SALON DISAPPOINTMENT(not a disaster-our conversations-eye opener)

[laurend085]

I went to my stylist yesterday to get my first sew-in and some things came and I had some realizations and slight disappointments. Some of my questions are bolded.

She knows that I'm trying to grow out my perm to be natural, so she suggested that I use this product called "New Era" that some of her clients use to help them transition. I asked her what it was and she said that basically it was what white women use for a perm so that they will have their naturally curly hair but can still wear it straight so they can wear it either way. She then mentioned to me that she would be using it on my 7 year old niece (today). She said it wasn't like a perm, it didn't have all those harsh chemicals etc. My sister ended up letting her put it on my nieces hair. I asked my mom what it was and she told me it was a texturizer. ?? So pretty much she got a tex-lax? Isn't still pretty much changing her natural hair texture? My other questions are
Has anyone heard of/used New Era or know anything?
Would you put this product on a 7 year old?

Then she asked me what I'd been using to shampoo my hair with. I thought for a minute as I've been trying different things and I told her Suave. Before I could say anything else she said this loud "NUH UH!!!" and a "girl that's nothing you want to use on your hair it will make it dry and unmanageable."
Ummm this isn't true it?
Don't some of you use this product?

Then she was on the phone with a client who had never had any kind of weave before but was getting a few tracks put in to make her hair thicker or something. My stylist told me that the lady had long hair, the back of it was to her bra strap. She said the lady had still been going to her original stlyist for color. My stylist thought the other stylist was damaging her hair because of the color. The reason being was he was using CLAIROL hair dye and that "it's not for US". Then she told that she thought the lady was going too far with her perm. I thought she meant the application like putting the perm on too much of her hair so I asked her what she meant. She said "12 weeks you can't go that long without a relaxer". Something about the top being thick and dry when the new growth comes in. She said she finally talked her into going less time between her relaxer and now she's coming every 6 weeks.
Isn't stretching good for the hair?

AND LAST when she was finished with my sew-in she was telling me the basics of caring for it, which I pretty much knew from this board. I was getting up to the bathroom and she kinda laughed and said "DON'T USE SUAVE it'll tangle the hair". She also said "don't condition the corn rows cause it'll make it gunky".
Will suave really tangle the sewn in hair?
Shouldn't you condition the corn rows since your hair is in them?

The positives: I won't knock everything....

She did LISTEN to what I wanted. She offered suggestions but ultimately it was my decisionon what I wanted to do with my hair.
She left my edges out before I even asked her too and didn't braid too tight.

She said that the one good thing about me going natural is that my nape has grown out some.

COMMENTS?????

 

[MyAngelEyez~C~U]

She sounds as backwards as most black hair stylists. Not surprised by her comments. Just stick to what you learn here and ignore what you know to be false. That's why I don't even deal with "beauty shops". I can do anything they can do BETTER.

 

[BlkOnyx488]

I had a wave nueveau when I was in high school. After two years I didn't like my hair being all wet all the time, but I wanted to retain the length I had gotten. My stylist told me New era at the time was a new product, and I was told it was designed to allow you to "transition" from a curly kit to a relaxer without losing all my growth. Well I did it.

that crap made my hair fall out big time. I had a bald spot at the top of my head fortunatly I had some new growth in the spot and I had enough hair to do a comb over. but my hair was a hot mess for a long time.

Make sure they are taking good goood care of your nieces hair. Now they are calling the crap a texturizer yeah right. by texturizer I guess they mean your floor with change textures because you are stepping on all your hair that fell out.

Stylist don't like you relaxer stretching because it cuts down on the money they make.

 

[Trini_Chutney]

SMDH, your stylist needs to visit LHCF....often. I'm glad she listens to you but her advice is troubling.

 

[sharifeh]

Wow sometimes I feel like stylists don't like the stretching because it means more work for them
I've always stretched out of laziness and the stylists have always hated doing my hair lol

If suave works for you I don't see a reason to stop using it

 

[Geminigirl]

I don't see what the problem is. I think stretching should be easier for them. Maybe parting the hair to put on the relaxer may be difficult if people are stretching in-properly, but I think it should allow for the stylist to truly see a line of demarcation.

