Straightening Out Your Hair

Get Yourself Straightened Out!

You don’t have to be involved in the hair industry to be acquainted with the “grass is greener on the other side” phenomenon in humans. We find it very difficult to be happy with what we have, and we long for what we don’t have. This is a well known fact in the hair industry. As a stylist, I deal with this phenomenon every day. Straight-haired people want curl, curly-haired people want straight hair, short want long, thin want thick, thick want thinner, fine want coarse and coarse-haired people want soft, silky, touchable hair.

I am happy to report that there are now safe ways to accommodate our grass-is-greener inclinations. Finally, after decades of people suffering with caustic hair straightening pastes, there is a solution that doesn’t burn, permanently damage or destroy hair. This has been a major development for people with unmanageable, frizzy, or too-curly hair. Along with ingredients to straighten and smooth hair, the manufacturers have created a product that uses silk as an ingredient to give hair strength. What a breakthrough!

The Straightening-Out Process:

The process is time consuming, but oh, so worth it.

• The first step is applying a cream that chemically breaks the bonds on the interior of your hair. It is these bonds that are responsible for giving your hair its curl. (The same step is taken when we permanently curl hair.) This step takes time to process and patience is important. Once the cream has had its development time, the hair is ready for rinsing off.
• Next, the chemical straightening cream is applied. At this point, the hair appears relaxed. It still has curl; it is not yet straight.
• The next crucial step is meticulous and has to be done properly for the best result. The hair must be straightened with a flat iron – not just “styled straight”, but made straight. It also has to lie in its natural fall or damage will occur. Depending on the length and the density of the hair, this step can take a lot of time, but it is definitely time well spent.
• Once the hair is straightened, the neutralizing cream must be applied. This can seem disheartening to the client because it appears as though the final goal has been achieved. By this point in the process, clients will have undoubtedly run their fingers through their straight, silky hair only to be told there is yet another step. Fortunately, this step is simple and brief. The neutralizing cream only needs to process for 5 minutes and then be rinsed thoroughly.
• Hair is then conditioned, styled, and voilá – the straight hair of the client’s dreams is staring back at her in the mirror!

Clients who have taken these steps to have their hair chemically straightened have had positive reactions. Most clients cannot stop touching their hair. For the first day or two they comment that their hair seems to feel unnatural – like it is “sitting” on their heads. This is normal. Once a small growth has happened things will feel natural again.

Advantages of Chemically-Straightened Hair

In the same way that perming hair to create curls takes maintenance and a bit of work, so does chemically-straightened hair. The fantasy of waking up with perfect hair is just that, a fantasy. However, the best thing about chemically-straightened hair is, even though it is straight, it still has body. When the hair is styled it stays. It is easy to create waves, loose curls or have straight, smooth hair. Depending on the wave pattern of the natural hair, clients have gone 4 -12 months between chemical-straightening treatments.

At Zebedeez Hair Design, we have seen people’s lives greatly impacted through chemical hair straightening. A woman’s hair is an important part of her identity and self-esteem. If her hair isn’t right, she doesn’t feel right. Having easier-to-manage hair, with the options straightening can provide, has helped many women free up time and thoroughly enjoy the variety of hairstyles they can create in their own hair.

Zebedeez Hair Design is an ART is based out of Carstairs, Alberta, Canada. Please contact us for more information about chemical hair straightening or for a hair consultation.

Lee and Ray also specialize in dealing with thinning hair, colours, and extensions. If you have any questions or concerns about getting a haircut, style or hair lowlights or highlights, please visit Lee or Ray at Zebedeez Hair Salon,1115 Hammond Street, Carstairs, Alberta or call 403-337-8600.