Search Results: Michelle Breyer

Earlier this year, a curly-headed woman showed up at work one day with a shiny, pin-straight bob. It appeared that she had chemically straightened her hair.

“No, I just Chi’d it today,” she replied, referring to the ceramic-plate straightening irons that has revolutionized the hair industry.

The fact that Chi has become a verb as well as a noun illustrates just how far styling tools have come over the past four years. Now, it’s easier than ever to temporarily straighten the hair, to dry it or to better define curls. And the new technologies have shortened the styling time and reduced the damage associated with heat.

Companies such as Rusk, Conair, HoMedics, Sunbeam, BaByliss and Farouk Systems are developing a wide range of straightening brushes, flat irons, and curling irons in all shapes and sizes that provide professional results at home. These days, you can buy flat irons made of ceramic, sapphire and gold. There are seemingly endless combinations. BaByliss, for example, sells a Pro Ionic Air Styler — a combination thermal brush/blow dryer that uses a special ionic generator to produce a stream of negative ions to smooth the hair.

“It all evolved because people are putting more time and effort into getting their hair as smooth and straight as possible,” said Stacey Defelice, public relations coordinator for Conair.

The hottest sellers right now are ceramic appliances — devices that enable infrared heat to be more evenly distributed. These days, ceramic is being used in flat irons, curling irons and blow dryers.

“Ceramics are the big buzz word right now,” a Rite Aid spokesman recently told Chain Drug Review, a trade publication that tracks the drug store industry. “It’s definitely brought in new users to the category.”

For Redken artist Brent Borreson, the coolest new product is the Krembs Wet to Dry flat iron. The ceramic irons have channels that allow the plate to act as a squeegee, pushing excess moisture into the channels, which evaporates through steam holes. This keeps excess heat away from the head. The increase in temperature — 380 to 400 degrees — allows wet hair to be styled without significantly cooling the plates. Blowing and stretching the hair is eliminated, which leaves the hair in better condition and provides more shine than some other straightening techniques.

“The hair seems to stay straighter longer,” said Borreson, who carries his Krembs iron with him everywhere, along with several shapes of flat irons and curling irons in diameters ranging from 1/8 inch to 4 inches and his Chi blowdryer and diffuser. “It’s great on ethnic hair and great on Caucasian hair.”

Perhaps the best known of the new generation of products is the Chi iron — considered by some to be the Rolls Royce of irons.

Developed 3 1&Mac218;2 years ago, it was the first iron to use ceramic technology with infrared and negative ions. It now is the top-selling iron in its category.

It uses negative ions to produce ceramic heat that seals the cuticle, repels humidity, locks in hair color and retards fading. It is squeeze sensitive to increase the temperature with each squeeze

“It provides consistent heat rather than hot spots,” said Jason Yates, creative director of Farouk Systems, which develops and markets the growing Chi line of products. “It also produces moisturizing heat that doesn’t dry out the hair compared to copper or iron.

The Chi line has been expanding dramatically.

Now there’s the lightweight 1500-watt Turbo Chi dryer, a low electro-magnetic force dryer (It’s 1.5 MG compared to the 150 MGs of a traditional hairdryer”> that contains internal pure ceramic heated coils that produce a moist, even air temperature which results in natural, healthy shine to the hair while reducing dryness and fly aways. The negative ions break water molecule clusters into micro-fine particles, which infuse moisture into each hair shaft, sealing the cuticle while baking hair. Infrared helps dry the hair inside out with less hot air.

“There are ionic dryers but none that are ionic and ceramic,” Borreson said.

Once designed specifically for hairdressers, the company added a line of irons for consumers called Chi Turbo that offer temperature control and felt protection, rather than the squeeze control of the original. Once only available with a 1-inch plate, The Chi Turbo iron now comes in three sizes: .7-inch, 1-inch and 2-inch plates. There’s also the “Wee Chi,” a .5-inch iron that’s a smaller version of the Chi.

At the beginning of the year, the company introduced eight new Chi round curling irons in professional and consumer versions. They also use pure ceramic techynology.

“They have the same conditioning effects on the hair,” Yates said.

And Farouk Systems recently introduced the Chi Hooded Dryer, which provides ceramic heat to condition and shine the hair during chemical processes like color.

“Once we started, we wanted to fill every need the hairdresser has,” Yates said. “It started with one iron and it really has become an entity of its own.”

Companies are working on many other tools that will make life easier.

Conair just launched its Instant Heat Straightener with Thermal Glass Mirror Plates – a new flattening iron that uses glass mirror plates to provide a smoother finish.

“Nothing straightens better than glass mirror technology,” Defelice said. “Hair has better contact with the plate because it glides, leaving hair silky, dazzling and shiny.”

For example, Borreson said he’s developing on a curling iron that’s twice as long as a traditional iron for spiral curls. Several companies, including Rusk and Farouk Systems, also have developed processes that combine chemical straighteners with the new tools to get better results.

Technology doesn’t necessarily come cheap. While some brands are available for $30 or less, some models can run close to $200. The type of appliance you buy depends on your budget and usage.

Professional dryers tend to last longer — 1,200 hours compared to 500 for a regular consumer model – and tend to be lighter and quieter.

Conair’s Turbo Speed Styler uses ceramic heat technology, with dual heat technology for conventional or radiant heat and a turbo button for 40 percent more airflow. BaByliss recently introduced its Odyssey Dryer with Ceramic Pulse Heat technology. The 1,875-watt dryer emits ion reflectives to enhance the hair, with ceramic technology to add smoothness and silkiness. It also has a removable filter and a concentrator nozzle attachment to focus heat and air.

There are a wide range of accessories available to maximize the power of a dryer – from massaging diffusers to straightening accessories.

But heat is still heat, cautions Christo of Christo Fifth Avenue. He urges his clients to condition and protect their hair when using heat products.

“If you want a style, you have to do it the right way,” Christo said. “Invest in nice tools.”

Jane Carter didn’t intend to develop a line of natural haircare products for curly hair.

But when the New Jersey hairdresser developed severe asthma in response to the chemicals she was using, her doctor told her she’d had to get out of the business — a business that was grossing $1 million a year. Instead, she decided to learn about what went into haircare products.

‘That was the beginning,’ Carter said.. ‘I went to a bunch of beauty supply stores and sat down and ready every label on thousands of products. And every label had the exact same ingredients. I was intrigued by the whole thing.’

So a decade ago, she cleared the products out of her salon and started from scratch. She wanted to get away from the heavy, greasy products that were so common in lines for ethnic hair.

The first product she developed was the Hair Nourishing Serum — a totally natural blend of essential oils and vtiamins that can be used on all kinds of hair. Her goal was to create something that was nourishing, without the greasy feel.

‘For a lot of women of color or with curly hair, they’ve never found something that works that’s not greasy,’ she said.