 

[firecracker]

I really don't know what to say about her comments. I have seen that New Era stuff but don't know anyone that has used it. I really hope your neices hair survives that soo called non chemical. Tell your sis to make sure she keeps it moisturized, don't put ponytails in too tight and use those coated hair bands instead of rubberbands. I hope you like your new piece also.

 

[Mleah]

What did the stylist's hair look like??? That is a clue as to how much he/she really knows about long hair. I learned my lesson in Corona,CA the hard way.

 

[trevprit]

I went to my stylist yesterday to get my first sew-in and some things came and I had some realizations and slight disappointments. Some of my questions are bolded.

She knows that I'm trying to grow out my perm to be natural, so she suggested that I use this product called "New Era" that some of her clients use to help them transition. I asked her what it was and she said that basically it was what white women use for a perm so that they will have their naturally curly hair but can still wear it straight so they can wear it either way. She then mentioned to me that she would be using it on my 7 year old niece (today). She said it wasn't like a perm, it didn't have all those harsh chemicals etc. My sister ended up letting her put it on my nieces hair. I asked my mom what it was and she told me it was a texturizer. ?? So pretty much she got a tex-lax? Isn't still pretty much changing her natural hair texture? My other questions are
Has anyone heard of/used New Era or know anything?
Would you put this product on a 7 year old?

Then she asked me what I'd been using to shampoo my hair with. I thought for a minute as I've been trying different things and I told her Suave. Before I could say anything else she said this loud "NUH UH!!!" and a "girl that's nothing you want to use on your hair it will make it dry and unmanageable."
Ummm this isn't true it?
Don't some of you use this product?

Then she was on the phone with a client who had never had any kind of weave before but was getting a few tracks put in to make her hair thicker or something. My stylist told me that the lady had long hair, the back of it was to her bra strap. She said the lady had still been going to her original stlyist for color. My stylist thought the other stylist was damaging her hair because of the color. The reason being was he was using CLAIROL hair dye and that "it's not for US". Then she told that she thought the lady was going too far with her perm. I thought she meant the application like putting the perm on too much of her hair so I asked her what she meant. She said "12 weeks you can't go that long without a relaxer". Something about the top being thick and dry when the new growth comes in. She said she finally talked her into going less time between her relaxer and now she's coming every 6 weeks.
Isn't stretching good for the hair?

AND LAST when she was finished with my sew-in she was telling me the basics of caring for it, which I pretty much knew from this board. I was getting up to the bathroom and she kinda laughed and said "DON'T USE SUAVE it'll tangle the hair". She also said "don't condition the corn rows cause it'll make it gunky".
Will suave really tangle the sewn in hair?
Shouldn't you condition the corn rows since your hair is in them?

The positives: I won't knock everything....

She did LISTEN to what I wanted. She offered suggestions but ultimately it was my decisionon what I wanted to do with my hair.
She left my edges out before I even asked her too and didn't braid too tight.

She said that the one good thing about me going natural is that my nape has grown out some.

COMMENTS?????

My aunts used New Era at one point. They were using it as a relaxer, so I'm not really sure what it is, exactly. But, the idea of transitioning is usually to avoid putting in more chemicals, so what are you supposed to do after you "texturize" the new growth? Transition again?

I had a stylist who I thought was really good, as far as getting my hair to retain length and look nice. However, I relaxed my hair during a period of time that I wasn't seeing her. When I went back she told me I either had to relax the new growth or cut off all the relaxer. (I wanted to go back to being natural) I only wore my hair cornrowed anyway, but I didn't know any better and listened to her and cut my hair.

My point: It seems that there are an abdundance of stylists who don't know what transitioning is, or how to help women through transitioning.

My concern: Is this out of convenience for them or out of a lack of knowledge? If they have to work with two textures that would mean taking their time and paying careful attention to protecting the hair at the demarcation line.

