hair stylists - your opinions please

eminenz2

eminenz2

Cathlete
I almost hesitate to write about this since it's such a trivial thing but here goes -

So I'm completely protectvie of my post-cancer hair - and all it's subsequent curls. I"ve learned to deal witht hem and even love them.

My first haircut after two-and-a-half years of no hair cuts was tres expensive but the curls were still there after the deed wasdone, so I was pleased. Not about the price ($80 when all was said and done), but I liked the results.

The second haircut I got was at the same place, but a different hairstylists. Not as great but still good (but still expensive).

So since the first two haircuts were basically layered cuts, I wondered why was I spending so much cash I didn't have on just a plain layered cut.

Well, now I know. I went back to my original, pre-cancer hairstylist and told her to layer my hair in order to bring out the curl. She told me that there is no such thing as being a 'specialist' in cutting curly hair and it's just the power of suggestion that makes people believe that one stylist can actually be better at cutting curly hair than another stylist.

Yikes! My hair is NOT CURLY ANYMORE! It is some kind of shaggy mess of undefined wispy waves. I tried using the diffuser last night with some of my trusty product to no avail.

Is it possible she cut the curl right out of my hair? What can I do now? No more ringlets! No more curls! Will they come back?

I really can't afford to go back to the new place and their $80 haircuts.

So you see, of course in the grand scheme of things, this is not the most important issue, but I was so disappointed! Sniff! ;(

What should I do?

Thanks for letting me vent about my absolutely self-centered, vain problem!

Susan L.G.
 
Unles she cut your hair REALLY short, I doubt she cut the curl out of it. I guess it's possible that she cut it in such a way that there's not much left. But it's odd that it was there and suddenly it's not.

I've had straight hair my whole life, so I'm certainly not an expert, that just seems a little weird.
Your hair is either naturally curly, or it's not.

I know that's not really an answer... :(
 
She told me that there is no such thing as
>being a 'specialist' in cutting curly hair and it's just the
>power of suggestion that makes people believe that one stylist
>can actually be better at cutting curly hair than another
>stylist.

OMG! That is insane! I recently read Curly Girl & have done a bit of research on naturallycurly.com, not to mention having a haircut at Ouidad in Manhattan, & I simply astonished that those words came out of a stylist's mouth. Not only is naturally curly hair different than straight har, but IMO every single curly head is different from the other--I think curls are like snowflakes. Every single one is unique.

Do you think you could call the new place & maybe get some kind of a "touch up" at a discount? Maybe if you explained the situation? Or maybe, if you have the time, check out this site:

http://www.naturallycurly.com/curlsalons

Hopefully there'll be a salon on there that's less expensive? I'm so sorry this happened to you Susan, I hope you find a solution!

P.S. it is most definitely NOT trivial--most of us are very picky about our hair, it's such a defining characteristic!
 
So sorry this happened to you! I'm with Laura...this is not so trivial; having your hair look the way you want can make a huge difference in how you feel about yourself. And I completely believe that some stylists are better with curly hair than others. (Don't even get me started on the stylists who think that everyone with curly hair wants it blown out straight....grrrr....)

Hopefully you can find a salon that's a good compromise between talent and price! Good luck!!
 
Maybe she just used products that are leaving a residue on your hair. When it comes to curly hair, not all products are created equal. I only use light, water soluble conditioners and gels, and nothing with silicone! That stuff pulls the curl right out of my hair and leaves it looking dry and flyaway.
 
I'm a hair stylist and kind of understand what your hair stylist was saying about being a "specialist" in cutting curly hair. You can be good at it and but basically its about understanding how hair falls around the head and knowing where to take out weight and where to leave it. Did your stylist use a razor? That is a big no-no when cutting curly hair because it tends to make the hair very frizzy which is exactly what people with curly hair do not want. Maybe that could by why its too "wispy" as you called it. Hope some of this helped.

Lauren
 
I am not a hair stylist but I do have curly hair.

When my hair is really long, the hair is heavy and therefore my curls become waves. However, when my hair is around bra strap line and layered the curls are there. I have had my hair layered by quite a few individuals and my curls always bounce right back. I have never had a problem with them cutting the curl out. I really didn't think it was possible to cut the curl out.

