Learn more about Texture!, a collaboration between CurlStylist, NaturallyCurly and Modern Salon

High-profile salons like New York City’s Ouidad, Miss Jessie’s and Devachan have proven that salons can successfully focus on the curly niche. Their chairs are filled with wavy-, curly- and kinky-haired clients who flock to them from around the world for their stylists’ expertise in working with texture.

But this trend isn’t limited to the Big Apple. Salons from Toronto to Tucson also have proven that texture can be a powerful way to set themselves apart at a time when everyone is looking for ways to get the edge in a challenging economy. With a large population of people with wavy, curly and kinky hair — people willing to spend a lot of money to make their hair look its best — this trend is only likely to increase. And with more women embracing their texture than ever before, the salons that know how to work with it are likely to reap the benefits.

“There’s a salon on every street, but if you specialize, you set yourself apart,” Kim Wicks of Frontenac Salon. “Our salon chose to specialize in naturally curly hair. It’s been huge. It’s really helped us through this recession.”

Here’s a look at some standout curly salons—from a one-chair stylist to a salon that recently opened a second location to accommodate the demand form curly clients.

Curltopia, Smyrna, Ga.

Curltopia opened in Smyrna, Ga. in May 2008 as a salon where “it’s all about making peace with your hair.”

“We know how difficult it can be to find a stylist who can work with curly hair,” says Curltopia Flavia Medina who opened the salon with fellow curly Tricia Joyner.

Inititally, they envisioned a small salon with one chair. But demand grew quickly, and today they have seven stylists. All stylists must be licensed and experienced and must assist a senior stylist for six months before working on their own. During this training period, they learn what types of products and cuts work for different textures.

Curltopia sends clients home with a prescription of what products they should use and how they should use them—education that is especially important to curly clients. They like to see their clients two weeks later for a follow up.

“We want to make sure we’re teaching them about product use,” Medina says.

Curltopia, like many curly salons, attracts a diverse clientele, who travel to the salon from as far as North Carolina, Florida and Tennessee.

“There is nothing that walks in that door that we can’t handle,” Medina says. “We’re not a black salon or a white salon. We’re a hair salon.”

The salon’s decor mirrors this philosophy, with its black and white stripes.

Spirals, Tucscon, Ariz.

“It started small,” says Tonja Chagris, who opened the salon six years ago with two other people.

Chagris, who has curly hair herself, worked as a hairdresser for 17 years.

“I wanted to address curly and textured hair,” she says. “It was an immediate success, We had an article in the newspaper, and we were not prepared for the crowds. We couldn’t even let the people in. It was scary.”

Today, the Paul Mitchell salon has seven stylists, all trained in how to work with curly and textured hair. Although the salon does have curly clients, 90 percent of its clientele has textured hair.

Chagris believes the curly niche has helped the salon survive and thrive, despite tough economic times.

“It really has kept us afloat,” she says. “We consistently get new curly hair people, and they are willing to travel. It enables us to draw from a larger area.”

But the curly world does have some challenges, she says. The curly client tends to be gun shy, usually having had many a bad haircut in her past.

“Most people with texture have had bad experiences,” she says. “We focus on slowing down and making sure each time they’re there.”

The Curl Ambassadors, Toronto, Ont.

Curly tops Caroline Muir and Betty Di Salvo were frustrated by the difficulty they had finding stylists who knew how to work with their hair. They heard similar frustrations from other curly friends and family.

“We realized it was time to provide a place that specialized in naturally curly hair,” says Muir.

In October 2006, the duo opened their first location in downtown Toronto. They openend a second salon in the Toronto suburb of Vaughan in November 2009. The Curl Ambassadors’ clientele travel from as far away as Vancouver and Chicago,

“Our clients’ motto seem to be ‘Have curls, will travel,’” Di Salvo says.

For other salons considering focusing on texture as a niche, Muir suggests locating in a cosmopolitan, multicultural area.

“Are there a lot of people with curls?” she says.

One of the most important things, says Muir, is to recruit the right stylists for the salon. It’s not enough to be well-trained.

“We’re looking for those that will want to really care for curly hair with all their heart,” Muir says.

Hello Curls, San Diego, Calif.

Beverly Neeland learned how to do a wet set when she was 3 years old, playing with her stylist grandmother’s tools to create styles. She began cutting hair when she was still in grade school. She intuitively knew how to work with curls, perfecting her technique on her mother’s hair.

“My mother would come home from the hairdresser and her wavy hair, and I would fix her bad cuts,” says Neeland. “I had a knack for hairdressing.”

Although Neeland always wanted to be a hairdresser, her father convinced her to get a college degree. She gravitated toward the world of theater, working as a stylist, costume designer and wigmaker for professional theater companies for 15 years. While working on wigs, she would style them dry, cutting them based on what they need rather than any particular formula.

She never lost her desire to be a professional hairstylist. So when she had the chance, she got her cosmetology license.

At beauty school, she began externing at a salon and naturally gravitated toward curly clients.

Neeland said she initially hated salons because of her own traumatic experiences with stylists who would roll their eyes when she would sit in their chair with her thick curls.

“I started thinking, what if I opened a salon and just worked on curly people,” she says. “Having my own understanding of what it’s like, I thought I could make my clients more comfortable.”

She rented space at salons in Sacramento, specializing in naturally curly hair. Earlier this year, she opened a studio salon in San Diego and has teamed up with another stylist who specializes in curls.

