I now keep a large bottle of Moroccan Oil on my station. With oil in the name you would expect otherwise but It’s very lightweight, soft and not greasy at all. It provides a smooth surface which is what makes Moroccan oil an excellent  product for enhancing shine. I have used it when the hair is freshly shampooed and towel dried. I have also used it at the end of styling to add just a bit of shine and luster.

I think it’s important to know that Moroccan oil is a Silicone based product. This means that the smooth shiny appearance as well as the softness in the feel of the hair is not necessarily the hair itself through a repairing of the hair shaft but rather is the seal that the Silicone envelops around the hair shaft. I have some concerns with the use of Silicone on the hair, for more information on this visit my previous article on Silicone based products. However, used in moderation along with a regular schedule of clarifying and conditioning treatments I think that Moroccan oil is a great product.

Firstly It is important to understand what silicones are and how they perform so as to better understand why they are used in the formulation of many hair products. Silicones are man made polymer compounds with quite a few interesting properties and uses. They can be heat resistant which is the reason for the use of silicones in many modern cooking utensils. They also have a high electrical resistance which, along with their heat resistant properties, is why they are used in electrical products for insulation purposes. Used as sealants  and caulks, as lubricants and coatings it is their properties of resistance that has made silicones so widely used in a large variety of products in many industries.

It is the hydrophobic property(water resistance) that has made them such a staple in many hair care products. When you smooth your hair out in the morning walk out your door with shiny bouncy locks and see limp frizzy hair by the time you are leaving work this is due to the absorption of moisture from the humidity in the air around you. Which is the reason why women in drier climates get away with doing so much less to their hair to maintain style. Silicones in hair care products assist in preventing this limp frizzy disaster by creating a seal around the hair shaft; A seal that blocks the absorption of moisture thereby preventing the swelling of the hair shaft that is frizzy limp hair. It is also said that the silicones smooth and soften the hair. What I have found is that the silicones themselves are smooth and soft so it is not so much that the hair is becoming smoother and softer but rather that the seal formed around the hair shaft is soft and smooth.

Now this all sounds great. Frizz is caused by the absorption of moisture, silicones prevent the absorption of moisture. I agree, honestly I have used some of these products and been very pleased with their immediate results. However, it is the long term effects of excessive use that I intend to caution here. I liken the regular use of silicones on your hair to deciding that the air around you is not the best air you could be breathing so you tie a bag around your head. To sustain your own life you at some point will need to breathe again and a bag tied tightly around your head would make that quite difficult. Your lungs need oxygen as do your skin and hair need moisture. Winter rolls around and we all see the benefits of the moisture our humid climate provides. The cold dry air of winter brings with it chapped dry skin and dry brittle hair.

Through much hair analysis I have seen that excessive use of  silicone based products lead to the hair under the seal becoming dry and weakened. I have also observed that silicone based products can and often do become difficult to wash out with a simple shampoo which leads to a further inability to absorb the necessary moisture from conditioners and natural secretions of the body. This can be taken care of with a good clarifying treatment. I recommend seeing your stylist to do this and getting a conditioning treatment at the same time. Excessive clarifying can extremely deplete the hairs moisture balance.

So I’m not screaming “Here comes Silicones! RUN!” All I am really saying is be conscientious with what you put both in and on your body. Eat your vegetables but also enjoy your wine. Just maintain a balance and take care of your body from hair to toes. Chase health and beauty will chase you -Clemente

Researcher professor Nick Martin, author of the research, said a variation in the trachohyalin gene determines the straightness or curliness of  the hair. Professor Martin also says this discovery will lead to a pill that will make it possible to grow straight hair rather than treating the hair directly to achieve the sleek look.

Honestly, knowing what it takes to straighten curly hair and maintain that smooth style, I can see the appeal of  a pill being your straight salvation. But I don’t even like the idea of doing chemical texture changes because you lose your options by permanently straightening your hair. All that aside there is something rather questionable in the possibility of changing your genetic makeup for different hair. I am however excited to see what comes of all this. Tell me what you think by leaving a comment here.

A good thermal protector is what stands between you and, dried up, broken, dull, lifeless locks. Thermal protectors can be found in cream or spray forms. To apply, towel dry clean hair and work the cream forms from the mid length and ends up to the root area. Then comb the hair in all directions to ensure even coverage. With the spray forms it can be helpful to flip your head forward so that you can move the hair more freely in all directions. Again, comb the hair in all directions to ensure complete and even coverage. Be sure not to miss the hairs at the front hairline as this tends to be the area where the hair is more fragile and therefore more vulnerable to heat damage.