Maybe wait a few days and see what happens and/or trying washing your hair at home and see if that brings the curl back.

Sorry, I could not be of any real help.
 
Thanks for the responses!!

I am a big fan of Curly Girl and of naturallycurly.com. Sometimes I think I live on that website, browsing the product listing, looking for that one magic elixir that will solve my curly problems and give the the most beautiful hair ever - heehee!

No, the stylist didn't use a razor - I certainly would have stopped her! But she did keep pulling the hair around my face and trim, trim, trimming it. I don't know why.

I guess I will just have to let it grow out and see what happens. May be my hair just needs to recover from the assault. :p

Susan L.G.
 
Hi,
My sister-in-law had curls as a child. Eventually they straightened.
When her hair grew back after chemo, it came in curly. Eventually the curls went away. Don't know if thats what happened to you. Just a thought.
 
First, I understand what you're saying Susan. It can be very upsetting to get something you didn't want. I've had that happen............I cried(but I'm a baby). Hopefully you'll be able to find someone who you can trust.

Second, Michele, what products do you use on your hair? I have acquired curly hair and am having trouble taming it.

Third, melimcn, you CAN acquire curly hair. I have had stick straight hair for 40 some years. All of a sudden it went curly about 2 1/2 years ago. Go figure.

Sally
 
>Thanks for the responses!!
>
>I am a big fan of Curly Girl and of naturallycurly.com.
>Sometimes I think I live on that website, browsing the product
>listing, looking for that one magic elixir that will solve my
>curly problems and give the the most beautiful hair ever -
>heehee!
>
>No, the stylist didn't use a razor - I certainly would have
>stopped her! But she did keep pulling the hair around my face
>and trim, trim, trimming it. I don't know why.
>
>I guess I will just have to let it grow out and see what
>happens. May be my hair just needs to recover from the
>assault. :p
>
>Susan L.G.

Susan, that website is addicting, isn't it? Not to digress, but what's your opinion of CG? I like some of what she says, but some of it I just don't think I can do. I don't think I can not blow dry my hair. And I don't think I can never touch my hair w/my hands--I swear, I'm playing w/my hair constantly!

But I've sworn off sulfate shampoos and <gasp> silicones--I never thought I'd see the day I'd live without my cones! And I'm conditioner washing almost every day, I'm just shampooing once a week. I've definitely seen an improvement in the texture & appearance of my hair.

Oh, & for that magic elixir, have you tried Phytospecific Beauty Styling Creme? That stuff is freakin awesome! It gets rid of like 90% of my frizz, even this time of year. Also Bumble & Bumble Prep Spray is an awesome product--not as good as the Phyto though, & I think it has just a wee bit of some kind of cone in it.
 
My hair was curly/wavy before chemo - I just wasted a lot of time trying to straighten it.

My hair was *super* curly (think Shirley Temple ringlets) after chemo and has been relaxing a bit. They say your hair comes back in very different than before but eventually returns to your pre-chemo/ pre-cancer days.

I've also heard, but have no idea if it's true, that menopause and childbirth can alter your hair as well. I've been in a forced menopause ever since treatment ended but have never had children.

LauraMax - I do love CG but have found the elixirs a bit vague. I'm not really sure how to use them conveniently, if that makes sense. I tried the lavender water thing but didn't really find it makes a big difference in anything. And the glycerin thing wound up being a sticky mess.

I do forgo the shampooing, however, just like she reccomends. I use Curly Hair Solutions Treatment Shampoo and a couple of their leave in conditioners. I condition it every time I'm in the shower. Infusium23 also makes good leave-in spray stuff.

I use to use a lot of the Jessie Curl products (JesseCurl? - not sure of the spelling)

I love the Curl Junkie Banana Mango leave-in conditioner - I could eat it, it smells so good, and I like to use it after a shower and before bedtime. I oftentimes will diffuse the hair dry a bit.

In the morning I wet my hair down, use a couple of the Curlisto products and the diffuse about 80% dry. I try to avoid the "-cone" products too. I find much of the stuff at the local stores (Taret, Wal-Mart, etc.) have too many 'cones ingredients. You have to go searching online to find good stuff.