Neeland says focusing on this niche has been a definite selling point for her

“When they find out I only work on curly hair—I don’t even have a round brush in my salon—they relax,” she says. “It’s a deciding factor for them. They feel comfortable before they come in. They know I talk the talk.”

She gets most of her clients through word of mouth, an especially powerful tool in the curly world. She recalled one of her clients who was stopped by a curly woman who wanted to know who did her hair. Suddenly, she found herself with 10 new clients who traveled more than two hours to get their hair cut by her.

But working with curly clients also has a downside, she says. They tend to go longer between cuts—an average of every 12 to 14 weeks rather than every six to eight weeks. Some of her clients only come in once every two to three years, she says.

“I feel like I have to have more clients than the average hairdressers so my book stays full,” she says.

Learn more about Texture!, a collaboration between CurlStylist, NaturallyCurly and Modern Salon

By all appearances, fall 2010 will go down in fashion history as “the season of texture.” Dozens of notable fashion designers have eschewed straight strands, embracing instead all manner of curls, coils, crimps, waves and teased clouds of hair on their catwalks.

Miley Cyrus

On the West Coast, style setters are also advancing the texture trend. Nearly every red carpet is adorned with sexy, romantic textures, made popular by stars like Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Kate Hudson, Charlize Theron and Beyonce.

“Clients today are requesting anything but flat hair,” says Lina Shamoun, a 2010 North American Hairstyling Awards Texture Finalist from Kitchener, Ontario.

And regardless of whether clients are starting out with natural curl, wave or pin-straight strands, everyone has texture options this season!

Natural Curl: Embrace and Refine

“Curly hair is coming into its own,” says Titi Branch, co-owner of Miss Jessie’s Products and Salon in New York. “Twenty years ago, we wouldn’t even be talking about curly hair because people straightened their curls.

Michelle Obama

“Now, women want to embrace their natural, healthy curl. Michelle Obama even wore curls to a state dinner recently— for her to do so really validates the beauty of the look.”

But curly can also be high maintenance, admits Branch, which is why the current trend is a smoother, looser curl pattern.

“This allows a woman to keep her curl,” she explains, “but refine it.” At Miss Jessie’s, this elongated curl is achieved with the salon’s proprietary “Silkener” service. The technique involves a sodium hydroxide relaxer and a method of manipulation that stretches, yet doesn’t straighten, the hair.

“The result,” says Branch, “is hair that behaves like natural hair when it’s wet—before it dries and shrinks. It’s wash and go—it cuts styling time in half.” To support natural curls, Branch recommends Miss Jessie’s Curly Pudding treatment—a perennial favorite that combines macadamia and almond oil, aloe and shea butter for shine, plumping and moisture.

Curl definition is also imperative for Shawna Parvin’s curly clients, and the most modern approach, says the Aquage educator, NAHA 2009 Texture Winner and 2010 Hairstylist of the Year nominee, is to mix it up—random curl sizes, directions and even amounts of definition. “I’m telling my clients to start with a gel on damp hair,” she says, and comb it through scalp to ends. “Then wind sections of varying sizes, in every direction, so they look like little snakes. Don’t touch the hair until it’s completely dry, then move it around and even pull a few random pieces apart so there’s some fuzz mixed in with the curl. That’s what keeps curl from looking like the ’80s.”

Options are important for women with any texture, and naturally curly clients will always want blowouts for occasions when their hair must look polished, says Dickey, owner of New York’s Hair Rules Salon and hair products company. What makes blowouts look fresh this season, he says, is a voluminous, soft, Mad Men-inspired look, with lots of flattering movement around the face.

“Bone straight doesn’t work for most women,” he comments. “Waves and curls look softer on anyone—it’s ‘instant youth.’”

Making Waves—Keep it Raw

When it comes to creating curls and waves, the perfectly formed curls are evolving into a rougher, more raw-edged texture, says Chad Seale of Salt Lake City, another 2010 NAHA Texture finalist.

“Waves will be more vertical, looser, less constructed than we’ve seen in past seasons,” agrees Darby Shields, Associate Artistic Director of ISO International.

Taylor Swift

When it comes to these vertical waves, there’s also a new silhouette worth noting, adds Seale, namely, a flatter crown with more volume through the midlengths and ends. Seale loves this texture and shape on shorter-length bobs—actress Charlize Theron has been seen sporting the look. To permanently create this casual texture on tightly curly hair, Shields steers clients to the ISO Maintamer.

“This formula gives stylists plenty of control,” she explains. “Leave it on for five minutes, and it eliminates frizz but maintains the curl pattern. Leave it on for 30 minutes and it straightens more completely.”

To produce loose, ropey, “Gisele” texture with a thermal iron, Shields first mists strands with a combination of ISO Color Preserve Thermal Shield Spray and Daily Shape Working Spray, then wraps sections of hair vertically around the outside of a curling iron, simultaneously twisting each section onto itself like a rope. Once the hair cools completely, she gently releases the twists, revealing “a spiral, vertical wave with lots of internal torque.”

The flat iron is another excellent tool for creating this type of natural-looking body and texture. Many of today’s irons feature beveled plates, which give them the versatility to straighten and shape hair. One of Lina Shamoun’s favorite strategies is to divide hair into thin, one-inch sections, place the flatiron at the root, wind the section once around the iron and draw the tool through to the ends.

