Natural Hair Question: "How Often Can You Get a Blowout or Silk Press?"

 How often you can get your hair blown out or pressed is a continuing debate I see. Some ladies "need" their hair blown out or pressed on a weekly or biweekly basis. Others wait for a month or get it done every 3 months while others may only visit a salon once a year for maybe a birthday celebration.

But, I know you're wondering what's the right answer...

Well, there isn't necessarily a right answer. Every head of hair is different, every technique is different, products used are different & the upkeep is different.I will say, maybe once a week is possibly excessive, but again I stress that every technique & heat setting situation is different.

I personally, (as a licensed cosmetologist who's been doing blowouts & silk press styles since about 2014 or so when the transition to women wearing their natural hair over relaxers really started) am an advocate for ladies wearing their natural hair pressed.

 I had a choice as a beauty professional; to refuse to jump on board with the rapidly changing tide of hair or to adapt to this new wave & learn the best techniques to keep my customers happy & their hair healthy & thriving.

I'm so glad I made the switch! I'm not a trendy stylist & believe natural hair, as a lot of you know is a lot of work, but oh so rewarding in my opinion. I love how customers & clients are so happy (especially newbies) with how light, bouncy, healthy-looking & beautiful their typically uncared for hair looks in a silk press.

I know your next question is, 'What's the difference between a silk press & a blowout?''

Well, it depends on whom you ask. Every stylist has their own technique & terminology.

The short answer is that, a silk press or blowout is a technique of transforming the hair from curly (or wavy) to straight. 

Some people feel that a silk press is different from a blowout because a silk press requires a hot comb while others feel a flatiron is just as good.

Dominican salons rollerset the hair then blow the roots or roundbrush the hair & some add a flatiron to the hair after the blowdryer.

Again, there is no wrong or right way as long as you're protecting the hair from the heat & not being harsh with the curls. Please, no fine tooth combs, only quality wide-tooth combs or quality brushed when detangling wet hair. You can request a customized hair care kit from D'va Styles via our contact form at www.dvastyles.com. You're welcome. 

Anyway, back to the press or blowout debate...

I, personally, like a flatiron that gets very hot & is sturdy not these "at-home touch-up" type flatirons, but something that really can flatten out thicker hair textures. Using a flatiron over a pressing comb allows me to control the heat temperature better. 

My clients are able to come in more often (say every 2 weeks) to get a press, because I'm able to decrease the heat setting over time as their hair becomes more trained. 

What does "trained' mean? Well, it means the hair is able to stay pressed for an extended amount of time. Trained means the hair has memory. If you're always wearing twist styles or your natural curls or even protective styles & maybe only get your hair pressed once every year or 2 then chances are the hair could revert back to curly or begin puffing up prematurely. 

Now, this doesn't happen in every instance. Thankfully this has not been my experience or shall I say the experience of my customers in most cases if cared for properly.

I believe this is attributed to a number of factors, bu
t plainly put... products, technique & time put in to achieving the best presd I can deliever to each individual guest.

I'm amazed that some stylists can execute a fantastic press in an hour or hour in a half no matter the texture or amount of hair the guest has. Well, let me say, I'm not apart of that ministry sadly. My hydrating press service takes anywhere from 1.5-2.5 hours, but generally 2 hours. Now, of course most newbies or infrequent guests will need a trim (cut) so that's more time.

The moral of the story is, do what's best for your hair & lifestyle. That includes your wallet as hair care is an investment. I believe more people could afford to get their hair done regularly if they prioritized their hair. If we can spend money on wigs, braids & other 'protective styles' then we most certainly need to pay to gain knowledge about our hair & to help facilitate healthy hair in our every day lives.

I would love to know what your thoughts on this subject are. 

Chime in below. (positive vibes only...we can also agree to disagree)

~Tash

D'va Styles Beauty Bar, LLC & D'va Styles 2

Charlotte, NC based

If you are a beauty professional looking for a chair or suite to rent for a day or week or simply want to work in a D'va Styles salon affiliate in your area? Go to www.dvastyles.com to apply.

We have several suites & chairs for your convenience. Professionalism & Politeness stressed. We look forward to hearing from you. 

Live outside of Charlotte, NC? No problem. Let us know what city you're in so we can match you with a stylist in your area.

Blessings, T 

Starting A Business: Get It Done, No Excuses!

FEAR!!!
That's what stands in our way of success. Worrying about finances, other's opinion, our self-perception, and the list goes on & on.