That one product has grown into a line of a nearly a dozen products collectively called The Jane Carter Solution: the Hair Nourishing Serum, Scalp Nourishing Serum, Nourish and Shine, Scalp Renew, Revitalizing Leave-In Conditioner, Nutrient Replenishing Conditioner, Wrap and Roll, Condition & Sculpt, Twist and Lock, Natural Hold Spray Gel and Moisture Nourishing Shampoo. The products range in price from $7 to $20.

The Jane Carter Solution specifically designed is for dry hair, curly hair, relaxed hair, permed hair, or color-treated hair.

She said too many of the people who develop haircare products don’t understand how they’re used. She cited a chemist friend who has developed 40 percent of the best-known ethnic products but had never gone into a salon.

‘I was dumbfounded,’ Carter said.

Carter has owned her salon for 20 years and understands the needs of women with curly hair. For example, she said a lot of women with curls and kinks are afraid to wet their hair. But a lot of women who twist and lock their hair develop dry, flaky scalp because they never shampoo. So she developed Scalp Renew as a pre-shampoo treatment to cleanse the follice, getting rid of sludge and toxins.

‘ I really didn’t plan on it,’ Carter said of her product line. ‘But once you use one product that really works, you start coming up with others. I looked at what was missing from the market and create it. I really evolved.’

Carter said she uses pure essential oils such as Citrius — a great anti-fungal, anti-bacterial. Her products also are loaded with such ingredients as shea butter and illippe butter — really moisturizing.

Like some others, Carter is not a big fan of silicones, glycerin or petroleum, which she said have huge molecules that can’t penetrate the hairshaft.

‘We don’t use any of it,’ she said.

The products have gained loyal customers around the world — from Mozambique to India. And the thing that has amazed her is how much these customers have in common.

‘They all have the same questions: ‘How do I deal with my hair? How do I prevent my hair from being dry?” she said. ‘It’s the same dialogue.’

Carter admits she didn’t always feel so good about her own curly hair and relaxed it for years.

‘Then I eventually just said ‘forget it’,’ Carter said.

Carter believes too many stylists are unable to deal with different hair textures. Carter, on the other hand, found it easy.

‘I had had bad experiences and I had a family full of people who had had bad experiences,’ she said. ‘I started fixing really bad haircuts when I was 15.’

She said too many stylists think of hair as hair, lumping all people into one category. But Carter said that we have an increasingly multicultural society.

‘We should be able to work with anybody that comes through the door,’ she said. ‘That’s my orientation.’

The products are available at CurlMart.

When haircare company Bumble and bumble launched its Curl Conscious line of products last fall, it wanted to do more than sell shampoos, conditioners and styling products. ‘It was about shifting the culture,’ said Dan Langer, director of marketing for Bumble and bumble. ‘Instead of clients coming in and asking for blowouts, we wanted them to know that curly hair is sexy and fun and beautiful. It’s something to be embraced, to be relished.’

To help accomplish this, the New York-based company asked its 2,000 network salons to participate in its Curl Culture campaign to come up with unique ways to spread the gospel of curl pride.

To motivate them, the company held a contest. The salon that came up with the most creative campaign would win a day of training with Bumble and bumble’s top educator — ‘our rock star teacher’ — Howard McLaren, vice president of technical development. It’s a prize worth $50,000.

During the five months of the contest, which ended in mid-January, the majority of salons did something to support the line, whether it be wearing their hair curly, wearing Curl Conscious T-shirts and buttons or displaying collages and look books of curly hair.

But for many salons, that was just the beginning. One salon had a special book where customers with curly hair could leave their thoughts about curly hair. Another hosted a poetry slam about curly hair. A California salon launched Curlculture.com, a Web site devoted to curly hair and the Bumble and bumble Curl Conscious line.

Many salons hosted special curl education events for clients. Some shot their own videos or burned CDs to give out to clients. Some salons went on their local news stations to do segments focused on curly hair.

Detour and 2nd Street Salons in Encinitas, Calif., for example, participated in a street fair where they picketed straight hair, created a documentary called ‘Give Curl a Chance,’ and even had media at several of their events. Industry, a salon in Syracuse, New York, submitted photos of their fabulous merchandising of Curl Conscious and included chalk drawings on the walls of the salon to promote curly hair and a curlier culture. Goldwaves Salon in Fort Worth, Texas held a Kick-Off Party, complete with a curly menu of curly pasta, spiral cut veggies, a chocolate roll cake, and spiral cut sugar cookies. They even had ‘curly trash’ where clients came in with their old curl products and tossed them in the trash!

‘There were a lot of interesting and innovative ideas,’ Langer said.

The winner of the contest will be disclosed this month (March”>.

The biggest reward hasn’t just been product sales, which have been strong. It’s seeing more people putting away their blowdryers and flatirons, letting their curls do their thing. Company spokeswoman Julia Sloan said she’s one such person. In the past, she never wore her hair curly. Now, she said, she wears it curly most of the time.

‘I love it,’ Sloan said.

Although the official contest has ended, Langer stressed that the company’s efforts to promote curly hair have not.

‘It’s not something we’re stopping,’ he said, ‘It’s something which we will continue to focus on in images and ongoing campaigns, regardless of this product.’

French model Kathy Jean Louis has walked the catwalk for some of the world’s top designers.

Now it is her beautiful curls that are in the spotlight. Jean Louis, the muse for French designer Paco Rabanne, is the spokeswoman for PhytoSpecific, a line of haircare products specifically for naturally curly, coarse and relaxed hair.

PhytoSpecific was created by French hairdresser Patrick Ales, founder and chairman of the Ales Groupe. His company is known for its ‘Phyto’ haircare lines – Phytotherathrie and Phytologie.

Ales felt there was a need for a full prestige line of products for curly, frizzy and wavy hair using botanical extracts and plants. While customers loved his Phyto products, there had been infinite requests from customers asking for specialty products for this hair texture.

He enlisted the help of Dr. Fatou Plat. Plat has been recognized for her extensive studies of plants and has studied internationally. For Plat, a curlyhead, it had long been her own dream to use her knowledge of phytochemistry to develop a line for naturally curly, frizzy and relaxed hair based in active botanical ingredients. Ales wanted a luxurious line with beautiful packaging and concentrated formulas.

The PhytoSpecific line was launched in France in 1997 and introduced in the United States in 1998

The PhytoSpecific is ‘more of a treatment line,’ explained Marie Christine Stefanetti, director of education for the Ales Group.

‘This line offers a lot of hydration and nutrition,’ Stefanetti said. ‘The final result will be curly hair with more shine and no frizz. Because all curly hair is not created equal, the line includes three categories. The Optimal category is designed for normal to dry hair and includes the Hydration Shampoo and Hydration Milk. The Intense category, for ultra-dry hair, includes the Intense Nutrition Shampoo and Intense Nutrition Mask. And the Vital Force category, tailored for damaged, brittle hair, includes the Vital Force Shampoo and Cream Bath.