“When you release it, the hair will fall into a soft, flowing wave,” she explains.

The beach trend—textured, separated, sea-tossed strands—has generated a number of beach spray products that are great for supporting these looks or for use as stand-alone body boosters.

Color for Curl

With celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker and Jennifer Aniston leading the way, the hottest hair color trend of the moment is the graduated “I spent last month on the beach and now it’s growing out” effect. Characterized by deeper roots and lighter midshafts and ends, it’s a deliberate technique to approximate “vacation regrowth.” The look is perfect for the twists and turns of textured hair, as long as the technique is done correctly.

Seale believes baliage is the best strategy—this freehand hair-painting method allows the colorist to place the tint exactly where the sun would kiss each strand, namely, on the rounds and fullest parts of each curl and in an unstructured fashion.

“So if your client wears her hair curly,” Seale advises, “don’t blow her hair straight and do a color weave. You’ll get six different colors on one curl and that doesn’t work.”

Additionally, says Seale, opt for high-lift permanent colors when baliaging curls, rather than bleach. “Bleach tends to swell the hair and cause it to become dryer,” he believes.

This hair type is already susceptible to dryness, he adds, so it’s better to use hair color that tends to impart less damage. Shields agrees that baliage is the best way to achieve the dark-to-light look, and advises stylists to work with fairly large sections. “Apply your color to each section randomly,” she suggests. “And for your application pattern, let the trajectory of the waves guide you—dropping off of the crown. Try some ‘peek-a-boo’ foils under the surface, too.

“All of this will create a purposeful, grown-out look, which clients today love since it’s chic and it allows them to stretch their retouching dollars!”

Learn more about Texture!, a collaboration between CurlStylist, NaturallyCurly and Modern Salon

According to Darby Shields, associate artistic director for ISO, are two 4-letter words in hairdressing: bangs and perms.

When it comes to perms “We now say ‘body’ or ‘movement’ or ‘texture’,” says Shields.

Whatever you choose to call them—texturizers, waves or perms—the technology has come a long way. Unlike the poodle perms of the past, today’s perms have the ability to deliver sexy, fashion-forward texture without sacrificing the health of your hair. They are definitely not our mothers’ perms.

Demand is on the rise as texture—from beachy waves to curls—has become increasingly fashionable.

The whole process has changed dramatically from the day of strong chemicals, perm rods and end papers.

In 1938, Arnold F. Willatt invented the cold wave, the precursor to the modern perm. It used no machines and no heat. The hair was wrapped on rods and a reduction lotion containing ammonium thioglycolate was applied. This chemical breaks open the disulfide linkages between the polypeptide bonds in the keratin (the protein structure) in the hair. The disulfide bonds give hair its elasticity, and can be reformed with chemicals. Next, an oxidation lotion was applied, (hydrogen peroxide), to close the disulfide bridges again and the hair was reformed to the shape of the rod. The entire process took 6–8 hours at room temperature. These treatments evolved into perms using ammonium thioglycolate, and then sodium thioglycolate, which cut processing time.

The new generation of perms are much gentler, with lower pH and low ammonia, giving the stylist more control over the outcome. ISO’s Option Wave, for example, is an award-winning professional perm system completely free of thio, the activator found in many traditional perms. It uses ISOamine, an exclusive technology that allows for deeper and more even penetration into the hair’s cortex with minimal swelling of the cuticle. Minimal swelling means hair’s internal and external structures and condition are maintained.

And the application also has changed dramatically from the day of perm rods and end papers. Today’s tools are flexible and soft, or no tools at all are used.

“You can make pin curls and process that, if you want,” Sheilds says. “You can do just about anything you want.”

Steve Goddard was working at Redken in 1994—“the day perms died.” He recalls working with chemists to come up with a new type of permanent rave. While talking to a focus group of 12 young stylists, he asked them for feedback on names and positioning.

“I started the presentation and notice that they’re all looking at me like I stepped off the moon,” says Goddard, president and founder of Pravana Naturceuticals.

“They all said ‘We don’t do perms,’”Goddard recalled.

Goddard asked, “None of you do perms?”

“None of us do perms,” they replied.

“Absolutely none?” he asked.

“We don’t do them and we don’t want to do them,” the stylists replied.

For the next 14 years, stick straight hair was the trend. But two years ago, he started to notice celebrities wearing soft waves. Goddard started looking and listening, and realized this trend was different than the perm trend that had caught fire in the 1980s. These waves were longer and less defined—beachier.

Goddard decided to create a product that could give women this beachy look—the Pravana Beach Wave. With that mission in mind, he realized he would have to create a formula different than the alkaline waves, which create a firmer, crisper curl than he wanted for this look An acid wave would provide the softness, but wouldn’t be firm enough for longer hair.

“We would lose the wave because of the weight,” he says. “We realized we needed to come up with a hybrid in terms of a wave solution. We developed a wave that uses amino acid technology to replace thio, giving the firmness of a wave without the crispness and definition.”

In addition to the actual solution, Goddard wanted to create an easy-to-use way to wrap the hair that wouldn’t leave marks The answer was to use wave blocks. Rather than the 70 to 80 rods used for a traditional perm, a stylist can use as few as 18 wave blocks to wrap up the head in a matter of 10 minutes.

“There is so much variety now, and that carries over to the textural spectrum,” Goddard says. “It’s not just about different cuts today. It’s about different textures. It’s our job to find out what people are doing and what they want, and then come up with a way for them to do it easily.”

