HairBoutique Blog

Yesterday I was talking to some of my hairstylist friends and of course we’ve all been watching Shear Genius 3 (SG3) every week on Bravo/TV.

As a result of the show lots of topics of hair conversation have been popping up.

One conversation was the Shortcut Challenge which is one of two challenges which takes place every episode on SG3.

The challenge is always timed.  Often the SG3 contestants are only given 60-120 minutes, depending on the hair challenge and what other hairdressing tasks might be included such as applying color, chemicals, hair extensions or other adjunct hair styling procedures.

Which brought up the question, how long a hair cut should really take.  In the real world of course.  Not on a reality TV show. The answer?  It depends.

A haircut may include the following variables:

1.    Length of hair (very short to very long)
2.    Texture of hair (straight, wavy, curly, kinky, mixed textures)
3.    Type (thin, medium, thick, very thick)
4.    Children of adult cut
5.    Male of female
6.    Wet haircut or dry haircut
7.    Cut only or cut with blow out and styling options?
8.    Haircut combined with other chemical treatments such as color or texturizing?
9.    Cost of the cut (inexpensive to full service cut)
10.  Type of salon or hair establishment (cut-in-the-box, high end or celebrity salon)
11.  Experience and skill level of hairstylist as well as reputation
12.  Number of people involved.  Are assistants included?

Of course there are always unforeseen variables but in general the key variables are listed.

In cosmetology school once we were taught to caught hair we were required to practice, practice, practice and focus on getting fast while being being precise and efficient.  Of course time is always money in the world of hairdressing.

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Comedian Chris Rock has encountered both rave reviews as well as snickers and boos in response to his new documentary, Good Hair.  While some people have enjoyed the film, others are not as happy with Rock’s viewpoints.

Chris Rock on the other hand is gleeful about shining the light on secrets, which he says are “bad for the human spirit.”

(Image of Tracie Thoms - Intermix - 09-25-07 - DailyCeleb.com - All Rights Reserved)

As a result of his own daughter’s angst about not having “good hair” he set out to examine the African American history around having good or bad hair.  As Chris as explained in interviews with the media African American hair has been burdened by the twin legacies of slavery and racism with strong pressure to compare their hair to Caucasian hair.

Historically in the African American community, “good hair” is categorized as soft, smooth and manageable. “Bad hair” is typically called short and “nappy.”   Traditionally when trying to alter bad hair and transition it to good there has been the adoption of chemicals and hair weaves. (more…)

When I was a teen I had a horrendous hair experience with Castor oil.  I used the old fashioned kind you buy at the corner drug store.  It cane complete with a little cross on it because Castor oil can actually be poisonous if not consumed appropriately.

(Image of Heritage Castor Oil - Available From Amazon.com - All Rights Reserved).

For me the Castor oil turned my naturally wavy hair into a major oil slick.  It took many days to finally get the slick oily mess out of my hair.

Although I never tried Castor oil on the bulk of my hair, I did play with applying it to the ends of my hair.  Used very sparingly it did work to temporarily bind any split ends together.

Heritage Products Castor Oil Cold Pressed

The biggest problem I had with Castor oil is how thick, sticky and slimy it is.  Some of hair consumers, especially those with very dry hair or those transitioning to “natural” are using what is known as Jamaican Black Castor Oil (JBCO).

The reason for the new popularity of the Black Castor oil is that it is completely unrefined.  The good news is that it contains virtually no chemicals of any kind but it does have a very pungent aroma. (more…)

SOB MAGAZINE© Present SOB Fashion Runway© Where The Color Of Fashion Lives©

February 13, 2010 During The NBA All Star Weekend

**NEW YORK (SEPTEMBER 10TH, 2009)** In celebration of New York Fashion Week SOB (Shades of Black) proudly presents the SOB Fashion Runway which will debut at the Hotel Palomar Dallas during the NBA All Star Weekend.

(Image from SOB - Shades Of Black - All Rights Reserved).

As well, today marks the world premiere of the SOB website (www.sobmagazine.com), which is indicative of the striking beauty that color beholds and contributes to the fashion industry. SOB is a natural venue for hosting a ground-breaking event that embodies the progression of color in fashion.

In an industry where color has, unfortunately, taken a back seat, SOB Magazine will, not only, take absolute pleasure in introducing you to an industry that is colorful progressive, productive and unified but also raise the visibility by assisting in filling an obvious void of color in the fashion world. (more…)

At the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York this week, a panel, which included Essence’s beauty editor Mikki Taylor and legendary makeup artist Sam Fine, discussed findings from a new study by Essence Magazine that African-American women may spend close to $8 billion dollars a year on beauty products and cosmetics but still can’t aren’t satisfied with the offerings.

(Image of Viola Davis - PR Photo - All Rights Reserved).

According to the results of the study, a lack of really effective products in their marketplace, results in African-Americans spending 80 percent more on cosmetics and skin care products because they are not satisfied with the results on their skin.

Other results of the Essence Magazine study indicated that African-American consumers are unhappy with the limited number of black role models utilized in beauty campaigns compared to the dozes of celebs used to sell cosmetics and beauty brands to Caucasians.

Currently Halle Berry and Beyoncé are two of the primary African-American role models utilized for selling hair, cosmetics and related beauty products. (more…)