Maybe in the case of the other client, the hair was dry and rough, but as her stylist, she should have been telling her how to manage and moisturize the two textures, not start putting on more chemicals. But now she's making twice as much money off this woman.

Suave can be a stripping shampoo, but giving blanket advice to everyone is not necessarily the way to go. Different things work for different people. If it works for you, then why knock it. However, if you were having hair issues, then maybe it could be blamed on the Suave.

 

[Chaosbutterfly]

I don't see what the problem is. I think stretching should be easier for them. Maybe parting the hair to put on the relaxer may be difficult if people are stretching properly, but I think it should allow for the stylist to truly see a line of demarcation.

LMAO!! Line of demar-what?
Many black stylists don't care about no line of demarcation. They put relaxer on from root to tip and comb that sucka through.

And they don't like stretching because if you only come in 3-4 times a year instead of 8-12, that's alot of lost income for them.
And when you come in, they have to get through all that new growth to put it on, which isn't easy. And with all the new growth, they have to use more product than they would use on someone with less. Stretching is just not a stylist's friend, unless he or she cares more about keeping hair healthy than making lots of money.

And how many stylists do you know like that? I can count them on one hand.

 

[HauteHippie]

Oh, wow. The most eye-opening things I learned about hair (and health) came from a white lady with curly hair. She used Giovanni and said I could use her shampoo/conditioner (she also used things like eggs, mayo, and beer on her hair way back in the 90s). And I remember being like, "But I don't think that's for MY hair," and she was basically like, "What are you talking about? It's hair. Hair is made up of the same thing, you just need more moisture."
Which doesn't seem like a big deal, but for me it changed my whole outlook on black hair. It's just hair. It'll always grow, but if you treat it well, it healthy. Sometimes things are for OUR hair, too!
You may want to find a stylist who is on board with you going natural (and won't try to trick you into chemicals). It's only a matter of time before you start getting the stank eye and clucking every time you walk in the salon.

 

[Leesh]

Wow sometimes I feel like stylists don't like the stretching because it means more work for them
I've always stretched out of laziness and the stylists have always hated doing my hair lol

If suave works for you I don't see a reason to stop using it

Or less work for them, if You get what I mean!!!

 

[laurend085]

OH!!! I forgot to add she shared with me that she used sew ins to grow her hair out BUT wore it for 6 MONTHS at a time!!
Also I got a chance to peep her hair which I'd never consifered til I came to this forum. She had her hair pulled in a ponytail and I can say that her edges and nape were pretty much non existent. I guess her nape was there enough to make a decent pony tail. But I'm disappointed because the reason I started goin to her was because she talks a lot about healthy hair and how she specializes in it. Now that I think of it the first time I went to her she cut my hair from sl to nl cuz she said my last stylist left my ends damaged from how she did my perm so she had to cut them. I know that my hair hadny grown much since then and ended up gettin a short cut partially encouraged by her cause I didn't think my hair could grow any longer. Gi figure.

 

[orchidgirl]

She sounds as backwards as most black hair stylists. Not surprised by her comments. Just stick to what you learn here and ignore what you know to be false. That's why I don't even deal with "beauty shops". I can do anything they can do BETTER.

This is what I found...

New Era 2000 Acid Balanced Clear Gel Hair Relaxer is a mild and gentle clear gel which will safely and permanently smooth curl out of naturally curly hair. This unique formula contains none of the harsh, irritating chemicals, such as sodium hydroxide (lye), found in traditional relaxers. Both the relaxer and fixative are clear, mild, fragrant gels. The relaxing gel is gentle to hair and scalp because it is acid balanced, with a pH of 6.0 One formula is all that is necessary for all hair types, from normal virgin hair to permanently color treated (not bleached), and from coarse, wiry, extremely curly hair to naturally wavy hair. There is never any danger of burning or blistering when the gel comes in contact with the scalp. As a result, hair can be safely relaxed all the way down to the root line. The sylist need not wear gloves during the application unless there is a skin abrasion or previous experience with skin sensitivity.
Hair and scalp are always shampooed prior to the application on New Era 2000 Relaxing Gel. During the processing of the relaxer, hair retains its clean, fresh smell. There is never an unpleasant odor. When removing the curl from the regrowth area on hair that has been previously relaxed with New Era 2000 Acid Balanced Clear Gel Hair Relaxer, there is no danger if the gel overlaps the previously relaxed hair.