In 1938, Arnold F. Willatt invented the cold wave, the precursor to the modern perm. It used no machines and no heat. The hair was wrapped on rods and a reduction lotion containing ammonium thioglycolate was applied. This chemical breaks open the disulfide linkages between the polypeptide bonds in the keratin (the protein structure) in the hair. The disulfide bonds give hair its elasticity, and can be reformed with chemicals. Next, an oxidation lotion was applied, (hydrogen peroxide), to close the disulfide bridges again and the hair was reformed to the shape of the rod. The entire process took 6–8 hours at room temperature. These evolved into perms using ammonium thioglycolate, and then sodium thioglycolate.

But stylists still have some image hurdles to overcome to get the word out about this new generation of perms.

“People do come in for perms, but they don’t want to say it,” Shields says. “They may bring in a picture of Taylor Swift or Kate Hudson, and I tell them I can make their hair look like that chemically.”

Shields also having some examples by your chair of the results that can be achieved with texturizers. She suggests wrapping hair pieces with different tools and have them hanging around your station to show the different types of waves and curls you can create.

“It’s a huge opportunity,”says Shields. “Judging from the way people are asking for texture on both coasts, I’m sure it will permeate the rest of the country in short order. To be on the leading edge of that can be a huge advantage. You can really build your business if you become known for this new generation of retexturizers.”

The chemicals being used also are much different, with less ammonia and lower pHs. ISO’s Option Wave, for example, This award-winning professional perm system completely free of thio, the activator found in many traditional perms, and also Damage-free, low ammonia formulation. It uses ISOamine™, an exclusive technology that allows for deeper and more even penetration into the hair’s cortex with minimal swelling of the cuticle. Minimal swelling means hair’s internal and external structures and condition are maintained.

And the application also has changed dramatically from the day of perm rods and end papers. Today’s tools are flexible and soft or no tools.

“You can make pin curls and process that, if you want,” Sheilds says. “You can do just about anything you want.”

A Perm Primer

Root Perm

A savior for those with short, flat hair—the root perm helps add volume at the root of the hair to give lots of body. It’s also perfect for already permed hair that’s looking for a little pick-me-up. Because only the roots are treated, it saves the rest of the lady’s locks from another treatment.

Body Wave Perm

Creating big, bouncy curls as opposed to tight, spring curls – the body wave perm is for curl-lovers who want a more modern curly look. The goal is to inject body and a little curl without adding a ton of ‘poof’ to the hair. Because this perm uses larger perm rods than traditional perms, the length of your client’s hair will determine how curly it will be: the shorter, the curlier.

Weave Perm

Because you’re curling only partial sections of the hair, the weave perm will give your client a fabulous, fusion look with both textured and straight pieces in her hair. She’ll be treated with great versatility by choosing how much of her hair is treated for this modern look.

Stack Perm

Finally a solution for women without layers, the stack perm is made for women who have a one-length cut. The treatment creates soft, layered curls for a natural look and is achieved by the use of differently sized rollers to the middle and bottom sections of the hair. The top is typically left flat to create a more a more natural look.

Acid Perm

While it sounds harsh, the acid perm is actually gentler than the traditional alkaline perm as it has a lower pH level. It is specifically made for those with sensitive, fragile, or damaged hair. This perm will still create beautiful curls without as much damage to the hair follicle.

Exothermic Perm

Referring to the gentle, internal heat that is characteristic of this treatment, the exothermic perm helps speed up the processing time. The heat helps to allow the lotion to absorb quickly into the hair, conditioning and strengthening the cuticle from the inside. Your client will walk out with beautiful, bouncy curls from this innovative treatment.

Learn more about Texture!, a collaboration between CurlStylist, NaturallyCurly and Modern Salon

There was a time when the only option for temporarily changing curly hair to straight or straight hair to curly—or to go from long to short and back—was a wig or a chemical treatment.

These days, there are numerous ways that stylists and consumers can temporarily change the look of hair, without chemicals. They range from innovative new styling products to natural-looking extensions.

Product Innovations

Toronto stylist Jonathan Torch, creator of the Curly Hair Solutions line of products, wanted to create a product that could temporarily loosen curls without chemicals. He spent years trying to find the ideal ingredient that could smooth the curls and keep the hair shiny and soft.

Before

The answer, he says, was lecithin.

“It as a complete aha moment,” Torch says. “It’s in all of my conditioners; it’s thick as tar and it makes the hair shiny.”

Curly Hair Solutions is launching Extenzz this fall, which pushes water into the hair and uses the weight of the wet hair to straighten or loosen curl by using the product in conjunction with different brushing techniques.

While Curly Hair Solutions discovered a creative way to relax curls by using eggs (which contain lecithin), many of the most exciting advances have come in the laboratory, where chemists have concocted new formulations of polymers and silicones that help straighten and defrizz hair.

Living Proof, which has stormed onto the beauty scene, developed a new technology called polyfluoroEster—a smaller molecule than the traditional materials used for frizz control. Due to its chemical nature, the formulation adheres tightly to the hair, which allows for long-lasting moisture resistance and rebalancing of the hair fiber’s interaction with the atmosphere, even after extreme humidity.

After

“It helps prevent friction that causes hair to frizz,” says Eric Spengler, senior vice president of research and development for Living Proof, a line sold in both professional and consumer outlets. The Living Proof No Frizz Straight Styling line is designed to make it easier to and faster to blow out hair, while the Wave collection helps define curls.