In addition, the line also includes a Revitalizing Treatment Oil and two styling tools – the Beauty Styling Cream – a pomade that adds shine – and the Moisturizing Styling Balm – a leave-in conditioner that protects the hair from extreme conditions. For those who want to relax their hair, PhytoSpecific offers two Phytorelaxers – one for delicate fine hair and the other for normal, thick and coarse hair.

The products contain no harsh detergents and are loaded with plant extracts like shea butter, macadamia oil, kukui oil, wax of mimosa, jojoba oil, mango oil as well as vitamins and amino acids.

Chicago stylist Phedra Price of Toss Salon and Spa began using the PhytoSpecific line in the 1990s while she was living in France.

‘I have seen a dramatic difference, especially when I use the oils in conjunction with the shampoo and conditioners,’ said Price, who uses the line on many of her clients with textured hair.

Price said she especially liks the fact that the PhytoSpecific line doesn’t assume one size fits all.

‘You used to see one type of product that was supposed to cover every area,’ she said. ‘Since textured hair is dry, people thought all it needed was moisture. But it can be overmoisturized. I like having three formulations, with different levels of moisturizing.’

Albert Narcisse, who specializes in color and relaxers at the Lepine New York Salon, is a big fan of the PhytoSpecific line. His two favorites are the Vital Force Cream Bath and the Intense Nutrition Masque conditioners.

‘It’s important to have products at home that can maintain the hair in between salon visits,’ Narcisse said.

Narcisse said he’s glad to see another company that is catering to the curlyheaded.

‘Most people in the world have curly hair and it needs to be nourished and maintained,’ he said. ‘PhytoSpecific is an excellent line.’

Beginning this month, NaturallyCurly.com is proud to offer the PhytoSpecific line on CurlMart. It is the first of what we hope will be several lines of products for curly hair that will be available on the site in the coming months.

The shampoos start at $18, the conditioners range from $22 to $24 and the styling products cost $22.

The first time that Jean Louis visited the PhytoSolba Laboratories, she said she was impressed by the dedication of the researchers, chemists and doctors and the passion they had for PhytoSpecific products. But the real selling point, she said, were the way the products worked on her own hair.

‘The Phyto products had good results but they were not sufficient or effective enough for my hair type,’ Jean Louis said. ‘That is why I was interested that there was a specific Phyto line for me – PhytoSpecific. I tried the line and was very impressed by the long-lasting results.’ ‘People stop me on the street and compliment the condition of my hair,’ she said.

Sherry L. of Puntagorda, Fla. was looking for a change when she decided to try thermal reconditioning last April.

After a two-hour drive to Fort Lauderdale and seven hours in the stylist’s chair, she had a shiny, stick-straight bob that ‘felt like a Siamese cat.’

“I’ve never been able to run my fingers through my hair before,” said Sherry (Curltalker Meezer”>.

But her enthusiasm was short-lived. She recalls looking around her in class one day and seeing curly hair everywhere. The only way she could get any curl back into her hair was by dousing it with hairspray and using a curling iron. Her once bouncy ponytail was flat and limp.

“I just paid $600 and all I see is people with curls,” she recalled. “I felt like I wasn’t myself anymore.”

So in June, Sherry snipped off close to five inches of hair, leaving a chin length bob. By September, the rest of the straightened hair had been cut off.

“It definitely gave me a new appreciation of curls,’ she said. ‘In my opinion, the only people who should do this are people who already wear their hair straight every day, because there’s a very good chance you’ll miss your curls.”

Thermal reconditioning, a Japanese hair-straightening technique introduced in the United States a few years ago, has taken the country by storm. For many curlyheads, it has been a godsend, enabling them to achieve their desire of having silky straight hair. For many, it has been a life-changing experience.

“It’s the world’s greatest thing for curly hair,” Rachel Marinos told the Seattle Times in November. “I love it more than Christmas and my birthday.”

The treatment manipulates heat from a special iron to restructure the bonds in the hair and change the shape of the hair follicle so it falls completely straight. The top three methods use roughly the same procedure: relax the hair, apply proteins and conditioners, flatiron it straight and apply a neutralizing solution.

It takes three to six hours, depending on the length of the hair and how curly it is and can last six to eight months, although some women require retouches every few months. The cost ranges from $250 to $1,000.

“I’m not anti-TR,” Sherry said. “It’s an absolutely amazing solution for people who wear their hair straight.”

But it’s not for everyone. It’s expensive. Upkeep can be more than some bargain for (curly regrowth can look strange with the straightened hair”>. It’s permanent (once it’s straight, it’s straight until you cut it off”>. It may not work well on very coarse or kinky hair. If applied wrong, the chemicals can cause damage and breakage. One New York stylist has nicknamed it the “Hiroshima Hair Treatment.”

And for some, their new stick-straight hair has left them longing for their curls.

“Part of your personality is associated with your hair,” said Monica of New Jersey. “I miss my curly hair.”

Monica had the process done this year ago after a hairdresser blew her 3a curls straight. Up until then, she always had worn her hair curly. She loved the look and got haircuts that suited her straight hair. Thermal reconditioning seemed to offer the perfect way to get the straight look easily.

But it’s been more difficult than she expected. She never realized her hair was fine until it was chemically straightened.

“When it was curly, I had a lot of hair, a lot of body,’ she said. ‘In the beginning it was really, really flat. It doesn’t necessarily suit my long, thin face.”

Another problem has been the split ends that show much more clearly with her straight hair. “You can see every imperfection,” she said.

And it takes her a long time to make her hair look good — something she was unprepared for.

When it was curly, I just jumped in the shower, washed it and let it dry naturally,” she said. “Now it doesn’t look good unless I style it.”

For those who opt for thermal reconditioning, stylists have several suggestions to make sure they’re happy with the results.

Those who do it should be prepared for the dramatic change it will make to their overall look.

Veteran stylist Antonio Soddu, founder of the Curl Friends and co-founder of the Bumble and Bumble product lines, suggests those considering thermal reconditioning blow their hair straight for two weeks to see how they like it.

“Once it’s straight, it’s straight,” Soddu said. “If you want it curly again, you have to grow it out.” Once you’ve had the treatment done, treat it with tender loving care.

In the December Allure, hairstylist Mayumi Nakashima of New York’s Peter Coppola Salon recommends those who have had thermal reconditioning wash their hair infrequently (two to three times a week”>, air dry when possible, use a natural-bristle hairbrush and protective conditioning spray when blowdrying and deep condition the hair once a month.

