Ambience Hair Studio Blog

I’ve had a couple people approach me about this topic and I thought what better way to explain it than on here. First off the two services are in two seperate sections, because of what they do. The Kerasilk in the “Treatment” section and the Liquid Keratin in the “Chemical Restructuring” section. The reason for this is because the Kerasilk is a deep conditioning treatment where as the Liquid Keratin is a healthier alternative to relaxing. Just to be transparent the Kerasilk or Keratin treatment as we refer to it in the salon will not make your hair smooth in the sense that it will loosen your curl it will only moisturize your hair (to avoid breakage) and aid in de-tangling. This deep conditioning treatment takes an extra 20 minutes when added to your other services. With the Liquid Keratin it takes about 70% of friziness out of hair and can loosen your curl by about 50%. The reason this service is so high priced is because it can take 3 or more hours depending on thickness and length of hair. We would recommend coming in for a consult before booking so we can discuss pricing and time, not to mention when you do book we know how much time to set aside. What should I expect with the first appointment for Liquid Keratin? Usually there is a consultation done before coming in, in this consult we try and outline real expectations based on the texture of your hair and what the result will be after the treatment. This is not a relaxer and it will not straighten your hair, only loosen your curls. The straightening system takes out %70 of frizziness, which means not as much poof for you. Not to mention since keratin is fused to the hair detangling is a breeze. Another big shocker is time although the results are beautiful they do take time. A minimum of 3 hours for medium length/thickness is required. Will my hair ever revert to it’s natural state again after Liquid Keratin? Yes, Liquid Keratin washes out over a period of 4- 6 months (hence why we recommend it instead of relaxer) and you can be sure your curl and frizz will be back for more. Is the price the same if you are getting your roots done for the Liquid Keratin? Yes, although the treatment washes out over a period of 6 months and you may feel as though your ends have keratin left but they need to be treated again aswell as the new growth which hasn’t been touched by the treatment yet. All this to say that it will take just as long to do the roots and go over the ends too. I hope this covers it all and if have any questions or comments drop them in the comments section and I’ll do my best to respond. Until next time gang.

Let’s talk perms I know I know you don’t want to hear about them, they were left behind in the Betty White era …. but were they? Perms are constantly getting bad reps, but from my first hand experience I loved my perm, the maintenance (which was nonexistent) the look and overall ease gave my hair just the break it needed. I’ve even done perms on some of my clients and no they weren’t little old ladies they were young men and women. Believe me when I tell you that they are not an outdated practice, here are some of the things you need to know before committing. YOU CANNOT PERM PREVIOUSLY LIGHTENED/BLEACHED HAIR I won’t expand as there is no way around this, your hair will surely break off. Make sure the picture your bring is realistic I am sure you have heard this one before but when I see people bringing in pictures of hair that is curled with a straightener, I cringe. Yes, naturally curly hair will have some frizz and that’s just what makes it natural looking. Of course with the right products you can minimize it. Below is a common hair picture that get’s brought in, this was most likely styled with heat be it a straightener, curling iron or a wand. Please do not think this is what you will look like 24/7 it wont. Day to day maintenance There are two options here If you are a morning showerer I suggest using your hair diffuser A what ? Yes, I said a diffuser this tool is an extension to the nozzle on your blow dryer; instead of lots of air with heat, it disperses the air to deliver more heat than air. I would suggest drying you roots then heading out.   If you are a night showerer then you have your work all cut out for you. Shower as usual, brush your hair with conditioner while in the shower. When you get out make sure your fav product is nearby scrunch with it and your all set. Make sure to lay a towel down on your pillow. Go to bed and wake up with you hair looking flawless! #hairflipbye Can I still blow dry or straighten my hair? Yes, you are able to style your hair as usual. The only real difference is that when it’s wet it reverts back to it’s curly state. Would you recommend this for fine hair? Absolutely a handful of my clients with fine hair have turned to this option and never looked back. For those every so often bad hair days there are hats, buns and ponies. If you liked the new FAQ section I did there then comment and let me know.