“These products provide an alternative to silicone and more permanent chemical treatments,” Spengler says.

Stay tuned for several new products in the coming months that will be able to give people a straighter, smoother look for several days without using chemicals.

Hair Extensions

With hair extensions, a client can go from curly to straight, straight to curly and from long to short. The client can even get bangs, without the long-term commitment. Extensions are available in clip-ons, which can be put on for a quick change, to strand-by-strand extensions that can last several months.

“Extensions are a great option to chemicals, whether it be texture or color,” says Kimberly Castagna, public relations assistant at SO.CAP USA Hair Extensions, a leader in the world market of producing natural and synthetic hair.

“With our extensions, people have found they can create texture that feels better and looks more natural than their own hair,” she says

Curly hair can get a smooth, elegant by pulling the hair back and adding straight extensions. Wavy and curly extensions can be added to straighter hair for a completely different look. You can also add volume without length by putting in strand-by-strand extensions, Castagna says. Extensions are being used in place of wigs by some women who have undergone chemotherapy.

“It gives them the option of looking like its their own hair,” she says.

Learn more about Texture!, a collaboration between CurlStylist, NaturallyCurly and Modern Salon

What if there was a product that allowed you to give clients exactly what they want? It could be used to straighten, loosen or defrizz waves and curls without damaging hair or creating an awkward grow-out period. What if this product could be used on any hair type to make the hair softer and shinier? And what if it boosted profits for salons and stylists by creating an entirely new market?

That product, say some stylists, now exists. Keratin treatments have exploded onto the scene, generating buzz among consumers and stylists alike.

A Cure for Frizz?

Three years ago, a handful of keratin companies existed—pioneers like Brazilian Keratin Treatment by Marcia Teixeira, Keratin Complex by Coppola and Global Keratin. At July’s 2010 Cosmoprof North America show in Las Vegas, there were more than 40 companies offering keratin treatment products, from large hair-care companies to small start ups.

“To have a product like a keratin straightener is a breakthrough,” says Stephanie Kocielski, a John Paul Mitchell.

Not so long ago, the only option to remove texture in the hair was to use a product containing sodium hydroxide—lye. Next came relaxers containing ammonium thioglycolate (nicknamed “thio relaxer”), a gentler service.

Most recently, those opting for a straighter look flocked to Japanese thermal reconditioning, a chemical process that permanently alters the internal structure of the hair shaft, rendering it totally straight. Thermal reconditioning (TR) was an all-or-nothing proposition, and many women with texture weren’t willing to commit to it.

But keratin treatments have not been without their share of controversy, either. When they first came on the scene, the formulas contained formaldehyde—sometimes in high concentrations. Formaldehyde is listed as a carcinogen by a number of health and safety agencies. Now many of the treatments are lower or free of formaldehyde and aldehydes, a family of compounds that straighten the hair. Many of the aldehydes are naturally derived and less toxic than formaldehyde. Additionally, some stylists and clients may wear masks to protect themselves from any irritants.

A World of Options

Today’s new wave of relaxers, silkeners and smoothers give clients and stylists more choices than ever.

“It’s all about making your texture—whatever it is—better,” says Sasha Polit, marketing manager for Global Keratin Smoothing System. “If you want to change the texture, we offer that option, but if you want to work with your natural texture, we also offer that option.”

Global Keratin offers Light Wave, for those who want to keep their natural texture; Curly, for those who want more straightening capability; and Resistant, for the straightest look.

Methods vary, but the most commonly-used keratin treatment involves the stylist washing a client’s hair with a clarifying shampoo, applying the keratin treatment and then using a flat iron to straighten the hair and “seal” the treatment.

Before

“In the past, there weren’t a lot of options,” says Darby Shields, associate artistic director for ISO, which developed the Maintamer, a semi permanent retexturizer that softens and smooths naturally curly or previously permed hair. “You either had floppy hair, curly hair or straw hair. There wasn’t a lot in between. It was a big decision for people to do something so permanent with their hair. Maintamer is reversible the next day.”

After

With variety of new options comes an increased need for communication between stylist and client.

“When they start asking about a treatment, you have to dig deep into what they really want,” says Amanda Jenkins, master stylist and education director at Arrojo Studio. “Can they achieve it without a chemical treatment? I ask my clients to bring in pictures so we’re both very clear about what they’re expecting. It’s all about the consultation.”

Sleek Service

Some clients may want their hair completely straight. In that case, Kocielski says she may suggest The Relaxer by JPMS, a sodium hydroxide relaxer that eliminates curl. “Some people think they’ll be able to wash their hair and it will dry straight, but that’s probably not the case with a keratin treatment,” she says. “Keratin treatments can condition and soften the hair, but they don’t always straighten it.”

Price is also an important consideration. Keratin treatments and other types of chemical relaxers cost several hundred dollars, and may need to be redone every three to five months.

For the stylist, keratin treatments have provided a way to make their clients happy and boost their profit margin at the same time. One 32-ounce bottle of the KeraFusion System from De Fabulous can generate $4,000 for the stylist, says Rebecca Letizia, marketing director of De Fabulous.

In addition to the in-salon treatments, companies like Keratin Complex, Global Keratin and Marcia Teixeira Brazilian Keratin Treatment offer maintenance products designed to extend the life of the service and enhance the results. These products can also boost retail sales for the salon.

