Hair colour product. Information review..

Back2myroots :  A place to share thoughts and grow idea's. B2MR.

Discussion sharing thoughts and views:

Smoke and mirrors:

In a recent exchange of thoughts with a fellow industry professional we were sharing thoughts and comments around policy and what is accepted as common place with professional hair colour manufactures. The practice of deploying clever marketing tactics to promote products in some cases cases certain Ingredients are promoted whilst others are disguised or played down.
In some cases companies work on the assumption that the majority of users or consumers do not know any difference when the topic of ingredients are raised and their short / long term effect.

We as stylist colour technicians hairdressers owe it to our selves and our clients to be well informed and try to educate our clients on this subject. We cannot do this unless we ourselves stay current and educated.

In the same exchange of views. The issue was raised as to training knowledge of stylists and interest in products ingredients it was suggested that. Many hairdressers and colorists do not consider internal knowledge of ingredients an issue, it was also suggested that for a few. Performance is key and most stylists are content to be part of an industry that  revolves around beauty and creating beautiful color, and the reality of our business is generating results that provide a complimentary service for which people pay a premium. 

My view on this is that whilst I agree with this in principle . But don't see how. Being informed and educated. Being able to inform clients openly about any given product would or should effect our creative talent. clients who are paying a premium should be doing so in the knowledge that the person doing the creative work is well informed and educated and not just using products that some corporate entity or large manufacturer has produced a slick advertising campaign for.

It was also pointed out to me that our lives are touched daily with ingredients that would shock most. However this is a commercial world we live in and is based on reality. Does this mean we should not question does this mean we just have to accept it? I hope not. I think not. Transparence inspires trust!

Manufacturers share technologies and ingredients and their resources are limited to what is tried, tested and approved by the cosmetic federations governing safety and usability. 

This was and is not the point products that are tested  and certified as safe can be changed when certain elements come together also many ingredients are disguised and represented if different ways.

I am only saying we as professionals have a right to question and decide. We should not assume everything written on the box is gospel. Manufactures and corporate concerns should hold professional stylist in higher regard when it's comes to standards of knowledge and education.

In Closing we can as stylist change this attitude of need to know bases education, demand transparency of chemistry and ingredients and effects from manufacturing by questioning becoming educated ourselves and of course most importantly by use!

It is through. Asking questions. Raising issue. Communication. That we can instigate change with both colour companies. Honest. Open discussions all will lead to professional having access to products with a chemistry they can trust.
This same discussion I believe forced many of the companies producing Keratin based smoothing products.The Initial fears about formaldehyde having been addressed to satisfy both stylist's and clients.
On this topic I have written to a company producing a smoothing product fro more information.
I await a response.    

MikeB2MR

Blonde to Brunette

Back2myroots : A place to share thoughts and grow idea's. B2MR

How do you go from brunette to blonde? What are the pit falls things to look out for? How blonde can you go?What shade should you expect to achieve from a brunette level 4to5? I raise this questions because skin tone, eye colour. also play a role when switching colour.

Brunette to Blonde  can certainly have it's challenges. Having decided how blonde you want to go you then have to decide on. All over colour or highlights? If your hair is Naturally Brunette level 4 to 5 then the lighter you go, the more issues of warmth will come in to the equation. Also roots or regrowth have to be considered.

Brunette natural lifted 4 levels still very warm.

As you lift your hair the pigment it contains is exposed. So as you lift from natural level the first tone you will see is red. Second level would be red with orange hue. Third level would be orange. Forth level orange yellow. This amount of lift, that being 4 levels can be reached with high lift colour and using the pigment it contains to control tone. Any thing lighter than four levels will require Pre-lightening.

Consider what shade you want. Maybe highlights and low lights would give you a lighter but more natural look. Lots to consider.

I strongly suggest a professional consultation before embarking on this. It's not just slap on the shade indicated on the box.

pre lightened and high lighted

If your hair has been coloured to a Brunette shade and your wanting to go Blonde you really need help you could end up with a hair night mare. many issues when doing this procedure. Be warned you could end up with yellow roots orange mid lengths and red ends!! Consultation honest advise good service from a knowledgeable Styling and technical team.

Some the issues raised, have covered in past blogs and topic's  Lift deposit,Tone, highlighting and Blonde looks feel free to look at back issues or ask question via blog contact.

