Transitioning From Relaxed Hair to Natural Hair + Two Ways to Do This

There are only two ways you can go from relaxed to natural hair:  Slowly Transition or The Big Chop. Which one you choose is entirely up to you. There is no right way or wrong way to begin this process.  It doesn't matter which way you choose, as long as you get your desired results of a head full of natural hair in the end. 

Transitioning: This is the process of eliminating chemical treatments and allowing the hair to grow out while gradually trimming the chemically processed ends.  Most people generally trim their relaxed ends as their natural hair grows; this also helps to keep breakage of your natural hair down a present a more healthy appearance.

If you are not comfortable with short hair while transitioning your natural hair, you can have some individual braids added to your natural hair.  As long as you keep your scalp moisturized and your hair conditioned, you can avoid that awkward adjustment between short hair while your hair grows to a more comfortable length.

There are some cons to transitioning from relaxed to natural: The texture of your hair will not be consistent: which means if you decide to wear your hair in a twist out or braid out style the root of your hair might be curly while your ends will be bone straight.  There are a couple of things you can do here.  You can add the extensions as I have suggested above, or you can simply roll the ends of your hair with rods or rollers to curl the straight ends.

The process of transitioning takes longer than if you just did “the big chop" so be patient and do what is healthy for your hair, and what you feel comfortable doing. 

If you would like to have some individual braids, faux locs or twists installed while you are going through your transition, be sure to give Mosci a call at 619.642.9382. 

10 Tips For Making a Visit to the Salon a Smooth Activity For Your Child + the Beautician

It is a beautiful thing to see your baby girl with some beautiful braids in her hair.  Mothers, do you agree?

Let me share something with you.  There is a world-wide head-ache that sometimes happens when a little girl has to sit down in a beautician's chair to get her hair braided.  Of course, the little girl is never happy to be participating in said ritual. So she lets her displeasure show by whining, moving around and needing to go back and forth to the bathroom. 

MOTHERS!! we are only their beauticians.  We are not their disciplinarians.  With your help to keep your child seated in the chair and holding her head in positions that we need them too, this will speed up the process to get her on her way back to living the life of a child! And us on our way to our next client. 

Ten Ways You Can Help Your Child's Beautician

1. Have a conversation with your child about what to expect when getting her hair braided.
2. Share with her the rules to getting her hair done.
3. Let her know that there should be no crying.
4. Show her videos on Youtube that exhibit what will be done to her hair.
5. Show her a before and after picture of her hair and then ask her which hairstyle she wants.

6. Rehearse with her a hair braiding session so she can get an idea for how she will need to sit.
7. Explain to her how important it is for her to do what the hairstylist want's her to do.
8. Pack her a light lunch.
9. Bring her favorite book, toy or electronic device.
10. Enforce discipline.... we don't mind!!

It is really an amazing thing for a little girl to get her hair done.  All that trouble for her to soon emerge from the salon chair feeling like a big girl.   

Is My Daughter to Young to Wear Extensions in Her Hair + What is the Proper Age For Extensions

I get this question a lot.  "IS MY DAUGHTER TO YOUNG TO GET EXTENSIONS??"

Let me say this in writing! Not me, or anyone else can tell you if your child is to young for extensions. If you feel as a parent the best hair care for your child would be to have individual braids, cornrows or twists in her hair, by all MEANS, have some extensions put in her hair!  Now, if you are talking about a baby or a child that is a toddler, I wouldn't advise it.  But again, it is your child, and you should know what is best for her.

On another note, Black women as a whole will never deny the convenience of forsaking the daily routine of constant manipulation to our hair.  Not to mention how the extensions protect our ends from damage.  Why would you not want this for your daughter's hair? 

However with a child there are more things to consider when deciding to have extensions added to her hair.  One, how thin is her hair?  Two, how fragile is her hair?  The younger the child is, the thinner her hair is. And the older she gets the texture will change, hopefully becoming much thicker. Remember, with most children up until the point of puberty their hair is thinner and fragile and can break and get damaged more easily from the stress of extensions.  Even though this is a hair reality for a lot of children, it is not the reality for all.  I have added extensions in little girls hair as young as two years old, because their hair was thick enough, and healthy enough to handle the extensions.  I have cornrowed little girls hair as young as one year old because their hair was healthy enough to manage the style.  So, again, it would depend on the parent, and the state of the child's hair.