Ouidad recently introduced a new deep conditioning treatment designed for the type of damage caused by such processes as thermal reconditioning. Damage Control — ‘a curl recovery system’ — is formulated with vitamins A, B6, C, D, E, K, folic acid, botanical extracts, powerful proteins and Methyl-Sulfonylmethane, a naturally occurring sulfur compound mixed with Aloe-Vera. The conditioner is designed to stimulate and moisturize damaged hair, restoring the original shine and luster. The treatment must be applied under professional supervision.

And for those who don’t want their hair completely straight, there are many other options, ranging from relaxers like Rusk Anti-Curl to reverse perms.

Christo Fifth Avenue, for example, offers the Curlisto Bio-Softening treatment to loosen curls and add shine. He uses a blend of botanical extracts, conditioners, amino acids and proteins in the formula, which is applied on dry, sectioned hair for 60 to 120 minutes, depending on the length and thickness of the hair. The cost ranges from $300 to $500.

“It doesn’t make the hair straight,” Cypriano said. “It adds more shine and makes the curls more uniform and less bulky.”

The salon’s Bio-Reconditioning treatment is halfway between Bio-Softening and Thermal Reconditioning and uses minimal heat to loosen ultra-tight, frizzy curls.

“It still gives you the option of having curls when you want them,” Cypriano said. “It’s less drastic.”

And finally, the salon does do thermal reconditioning as well, but only after a consultation.

“We make sure that the person who wants their hair straightened is 100 percent sure they want that look for a year,” he said. “If I see they’re a little hesitant, I offer our two other options and leave it up to them to decide.”

For Valerie (Curltalker ValerieW”> of New Jersey, thermal reconditioning has been a mixed blessing. When she first had it done, she loved the results. But despite what she had heard, her hair wasn’t wash and wear. She had to blowdry it to get her hair shiny and straight. And as it grew out, it looked dry and damaged, prompting her to do the process again.

“I really didn’t want straight hair,” she said. “I just didn’t want frizzy hair. It’s been two years and I miss my curls.”

Curly hair expert Christo recalled a local African-American TV personality who came to him in desperation.

Her producers didn’t like her long, kinky hair and had requested she get a straighter look. Christo didn’t straighten it, but used a biosoftener to give her looser, sleeker curls.

‘Unfortunately, the corporate world says you have to have straight hair or you have to pull your curls back to be professional,’ said Christo, who opened Christo Fifth Avenue last year. ‘It’s discrimination.’

Chris Baran, global artistic director for Redken, believes it’s a misconception that people with long, flowing curly hair can’t be taken seriously.

‘Anybody who says curls can’t look professional obviously doesn’t have curly hair,’ Baran said. ‘As long as you have a proper haircut and you’re styling it properly, it can look professional.’

Whether you’re a lawyer or a doctor, an television anchorwoman or an accountant, there are styles, accessories and products that can make curly hair look more professional.

‘For those who want to take every precaution, get it up and off your face,’ Baran said.

According to ‘Dress for Success,’ hair must be off your hair in a business environment to provide ‘a more honest appearance,’ Baran said. That may mean pulling it back in a ponytail, a french twist, a headband or a bun. Baran also likes loose braids, with a few tendrils falling out to create more softness.

Products can also help eliminate the halo effect when frizz takes over. He recommends using a little of Redken’s Concrete – a styling paste with a hold power of 22—to control hair around the face. To define the curls, he advises using some Lush Whip. And in your desk drawer, keep a little Vinyl Glam silicone shine spray, some elastic bands, a barrette and a spray water bottle.

‘The hair goes back into spiral curls rather than frizz,’ he said.

Jason Yates, creative director for Farouk Systems, said women need to have options. A lot of clients may have a conservative job but a wild night life.

‘During the day, hair needs to be under control,’ Yates said. ‘For evening, you can go a little crazy.’

He likes styles and colors that can look sleek and controlled during the day, but can have a different look after hours. He likes parting long hair low on the side and pulling it back in a low ponytail, letting the curls go wild in the back. A few tendrils can be pulled out around the face for a softer look. By using panels of colors, different colors are visible depending on the hair is styled.

Read More: Hair Etiquette: The Wet Hair Look

‘If it doesn’t look professional, that’s because you don’t know how to take care of it,’ said Laurent D., a stylist with salons in New York and Los Angeles.

Laurent said hair that’s too long can look ‘hippieish.’ He likes the curly bob and a loose ponytail for work. And to provide a more defined curl, he likes to apply his Prive Formule Aux Herbes Leave-In Treatment and his Curl Activating Creme around small sections of hair, twistin them around the fingers and allowing them to dry like that. When diffusing the hair, he said don’t move it at all to create bigger, looser curls.

Lorraine Massey, author of ‘Curly Girl’ and owner of the Devachan salon in New York, recommends keeping hair flatter and less frizzy. Once you allow the curls to dry, don’t scrunch them. Other styles she recommends include pulling two strands of hair from either side of the head and tying it loosely at the neck. Then keep a scarf on for five minutes. When you remove the scarf and allow the curls to dry naturally or a diffuser for a softer look.

But ultimately, she said, it’s not the hairstyle that determines whether someone is good at their job.

‘Knowing that you are professional is what makes someone professional, no matter whether your hair is curly or straight,’ Massey said. ‘Curly hair is not a disability.’

Most curl experts believe that women with curly hair have the power to change attitudes about curls in the workplace by accepting rather than fighting their curls. And it’s changing already, with more women with curls showing up on the fashion runways and in magazines.

‘Sometimes, you just have to wear your hair the way you want to rather than following trends,’ Yates said. ‘It’s refreshing to the eye and soon everyone else starts to follow. I personally like wild hair rather than hair that’s too perfect.’ ‘If we continue to embrace curly hair and we show people how to create different styles, then curly hair will be more accepted,’ Christo said. ‘Then, hopefully, the corporate world will see curly hair different. We can all help change attitudes, one curl at a time.’

Read More: How to Create Professional Hairstyles

When Ouidad first contacted beauty editors 20 years ago about her new salon that catered to the needs of curly hair, the reception was lukewarm at best.

“One told me that when she was first contacted, she got off the phone and said ‘poor child,'” Ouidad recalled. “They thought it was such a farfetched idea.”

On June 23rd, Ouidad celebrated her 20th anniversary with some of these same beauty editors, who now acknowledge what the ‘Queen of Curl’ has known for so long. Curly hair is a force to be reckoned with — a fact proved by the growing number of curly hair stylists, the explosion of products for curly hair and the long list of celebrities who embrace their coils and kinks.

“I’m basking in the glory of the recognition of curly hair,” Ouidad said the day after the event at Carnegie Hall in New York.

More than 165 attended the party, including major beauty editors, Ouidad affiliates — there now are 12 around the United States — longtime clients, executives from the beauty industry and celebrities. Ouidad said client New York Gov. George Pataki was planning to attend but President Bush came to town.