“These clients will come back every three to five months,” Polit says. “The more they use the product, the shinier, softer and more manageable their hair will be. You’re building
a client for life.”

The PhytoSpecific PhytoRelaxer relaxes or texturizes all hair types with a non-chemical formula. It comes in two levels: one for fine, delicate hair and one for coarse, resistant hair.

Smooth Operators

Here are a few of the keratin treatments available on the market today:

Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy by Coppola: Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy was founded by stylist and salon owner Peter Coppola. The therapy eliminates up to 95 percent of frizz and curl and instantly adds shine and condition to the hair.

Marcia Teixeira Brazilian Keratin Treatment: This treatment is for all kinds of hair to leave it soft, shiny and frizz-free for up to four months. It can be used safely on just about any type of hair—dry, frizzy, overprocessed, color treated, ethnic unprocessed virgin hair.

Pravana Kerafusion Keratin Treatment: This salon service permanently transforms coarse, curly, unruly hair to smooth, straight and shiny. Or, it makes fine, limp hair voluminous. It contains no thio, no sodium hydroxide, no formaldehyde, no aldehydes. As part of the Keratin Fusion service, Pravana’s Thermal Insulator protects the hair during the texture control.

Brazilian Blowout: Through the use of a Brazilian Super Nutrient Complex and a proprietary polymer system, the Brazilian Blowout improves the condition of the hair by creating a protective protein layer around the hair shaft to eliminate frizz and smooth the cuticle. Results last up to 12 weeks.

Global Keratin: The Juvexin Hair Taming System incorporates a keratin formulation which protects the hair and prevents damage to hair surface. The system is an organic, active complex component, delivered to the hair in its raw, natural state. Amino acids and proteins remain whole to condition hair and protect it from damage caused by environmental factors.

ISO Maintamer: ISO Maintamer Straightening System is a two-step straightening system that smoothes coarse hair, taming unruly curls and waves, un-perming ends and controlling frizzy hair. Maintamer uses a damage-free, thio-free, lye-free Isoamine technology that processes primarily within the cortex of the hair, to minimize damage to the cuticle while altering the pattern of naturally curly or previously permed hair to soften and smooth.

La Brasiliana: Intense treatment that softens, smoothes and relaxes all hair types. Available in Original, Apple and Mocha varieties.

PhytoSpecific PhytoRelaxer: This non-chemical relaxer relaxes or texturizes all hair types. Formulated with molecules from egg and soya, it is odorless and does not contain lye. It’s available in two levels: for fine, delicate hair and one for coarse, resistant hair.

Learn more about Texture!, a collaboration between CurlStylist, NaturallyCurly and Modern Salon

For decades, stylists and consumers have relied on the tried-and-true tools to create textured styles. Diffusers help coax the natural curl out of the hair. Flat irons straighten and smooth. Curling irons add ringlets or waves. While these tools are still useful in the salon setting and at home, technology is changing—advancing the way stylists texturize hair—and evolving the way salons do business.

CHI Orbit:

Why it’s cool: CHI Orbits are available in multiple sizes to mimic diverse natural curl patterns. When used on curly hair, the Orbit tames frizz and reroutes curls. Orbit tools use CHI 44 technology to penetrate the hair shaft giving each curl long-lasting results with elasticity. A non-stick heating surface lets hair be wrapped around without tangles or pulling and alleviating wrist strain.

White Sands Curling Iron

Why it’s cool: This curling iron fuses together the spring iron and Marcel methods into one tool. Utilize the professionalism and wave technique of a Marcel iron to create waves or switch to the direct control and ease of a spring load without the need for multiple irons. Check it out!

Joico K-PAK ReconstRx Vapor Iron

Why it’s cool: K-PAK ReconstRx Vapor Iron infuses hair with K-PAK Quadramine Complex, which reconstructs and nourishes hair, working from the inside out to improve hair’s health and condition. The iron’s vented ceramic/silicon hybrid plates and Vapor Fuel steam produce shiny, vibrant hair. Check it out!

Belson Triple-Barrel Waver

Why it’s cool: The intuitive controls allow the user to choose heat settings according to hair type, including synthetic extensions and wigs. Select the “hair type” button and the iron automatically adjusts to the precise temperature setting needed. Nano ceramic coated triple barrels radiate gentle farinfrared heat, locking in moisture in the hair shaft and sealing the cuticle from damage; leaving hair frizz-free, shiny and silky. Check it out!

Babyliss Pro Nano Titanium 1″ U Styler

Why it’s cool: Sol-Gel technology reduces friction for a strong, smooth glide, while the curved side heating plates create curls in one smooth flip. Straighten, add body, wave and curls. It includes a ceramic heater for consistent heat and recovery, up to 450°F. Plus stay-cool Ryton housing, a rubberized thumb rest, and a cool tip for comfort. Chaeck it out!

Curlformers

Why it’s cool: Fun and easy to apply, Curlformers can be used to create glossy curls and loose sexy waves, or to add texture and body without subjecting hair to heat or damage. Check it out!

DevaConcepts DevaSun Dryer

Why it’s cool: Designed specifically for curly tresses, the DevaSun Dryer uses ion-generating technology and features three custom temperature settings for curly and wavy hair. The hand-shaped DevaFuser utilizes a 360-degree airflow to gently dry curls from the inside out. Check it out!