Hope this helps...

 

[Geminigirl]

LMAO!! Line of demar-what?
Many black stylists don't care about no line of demarcation. They put relaxer on from root to tip and comb that sucka through.

And they don't like stretching because if you only come in 3-4 times a year instead of 8-12, that's alot of lost income for them.
And when you come in, they have to get through all that new growth to put it on, which isn't easy. And with all the new growth, they have to use more product than they would use on someone with less. Stretching is just not a stylist's friend, unless he or she cares more about keeping hair healthy than making lots of money.

And how many stylists do you know like that? I can count them on one hand.

Yea I know they don't care about that, that's my point, they should. I know I will. I know stylists relax from root to tip, but that's only if you let them. Most people let them. They relax from root to tip because it cost more money for a relaxer versus a touch up.

 

[ryanshope]

Well I don' t know the ingredients in the New Era relaxer/texturizer but anything that "permanently" alters the hair texture is a no-no for me, especially for children...but c'est la vie..

As far as using Suave products, I know alot of people use Suave conditioners for cowashing, the shampoos( I don't know about using those)...

Conditioning your cornrows---use a liquid-leavin---not a creamy one because that problem would cause buildup, if you can't get to the cornrowed hair without moving/loosing the weave too much. But a liquid leave-in should be no harm.


When you wash the weave, definitely use a watered down cleanser(4 parts/water to shampoo) so that is is easier to rinse and you don't develop build up.

 

[PearlyCurly]

She is funny(sarcastically speaking)...

I just..i just dont know what to say!? Usually i would give a long speech, but IDK she just needs to be:hardslap:You know? No words, just a hard one right across the dome

 

[blue_flower]

Scary is all I can say. She actually convinced that lady to come in every 6 weeks instead of 12? Wow.

 

[sheba1]

The fact that her edges are non existent and she's preaching "healthy hair care" means it's time to find a new weavologist, my friend. Sorry, but she has got to go.

 

[BostonMaria]

*sigh* Reading this just reminds me of the days I took everything these "stylists" said to heart and I was a slave to their salon chair.

Suave shampoo works just fine on my hair. I shampoo like once a month since I mainly co-wash. I tend to mix Suave conditioner in the shampoo just to give it a boost of moisture and not let my hair feel like straw later.

As far as the other stuff I can't comment. I would just say that if you put your niece has a texturizer in her hair that salon will be making money off your family for a while. She'll need to continue texturizing or else her hair won't look the same at the line of demarcation.

 

[LadyRaider]

It's funny because I always waited 4 to 5 months between relaxers because I hated going to the salon. So there'd be a point where my hair was pitiful... dry, broken, unmanageable, and then I'd HAVE to have a relaxer THAT weekend.

The stylists would always tell me my hair was in such bad condition because I didn't get regular relaxers.

My hair was short... a full neck length mostly, but it didn't get to EAR length until I started going regularly to color my gray. Since I was there for semi-perm color, I'd get the relaxer first. So I was going "regularly" from about every 2 or 3 months.

And that's when my hair got really short and really thin. I had so much damage, in December of 2008, I was basically buzzed in the back.

Instead of telling me to come more often for relaxers, they should have been telling me how to keep my hair moisturized. Maybe I'd still be their customer. Oh well. Their loss.

 

[Ivonnovi]

1. For the "Health of your nieces hair" use Curlaway. Check this site for reviews.

2. The advice she's given in founded on generating income for her ( purposefully or not). 6wks vs 12 & don't condition.....blah blah blah. It WAS NOT founded on teaching you how to care for YOUR HAIR.

3. Use Suave and condition too if you want, I've heard the same stuff about how it affects the hair; HOWEVER, a little baking soda mixed with water will clarify and remove the "gunk" and "build up" that Suave is reputed do cause on your hair.