My opinion is, if you don't feel comfortable with having extensions in your baby girl's hair, a great way to get the same look is to braid, cornrow or twist her hair,  just as you would with extensions.  Her hair will still be protected, and the style will promote growth.  When all is said and done, age is just a number.  The appropriate age for extensions is, who really knows???

How to Grow Your 4c and 4b Hair + Protective Style For Fragile Hair

So, you have researched and discovered that you have KINKY 4b/4c hair type, which is very fragile. You have also learned that it is very important that you use good hair products to care for your hair.  Moisturizing is the key to keeping hair healthy.  However, it won't matter how much you moisturize or condition your hair, if you are not handling it right.

Okay, I tell my clients over and over how important it is to wear protective styles - Twists, Cornrows, Braids, Coils, Tuck and Roll Styles - because for those with fragile hair types it’s one of the key areas of length retention.

Make a mental note, write it down, or carry a key chain that says "when you wear protective styles this helps prevent breakage of the hair, matting and tangles."  Not to mention that great moisture retention the styles provide.

Once you have learned which products and protective styles compliment and promote hair growth for your hair, stick with that regimen.  Be smart to notice the difference in how much breakage you experience, the amount of split ends that appears, and eventual growth.

Because of the frailty of 4b/4c hair, you might want to finger-comb your hair instead of using a wide tooth comb or a brush each time you detangle your hair. Finger-combing is more gentle on your hair and you can feel when hair is tangled or snagged.  Yes, it takes a lot more effort with your hair when Finger-combing, however, this method should help to reduce hair breakage even more.

One thing is an absolute when it comes to healthy hair care.  It is a routine of consistency.  You must keep up this routine of low manipulation to see some worth while results.  You can't do this for one week, or even two weeks and see massive results.  Healthy hair care takes months of consistency!!

Hair that is textured like ours grows on the average of 1/2 inches per month.  

Moms + Tweens and Teens Agree When It Comes to Individual Braids

In today's world of fast and easy, teens as always looking for quick and easy hairstyles to match their busy lives.  If your tween or teen wants individual braids, it's important for them to know that keeping their hair moisturized and conditioned while in the braids is the smartest and healthiest thing that they can do for their natural hair.  Paying attention to their natural hair while in the braids will help to prevent breakage.

Most tweens and teens enjoy the versatility of individual braids.  This hairstyle allows them to create different types of hairstyles.  Usually moms, tweens and teens want to take a break from the daily challenge of combing the hair, hence one of the reasons for individual braids. If your tween or teen has dry, brittle and breaking hair, you might want to consider braids which promotes hair growth.

There are times when moms, tweens or teens get braids because of the hair being damaged from chemical processing and frequent use of heat and styling, which further damages the hair. In addition, braids are a great way to keep your hair looking great during cold, rainy months or even during hot, humid months, when it becomes more of a challenge to keep the hair from frizzing.

A great addition to braids is to add a different color braid in with the primary color this will add a nice touch of highlights to the hairstyle. Another cool thing tweens or teens can do with the braids is to wear them straight hanging down, or to curl them by braiding the braids in a couple of big braids and then dipping them in really hot water... be very careful while doing this.  The hot water can possible burn you.  When she wants to change up, she can re-dip the braids to make them straight again.

Individual Braids Are Manageable + Easy to Maintain + You Can Create a Variety of Styles

 

Are you having a hard time choosing the right style for your hair? Well don't worry.  Individual braids is one of the easiest styles to maintain and manage. Not only that, they're elegant and classy.  They can be worn in styles for when you are dressed sharper than 2:45, going to club or for a casual outing. You will definitely be able to find that perfect look with individual braids.

