As natural hair has become more popular, there is a growing demand for stylists who are proficient in the knowledge of styling and caring for natural hair. Here is a short list of things every natural stylist should know.
How to trim natural hair without straightening it
It has been a regular practice to trim hair while it is straight. This has lead to a misunderstanding among clients about the state the hair has to be in to get a trim. Textured hair does not have to be straight in order for you to get a trim. The use of minimal heat with a blow-dryer is recommended to extend the curl of the hair. This ensures that you are not cutting too much length during the trim. Most people have various curl patterns, trimming the hair while wet creates the risk of cutting too much length off of the hair or resulting in an uneven trim. Using heat styling tools to straighten the hair leaves you vulnerable to heat damage, which can cause a section of your hair or areas along the hair shaft to not revert back to curly, because too much heat was applied.
How to maintain proper protein and moisture balance
Most women who are transitioning to wear their hair in its natural state struggle to find the right protein and moisture balance. This translates into finding conditioners that will keep the hair strong but also help it to feel soft and moisturized. As a natural stylist, it is important to know when your client needs more moisture in their hair or more protein. This can be determined through touching the hair and elasticity tests. When determining what the client needs, information on products and conditioning treatments are necessary. Establishing a moisture-protein balance requires the client and stylist to work together, so educating the client on maintenance strategies to practice at home are important. The balance cannot always be achieved through one conditioning treatment. It may require several conditioning treatments to get the hair in optimal condition. This balance is important to help clients retain length and reduce breakage.
The proper amount of tension to use when adding extensions
There is a technique to properly installing extensions without compromising the health of the hair. As the popularity of extension styles is increasing, it’s important that natural stylists know how to use proper techniques that will enhance a client’s look without causing hair loss. It’s an unfortunate fact that there are a large number of women who have hair loss around the hairline as a result of tightly braided styles. When too much tension is used to braid and twist hair, it leads to hair loss. If done incorrectly you can literally pull your client’s hair out. Therefore, training on techniques to add extensions without causing hair loss is a must.
The hair industry is huge and it’s important that if you choose to specialize in a particular area of hairstyling, you take the time to acquire additional education so that you are in a position to better serve your client. This includes styling and the health of the hair and scalp.
