Hair Care Specialist vs Hair Stylist
Some licensed Cosmetologist are both. A hair care specialist is one who educates you on the health of hair and how to care for it.
- They will always do a hair consultation before touching your hair. The consultation should include tests to determine health of hair, inquiry of client hair care habits, recommendation for care, styling and use of professional products for home care use.
- They won't be cheap but client will be equipped with a lifetime of hair information to achieve and maintain healthy hair.
Natural Hair Info
Hey Naturals, ?Seems like everyone is attempting to go natural. Make no mistake it's work and can be time consuming but having a natural hair care specialist on your team, the right products, and patience your goal of healthy natural hair is worth it all.
If you are thinking about going natural:
- Do some research on natural hair care.
- Find a natural hair care specialist to assist you with your hair texture and the right products for you. Otherwise you will get overwhelmed.
- Must accept your own natural pattern.
- Hair should be prepoo and detangled before shampoo or Co-Wash.
- Pre-poo is soften the hair and gently detangling it with a conditioner that has a lot of slip. Makes shampooing much easier.
- Co-wash is cleansing hair using a conditioner to shampoo instead of using a shampoo to cleanse hair.
- Natural hair should be trimmed 2-4 times a year depending on styling methods.
- Natural hair loves steam & moisture weekly.
- If you decide to use heat like flat irons and blow dryers it should be kept to a minimum. Never flat iron hair on 450 degrees of heat.
- Refrain from tight, pulling hair styles it causes hair loss.
- Natural hair can be expensive because it requires more care, product and time.
- Keep styling to a minimum. Protective styles works best. (flexi rod sets, updo's, two-strand twist, flat twist, bantu knots, braids, weaves etc.) just don't over do it with tension.
- Know everything do not work for everyone.
Relaxed Hair Info
It is vital to the health of your hair to seek a professional to relax your hair. And even though relaxed hair can be healthy and beautiful if taken care of properly. It does have it's challenges. And it requires time, money and effort to achieve and maintain its health. And it's never advisable to relax your own hair or have a non-professional to relax your hair.
Relaxer can take a toll on hair causing hair loss if a person is on medication (high blood pressure, birth control, diabetes, thyroid, etc), hormonal (menopausal), have sudden illness, sudden weight loss, surgeries and anesthesia, and vitamin deficiencies. A professional should be skilled enough to let you know when you are no longer a candidate for relaxed hair.
How to get and maintain healthy hair while wearing a relaxer.
- It's best to have relaxed every 6-12 weeks depending on hair texture.
- It should trimmed after every relaxer.
- It requires shampooing and conditioning every 1-2 weeks depending on activity and lifestyle.
- Heating tools like flat irons and curling irons should be used on clean hair only and limited to 1-2 times a week.
- A protein/ Deep conditioning is needed once a month.
- Hair should be wrap gently before bedtime to prevent hair loss.
- Hair should be moisturized with a light cream or light oil as needed to prevent dryness and breakage.
- Hair shouldn't be relaxed if shampooed within 24 hours, or if scalp is unhealthy or irritated.
- Hair shouldn't be relaxed if on menstrual it may cause burning or relaxer may not take as well.
- Hair vitamins promote growth from within. Great if you don't eat a balanced diet or having hair breakage.
- Beware of tight, pulling hair styles it causes hair loss. Especially braids, weaves and ponytails.