Guests dined on curly foods — tuna tartare with curled vegetables, salmon inside a curled radish, chicken with curly angel-haired pasta and apple martinis with a curl of apple on the rim — served by curly-headed servers.

“Who would have imagined this?” she asked.

When Ouidad opened her salon 20 years ago, funded by a small business loan and the generosity of friends and family, only a handful of clients walked in the first day. She put everything on the line, believing that there was a need for somebody to work with curly hair. She persevered, staying focused on her goal.

“All of a sudden, I got bombarded,” said the Lebanese entrepreneur. “By year three, I paid everybody back.”

Even with growing competition from other curly hair stylists and large manufacturers rolling out curly hair product lines, Ouidad said business is booming. Her salon at 846 Seventh Ave. works with as many as 130 clients a day. Sales this year are above last year, and the list of salons wanting to sign on as affiliates is long, she said. According to Women’s Wear Daily, the Ouidad salon generated more than $5 million in sales for 2002, up 28 percent from the previous year.

Two decades later, Ouidad said her focus hasn’t changed. While some have wanted her to expand to other hair types, she has stuck with her passion: curly hair.

Her immediate plans are to continue to add Ouidad affiliates around the country. Her goal is to train 12 a year.

“I can’t physically, mentally or psychologically cut the world’s hair,” Ouidad said. “I can train and work with my peers.”

She will continue to add products to her Ouidad line. Although she’s keeping mum, she said she is working on a new styling product. A product line for children also is on her wish list. She also plans to move into a new 5,000-square-foot salon that would be three times the size of her current New York location. She plans to have an educational center to work with stylists.

Ouidad said the real victory comes with seeing a younger generation that embraces rather than fights their curls. Twenty years ago, young girls would come into her salon like they were being brought into an emergency room, begging for help with their hair. Now they say, “I love my hair! All my friends want hair like mine.”

And she watched the recent Tony Awards with pride as all five female Tony nominees sported ringlets, “crowning glories” or curls, she said.

What’s your face shape?

Here’s how to find the hair styles that work best for you. Styles should accentuate your best facial features while minimizing your less-than-best features.

To find your face shape:

1. Pull hair back and secure so hair is totally off the face.
2. Stand 12′ from a mirror and look straight into it. Or, use a picture of yourself facing straight into the camera with your hairline showing.
3. Outline your face with a marker on the mirror, with drawing paper or on the photo itself.
4. Now look at your face shape in the mirror or the photo drawing. At first there may appear to be more than one shape. Though your face may not be an exact duplicate of any single shape, it will more closely resemble one shape over all other shapes shown. Pick the shape most closely resembling your own.

Oval-Shaped Face

Oval is considered by many to be the loveliest and most versatile face shape since nearly every style looks sensational on this face with perfect symmetry. Hair pulled back shows off the oval face the most. In long styles, a great classic look is a center or side part with hair touching shoulders. The short-layered looks with curls and a close extended nape focus on this oval.

Round-Shaped Face

This shape is round at the cheeks and a has a circular form.There is more of the face near the ears and gradually less curving upward and downward. The goal: to slim your face. Hair below the chin line should be worn with a face-lengthening center part; for hair above chin line, wear an off-center part to interrupt the roundness. Height at the crown and a bare forehead lengthen and slim the face. It’s best to avoid short and sleeked-back hairstyles. In short-angled styles, you are best seen with hair brushed away from the face, building extra crown height to narrow the roundness of your features. Though bangs shorten the face, you can wear curly, tousled side bangs. Always avoid straight-falling bangs. Wear longer styles closer to the face to give length. Decrease the volume at the sides and ear area. Increase height and length should be beyond the chin or just above it. A side part works well. Keeping hair off the face at the cheek area is also recommended.

Square Face

This face is characterized by an angular jaw and square brow, with jaw and brow being nearly the same width. The goal: soften the sharp angle of jawline and minimize squared-off brow. Hairstyles that emphasize the cheekbones mid-line of the face are most flattering. Bangs and waves at the temple also soften the square. Wear your best styles with hair swinging forward onto the face to reduce the angles. Hair length is best about 1-1/2′ below the chin, or extending to shoulder length to reduce and soften the squareness of your jaw. Hair worn on the forehead is always perfect for you, as long as it is wispy or fringed. Never wear straight bangs. Hair turned under at the bottom also will narrow the width of the jaw. Styles in loose curls and waves add extra dimension to the square face. Styles that round out your hair can decrease the appearance of a square face shape. Adding curl, angled or wispy bangs, and a few wisps on the cheek area will all help. A cut that allows for some height i also a good idea. Wear a side part as opposed to a center part. Avoid straight bangs and hanging hair.

Triangular-Shaped Face

This shape has a wide chin and a narrow forehead. The goal: narrow the chin and widen the forehead. Wear your hair wide and full at the top of the head and temples, brushed away from the face and up toward the ear to widen forehead; from the ear, angle hair forward toward the chin to soften and narrow a strong jaw. Do not wear styles that are full at the jawline however.Your best hair length: chin length or longer. Decrease volume in the crown and at the side, ear areas. Adding curl and fullness to the chin area and just above the temples can help round out the look.

Heart-Shaped Face

This is an upside down triangle face. There is very little of your face at the jaw line, much more at the eye line, cheek bones and even more at the brow line. The goal: diminish forehead width and create a wider, fuller jaw effect.If you want bangs, wear them full and curly if possible. Wear a side part with soft three-quarter bangs swept over one side to balance your forehead width. The styles should be fuller at the top than at the jaw line. Upswept at the sides and off the forehead further emphasize your feminine appeal . A medium length to mid-neck is your best look. Fullness at the bottom, with hair directed forward onto the cheeks gives you the appearance of a wide chin. Curls or loose waves, shaped from the ears down, add width and fullness to your chin. Decrease volume in the crown and at the side, ear areas. Adding curl and fullness to the chin area can help round out the look. Wisps on the jaw area or bangs can help give a wider rounder appearance. Avoid styles that mirror the heart shape.

Oblong face

This shape is long and thin, often with a chin that tends to look pointed. There is very little difference in width between the top, middle or bottom of your face but it is more rounded than the square face.Hairstyles should add width and fullness to the sides of the face and around the eyes, cheekbones and ears. This shape benefits from a low side part, with a sweep of hair brushed across the forehead and secured with a comb. The look of volume with an asymmetric flow of hair to one side widens your face and reduces length. Straight-falling bangs or bangs blended with the sides of your hair shorten the overall face length. Your best hair length reaches to the middle of the neck. Favor volume with curly or wavy styles that are very becoming, giving you the illusion of balanced width.

Clothing tip: Avoid long v-necked and vertical lines at the neckline. Use high necklines to shorten the length of the face.

Makeup tip: To shorten the face a bit,. use darker foundation, powder or blusher to darken the chin.