If you know you know, and if not I’ll update you The Bronner Brother’s show has been the “it” hair event for the past 30+ years. Meeting the demands of the hair community it’s grown from 2 people teaching cosmetology at a YMCA in central Atlanta to filling up a whole building in the Georgia World Congress Center. Believe me when I tell you my feet left me. Exploring so many different booths and seeing so many creatives definitely gets one’s own creative juices flowing. The things I saw *sigh*… lucikly I took many pictures to share with you. One of the first things I see when I walked in, how cool is that design. I knew I was in the right place. I had never seen so many wig stands in my life.   Like I said these kiosk owners were not there to play, they brought it. Talk about boss babe! I feel that brands/art and music tend to be integrated into each other so for this DJ to be playing while a hair show was going it was dope. Up until then I had never seen these in real life, the only time I ever saw them was in a textbook. Sad, but true. Like I said art, hair, music and style all fall under the same umbrella. I’ve been seeing these living walls everywhere and I LOVE THEM!   That concludes the wonderous things that I saw at the Bronner Bro’s show. I know this is different than what I usually post about, but if you liked it let me know in the comments. Till next month, toodles.

CALLING ALL 3B – 4C CURLY GIRLS If you don’t know what those letter number things are, check my post down below and get woke. http://www.ambiencehairstudio.com/which-curl-are-you/ Tracee Elliss Ross has just released a new natural hair care brand! Yes you heard me right, a brand for naturalistas! Pattern Beauty (great choice for a name) includes a shampoo, 3 conditioners (hydration,medium and heavy), a leave-in conditioner, a pair of hair serums, a clip, a microfibre towel and a denman brush. Every curly girl’s dream!! She say’s it’s been her goal for the past 10 years and dream for the past 20. She goes on to say that her products are meant to empower and nourish tight coily hair. Being natural means safe products for your curls, not to mention with affordable pricing this opens up the demographic to all ethnicities and social classes. I personally love that she is encouraging girls from any ages to start their natural hair journey, so many young girls struggle to care for their crowns because they simply don’t know how to. As women, mothers and peers we must empower them and give them the right tools to do so. I think it’s safe to say that Tracee has created staple product that will be around for years to come. #Rockyourpattern

Since I wrote my first blog post I have learned and experienced much, as has society in it’s norms. I have seen more women break out of their shell with their hair. If you love empowered women well then this post is for you. Silver hair has not only made a comeback but so has the attitude for women (despite age) starting to see their first greys. I want to be clear if you decide to venture down this path you have to understand it’s about being ready on the inside. Some days it won’t be easy but for those day’s I’m here to help. Below I’ll discuss some ideas on how to make the transition over to being salt & pepper. For some of these I suggest trying them on your days off, there’s nothing like rushing out of the house and realizing you missed a spot with the dry shampoo or root spray. Practice, get comfortable with it, then add it into your routine. Semi-permanent color This option makes going the cold turkey not so cold, rather room temperature. Semi’s wash out over time so if you’d like to make the transition slowly this is your best bet. Changing your part So you part your hair in your fav spot and there they are. You see them, they see you and now it’s become a staring contest. But guess what their gonna lose this one, because you have a trick up your sleeve. Experiment with the opposite side or even a center part, you know change it up. Mascara & eyeshadow Both are good ideas but are only a temporary fix. Mascara flakes so use it only if you’re in a pinch and eyeshadow needs a good rubbing in with either your finger or a small sponge. Hilites When your hair is more than one color it’s harder to tell when the grey’s come in, for this reason I urge my clients to think about placing some hilites where they find it harder to conceal. Root spray This handy little product has started popping up more and more, which makes it accessible for you. I would suggest getting one with a little nozzle to target where the product goes, as an added feature it can help with oiliness on the days you skip washing. Ponie or buns These are useful only if your grey’s aren’t around your hair line, asides from that go nuts. If yes see the hair accessories option. Colored dry shampoo This is another great alternative the only thing to watch out for is the dry shampoo leaving your hair too ashy. Hair accessories Last but not least hair accessories they always add a fun element to any style. Scarves or wider headbands could help hide the gray’s that continue to stare.   Thank you for taking the time and I hope this can help!