Try this website:http://www.curls.biz/ It's mainly for women of color but it has good stuff for all women who have really tight curls and kinks.

Thank for the tips about the hair products - because I do need more encouragement to shop online - heehee :p!

Susan L.G.

Do you have ringlets or waves?

Susan L.G.
 
Susan - regarding the hair changing after childbirth... one of my dear friends had practically spiral curly hair. After her first child, it went less curly, and after the second, is nice and wavy. Her mom's hair, once completely curly, lost all curl after giving birth. Menopause, I have no idea about. I had a friend who lost her hair to chemotherapy and it came in very dark and super curly. It has been 5 years and it is now fairly straight again.

I am looking into the Phyto brand. I need something that will help my weird hair, and only buy brands that are cruelty free/no animal testing, and they are very friendly. Thanks for mentioning it, Jodijodi, I think it was! EDIT - nope, LauraMax - thanks!!
 
LOL! I just bought a giant 'poo & a giant conditioner from Curls. I also have their curl cream, I love that stuff! I tried the Deva low 'poo shampoo & Devaone conditioner, those are the 2 brands in my shower right now. Oh, & Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo. You can't go wrong w/J&J.

I'm a 3A boticelli (boticelli always cracks me up b/c it brings to mind vuluptuous women, which I am most definitely not). My curls depend on the weather. In the winter when it's dryer its more wavy, although I still get spirals underneath. This time of year it's all spirals.

It's frizzy all year round. :p But the Phyto helps a lot. You can use it on wet or dry hair. Usually I use a different styling product on my wet hair, then when it's dry I finger comb a dime-sized dollop of the Phyto through my hair. A really effective frizz fighter.
 
I read Curly Girl and am giving it a try. I'm only shampooing 2x a week (any less than that and my scalp gets super itchy), conditioning every day, and I've sworn off the blowdryer. My hair is definitely curlier this way; I'm not sure if I like it or not. I've decided to let it grow, because the super-short cut I have doesn't really work with it super-curly like this.

About once a week I decide I've had enough and think that I'll go back to the way it was before, but my DH seems to really like it this way.

We'll see if I make it to the RT with it like this...I may be running to get it cut the day before I leave!
 
jodiodi -

Try working/scrubbing the conditioner around your scalp like it's a shampoo and see if the helps relieve the itchiness. You can really work it in there too, without damaging the curls.

I usually work the conditioner around my scalp but just squeeze it through my hair. I then comb my hair with the conditioner in it and leave it in while I shower. Then conditioner also helps working out the snarls that always seem to plague the "kitchen sink" - the hair that's underneath all the rest of the hair and closest to the nape of my neck.

I hope that's not TMI, but maybe it can help you as a tip to try?

Susan L.G.
 
>Try working/scrubbing the conditioner around your scalp like
>it's a shampoo and see if the helps relieve the itchiness.
>You can really work it in there too, without damaging the
>curls.
>

I have been doing that, but it still gets itchy after a few days. I think my skin just needs the shampoo from time to time. It's not really a problem so far...my hair is so short that it doesn't really tangle, and the frizz isn't too bad at this length either--yet. We'll see how it goes as it gets longer. My hair is more on the "wavy" end of the spectrum, according to the book, so it can probably handle being shampooed more often than the more kinky textures.
 
Between the Cathe workouts, the horseback riding (helmet hair - yuck), and the warm weather, I shampoo about twice a week myself.

And my hair is shorter now, so I'll see what happens with the tangling and the frizz.

Do you cover your hair at night? I wear a little cap - so unsexy - to 'protect' it from being rubbed on the pillow. I tried using sating pillow cases but they were just too hot - and slippery. hee. :)
 
I don't, but my older daughter uses a satin pillowcase. Her hair is perfectly straight, and tangles and frizzes when she doesn't wash it enough (the opposite of what happens to us curly types.) It is very slippery, though...she often wakes up with the pillow having slid onto the floor!
 
I thought it was just me. I mean, how spastic did I feel not being able to keep a pillow under my head!:p

Susan L.G.
 
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