Tool Time

Ceramic, ionic and tourmaline made hot tools sizzle. Understand the technology behind the trends in tools with our quick guide.

Ceramic: Creates even heat distribution and snag-free gliding.

Far-infrared Heat: When absorbed, it dries hair from the inside out to work faster and minimize cuticle damage.

Ionic: Negative ions split or electrolyze water molecules, causing them to penetrate deeply but evaporate faster. When negative ions are attracted to positive ones, they neutralize them, causing the cuticle to close. Results: smoother, shinier hair.

Tourmaline: When heated, this gemstone produces more negative ions than any other substance, plus far-infrared heat. The claims: Even heat distribution, faster drying times, less damage, increased shine.

Ivan Zoot is the director of education and customer engagement for the Andis Company and the founder of Zoot! Hair professional hair care products. Ivan identifies, recruits, trains and manages Andis’ team of professional beauty industry educators. Ivan continues to be a featured presenter at industry shows and events, sharing his unique blend of information, education and enthusiasm for clipper cutting and the entire professional beauty industry. Ivan’s background includes experiences ranging from salon ownership to achieving 3 Guinness World Haircutting records.

We have explored how curly hair is different from a cutting perspective. This time, let’s look at one of my favorite curly cutting techniques. Condensed cutting has benefits for all hair types. It works great on curly hair. Your clients will love it and you will, too.

Traditional hair cutting relies on small sections and precision distribution of hair. Condensed cutting is a technique where multiple sections are gathered together, condensed, and cut as one. This creates movement and texture vastly different form traditional sectioning and cutting.

Here are my top 5 tips on why condensed cutting is ideal for curly clients.

1. Movement: Condensing sections creates increases and decreases in hair length across the curve of the head. These changes in length create movement in the hair design. This is great for curly hair.

2. Texture: Curly texture is best maximized when we do not section, distribute and cut with tension and precision. Hair behaves more naturally. Natural texture is played for all it is worth.

3. Timing: Condensed cutting reduces the time needed to cut. Turn your chair and turn up your profits.

4. Tools: Take your pick. Clippers, scissors and razors all bring interesting added dimension to condensed cuts. Try all your tools and experience the differing results.

5. Sales: When you bring new ideas and techniques to your chair, you bring energy and excitement. Our industry thrives on selling the new and the hot. Position this and other techniques to differentiate yourself and your craft. Clients will flock to your chair.

Try some condensed cutting this week and share your experiences. I look forward to learning of your successes.

Happy cutting.

To help you tap the dimension of your imagination, we asked 5 top tressers for their interpretation of curly, frizzy, shaggy, matty; bangled, tangled and spaghettied: big beautiful hair that’s up to there! If there was one commonality among artists, it was crazy 8s, as in figure 8 shapes.

Styled by Steve Elias 2010 NAHA winner, Editorial Stylist of the Year, and owner of Elixir salon in Berkeley, CA www.steveelias.com (Photo by: www.aaronlippman.com)

Steve Elias

“For fashion week, I’ll be doing a lot of big beachy waves backstage. I like the NALU Waver by Rsession Tools (www.rsessiontools.com) for getting the look. It’s double-barreled, and you wrap the hair through it in a figure 8 to great, big, beautiful waves.”

The Technique: Depending on how big or loose you want the hair, take a fairly large section, two or three inches, and wind the hair between the barrels in figure eights. Leave some of the ends out. Wait 10 seconds, let the hair fall and use a soft, defining pomade or a spritz of hairspray, then run your fingers through the hair.

Style by Sam Villa Education Artistic Director for Redken 5th Avenue and founding partner of the Sam Villa brand www.samvilla.com

Sam Villa

“Snookie’s bump and Allure’s Brigitte Bardot cover shot are examples of how mainstream is embracing big hair. As the trend develops, volume will become more natural. Women with naturally curly hair will control their volume with thermal tools, and those with straighter hair will use hot tools to create more texture and volume. We will also start to see more accessorizing in volume: bands and clips placed to manipulate the shape, especially around the face.”

The Technique: Section hair and spray both sides with Redken Spray Starch 15 to protect hair from heat and add hold. Use the Sam Villa TEXTUR iron to create crimps or impressions down the hair shaft, either overlapping them down the entire shaft or randomly creating crimp patterns. Complete the entire head in this manner. Then take small sections of the textured hair and wrap them around a small Marcel curling iron with the iron pointing down. (Be sure to tuck the ends in the spoon of the iron.) Twist the iron so it points upward, slip a bobby pin into the curl and slip the iron out. Let curls cool, then remove the pins. Rub a couple drops of Redken Glass 01 between your hands and break-up the curls by hand.

Michael Haskett

Style by Michael Haskett Owner of Be Salon in Indianapolis, IN www.besalon.me (Photo by Kristi Swift)

“I like the frizzy, avant-garde texture they’re showing on runways. The look isn’t commericial but it’s a way to have fun, boost your creativity and break out of the box. Its great for transforming hair that’s naturally wavy.”

The Technique: Start with dry hair that has a minimal cocktail of gel and shine serum on it. Take natural sections or squares that are about one-inch—you can also use triangles. Divide them in half and weave them around the sides of a hairpin in figure eights. Seal the ends in foil and hit each section with a flat iron at 350 degrees for about 10 seconds. When you remove the foil and release the strands, brush through with a soft brush. The hair expands instantly. Separate some sections and scrunch others by hand to get the final effect you want.