I'm in the hair business & at one time I worked as an admissions rep at a cosmetology school. I can't count how many times I had ladies call & tell me they were interested & always had a passion for hair, but just didn't know how to go about it. Or, maybe they were stuck between 2 career options, or maybe they needed to check with their husband...EXCUSES!!

If you have a passion to do something, whatever the field, I'm telling you to go for it. Don't let anyone or anything stand in your way. I have kids & I have a husband, but I was a single mom for quite some time & I had to make it work. Going to cosmetology school, doing hair in the evenings. Eventually, working in a salon during the day, going to get the kids, spending time with them, having them a sitter just to go out to client's homes to do hair again. I wasn't charging a lot at all. I was trying to get my feet wet, prove myself, get my skills up & build a business.

I want to challenge all of you reading this post to be motivated & inspired to go after those dreams that are just burning away inside. Don't allow those flames to die out. Keep fanning those flames with each day that you are blessed to see; whether that means handing out business cards &/or flyers, going to networking events, calling people to introduce your business, going to businesses to invite others to your business or event, creating your logo, orchestrating your photo shoot, finding a team of people to work with....whatever pertains to your business, I want to challenge you to email that to me DAILY!!!

If no one else is encouraging you to pursue your dreams, I want to encourage you to do so starting Today, not tomorrow, next week, next month or next year.
Not after your finances are better, the baby starts school, etc.

I look forward to celebrating all of the small (yet so significant) accomplishments. Even if you have some setbacks, don't allow them to discourage you for long & Definitely don't allow them (or others) to make you lose site of your goals. Life happens, but we have to make the most of life. We only get one!
Let's start today making the most of God's blessings. Write It, Plan It, Execute It.

Today's Assignment:
*Send me your dream(s) (Email: Tasha.dvastyles@gmail.com) & comment on this post
*What did you do today to help accomplish it/them/
*What are your goals for the remainder of the week to help reach your goal(s)?

I can't wait to see all of the wonderful ideas you all have. I bet they are more attainable than you think. You just have to get the ball rolling, build up momentum & next thing you know you've reached your destination. "Get It Done; No Excuses!"

www.dvastyles.com

Can Stress Be Causing Hair Loss??

The answer is YES!!!

Think about it, when you're stressed are you taking care of you as well as you should? In most cases no.  You're not eating well, drinking enough water, taking supplements, sleeping or exercising like you should, because you're too worried about a health issue, family, kids, business, work, finances, a relationship, etc.

These issues, and the fact that everything we ingest, or don't ingest, is realized via our hair, skin (which includes our scalp) & nails, contribute to the wellness, shine, growth rate, length & overall health & look of one's hair. 

So, please be sure to take care of yourself while you're taking care of others to ensure your self-esteem & appearance stay to your liking. Don't let yourself go trying to be superwoman in other areas. It saddens me when women set in my chair and are down about their hair, skin or weight. Let's focus a little more energy on ourselves to avoid having to crash diet, get burnt out exercising or taking unhealthy weight loss pills. When grocery shopping, concentrate on more fruits, veggies, nuts and protein rather than the ice cream, cookies & cake. Pinterest, & the internet in general, are full of delicious recipes you & your family will enjoy.
I guarantee when you change your eating, drinking and resting habits you'll see a vast difference in not only your hair, but your skin, body & energy level. And the awesome thing is all of this will inevitably increase your self-esteem & overall happiness.

So, smile & step into the new you!
Worrying isn't going to change your situation, action will!!

I'm an professional cosmetologist  & owner of D'va Styles Beauty Bar @Salon 360 in Charlotte, NC.

Please send me your hair, health & wellness & beauty questions to tasha.dvastyles@gmail.com.

"PAMPERING YOU INSIDE & OUT!"

Healthy Hair & Scalp Regimen

So, we discussed the necessity of healthy hair & a healthy scalp yesterday, now let's cover How to go about the cleansing process.
Definitely invest in a good shampoo and conditioner. This can vary person to person, so there's no quick pick that fits for every individual. You'll want to shampoo at least once a week, as stated yesterday. If you're hair is oilier than most, shampoo at least 2 times per week.
Then, if you're natural or relaxed invest in a great natural oil. If hair is super dry, then use a little on the scalp. A bottle with an applicator tip works best to gradually apply oil. Just a bit is needed in palm of hand depending on length and texture.