Remember when we first started seeing the beginnings of ombre on Khloe Kardashian? At first I honest to God thought it was dip dye. All her sister’s are known to sport different styles from wigs ( which is a huge headache for us colorists’ ) to blunt bob’s to braids. Of course as beauty goes people will follow. Then new trends starting popping up like ombre,sombre, balyage and babylights. As colorists began experimenting with different tools, techniques, color formulas and even color consistencies these new looks progressed. With media being everywhere clients (like you) will pick up on the trends and request these things in the salon, without realizing how long they take and how much of an investment they are. For that sole reason I am writing this blog. Expect a break down of the latest hair coloring techniques and why they might cost a pretty penny. Ombre Ombre is where just the tips ( yes, almost like dip dye but prettier) of the hair are colored. Usually a contrast to the base or natural color of the client. For most if not all of these techniques working in thin sections of hair is essential as they provide blending power. Sombre Soft-ombre get it? This coloring technique is like a shy cousin of ombre that doesn’t want such a drastic change but still wants to do something. Where ombre is usually a clash of color, sombre is more soft and only a couple shades lighter than the base or natural color. Babylights These barely there hilites are just that, a technique of hiliting used for a smooth blend or transition from one color to another. They can also be used to do some face framing. Balayage This technique has become one of my most requested. Balyage when first invented was free hand painting. A thin section of hair was taken and held taut then the colorist would use their brush to paint on the lightener. For processing it’s left out in the air. Let’s pause a moment because I feel I need to explain some things. I work with an ethnic clientele and I haven’t come across a lightener strong enough to do the balayage technique. Most of the time ethnic people have a lot of warm pigments in their hair so for me to do a balayage it may not produce the result they’re looking for. If that is the case I would use another technique called the foilyage. Foilyage In a foilyage (yes, you guessed it) foil is used to create a pocket of heat to enhance the lightening proccess. Much like it’s sister balayage, a thin section of hair is taken and placed in a foil, very much like a hilite. With that being said I should move into cost, this is a tricky thing to talk about as everyone has different thickness and length’s of hair. With many of these techniques thin sections of hair are required. At the salon we consider these double process’ that means that one process is lightening the hair the second proccess is toning the hair. That being said when working with thin sections it takes a very long time to get a full head done. When charging we take into consideration that two colors that were used, how much color was needed depending on thickness and length; as well as how much time it took. Coming in for a quote is always recommended because let’s face it I need my hands in your hair to get a good feel of what I’ll be working with. I think that just about covers it. I am deeply sorry this blog took longer than it should’ve, because summer is such a busy season here at the salon I think I’ll have to step away until the fall rolls around. I hope this was informative and as always feel free to drop some comments.

So it’s the 3rd day you haven’t washed your hair because let’s face it you haven’t had the time and you’re starting to realize that your ponytail or bun is starting to hurt your crown and hairline. Why? Across the board the same answer is given, when you skip out on washing then scratch, your hair follicles along with the surrounding skin get inflamed therefore causing irritation. This combined with the fact that when our hair tends to get oily we use tight styling (ie. high ponies, buns and braids) which in turn aggravate the already tender scalp. If we’re speaking scientifically our scalp produces yeast (no, not that kind) its called malassezia yeast, which we have all over our bodies. When we apply products such as dry shampoo, hairsprays or texturizing powders it adds another layer on top of our scalp. As days go by sebum (our natural oil) and products mix, which then increase the levels of yeast that cause itching and inflammation. All that to say after you’ve had a long day at the office or a stressful day with the kids literally let your hair down. If you can, try brushing your hair always starting at the ends and working your way up, then brush your scalp too. Trust me I know it sounds weird but your scalp will thank you, and then you’ll thank me too. If the itching persists I would recommend seeing a physician as there are medicated shampoos that can be prescribed. Also you suffer from tension headaches/migraines please seek help from your GP, as there are medications that can help. Sorry that this blog was a little late but I felt quality over quantity was necessary and as always I want you guys to have a take away from any of the information I put out there. Below is a source that may have more in depth information. https://www.harklinikken.com/pages/about-us 