Style by Sandra Carr Owner of Sheer Professionals, Wooster, OH, and a Matrix National Artistic Educator www.sheerprofessionals.com (Photo by Tom Carson)

Sandra Carr

“We see shiny, soft, wavy big hair for fall. The texture is high-end and expensive, because the look has to be beautiful. For curly hair, swing-line layers are perfect for keeping length while adding movement and allowing the hair to be styled back, forward or big!”

The Technique: Prep highly bodified or slightly wavy hair with Biolage Thermal Styling Spray. Then set medium-sized sections with a 1-inch flat iron. Make one pass through the entire strand, then wrap the base around the flat iron, give it a quarter turn and feed the section through to the ends. Secure the section with a clip. Then wrap all the hair in the same manner. Once the clipped sections cool, release them, mist-on Vavoom Shaping Spray and open them up with your fingers. Finish with Matrix Design Pulse Hard Lock.

Style by Robin Cook Owner, Tangles Salon, Wichita Falls, TX www.tangles.com (Photo by Tom Carson)

Robin Cook

“The idea everything’s bigger in Texas makes people think we are the land of big hair, but it’s only popular all the time in certain areas. It is fashionable this fall, but this time around, big hair is more modern with movement and flow, so it’s more pliable. We use the trend as an opportunity to introduce clients to new ways to add texture and volume with hot tools. Our model here has tons of natural curl and a wiry texture, so we blew it out smooth first.”

The Technique: For a Valley of the Dolls update, blow out natural curl, then mist on thermal spray and set the hair all over with a one-inch curling iron. Use fairly large, two-inch vertical sections and a tonging technique, in which the hair is spiralled or wrapped in figure eights. Then break up curls by hand. On top, part off a triangular section, add volume backcombing and brush the hair with a Mason Pearson brush. Then roll it back smoothly by hand, positioning it to the side. To finish, smooth the roll’s surface lightly with the brush.

Ron King has worked as a hairstylist, transforming people’s appearances, for more than 20 years. With a growing celebrity clientele, King travels the world taking inspiration from different cultures and countries. Along the way, he has developed his own “easy wear” style philosophy which plays up a woman’s natural hair texture and pairs it with natural-looking makeup that’s easy to apply. This mantra led him to launch a signature line of cosmetics for women who want to look pulled together but who are are short on time. King has worked with some of the most respected names in the industry, including L’Oreal Professional, Ted Gibson, Eva Scrivo and Rick Wellman.

There’s been something underfoot with manicure colors this summer…. The boring neutrals and vampy, dark purple/black shades of nail lacquer we saw last year have gone the way of square-shaped nails, and all but disappeared from the hands of discerning fashionistas the world over.

In their place? A new shade called “greige,” a combination of gray and beige, as the name implies, that is totally chic and acts as its own kind of neutral. Less dated and expected than creams and pale pinks, but not as drastic as the sultry dark shades we’ve also been seeing, it’s nearly the perfect nail polish color. The shade looks great on most skin tones and with a variety of looks (just look at the celebs sporting the nail polish shade, from Karen O to Megan Fox, for evidence)… It adds sophistication to a more edgy ensemble and makes the classic shapes and colors we’ve seen on the runways for Fall 2010 more fun and trendy. It’s also an inexpensive way to perk up your style and update older looks.

I suggest wearing this nail color again on a shortish, rounded nail and make sure your nails are well-groomed! The grayish beige tends to look sloppy on unkempt nails. The color has been popular since last spring, but is becoming more mainstream presently (for those who fear the trend is a bit risque for them). I recommend trying Chanel’s nail color #505 or Revlon’s Steel Etto for a more affordable option.

Lauren Conrad

One of the biggest trends emerging right now is the grown-out color look. It seems that in every aspect of the beauty and fashion world, the look of “messy perfection” makes perfect sense. More and more celebrities and fashion icons are walking around with exposed roots, or in the case of Lauren Conrad, lighter locks on the under-layer. You can achieve LC’s look by using extensions, which offers a less permanent solution. This may mean that your clients are waiting longer between dye jobs, but keep them coming back with conditioning treatments to repair their sun-kissed strands through the dry winter months.

Christina Hendricks

Another trend we are seeing is the return of rich, vibrant reds. So many celebs are turning to red as a color that will make them stand out, instead of blending in with the rest of the blonde bombshells. We love Mad Men’s curvy Joan Harris, played by Christina Hendricks. This look works on so many different skin tones, and will dig your clients out of their hair rut. I think Matthew McConaughey says it best as David Wooderson in Dazed and Confused: “I love those redheads!”

One thing is for sure, when it comes to the hottest fall shades, the deep and rich colors are always the favorites. Although the fall season has barely begun, stars are already converting their styles in anticipation of the cooler climate to come. Christina Ricci has just revealed her chic new ‘do. Sporting rich chocolate and caramel tones brings out her natural features, and softens her face up.

Christina Ricci

One thing we don’t love at the moment: young ladies going gray. Don’t get us wrong, gray can look great on men and women, but we advise you to steer clear of this fad. If only someone would have told Kelly Osbourne before it was too late. Rumor is that many women all over England started prematurely aging their hair after seeing dry shampoo clumps in Kate Moss’s hair, and thinking it was intentional. There is a big difference between platinum Lady Gaga strands and Grandma gray, we invite this fad to stay on the other side of the pond for those under 30.