Be sure to spray your individual braids every other day, or nightly to keep them from looking dry and old.  An idea mixture for your hair would be some moisturizer and conditioner with a couple of drops of coconut oil or extra virgin oil. Or you can purchase a jar of STYLES WITH PERSONALITY'S Hair Food which promotes hair growth and keeps the hair conditioned.  Just be sure not to over treat your braids.  Extra wet or oily braids will collect dirt and cause a build up.

Healthy Hair Care is an adopted practice!! 

One Good Thing That Your Hair Needs But Can Cause Weak and Fragile Hair + Breakage

DEEP CONDITIONING can be your hair's friend or its enemy.  Although conditioning is a very important part of our hair care regimen, some women believe the longer they leave the conditioner in the better.  Meet me at the water cooler, because I have some news for you!  

According to hair care experts leaving conditioner in hair for long periods of time, or overnight is extremely unnecessary.  Hair hair is weaker and more fragile when saturated in deep conditioner, especially water based conditioners.  If left in hair overnight, a person is more than likely going to move around a lot, turning their head a number of times. This may cause a lot of rubbing and hair strands may be pulled in the process, which may end in broken or weakened hair strands.  This can cause hair to shed or break over a length of time. 

I would suggest that you deep condition your hair once a week after every shampoo.  Once you have a pretty solid routine down for your hair care, you may increase or decrease how often you deep condition based on what your hair needs and on your lifestyle.

Tips For Removing Braids + Twists From Your Natural Hair

When removing your extensions be sure to cut the installed hair at least a half inch or more below your own hair and take down with the use of a rat tail comb from the end of the braid to the root. Be gentle when removing the extensions, depending on how long the braids have been in, you can cause some unnecessary hair loss by ripping and tugging to hard.  When uninstalling the hair, you might notice a gathering of product, dirt and lent all mixed together at the base of the hair or along the hair shaft. This is nothing to worry about.  This is a normal occurrence if you keep extensions in for any length of time.  If this happens, you can use an oil and conditioner mixture to loosen the hair that is matted starting from the roots to your ends.

After uninstalling your entire head, on a fully detangled head of hair, shampoo, condition and comb through your hair using a wide tooth comb.  Add a generous amount of deep conditioner to your hair. It can be leave-in or wash out. Now you are ready for a new hairstyle... even more braids or twists!

Signals That Your Individual Braids or Twists Are to Tight

After years of self styling, and styling others hair, here are some very important thing that I've learned during my journey of wearing, and installing extensions to promote healthy hair.

There are some stylist that will style you completely BALD! There are several things that come to mind when I think about installation techniques.

1. TENSION AND EDGE CARE
Some stylists are heavy handed, in which they use entirely too much tension on the hair, pulling it away from the scalp when braiding and twisting as if this is going to make the hairstyle more spectacular.  This is a major assault on the hair follicles and can lead to traction alopecia and even permanent hair loss. It is sad to say that this happens more often than I would like to say. 

Here are some signals to let you know that your braids are too tight.

1. If you have a headache after installation. This definitely should not happen. However, it can happen if you are extremely tender-headed.

2.  If you have little bumps or redness around your hair line or general scalp areas causing discomfort, tingling or itching. Those are inflamed or irritated hair follicles.

3. If you notice a nice amount of white bulbs around your hair line or general scalp area, that is being caused by infected hair follicles.

4. If your face and hairline have you looking like you have had plastic surgery because your braids are so tight, this should never, ever happen.  **This is when you call me to book an appointment. **

5 Things To Consider When Combing a Tender-Headed Child's Hair | Protective Hairstyles Are a Great Thing

Chances are you are reading this post because you have a child that is tender headed.  And combing that child's hair can be a serious challenge.  Dealing with wiggling, crying, whining, and the excuse "I need to use the bathroom" is even more of a headache.  Taking a tender-headed child to a professional stylist is often no better, because of the public display of drama that your child will display.  No worries, there are five simple things that you can do to help make combing your tender-headed child's hair more pleasurable.

1.  Make sure that you have something to keep the child distracted.  Television, a hand-held game, electronic notebook, or coloring book and crayons. 

2. It is very important to use a conditioner after shampooing your child's hair. You can also use detangling spray, hair lotion or hair oil according to your child's hair texture. 

