DISCLAIMER: This post is pretty long simply because it was an interview.
A few days ago I had the opportunity to have my hair done by one of the fanciest stylists I’ve ever met. This may not seem very ‘exciting’ to some, but I hardly ever go to a salon to get my hair done, for lots of reasons. One, I have severe anxiety with anyone handling my hair, especially cutting/trimming it, detangling is almost a full time job, Two, it almost never costs me less than $100 for any service because my hair is so thick, curly and long.
I actually heard of the salon through a friend, and decided to head my head full of hair down to “HairSpray” to ask if I could interview the owner/head stylist, and publish the interview to our very own facekitt. To my surprise I was recently contacted by her personally and she not only allowed me to drill her beauty brain, but she also offered to give me a ‘On the house’ Deep Condition and Trim.
It was an amazing experience, we sipped champagne (it was terrible) & laughed as I drilled her with my list of questions about hair! Hopefully you lovelies can absorb some of the tips and tricks she shared with me!
Laila : What would you recommend for the girls who have issues with curl retention with hot tools?
[Kelsie] : “I’ve worked with clients who tell me how difficult it is for them to initially hold a curl, much less have them last throughout the day or night! My recommendation would be to only use hot tools on 2nd or 3rd day hair! By this time the hair is textured naturally and will lock in a style easier than squeaky clean hair. Also, find a hair spray with a strong hold and mist before and after use of a hot tool! Always clip hair up and allow to cool without gravity & agitation, after the curl or wave has been manufactured.
Laila: What hairspray, pun intended, would you say in your expert opinion is the best on the market?
[Kelsie]: “There are so many lovely hairsprays out there to choose from, none like us though – haha. For thinner, difficult to hold hair I tend to use a mixture of sugar & water in a spray bottle to prep my heat style, and after I set with Elnett. For hair that is easier to hold, I have lots of options depending on how I want the hair manipulated.
Laila: Sugar & Water can be used as HairSpray?
[Kelsie]: “Once the mixture has cooled, it will set any curl like the best of synthetic sprays! I love this option because it’s natural – watch out for the bees though! haha
Laila: What would be your best advice for curly girls, chemical treated girls, and straight hair heads?
[Kelsie]: “Depending on how they would want their hair to look, I could offer lots of tips. But general tips I would have to say for Curlies, limit your sulfate washes to maintain your natural and healthy volume and texture. For chemically processed girls like myself, whether you have a color, highlights, relaxers, perms, the key to retaining the health of your hair is to manage. What I mean is to make sure you are limiting the amount and application of chemicals to your hair. I tell my clients if they want highlights, I refuse to chemically alter their hair in another way until the hair has recovered and is strong enough to handle another process. For the Straight hair girls, if you want volume, do all of your styling upside down, and never ever use products that are not water based. Throw your pomades and heavy stylers away. If you want shinier and smoother hair, a little avocado can change your life!
Laila: You sound like you take healthy hair serious at hairspray! What would be the first thing you recommend to someone who walks into your salon with a head full of damaged hair?
[Kelise]: “Girl, what have you been doing?” haha! “The first thing before we even set up an appointment is to have a consultation! We talk about the expectations of our clients, what we can achieve and what they can expect after their first visit.”
Laila: And product wise?
[Kelsie] “Well, it again depends, I throw down with a specialized treatment made for their hair type! We make most of our deep conditioners from natural products, we actually have blenders in the back! My favorite for girls with curly hair is our avocado-honey treatment! It adds shine, bounce, volume, and will transform dull, lifeless curls back into the curls you were born with!
Laila: When it comes to having repair damage, is it best to cut off your hair or try to baby it back to health?
[Kelsie] “I fight this battle every day with some clients! As women and me, we get so attached to our hair that we forget it regenerates! A cut is not a permanent change, its just change! You can’t expect a different result while you continue to do the same thing! I always allow my clients to grieve once I cut off a few inches, some cry, some complain but in a few months they always tell me how much they appreciate my honesty, and how much healthier their hair is. I feel like once a nail has be torn, it cannot be merged into one piece again without glue – no one is going to glue your hair to itself! It’s best to cut if off and start a healthy journey to your goal length or whatever it is you want out of your hair!”
Laila: Okay, its the speed round! If you could only have one of each in your salon, what would it be? Shampoo?
[Kelsie] “WOW! thats hard, I would have to go with Kerastase Oleo-Relax”
Laila: Conditioner?
[Kelsie] ” GLOSS Moderne High Gloss Conditioner”
Laila: Heat Protectant?
[Kelsie] “Chi Silk Infusion & Argan Oil”
Laila: Flat Iron
[Kelsie] “Most of the stylists here use Chi Irons, but I would have to say GHD”
Laila: Deep Conditioner?
[Kelise] “Can I keep the blenders?”
Laila: HAHA! I guess you’re opting for the natural remedies!
She then offered to deep condition and trim my hair, and we chatted and I drilled some more! She used the Kerastase Shampoo, GLOSS conditioner and Deep Conditioned my hair with Avocado and Honey! She let my hair air dry for an hour and walked me through their deep conditioning “Lab” as she calls it! She taught me how to trim my own hair and even gave me a goodie bag with some samples to try! She also gave me a coupon for anyone who would like to visit her salon! (Although it’s a very pricey place to get your hair fluffed, my experience there was amazing and I would starve for a week to save up and go again!) My hair was bouncy and soft and smelled amazing! I’m almost tempted to go out and purchase every product she named! She is very knowledgeable about hair and the fact that she is more about health than external properties makes me even more confident in her as a stylist.
Their consultations start at $25.00 an hour. So I would ask all of the questions as quickly as possible! I will post a photo of my hair before and after! Sorry guys, I left my memory card a few hundred miles away! Check back to this post!
I asked a ton more questions, but I picked out a few that I assume may answer some questions you all may have. Hope this helped you all!
Besos, Laila!
You must log in to post a comment.