There are many many thermal protectors out there. I personally like Kerastase’s Nectar Thermique for its combination of moisturizing complexes as well as thermal protective agents. What is most important is that you practice safe styling. Styling your hair is loving your hair. Loving without wearing protection is not just a bad idea, its wrong. Practice safe styling, get a good thermal protector and use it!

Hmmm…… that’s super.

One thought to consider is this: unshaped hair is not enjoyable to wear and can be difficult to manage. If you have a heap of medium length hair with a problematic shape for styling, or  keeping a put together look, that road to long and glamorous hair is going to be frustrating and most of the time feel like it’s not worth it. Then come the ideas every morning, as you struggle to get some bounce in your mass of  weighted down hair, of how easy it would be to just cut it all off and give up. NO, It is worth it, it is SO worth it and growing can be easier.

Shaping and style aside, manageability has other factors involved namely health and integrity of your hair. The condition of your hair obviously determines how well it will look styled or not(why wouldn’t you? Ever!? Okay, the gym. fine.) That being said consider this: the hair closest to your scalp right now will be, at the least, months old by the time it plays with your earrings. When growing your hair long the hair at the very ends is being expected to fight aging and the likelihood of this depends on both the texture of your hair and the care you put into protecting it. If you grow your hair out expecting that which is at the top to at some point still be around when it constitutes the bottom, chances are the ends of your hair will look like very old people standing at the bar in a club. They’re old and tired and should have been gone a long time ago. In many cases you can see discoloration at the tired old ends of long hair, a sign that it is ready to retire.

I know that the desire for longer stronger locks leads to a fear of the shears. I am also aware that many, not all, but many hair stylists can tend to be a bit scissor happy. Cutting large amounts of hair is usually not necessary when growing your hair longer. Proper shaping and then trimming, however, is absolutely necessary. I like to get my clients on a system where we trim and then see each other again when its time to trim and sometimes skip it for a conditioning treatment, but we still see each other every 6 weeks. If you really want beautiful healthy longer hair there is only one way, communicate and commit to someone who cares enough to help get you there.

“FRIZZ!” I scream waking up in a panic, its a nightmare. I’m not a fan of hairsprays, because I’m not a fan of stiff untouchable hair, but I despise frizzy hair. Luckily Kerastase makes a spray that cares: Double Force Controle Ultime. This is a wonderful product. Double Force is actually a protective spray, with its UV filter and Ceramide, as well a unique control spray. I say it’s unique because of the way that it does the job of controlling frizz and maintaining shape while not making your hair stiff or robbing your hair of  its touchable soft feel.

Just as important to acknowledge is the protective benefits I mentioned. The UV filter technology protects your hair from sun damage, a very important step in maintaining beautiful hair. while ceramide is a synththetic version of a chemical by the same name naturally produced by your hair follicle to maintain the hair structure. When the hair shaft becomes damaged this is lost, synthetic Ceramide replaces the lost natural Ceramide. A genius product made by an amazing company. So, if you too are not a fan of hair spray or you just want to love your hair the way it deserves to be loved find your local Kerastase salon and pick up a can of Double Force Controle Ultime.

Here’s a cool little video of a photo shoot I just wrapped.

I had the pleasure of working with two awesome talents: Photographer Tracey Tesmer of http://www.TracyTesmerPhoto.com and Smoking Hot Cigar Model, Teresa of http://www.SmokingHotCigarChick.com

This is a short behind the scenes video of the shoot and some of the photos that were taken.

Enjoy.

In this video I talk about the importance of having your stylist trim your bang.

I know most women have trimmed their own bangs at least once in their life. And honestly, it never looks good.

You can spot this look a mile away. And really, why even do it? Bang trims are almost always complimentary so why not take advantage? Just make an appointment about 2 weeks after your haircut and get your bangs trimmed. It will keep your style looking good longer.

This bang trim took about three minutes and didn’t cost my client a dime. Have a professional do it for you. A hairstylist uses specific high dollar shears to cut your hair and his perspective standing in front of you will always give best the results.

Plus it’s nearly impossible to do the correct diagonal cutting technique that should be used on your bangs.

If your stylist is cutting straight across your bangs, I suggest you get up and leave the chair and never return.