3. Be sure to comb hair in sections. Generally four sections is cool. However, if you find that you need to make more sections to create more comfortable for your child, then do that. Working in sections will make a noted difference when trying to comb your child's hair. 

4. Always, always, always work from the end of the hair towards the scalp. Remembering that the scalp is tender... hold the hair in your hand tighter at the root without pulling it.  Doing this will reduce tugging on the hair and scalp as you comb or brush the hair.  Around the neck and behind the ears are very sensitive, so be extra careful when combing those areas. 

5. After shampooing, conditioning, and making the hair manageable, it would be a great idea to style the child's hair in a protective hairstyle.  This could include cornrows, individual braids, or twists.  These type of hairstyles can stay in for at least two week's at a time.  Just be sure to moisturizer the hair while braided. This will give you, and your child a good two weeks of freedom from the "hair struggle."

Get Rid Of Dandruff In Your Child's Hair Once and For All

There are times when you might see something that looks like small snow flakes in your child's hair, on her scalp.  This more than likely is dandruff.  Dandruff is not contagious and most of the time it is not a serious condition.

Dandruff is a very common scalp condition (among all races of people) that causes the skin on your scalp to itch and flake up.  The condition is generally explained as a scalp reaction that causes the natural cycle of skin replenishment to occur more quickly on your scalp.

No worries, dandruff can be controlled fairly easily.  If you have a mild case of dandruff, you can get it under control by shampooing your hair regularly with a gentle shampoo.  However, if you have a more severe case of dandruff, medicated shampoos or physician assistance may be necessary.

Dandruff is a condition that is usually simple to diagnose.  If there are flakes of dead skin present in your hair and on your shoulders coupled with an itchy scalp, there is a good chance that you have dandruff. The condition can be impacted by the climate that you live in. Fall and winter months are usually the most difficult times of the year for people with dandruff due to indoor heating contributing to dry skin and scalp.  Dandruff usually improves during the summer months.

Tea tree oil has been medically proven to be a natural anti-fungal and functions as a good disinfectant. You can mix 5-10 drops of tea tree oil in your shampoo and wash your hair as normal.  I believe the method is more effective after shampooing your hair, mix 1 tablespoon of tea tree oil into 1 cup of warm water or Aloe Vera juice, spray into your scalp and let it sit for a few minutes. Gently pat the extra moisture out, but don’t wash it out.

You Are The Reason Why Your Hair Is Breaking Off

Every woman wants to look beautiful. And sometimes to save ourselves a little money we will do our own hair. If proper hair care is not a part of your routine before you install any type of hair, damage will occur.  If your hair becomes damaged, it becomes fragile and weak and there will DEFINITELY be some hair breakage.  And no one enjoys hair that is unhealthy looking.  If hair extensions are continued through damaged hair, you will eventually see thinning hair or even bald spots. Before the breakage becomes a "Girl, my hair is breaking out" to a 911 emergency, get some Protein ASAP! If you are not comfortable doing this, consult a hair care specialist. 

Stop taking chances with hair breakage.  Give Mosci a call at 619.642.9382 to set up an appointment.  

Health Hair Care is an adopted practice at Styles with Personality!

THE REAL REASON TO WEAR PROTECTIVE HAIRSTYLES

Protective styling is meant to be short-term temporary. I always recommend protective styling for a month at a time - 2 months maximum.  Any longer than that and your new growth will stretch and become damaged; this completely defeats the point of protective styling. Protective styling is to give your fragile ends (edges mostly) a break and focus on new growth.

HOW TO KEEP YOUR GIRLS HAIR MOISTURIZED UNDER BRAID AND TWIST EXTENSIONS

I believe the best way to moisturize individual braids, or twists extensions is to use a water-based spritz followed by sealing with a scentless light oil.  This method allows for a nice amount of moisture without causing hair to mesh, loc, or have severe product buildup.  Heavier products, especially thick butters, can build up near the roots and facilitate meshing or loc-ing, especially in thicker individuals.  

Wearing your natural hair in braids in a nice change up, and it allows your hair some "time-off" from all the products, combing and brushing which can sometimes cause breakage.