With so many different bottles, tubes and cans of hair products from which to choose, it can be difficult to figure out what they all do. Here is some help.

Anti-frizz gel or serum

See Straightening gel.

Anti-humectants

Any substance that repels moisture. They are used to prevent frizz.

Glaze

Another name for either a sculpturing lotion or a styling creme. Tends to add a lot of shine.

Hair Wax

Much like a styling pomade, with a firmer viscosity. These products tend to come in either pots or stick delivery systems. Use these products for defining only. Piece out individual curls or wisps of hair. Less is definitely more with wax, which tends to work better on shorter hair.

Humectants

Any substance that promotes the retention of water. Products that have humectant properties are a must for curly hair.

Mousse

Mousse products are a legacy form the 1980s, the era of big hair. They were developed to create weightless volume. These are products that are liquid in their packaged state and when dispensed, they become a foam. They give light to firm style support without weighing the hair down.

Molding Creme

They are great for adding volume at the root or to define curls. They tend to have a very thick viscosity and offer firm, flexible styling support. The tradeoff for this type of product is you do not get a great deal of shine. A molding creme, if properly applied, can be one of the most versatile products. But use a small amount. You can always add more as needed. They may be too thick for longer hair.

Pomade

These are styling gels with either a water-soluable or non-soluable wax base. These products are very thick in viscosity and tend to have the consistency of cold margarine or butter. They can be used for all styles seeking high definition, control and shine. remember that less is more with pomades, and make sure to emulsify the product in the hands before using. Pomades are especially good for African-American hair because they add moisture, control and shine.

Sculpturing lotions

A liquid based styling product that is great for taming curly hair. The liquid consistency allows the product to penetrate into the hair. They tend to have light to medium hold and can be used for setting hair, finger waving, braiding, scrunching and plaiting. Many African-American consumers find these products to be a lifesaver for taming flyaways and detangling.

Shine Spray

A mica-or silicone-based spray product that adds shine. They tend to have no holding properties. They are best used as the last step. Apply hair spray, all it to dry, then mist on the shine spray. Don’t touch your hair for the rest of the day. For curlyheads, look for a silicone-based spray because these aid in frizz control.

Smoothing gels or balms

Clear to translucent gels that come in a variety of viscosities. They tend to have little to no hold, but soften curl, balance moisture level and fight frizz. They can be added while styling to control flyaway and frizz or apply and use with a blow dryer and tension to smooth and straighten the hair. After you wash your hair, the curl will return. Always apply a smoothing balm first to the ends of the hair and work it up the hair shaft to the root. Silicone-based products will straighten hair, add shine and help to block outside humidity.

Spray gel

These products are like a styling gel, but in a different delivery system. They come in a variety of holds and were designed for people who do not want to get product on their hands. People with curly hair will find a spray gel very beneficial. the spray application helps to ensure a more even application without adding weight. these products are fantastic for adding before and during the drying process when people scrunch their hair. Spray, scrunch and let air dry or use a blow-dryer with a diffuser attachment.

Straightening cremes

Generally a lighter version of a straightening gel or balm. They are best for straightening fine hair or for providing light frizz control to medium and coarse hair.

Styling creme

A styling creme tends to offer pliable style support. They are opaque to translucent and come in a variety of holds and shine factors. These cremes tend to be best for adding definition to curls and texture for shorter styles. Just add a little bit at the fingertips and piece out individual curls. A medium to light hold creme is best for curly hair. these products also are a must for up-do work. Many times, these are two-in-one proudcts that condition as well as style.

Hair is largely made up of a protein called keratin. Cells in the hair follicle regularly produce the keratin and other proteins that become incorporated into the hair shaft. Coloration comes from melanocytes which produce the brown pigment melanin.

The curliness of hair is determined by the amount of disulfide bonds between the hair proteins (bonding between two sulfer atoms -S-S-“>. Proteins are made of amino acids, two of which contain sulfer — methionine and cysteine. The bonds commonly occur between cysteine residues which have a free sulfhydryl group (-SH”>. More linking produces curlier hair. The process can also be carried out chemically as happens with a permanent wave. So the main difference between naturally curly hair and straight hair is in the amount of disulfide linking in the hair shaft.

More about hair from Encyclopedia.com:

Each hair originates in a deep, pouch-like hair follicle, which contains the bulb-shaped root of the hair. The papilla, a net of nerves and capillaries that supplies the hair, extends into an indentation at the base of the root. Here newly dividing cells force older cells upward, where they die and harden into the hair shaft. The shaft has two layers, the colorless cuticle and the cortex, which contains pigment and the protein keratin. Hair is lubricated by oil from sebaceous glands in the follicle.

So you’re looking for a way to put a little oomph into your curls for spring? Coloring curls provides unique challenges and opportunities.

‘I find with curly hair there’s a tendency for it to look solid and voluminous,’ says Kris Sorbie, global artistic director of color for Redken.

The key is to play up the texture and movement of those curls. This can be done using several techniques.

Michael Murphy, a stylist with Oribe and spokesperson for Clairol Professional, likes to highlight curly hair. But keep it subtle, he warns.

‘The more contrasting and stripey you go, the less it blends in with the curls,’ Murphy said.

On brown hair, he likes to use Clairol’s high-lift golden blond. Although it’s stronger than regular color, it’s not as damaging as a bleach. The result is golden, blond highlights.

Sorbie likes to color curly hair in layers to create texture within the texture. For example, for a client with medium brown hair, she would do a thin section on top and color it a lighter brown.

Then she would take a horseshoe shaped layer below it and lighten it to a copper color. The layer below would be a cool red.

‘It would give it dimension,’ Sorbie said.

Another good coloring product for curls are glosses, which seal and soften the rough cuticle of curly hair. The result is more shine and better curl formation, Murphy said.

Glosses work well on hair that’s been relaxed. Sorbie recommends a demi-permanent color, like Redken Shades EQ, on relaxed strands to add shine and color.

Justine Beech, director of color for Gavert Atelier hair salon in Beverly Hills, is forecasting simplicity for spring. Instead of drastically altering natural haircolor, she prefers to stay close to natural color by going one to two levels from it, or she enhances natural color by adding shine through clear and color glosses. Other options, she says, are adding a few highlights through ballyage (hand-painting”> for a ‘tone on tone’ effect, or choosing ‘true tones,’ colors that are neither too ash or too warm include coppery golden-reds and golden-blondes.

For girls in their teens, Beech likes tone on tone highlights around the hairline and crown. For owmen in their 20s, she aims for a more dramatic effect, altering natural haircolor with color glosses and highlighting. Beech covers grey hairs for women in their 30s, while keeping haircolor close to the natural tone and adding warmth. For women over 40, Beech covers grey hair by selecting a base color close to the natural tone and adding highlights for more dimension.

Greater simplicity means less maintenance, Beech says.

