and fresh. You can do almost anything with your hair. In the 1950's less than 10% of American women colored their hair. When they did color it was their natural color, and they absolutely didn't want anyone to know they had to use color. Today, blonde and red are the two most popular colors requested in beauty salons, and it isn't just women who now use color, men are joining the ranks with home hair-color sales at $113.5 million last year, it was about $56.1 million just five years ago. That is a 50% increase.
It's not as bad as it seems, you can learn the how, when, and why about color. Finding a good colorist The
best way is almost always recommendations. Use family and friends whose
hair you like or admire and see where they go for their services. When
you do go to a salon, don't be afraid to ask questions- the more you ask,
the more you know. You can also get a feel for what or how much the stylist
knows about color or the service that you need. Hair color was made of natural and herbal dyes until the early 1900's when a French chemist named Eugene Schuller made the first safe commercial color in 1909. He used a new chemical called Paraphenylenediamine. This creation was the beginning of his company The French Harmless Hair Die Company, which became known as L'Oreal, one of the biggest hair product companies in the world. They make everything from shampoos, conditioners, color, curling irons, blow dryers, hair treatments and makeup. The company is always developing new products and doing research to enhance their products all across the globe. Ingredients in hair color today
The
biggest factor in hair color change is our genes, and their effect on
the amount of melanin produced, if your family has a history of graying
early then you may also. The environment can also change hair. When I
say environment I am talking about both chemical and physical things that
you do to the hair. (ex. Perm, color, bleaching, illness, medicines, chemotherapy
treatments and what is always happening within the body) Chemicals and hair color The
most common chemical that I see that affects hair color is Chlorine. A
blonde hair person can change their hair to a yucky green color with to
much exposure to chlorine. Another chemicals that I see affect hair is
nicotine, people who smoke have been associated with premature graying.
The toxins in tobacco block pigment production activities. The tar in
tobacco can adhere or react to the hair. The only reasonable treatment
is to avoid exposure to these chemicals. Age and Gray hair The
age at which people gray varies from person to person, People generate
start graying in their late 20's. The U.S. and Europe combined show that
50% of the population have gray hair by age 50. Oily hair Highlight
hair, it can make it more porous and can accept more oil, this allows
for less shampooing and the hair looks great.
When
going back to your natural hair color, Don not use products with ammonia
in them. You should always use a color that is a little lighter than your
natural color because you can always go darker, but it is much harder
to re-lighten hair. Blondes can't return to brown hair or darker quickly,
you need to do it in 2 steps. Please do not leave your new growth hair without color, so that you have 2 to more inches of new growth showing and the rest of your hair is a different color. Doing this is really not good for your hair and it does little for your appearance. A colorist can mix an appropriate color and use a highlighting technique to get you back to your natural color. It will not be obvious. Remember that there are a lot of different types of color products. Demi-permanent, semi-permanent, permanent, and temporary rinses are just some examples. There are also colored waxes and styling aids that you can use to achieve this look. Maintaining your color Do not color the ends of your hair every time you do your new growth. If you do, it creates hair ends that are extremely porous and can cause hair to fade even faster. It is a better idea to color scalp hair new growth every time - do a non ammonia color on the ends only if they have faded, and only for a short time. Hair product ingredients You can't tell much about a product by the list of ingredients. The only true test of a product is to try it on your self. The goods thing about an ingredient label is that you can ascertain if there is anything that you are allergic too, and not purchase the item. The FDA requires companies to print labels and ingredients on all products, but there is not enough info on a label to tell you if it will work on you or not. Alcohol in products There is alcohol in a lot of products. Isopropyl alcohol is found in hairsprays to aide in the evaporation of the product, and to keep it fluid in the bottle. Then alcohol evaporates very quickly and is not on the hair long enough to cause damage. Cetyl and Stearyl alcohol are the most common alcohol used and they help to keep the hair soft and manageable.
