Showing posts with label hair brush. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hair brush. Show all posts

Friday, November 27, 2009

Black Hair / Black Friday / Black Brush

Great Solution to FIA ( Flat Iron Addiction)

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The holidays got in the way of 2 stories I have been wanting to share with you. It rarely happens that I will be excited about a new product for hair, but it happened twice in one week. I ended up trying both of those products on myself and loved both even more - - - even more rare.

In my never-ending quest to abolish use of the Flat Iron, I bought a new fangled brush thing-a-ma-gig from one of my Hair Reps. The photo of it looked like a killer concept, but I never expected it to work as well as it did. From the example of clients of all hair types whose rear-ends were in my chair, I have learned slowly but surely that the flat Iron is just not a great hair tool and it truthfully creates more problems than it fixes over time. I have nothing against any product that will make your hair look better (which is what I said when hair extensions first appeared for the public), but that product …no matter what it is…{I feel} …must not destroy the hair in the process. What I have noticed with the gradual over-use of flat irons is that while it does smooth the cuticle at the beginning of a clients ownership over time the continued use and over-use of these irons takes the hair into the “burned or frazzled” stage which causes even more frizz and is very difficult to recover from without cutting it off. I ask if they have been using a silicone serum and while silicone is the one and only product that truly protects hair from heat – it is by no means a total solution to the heat of two flat plates at 250 degrees smashed together on the hair strands….I hope I have not misled you on that one, to me its common sense.74057949

When people would come to me for the 10,000 Heads Regimen, which usually meant they had trashed their hair beyond recognition – and I put them on a strict “diet” of all the things that got them there – many times just taking away the Flat Iron, would solve 50% of their problems. That’s a LOT, especially when you consider that there are 14 Steps ( and over the years there has always been over 10) It finally got me thinking…what would happen if just the Flat Iron was subtracted from peoples regimen ? ? You see, I realize the Flat Iron is a fairly new tool to many of you . . . but I had one when I was in Hair Academy and that was 16 years ago…so my clients have ALWAYS had flat irons …I wasn’t doing hair when they didn’t exist. sb10069425q-001

My assistants would take names/photos of volunteers for a 90 day Flat Iron Challenge from my clients about 1/2 way thru. They would receive one free hair color if they participated, with a lot of college kids from Pepperdine…. I had many volunteers. Well, the results were mind boggling – none of us could believe the difference. What we figured out was, that the temperatures of the irons kept going up & up each year as the companies that made them would listen to customers requests. Of course, the customers loved the concept and loved the Irons ( At the time so did I) – but thought if they worked so well, why not make them go hotter and hotter. For the first 10 years all Flat Irons were black and were only 1 temperature – super Hot. In the last 6-7 they have gotten all tricky…leopard, zebra - print, multiple temps., ceramic plates, tourmaline, ionic - - BIONIC…I mean its gone ape-shit-crazy!

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Around Halloween I spotted this funny looking brush… bought one – & its been sitting around here for month. Finally this past week my one client is having a helluva time with the condition of her hair lately… showed up and with the crown of her hair just trashed. She is a long time client – we’ve had her hair in terrific shape and in poor shape, just depends on her styling regimen, her Thriven, Gleam, Secret Supplement use ( she is off of that now – which is a big mistake) but after the color and cut is complete is the time when I finally can tell exactly where her hair stood, she was right…it was bad. Really bad, she was in the middle of “the change” and was complaining of her hair feeling like “old lady” hair. I agreed her hair had never felt like it did that day, and she had quit using the Flat Iron a long time ago. Unfortunately its just her age and it seems to happen to everyone once they reach their 50’s, just want you all to be prepared.

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Well check out this little gem. Its a brilliant hair tool and the results were nothing short of spectacular and that is because of how brilliant the inventor of this is – its so simple but to me it completely solves many of the problems of the Flat Iron. The bristles are short and are very stiff so the tension on the hair can be pulled… it holds the hair very tightly so you are able to stretch the hair tightly while drying. Stretching is the perfect answer to drying kinky, curly or wavy hair.82267938

There are vents to let the air from the blow dryer THROUGH the hair strands , so the heat has a place to escape from…

Denman Thermoceramic Straightening Brush provides a fast and simple way to straighten all types of medium to long hair during blow-drying.

Features and Benefits:

  • Thermo-ceramic plates with vented design allow warm air to circulate more freely for fast blow-drying performance
  • Adds condition and shine for a silky, lustrous finish
  • Smoothes the cuticle, minimizing breakage and split ends
  • Velvet-touch handle for added comfort during use
  • Made with interlocking rows of pure natural boar bristle
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Directions:

Wash hair with sulfate-free shampoo, towel dry. Use Ecoly detangler comb to gently smooth out any tangles. Set hairdryer to MEDIUM heat and start to blow-dry until hair is half-dry. Start from the nape of the neck and separate hair into sections. Clamp hair between bristles and gripping firmly, pull the bristles down the length of the hair section while directing warm air from the hairdryer. Repeat this process until all the hair sections have been straightened. Apply gloss serum or mist with shining spray for extra shine. IMG_0805

One of the most interesting results one gets from this brush is from twisting and turning it as well… the volume it creates, both at the root as well as through the lengths. I mean this little, very well priced brush, made this woman's hair look like it was 20 year old hair, I was just so impressed. The reason? the way it made it easy to ‘stretch’ it changed the coarseness of her hair as it will yours.

Its just the smartest, cutest and well priced little styling tool I have come across in a very long time. You must try one – click right on over to the Killer Strands Store http://killerstrands.myshopify.com/ and check it out, you may request a sample of the FLUFF with your order as well ( a small batch has been made)

Killer Chemist

Monday, October 19, 2009

And You Thought A Hair Brush Was Just A Brush . . . .