‘With the weather warming up, women want to stay more outside and spend less time indoors taking care of their hair,’ she says.

Because of curly hair’s texture, it is crucial not to overprocess the hair. Stay away from high-lifting bleaches because curls tend to look dry naturally.After coloring your hair, it’s important to take special care of it, using moisturizing shampoos and deep conditioners. Sorbie recommends the Redken Color Extend line, which makes the color last longer. Murphy likes the Clairol Color ProTec line of shampoos, conditioners and styling aids, which have protein, anti-oxidants and sunscreen shields to protect hair.

‘UV rays even bleach out natural hair color, so imagine what they do to hair that has been chemically treated,’ Murphy said. ‘I always advise my clients to protect colored hair when they spend time outdoors because protection is the key – once damage is done there really is no repairing it.’

Are curls and kinks getting you down? Do you want a smoother, sleeker look-looser curls, less frizz and more shine?

The new generation of hair relaxers provide curlyheads with a growing number of options. They are designed for all hair types from coarse and kinky to fine and curly. They can take out a cowlick or smooth an entire head of hair.

‘What they do is break down the bonds of the hair,’ said Khiara Nabifar, research and development product manager for Sebastian International. ‘They give hair a softer look and flow. A relaxer can actually benefit you by changing the texture of your hair.’

A few decades ago, those with curls often resorted to strong straightening products. But they had their drawbacks. The hair broke. The scalp burned.

‘Relaxers were very harsh,’ said Laurence Nunes, a national advisor and coordinator with Paul Mitchell, which makes a 5-year-old product called The Relaxer.

Then and Now

The newer products, which use either a sodium hydroxide or a thioglycolic aid base (the same chemicals used in permanent waves”>, are now available in a variety of strengths for almost any type of hair. They contain more buffers to protect the scalp and to provide more nutrition and moisture for the hair.

Chemical hair relaxing products change the structure of the hair, penetrating the hair and rearranging the bonds of in the hair shaft so that the structure can change.

Steve Goddard, general manager of Rusk Inc., knows from experience about the challenge of relaxing curly hair. As a kid growing up, he was nicknamed ‘Steve Fuzz.’ Chemical relaxers left his hair looking like wood, with no body, no flow.

‘They took all of the life out of my hair,’ he said. ‘It didn’t look natural at all.’

Rusk came out with its popular AntiCurl relaxer in 1995 to provide a gentler option for people with curly hair. The company now has three formulas: one for virgin hair, one for color-treated hair and one for resistant hair. It is made with a thioglycolic acid.

The entire process takes about an hour. Phase I of AntiCurl is applied with a bowl and a brush. The product is applied in sections, about a half-inch away from the scalp. The hair is continuously combed with a wide-toothed comb throughout the process to provide a mild amount of tension as the bonds are broken. After the hair is rinsed, Phase II is applied to lock in the bonds to their new, straighter configuration.

‘The concept is to take the same hair fiber altering mechanism used in a perm and apply it to smoothing the hair,’ Goddard said. ‘Because of the base and the formula itself, AntiCurl is able to smooth the hair, remove frizz, eliminate much of the curl and completely eliminate perms without damaging the hair.’

KMS Flat Out Chemical Relaxer, a sodium hydroxide formula, comes in gentle, regular and extra strength formulas. The difference is strengths is the amount of buffers in the product and the amount of sodium hydroxide. As a rule, the mild is best for color-treated and finer hair textures. Regular is for most people and is used to relax or retexturize hair. Extra strength is for very coarse hair or culr that is resistant to relaxing. The product can be used to straighten or retexturize, said John Sturgill, spokesman for KMS.

<h2What to Expect

Thioglycolic acid relaxers, which tend to be milder and less damaging, last about a month before the curl begins tightening. In resistant hair, it can come back in as little as two weeks.

Sodium hydroxide relaxers, which tend to work better on ethnic hair, last forever. The relaxation cannot be reversed.

No matter what type of product you use, keep your expectations realistic. Don’t expect your tight curls to be transformed into stick-straight, shiny Vidal Sassoon hair. The results will depend on the type of hair, the strength of the relaxer used and the length of time it is left on.

If you have coarse, kinky hair with a strong curl, you’ll get a smoother finish to the hair and a relaxed wave pattern, Goddard said.

‘A person who has curl hair who wants it straighter can expect a looser curl,’ Nunes said. ‘It’s more of a control product – controlling frizziness and unwanted curls.’

For those who want a straighter look with their relaxed hair, they can blow dry it or use a product like Conair’s new Steamer Flat Iron, which allows you to straighten the hair while putting moisture into it.

Don’t Try This At Home</h2

Just because the newer products are less damaging doesn’t mean anybody can use them. They still use strong chemicals.

A professional stylist must determine the condition of the hair. Has it been colored? Have any other chemicals been used on it? If it is damaged and fragile, the process could seriously damage the hair. Some stylists do a patch test to see how the hair reacts. If there is breakage after the test, don’t relax the hair.

In the wrong hands, the results can be disastrous. A person who uses a thioglycolic acid-based product on top of hair that’s been relaxed with a sodium hydroxide relaxer can end up with a ‘chemical haircut,’ Sturgill said.

‘You must find an experienced stylist who knows how to relax hair,’ Sturgill said. ‘This will keep damage to a minimum.’

Handle With Care

To keep relaxed hair looking good, it must be treated with care.

‘Overall, hair tends to have less body and shine,’ Sturgill said. ‘It may even feel a little bit dry and brittle. Relaxing is not a delicate process.’

People who have had their hair relaxed should wait at least three weeks before coloring it. Make sure you tell your colorist that your hair has been relaxed because it may have a higher porosity, which can affect the color formulation and the timing.

Stay away from bleach, which add insult to injury.

Sturgill recommends using a good leave-in treatment such as KMS Liquid Assets and shampoos and conditioners with a lot of natural essential fatty acids and humectants. Avoid products with magnesium, he said. They can dry relaxed hair and make it more curly.

The shampoo must put moisture into the hair. Nunes recommends Paul Mitchell Shampoo 1, Awapui or The Wash for clients with relaxed hair.

It should be followed up with a good detangler or conditioner.

Deep conditioners are recommended at least once a week. Nunes likes Paul Mitchel’s Super- Charged Conditioner.

Nabifar recommends Sebastian’s Potion 7, a deep conditioner containing shea butter that soothes and smoothes the cuticle.

‘After using it, the cuticle is like spun silk,’ Nabifar said. ‘I swear by it.’

These days, you can barely go anywhere without seeing the words ‘natural’ and ‘organic.’ Supermarket shelves are filled with natural and organic products. Natural herbs and teas now sit alongside traditional medicines and vitamins. And aromatherapy has become an widely used treatment, whether it be to soothe stress or increase energy.

Now, natural hair products are hot.