Skin stain from color, use vaseline around hair line to help keep outer hair skin free from color. If you get it on the skin anyway, then you can use a baby wipe to rub lightly on the skin to remove the color. You can also use a product called color remover, it is a liquid (usually light white in a see through bottle) that can be applied to a clean cloth and rubbed on skin to remove color stain. I
also recommend that clients not color or really do any chemical treatments
to their hair at least during the first trimester of pregnancy, some clients
should not color at all during pregnancy. There is no concrete evidence
that the coloring process is medically harmful. A lot of professionals
differ in their opinions, but they generally agree that you should do
what makes you feel most comfortable during your pregnancy. You should
check with your doctor if you have any health concerns. Problem solving Chlorine
can strip color and make your hair more difficult to color. If your home
water has a lot of chlorine you might want to consider adding a filter.
If you swim in pools (they usually have a lot of chlorine to keep the
water clean and free from bacteria), it is hard on the hair. Chlorine
creates a buildup on film on the hair and doesn't allow the color or other
chemicals to penetrate the hair - so it is a good idea to use a stronger
shampoo, like swimmer shampoo or really good clarifying shampoo. Not a
daily shampoo, they are not strong enough to remove the chlorine and buildup. There
are a lot of brands and types of hair extensions on the market. Our salon
provides 2 types - individual strands, and wefts. Synthetic Hair Synthetic hair is plastic and does not look real - it does not look like you natural hair. If you are doing anything other than braids, I would stay away from synthetic hair. Asian Hair (Bad) This hair is naturally dark and straight. It gives a sleek, dark look, and you can use this only if your hair is straight and you don't color it. European Hair (OK) It is not really European hair. However, it is the best of the Asian hair. It does not last very long. European Hair (Good) This hair is what most people use for extensions. It is strong and looks great. This hair can last up to a year if you care for it properly. The hair comes from Italy and Spain. It looks very dark. It cam be straight or wavy. The hair starts out dark and is then stripped to different levels and then colored to the different shades that are available. The hair is colored usually with fabric dye not color. Virgin Hair (Best) This hair is really good and usually very expensive. Families from Russia and Poland have grown their hair out for generations, specifically to be cut and sold. The hair is never colored or treated. It is the exact color that the individual had when it was cut. Virgin hair can last for several years. Wefts A weft is hair that is attached together with string at the top and loose at the bottom, it is a straight line of hair. Wefts can be handmade or machine made. Handmade wefts are made to fit your head. Machine wefts are a continuous width and we cut it to fit. Your choice comes down to what can you afford and the quality of hair. If you want your hair to last longer and look as real as possible then go for the best. How are wefts attached? Your stylist will attach the weft to a tiny braid that is made from your own hair. The braid goes across the head horizontally and run in between sections of your own hair so they can not be seen. You use the number and size of tracks (braids) that will match your hair the best if it were to have grown out. Care of wefts Treat it like your own hair. If you have not had long hair before or you aren't used to having long hair, follow the tips below. Tips:
Hair comes in lengths up to 30" long. The longer the hair length, the longer it takes for a person to grow it out so the quality isn't as great. Also, the longer you get the hair, the more damage you may have to your own hair because your hair is not use to the extra weight and the pressure may not be good for your scalp. Remember: your hair normally grows out over a period of time and when you add lengths over night your head is not use to the added difference. The best and most popular length is 18". This is about bra length on average women. Cost of Wefts It varies from stylist to stylist. Ask a lot of questions. Remember that once it is in you have some up keep costs, so that needs to be budgeted in to your hair cost. Each weft usually cost somewhere between $20 to $60 every 6-8 weeks. Don't expect fabulous hair if you can't afford it. You have to be willing to able to pay for top quality hair, but your hair will look great. It will last and be wonderful. The hair should be applied in the interior of your head. Not any lower than the base of your head and should be kept in between the ears, so that there is hair on the outer parameter of the head that is used to cover the wefts when you wear it up. How do I find a good stylist for extensions?
People can and do lie about their skills. Go into a salon informed with a list of information and ask questions. If you know more than the stylist or if this stylist doesn't want to spend enough time with you to make you comfortable, then you probably don't want them to be that way while working on your hair. Will it pull out my hair or damage it? No - if it hurts at all get them out right away. The tracks (braids) should be comfortable, but not hurt you. The tension on the braids should be even all over your head. You should feel the wefts for the first day or two, but after that your head and hair should relax and you should not feel them. Can I color my hair while wearing wefts? Yes - Although, I would have your stylist do the coloring because you only have to color the hair between the extensions and the crown of the head.
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