4. "Products" do not tangle hair....."Methods used" tangles the hair.

 

[LadyPaniolo]

Conversations like the one with this stylist are the reason I am a hardcore DIYer. I simply will not allow anyone else in my head, period, point blank. First off they know nothing, second they are belligerent about it. I wish someone with jacked up hair WOULD try to touch one strand of my hair. So I can be her twin? No ma'am.

 

[fatimablush]

I went to my stylist yesterday to get my first sew-in and some things came and I had some realizations and slight disappointments. Some of my questions are bolded.

She knows that I'm trying to grow out my perm to be natural, so she suggested that I use this product called "New Era" that some of her clients use to help them transition. I asked her what it was and she said that basically it was what white women use for a perm so that they will have their naturally curly hair but can still wear it straight so they can wear it either way. She then mentioned to me that she would be using it on my 7 year old niece (today). She said it wasn't like a perm, it didn't have all those harsh chemicals etc. My sister ended up letting her put it on my nieces hair. I asked my mom what it was and she told me it was a texturizer. ?? So pretty much she got a tex-lax? Isn't still pretty much changing her natural hair texture? My other questions are
Has anyone heard of/used New Era or know anything?
Would you put this product on a 7 year old?

Then she asked me what I'd been using to shampoo my hair with. I thought for a minute as I've been trying different things and I told her Suave. Before I could say anything else she said this loud "NUH UH!!!" and a "girl that's nothing you want to use on your hair it will make it dry and unmanageable."
Ummm this isn't true it?
Don't some of you use this product?

Then she was on the phone with a client who had never had any kind of weave before but was getting a few tracks put in to make her hair thicker or something. My stylist told me that the lady had long hair, the back of it was to her bra strap. She said the lady had still been going to her original stlyist for color. My stylist thought the other stylist was damaging her hair because of the color. The reason being was he was using CLAIROL hair dye and that "it's not for US". Then she told that she thought the lady was going too far with her perm. I thought she meant the application like putting the perm on too much of her hair so I asked her what she meant. She said "12 weeks you can't go that long without a relaxer". Something about the top being thick and dry when the new growth comes in. She said she finally talked her into going less time between her relaxer and now she's coming every 6 weeks.
Isn't stretching good for the hair?

AND LAST when she was finished with my sew-in she was telling me the basics of caring for it, which I pretty much knew from this board. I was getting up to the bathroom and she kinda laughed and said "DON'T USE SUAVE it'll tangle the hair". She also said "don't condition the corn rows cause it'll make it gunky".
Will suave really tangle the sewn in hair?
Shouldn't you condition the corn rows since your hair is in them?

The positives: I won't knock everything....

She did LISTEN to what I wanted. She offered suggestions but ultimately it was my decisionon what I wanted to do with my hair.
She left my edges out before I even asked her too and didn't braid too tight.

She said that the one good thing about me going natural is that my nape has grown out some.

COMMENTS?????

I used New Era relaxer years ago...whwn i did my very first relaxer..I didnt know this was still on the market.

 

[soulfusion]

In most instances, this statement is so true when you're trying not to get relaxers so often.

It's only a matter of time before you start getting the stank eye and clucking every time you walk in the salon.

 

[brownelovely]

Conversations like the one with this stylist are the reason I am a hardcore DIYer. I simply will not allow anyone else in my head, period, point blank. First off they know nothing, second they are belligerent about it. I wish someone with jacked up hair WOULD try to touch one strand of my hair. So I can be her twin? No ma'am.

That's stereotyping...not all stylists are bad and want to ruin your hair. Threads like these always turn to basing all stylists versus the ones that truly do it for profit.

Everyone that does hair is not jealous of your hair, progress, or etc...it took me a year of research to find the perfect stylist and I did and she's knowledgeable and she's not belligerent.

 

[Miss AJ]

I hate when stylists tell that lie to people trying to go natural. The only thing a texturizer is gonna help transition is your money into her wallet!