Aveda was one of the first companies to start the trend, with its line of hair products using natural products, along with companies such as Aubrey Organics. This year, many of the top hair companies have followed suit with their own product lines – from American Crew’s Modern Organic Products ‘MOP’ line to Artec’s Purehair line.

In one of its largest product launches, Artec recently came out with its Purehair division. The line includes shampoos, conditioners, styling aids and candles. Purehair, which has no artificial fragrance or color, uses 100 percent pure essential oils.

‘Purehair and the Pureshop – the new organic and aromatherapy division of Artec – was started to provide the purist, most environmentally responsibly performing products for our cross-generational modern culture,’ says Brooke Carlson, vice president of marketing for Artec. ‘Purehair actually redefines aromatherapy, with top quality, pure formulations. Our products were developed using thousands of years old aromatherapy knowledge with today’s technology and research.’

This summer, John Paul Mitchell Systems launched Modern Elixirs, a line of organically derived upscale products that use activated botanicals. ‘The lure of elixirs is legendary,’ says the Modern Elixirs brochure. ‘The ancient cornerstone of Chinese medicine, botanical elixirs have gained the respect of the western world as more and more people embrace organically derived alternative therapies.’

Nexxus recently came out with its Phyto Organics line of natural hair care products that use natural ingredients to restore and rejuvenate hair.

The products contain quinoa, a natural supergrain packed with amino acids. From the Babassu Mud Revitalizing Hair Treatment, which uses Babassu from the Amazon rain forest, to Nectaress, a conditioner that uses Bringraj from India, the line draws on a number of different plants and herbs. Gru Gru, which is in the Hydruss Moisturizing Shampoo, is a woody vine from the Philippines. Natives soak the Gru Gru’s woody vine overnight in water barrels to release its natural foaming cleansers.

And Back to Basics just introduced its Green Tea Collection, formulated with green tea, shea butter and other natural ingredients. Shea butter comes from West Africa and has been used for thousands of years by Africans to alleviate maladies of the skin and scalp. Shea butter is extracted from fruit of the Karite tree, a wild-growing tree that produces tiny, almond-like fruit only once a year. It has a high content of non-saponifiable fatty acids that are great emollients, which make for great moisturizing and elasticity benefits to the skin. As for its benefit in hair care products, it is great for treating damaged hair, in that it moisturizes, nourishes (shea butter has a high content of vitamins A,E and F”> and protects hair from damaging sun rays, hair dryers, perms and dyes, as well as offers protection against chlorine and sea salt. Plus, shea butter provides incredible conditioning properties, as it maintains hair’s natural shine, improves manageability and imparts brilliant shine.

Even Biolage has added more botanicals to its formula – more passion flower, hibiscus, sage and other natural ingredients. Matrix, which makes the popular Biolage line, officials refer to it as its ‘botanical revolution.’

‘Natural ingredients, such as green tea, shea butter, echinacea, ginseng, silk proteins, etc… have all been used for thousands of years for their therapeutic healing, nourishing and protective properties,’ says Amy Tuliper, spokeswoman for Graham Webb International, which makes the Back to Basics line. ‘Today, we have found numerous ways to maximize these ingredients’ beneficial properties to create beauty products that are incredibly comprehensive in their treatment – naturally.’

But there are also intangible reasons for the boom in natural products, Tuliper says.

‘These days it seems like we are all so interested in simplifying our lives, and by utilizing products with all-natural ingredients we are making a step towards getting ‘back to basics,” she says.

NaturallyCurly is celebrating its 15th Anniversary this year. To show you how far we’ve come, we’re highlighting a few of your favorite articles from the NaturallyCurly archives!

NaturallyCurly.com interviews Sandra Yu, technical director of Rusk Inc.

Sandra Yu, technical director of Rusk Inc., took some time out to talk about Rusk Radical Anticurl. Anticurl is based on thioglycolic acid, which tends to be milder than other relaxers. It has a lower pH than the sodium hydroxide relaxers and is more gentle to the hair and scalp. Unlike sodium hydroxide relaxers, Anticurl is reversible.

It is a texturizer, ‘not a relaxer or a straightener,’ Yu says. ‘It’s more like a Valium for the hair. It takes the edge off.’

Naturallycurly.com: What types of hair does it work best on – 3as, 4bs, etc.?

Yu: It works on all types of hair. It comes in three formulations – 1 is for normal hair, 2 is for more porous, chemically treated hair, and 3 is for more resistant hair. For Type 4 hair, it loosens up the curl and reduces frizz. For looser curls, it softens up the hair, taking it down a couple of perm rod sizes.

Naturallycurly.com: Who shouldn’t use Anticurl?

Yu: People who have relaxed their hair with a sodium hydroxide relaxer. They don’t mix. It’s like giving a chemical haircut.

Naturallycurly.com: Does it completely straighten the hair?

Yu: You’ll still have bend in the hair. People with curly hair think they want straight hair, but they don’t. With straight, flat hair, they wouldn’t know what to do with it. It will be straight enough, but will still have body. If they want more curl out of their hair, they can do another application in four weeks if the hair is in good condition.

Naturallycurly.com: How does it work?

Yu: It’s a two-step process performed by a professional stylist. The first step softens the bonds of the hair. The second puts them back together.

Naturallycurly.com: How is it applied?

Yu: The thick cream is combed through 3/4-inch sections, starting about an inch away from the roots. It doesn’t have to be combed consistently like a regular straightener. Once the application is complete, the hair is combed back. Then you start timing. The stylist will comb the hair from one side to the other, from left to right and then from right to left, keeping it as flat as possible. For normal hair, the process takes about 20 to 25 minutes. For more porous, color-treated hair, it takes around 15 minutes.Once that process is complete, it is rinsed out of the hair for 4 to 5 minutes, until the water runs clear. The hair is towel dried and combed smooth again. Then Phase II is applied to 3/4-inch sections, combing the hair nice and flat, from the back to the top of the head. After the second phase is applied, the stylist combs the hair from side to side for five minutes. After that, the process is complete. The hair is rinsed well.

Naturallycurly.com: How much does the process cost?

Yu: It varies. Some stylists charge around $50. Others can charge as much as $200. It depends upon the salon.

Naturallycurly.com: How often can you do it?

Yu: You can do it every eight to 12 weeks. Some people like to do it more during the summertime because of the humidity. It gives some relaxation of the curls, but eventually the curls come back. But it will never be as curly as it used to be and the frizz won’t come back.

Naturallycurly.com: What products do you recommend to maintain hair after Anticurl?

Yu: I like Rusk Smoother Shampoo, Calm Conditioner, Brilliance Leave-In Conditioner and Rusk Masque with balm mint and babassu. Curly hair loves moisture. To style, I use Str8.

Naturallycurly.com: How can you find a stylist in your area that does Anticurl?

Yu: You can call 1-800-Use-Rusk.