I will never forget the first week of Vidal Sassoon BOOT Camp as I endearingly called it.
They threw our List of Tools "TO PURCHASE - ASAP " at us.

Y O U
NEED
to BUY THIS LIST

OR FORGET SHOWING UP

( yep, that was the ambiance of V.Sassoon; you come to appreciate it )

How many of you have one of these brushes?

I was stunned, thought I knew everything. Thought I had tested and tried every hair product and tool on the market and I would have the best loot. Ha!

Never go to school in your late 30's and think you KNOW-IT-ALL . . . .
never-never-never-never!
Because soon, you will learn how little
you do
and not just about school supplies
"life" is an even bigger SHOCK

Denman brushes were thrown at us....
a 9-Row Denman,
a 7-Row Denman,
a DenmanVent Brush,
a Denman Paddle was a bit newer and once I learned....began buying them on my own without anyone 'forcing' me to. I just don't do well with someone 'forcing' me to do anything...maybe THAT was the problem. Either way these brushes were just weird looking...and I thought these damn Brits, they just don't know quality products.

You guessed it. . . . I was wrong one more time.
I continued to be wrong much of my career at Vidal Sassoon.
Which had to do a lot with me staying on a full extra year... just Assisting, Interning, doing anything they would let me, so I could soak up all the brilliance there - - that I was just too stubborn to be receptive of that first year. I mean I could ace the tests, but until you take down a wall of " you damn Brits don't know anything" - - well you really don't learn or absorb much, I can now admit to. You only learn what is necessary to get by.
I didn't want to do hair that way.
I wanted to be the best, like I strive to in every other aspect of my life.
Miss Petty Perfect . . . yep that's me!

So anyway, lets get back to the tools they made us buy and my surprise at the list of those brushes.
There was a 'method behind their madness'..........I did discover that.
Denman brushes as goofy as they look ( now they don't to me, but I STILL remember when they did) have a Sassoon PURPOSE.... they way they are made, WHAT they are made of and HOW they are made.

As silly & lame as I thought were.....needed to be eliminated from my mind if I were to cozy up to these weird things - and get my technique down.

Denman Brushes began their long career in 1938, in London, England.
Sassoon of course began his life in 1928, in London England.
Mr. Sassoon segregated to Beverly Hills after splitting up his empire by selling the Salons and Schools to a British Duo --> Annie Humphries and Tim Hartley....and the "products" which bear his name to Proctor & Gamble the King of hair care ( and Advertising) in America.

When we were first introduced to these brushes in Hair Academy, most of us were a bit shocked. They didn’t look like anything special and frankly seemed like cheap drugstore brushes and it wasn't just me, you have kids from all over the world in classes there - everyone agreed. But, there was "no choice" in the matter - we either had them or we were "out"... that school is not very forgiving.


However, after many months of blow drying practice (which they do much too much of at Sassoon, although it turned out I was grateful for, eventually ;-), it became crystal to all of us, why this line of brushes is used.
All top European Hair Stylists (which is the home to the best hair in the world), taught with these at both Vidal Sassoon Academy’s and finally all of Denman’s brushes are used in every Sassoon Salon worldwide, exclusively.

Soon as all the Flat Iron’s slowly burn every hair off of every clients head … the use of them will slowly diminish and the Denman 9-Row and unfortunately the ‘round-brush will return to everyday use by everyone.
For the first 7-8 years I never used a round brush as Sassoon doesn’t believe in them (AT ALL!), their philosophy is: If you are a refined enough hairdresser than you should be able to get any curl or any amount of straightening one needs out of a Denman Brush – it is so much healthier for the hair …than one can get out of a round brush…..and you know what?
They are right.
100% right.
With enough practice – which you DO get there, they feel one can make the hair do anything one needs with a 9-ROW DENMAN.
They do NOT concentrate on passing the State Board Tests, while you are there (the ONLY thing regular Beauty Schools spend their time on)…Sassoon feels you should do that studying at home and on your own time, they feel anyone can pass that silly test....and again, they are right.

When you begin there... that thought is a bit daunting – - – to say the least – - – but as you become accustomed to their regimen & protocol and if you relish and appreciate ’Excellence’{as I do so very-very much} as opposed to ‘Average’…it makes all the sense in the world.

The brush you use on your hair truly is extremely important.
Every Denman brush :
  • Excellent quality
  • Easy to work with
  • Perfect for non-tangling + Styling while blow drying
Forget the Flat Iron, Bring Back the Blow Dry – your hair will love you for it!
Denman makes a huge variety of brushes – we only offer 2 right now...
but more are on their way as they have expanded their quill of weapons (wink-wink)

This is the best all around brush I have found. truthfully

For detangling, smoothing and grooming all types of medium to very long hair, try the DENMAN Paddle Brush.
Features and Benefits:

  • Air-cushioned rubber pad for gentle control
  • Ball-tipped nylon pins for comfortable styling and maximum comfort
  • Staggered pin pattern follows the contours of the head
  • Ergonomic design for balance with a textured non-slip handle
  • Ideal for scalp massages
  • Hygienic and durable with resistance to heat and chemicals
  • Made in the United Kingdom
Brush Care:
  1. Regularly remove loose hairs with a comb
  2. Wash occasionally in warm water ensuring that the air hole is covered
  3. Rinse and leave to dry away from direct heat and sunlight
Especially for the price....as much a I use my brushes,
these things last forever.
I never want to say anything but I think they are a helluva 'buy'





. . . perfect for the present economy