Through out life many things can happen, you can leave your job for another, you can find the love of your life, you can even travel the world, all these things without the fear of your hair ever leaving you. While all of us have different hair, sometimes we find ourselves in the same boat. Let’s discuss some of the reasons you can experience breakage and go over some precautions we can take to avoid it. Chemicals One of the biggest reasons is chemically treating your hair, some examples include bleaching/lightening, relaxing and perms (yes, those are still a thing.) When these products are left on for too long it can cause the hair to over process and ultimately dry out. Heat Damage Whether you are blow drying, straightening, or both. Over time it can weaken you hair. If you must look formal for work then I would opt to choose one, either air dry then straighten or blow dry (maybe with a round brush) and skip the straightening. I also recommend that you find a leave-in-conditioner that has a heat protector built in, this way you can still get the conditioning aspect while keeping a barrier between the heat and your hair. Tension Everyone loves a high bun but there can be some repercussions, with time hair ties can take their toll especially if you are wearing them in the same spot. Elastics that have been looped too many times and are too tight can contribute to hair breakage. If you guys haven’t already heard there are new hair ties called bobbles, they are less tight and therefore less likely to give you tension headaches not to mention break your hair. Friction With winter come heavier coats and heavy blankets, but what about your pillow? I bet you’ve never thought about that. Friction caused by tossing and turning at night could have an adverse affect on our hair, particularly if you are sleeping with your hair down. I also recently switched to a satin pillowcase, cotton although breathable can take the moisture out of your hair and skin. Brushing roughly The main word here being brush. I get that some hair tends to tangle more than others and that it can be super frustrating, but being gentle with your tresses is something that will save your length in the long run. Always start at the ends working your way to the middle and finally the roots. If you start from the roots you’ll only manage to tighten the already crazy rat’s nest and you’ll only create more work. As a tip add a dab of hair oil (whatevers’ your fav) to your ends and it’ll help create some slip. Hair trims Don’t avoid eye contact! As many of you know the dreaded haircut is actually to help you, so that no other split ends travel up your hair shaft and cause more damage. When you find the right hairstylist you’ll trust them enough to tell you how much should come off and do it. Deep conditioning/ Hair mask Treatments/masks are often heavy creams that leave your hair feeling miraculous, so the longer they steep in your hair the better. If your hair has undergone any of the above than I would suggest doing a deep conditioning treatment once a week. If you are part of the frequent hair washing club then this should be an easy task. I understand that not everyone has the time to hop back into the shower for the rinse, so if this is the case you can wash your hair as usual the next time. Diet Having a diet that is rich in vitamin’s such as A,B,C,D,E as well as zinc, iron and protein aids in keeping you hair strong. I know this can sound a little overwhelming but if you already eat well, then most likely you are getting most if not all of these.   That concludes this months topic, check back with me next month and if you’re feeling brave drop me a comment on what you would like to see more of on here.

If you are an active person but still have to look the part for work then you’ve come to the right place. Working out not only increases blood flow to all your major muscle groups but also promotes hair growth, think about it the water intake and all that new oxygen being pumped to your brain is greatly beneficial. But this article is about dealing with that same hair after your sweat sesh. If you love a good pump before work but hate dealing with the aftermath that comes with it, then pay close attention because I have some tricks up my sleeve to get you hair work ready. 1. Dry Shampoo If you haven’t already heard about this miracle product, then where have you been? Dry shampoo is a spray that targets your roots and absorbs any excess oils. Careful to only use on dry hair, you can speed up the process by taking advantage of the mini blow dryers provided at most gyms. 2. Up-styling The trick here is no parts so whether you sport a sleek bun or a messy pony you can always dress these styles up with fancy pins or cute headbands. As a bonus if you already have wavy/curly hair your ponytail has tons of volume and I am jelly. 3. Braids These have made a huge comeback and are very efficient in hiding that mess on your head. ( I know not everyone has the ability to do these so keep on reading) 4. Rinsing I’m not talking about shampooing and rinsing I’m talking JUST rinsing. This step helps add body and volume to the rest of your hair, consider it your natural texturizing spray. 5.Hats Beanies,berets, floppy hats and even ball caps if you’re allowed will take care of that situation on your head plus you’ll seem really trendy. I know that not everyone can get away with some of these accessories depending on what work place you work in but I really do feel that you have to get creative with it. I myself have been experimenting with different styles and accessories like scarves and headbands; I also think that the more you search more you’ll find. Until next month everyone.

Working in a salon that deals with all textures I’ve been educated in a fairly new hair typing system, I thought what a great and helpful tool to help those curly haired girls out there. The curl pattern chart above is very useful when searching for products, styling options best suited for you texture, cuts and so much more. All you do is identify which catergory your curls belong in and then search for example “3B hair maintenance” and I promise there is another person out there with your same hair that has found results. Another great resource is Youtube if you are a visual learner (like myself) then I suggest you try the same thing and you will find a whole community just waiting to be discovered! I hope this was a helpful for anyone reading  and check back in for more articles.