And, let me talk to my sew-in & braid ladies....I know you want to preserve your style, but please make sure you are cleansing or having a professional cleanse your scalp at least biweekly. A great product to use to properly cleanse the scalp, is a mild astringent such as Sea Breeze, and then begin shampoo process.

"PAMPERING YOU INSIDE & OUT!"

I'm a professional cosmetologist at D'va Styles Beauty Bar @ Salon 360 in Charlotte, NC

Have a hair question? Please ask & send pictures to illustrate your point are also welcome!

www.dvastylesbeautybar.com

Your Hair Consultant ( Keeping Warm In Charlotte!)

Healthy Scalp Maintenance!

Hi ladies & gents!
I want to discuss the importance of keeping our scalps properly cleansed.
Wow, to me this is a serious subject, because I feel like too many of us (mainly women) neglect to do this as often as needed.
I understand as a mom & a professional that time is not always on our side when it comes to finding time to shampoo & condition our hair & scalps.
Let's visit my motto for D'va Styles to put this information into perspective-"Pampering You Inside & Out!".
Now, let's think about that message. The word 'Pampering' sounds luxurious, but can be as simple as a stimulating shampoo & a massaging condition process. My clients love my shampoo, especially after being at home with the kids all day or working across town & fighting traffic. But, even if you can't get to a great salon, you can take matters into your own hands & pamper yourself.

I want to stress, however, that shampooing your hair & scalp is not only a treat but a necessity!!
It's a health & cleanliness issue. Specifically, I'd like to point out the fact that hair loss can result from an unclean, itchy scalp.

I recommend ethnic women, such as African-American women, to shampoo & condition your hair at least once a week. If it's super oily then no more than 2 times is OK, just to make sure you're not drying out the scalp & hair. You want your scalp's own natural oil to coat the scalp. It's much better than weighing hair down & clogging pores with a bunch of product.

During the initial consultation with a client, I'll typically ask what she uses on her hair & either she rattles off some shampoo that's drying to both the scalp & the hair, she's using a shampoo/conditioner combo or she aren't even using a conditioner!
I'm shocked at the number of ladies who are just using anything on their hair & don't actually have a solid haircare regimen.

I'll cover what a healthy haircare regimen is in the next post.

I'm a professional cosmetologist & owner of D'va Styles Beauty Bar @ Salon 360 in Charlotte, NC

"PAMPERING YOU INSIDE & OUT!"

Please post any questions you have pertaining to hair, beauty ,fashion, healthy living & food!!

Time to Up Your Water In-take!!!

Hair Talk by D'va Styles http://dvastyles.blogspot.com/

So, it's cold again & guess what's thirsty?!?!
YOUR HAIR!!!

Yes, oooooh, that's right, your hair.
Ladies, we must stop thinking as water as an afterthought & begin thinking of it beforehand...before we leave the house, before that workday, before that workout & all through the day.
As a professional stylist, I see flaky scalps often...I'm talking after the best scrubbing & scalp massage they've ever received ;)
And, I often ask them how good are they on their water consumption. They usually say, "Not so good." So, I encourage them to do better (while at the same time secretly encouraging myself to do better).

The fact of the matter is, our hair & our scalp tell a lot about our diet (& medications).  Whenever my clients consciously decide to increase their water intake, we see a significant difference in the hydration of their scalp.

Don't like water? I guarantee there's a brand of water you like, whether it's a store brand at your local market, Fiji, Nestle, Dasani, Voss or one of the many others out there to choose from. You could also do like my significant other does & boil tap water, let it cool, pour into a water pitcher & let chill in the fridge. The other option is to purchase a water filter or purifier to attach to your faucet.

Some nifty ideas about flavoring water have inspired a lot of people to create their own special "brews". You could research some combinations you may like, such as mint, cucumber, strawberries & lemon juice (one I just made up), or maybe just lemon juice with a touch of honey, agave nectar or Splenda to slightly sweeten.

However you decide to go about consuming your H2o for the day, just make sure it's several glasses, cups or bottles!
I'm not going to throw out a particular number, because it varies per individual; but just strive to get in as many as you can & gradually add more. So, let's say this week your goal is 4, next week 5 glasses & so on.

Well, Good Luck ladies (& gents) & before you know it you won't even crave sodas & other beverages!!

"Pampering You Inside & Out!"

I'm a Professional Cosmetologist & Salon Owner in Charlotte, NC

D'va Styles Beauty Bar @ Salon 360

Have hair questions? I have hair answers!