STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

kenzie · Chanel

Why is my hair so challenging to stylists?

erin · Chanel

well, waves are a bit trickier to style than curly hair..and usually it's a time issue more than anything. if you don't want your hair blown out, you could always ask to just sit with your hair under the dryer...which would dry your hair similarly to how it would naturally. (only quicker!)

Kitty · Hermes

I think it is a time problem..my hair is more wavy than it is curly, and in order to get it to really look its best I have to use a diffuser and do high heat on medium/low power. It actually ends up taking about 2-3 times longer than when I just blow it straight..and usually even then I have to go through and clean up pieces with a curling iron.

jj · Kate Spade

The bad blow dry happens to me ALL.THE.TIME. I feel your pain! My most recent stylist charges for a blow out, so I say no thanks and make up an excuse about going to the gym or something. I can't imagine paying to have my hair blown into a fluffy mess.

Sorry I don't have any better suggestions!

kenzie · Chanel

Kitty wrote:

I think it is a time problem..my hair is more wavy than it is curly, and in order to get it to really look its best I have to use a diffuser and do high heat on medium/low power. It actually ends up taking about 2-3 times longer than when I just blow it straight..and usually even then I have to go through and clean up pieces with a curling iron.

Hmmm....my hair is more curly than wavy (most of the time) and works best if I just let it air dry (no blowdryers, no curling irons). But you would think that a stylist with a diffuser would be able to do something with it! I guess I'll just have to have the stylists straighten my hair, even though it takes 45 minutes to dry with a freaking blow dryer. *Sigh*

Magnolia · BCBG

I feel your pain! If I tell them I don't want a blow out they try to style it, but I always walk out with a giant poof ball where my hair used to be. I have yet to find a solution other than pulling it into a loose bun and then washing it and restyling it when I get home.

erin · Chanel

*cough* promotion *cough* i actually wrote an easy styling guide for curly hair for this month. it's for home, but it's definitely something great for the salon, too. (which is almost always how i style curly hair) ask your stylist to put diluted light-weight gel (gel is too stiff, i'm not the hugest mousse fan..but gel diluted with water works lovely - i mention another product in my article that works similarly but it's hard to find in most salons) clip up your hair, sit under the dryer for about 20-30 minutes, depending how long it takes to dry...(you have really long hair, right?) then ask him/her to diffuse it the rest of the way dry. for added polish, have your stylist curl random pieces to make it a bit different.

ps in the article i mention using 4 quadrants...but for a variation and more wave than curl, ask for more sections clipped.

kenzie · Chanel

erin wrote:

*cough* promotion *cough* i actually wrote an easy styling guide for curly hair for this month. it's for home, but it's definitely something great for the salon, too. (which is almost always how i style curly hair) ask your stylist to put diluted light-weight gel (gel is too stiff, i'm not the hugest mousse fan..but gel diluted with water works lovely - i mention another product in my article that works similarly but it's hard to find in most salons) clip up your hair, sit under the dryer for about 20-30 minutes, depending how long it takes to dry...(you have really long hair, right?) then ask him/her to diffuse it the rest of the way dry. for added polish, have your stylist curl random pieces to make it a bit different. ps in the article i mention using 4 quadrants...but for a variation and more wave than curl, ask for more sections clipped.

This just seems like so much work considering I do my own hair as wash and go. I don't really have to scrunch the curls to get them to curl. They're just curly. I was just curious as to why a stylist can't recreate it and turns it into frizz instead.

Thanks for the tips, though! Maybe I'll print out the article and take it to the salon with me the next time I go.

erin · Chanel

kenzie wrote:

This just seems like so much work considering I do my own hair as wash and go. I don't really have to scrunch the curls to get them to curl. They're just curly. I was just curious as to why a stylist can't recreate it and turns it into frizz instead.
Thanks for the tips, though! Maybe I'll print out the article and take it to the salon with me the next time I go.

it isn't a lot of work, but it takes time...which is why i'm sure most stylists are reluctant to take the time to go through the motions. (most of the time is just getting your hair dry..and the hooded dryer is great for that)

your hair might not need scrunched at home, but when you blow-dry versus letting it air-dry, you are agitating the curl and it's not drying as it would regularly, and needs a little help. agitating isn't really the exact word i'm looking for, but i'm sure you get my point.. hair is flying every which way. unless a diffuser is used, or a hooded dryer which is the best option. (because it concentrates heat in an area without blowing the hair out of control)

lastly, i just want to say that you do your hair every day. at best, your stylist probably sees you every 4-6 weeks (and i am guessing with long hair, probably more like every 10-12 weeks)..it takes time to really understand how a person's hair styles, as every head of hair is different. and to be honest, for every person who would tell me they can't get their hair to look how i fix it, there is someone who's hair i will never be able to style like they do...because again, they have a lot more practice than me at styling their own hair. stylists being booked heavily doesn't always leave a lot of room for experimentation!