Considering how light to go can take some thought. Hold light swatches against your skin, hey try wigs you will be amazed how skin colour, eye colour. Changes when you lighten your hair.

Also make up and indeed choice of clothing colour shade and style might have to be thought about.

Good luck be brave but consider it harder to go light and get the right shade than going back to natural or darker!

 How dark? How blonde? much to Consider. Just remember skin colour, eye colour, Pigment and tone.

have your stylist explain this to you.

Mike B2MR

Cutting hair with. Elec clippers

Welcome to BACK2MYROOTS B2MR: regular postings of fresh new topic's

When we think Electric clippers most of us think head shave to some degree and numbered guards. Who make the best clippers.well many different barns but Wahl make the best without a doubt.  Oyster also make really good clipper's I have to say i do like the clippers that are air cooled.
The shot below with the huge Blonde main was cut on stage just using clippers. Having taken the model on stage with one length hair that was added as extensions prior to going on stage so anything is possible just open your mind.
                                                       http://www.back2myroots.co.uk/

We don't have to think head shaving although that can have artistic merit's one can use clipper's to do freestyle hair cutting anything from a blunt Bob to scissor over comb work. Yes if you. Understand  weight distribution, form and shape anything is possible. You just need to be creative and challenge your self. Put those scissors down and experiment.

Once we understand angles and weight distribution and so creating shape then the tool we use to do this open up so many possibilities. I truly think that more stylist should use clippers razor's become professional and skilled using all tools available to us. Part of this is understanding weight as stated . I hope the above diagrams will help.

Explore using electric Clipper's have some fun start off with willing models but push and challenge your self. Become an comfortable and skilled with all your tool's.

Again invest in a good set of clippers and if you need them guards. I don't get paid in any way to provide this material  hence providing both links! Mike B2MR

http://www.wahlglobal.com/united-kingdom/wahl/professional-hairdressing.html

http://www.osterpro.com/Category.aspx?id=groomer

What next in the hair Industry.

Welcome to BACK2MYROOTS B2MR. Regular postings of fresh new topic's 

sharing techniques

A little self indulgent. As I write these blogs and post articles. I pause I take time to reflect on what next.
I constantly search for new places to connect with other professionals and groups to stay current to stay in touch with all that is new and topical.
Where does the next challenge lie? What direction will my career take me in. Will any more doors open. What opportunities will arise. I trust that if one puts out positive thought supported with positive action only good can come from it. Sharing what you know the experience you have is also key

What do I miss being behind a chair? What would I like to do next ? A hard one to answer being honest with one's self! I think we have to constantly move forward grow and face new challenges.  My career to date has afforded me so many opportunities. Many of these just seem to appear come out of left field. So I have to trust an opportunity will come out of all this Net working and Blogging.
At present I am really enjoying and learning so much about both the internet and connecting up all the various media applications available to us.

My passions being. Working with others. To share the experience I have gained over the years.
From.Platform work in conjunction with. Artistic team work. Education work or just working with Individual salons and hairdressers. To improve skill and knowledge. I really think that the keys to individual successes vary for us all .We are all different  we all have different challenges and motivation.We all have different standards this is dependent on the Individual and their situation.

These situation and standards vary so much.

If in a salon.

Relationships between. Owner. Management. Staff team. Image. Service. Consultation. Sales skills. Product knowledge. Jointly sharing a vision those goals.

For the individual stylist. Service first and foremost!

Education. knowledge. Technical skills. Communication skill. Consultation skills. People skills.  Followed by goals, motivation ,inspiration, creativity.

Opportunities career direction.

Colour technician. Educator for colour company.Platform artist.Artistic team member.

Salon.

Competition work. Photo shoots. In house model nights and training, product knowledge.

All these above are aspects of our industry. The things that all salons at some point need to look at, they need to address these to stay current. To keep up with the constant changes and demands in our industry.

With so many distributors. Offering products on line, having face book pages, being interactive with clients. Those clients being us the salon owners. The stylist.  The support required is both. Practical. Technical. It's help and advise, access to demonstrations, education events, knowledge sharing.

The perfect situation would be, to work with a distributor, to share knowledge and experience. Whilst promoting products through. Education. Service and consultation skills,

This i did very successfully. Whilst working with a major distributor, doing platform work and artist   team work, all whilst representing a major colour company. It is my belief that education and sales go hand in hand. Sales funds education, education, stimulates sales. Through knowledge and experience.

At this point in my career I'm beginning to feel that I having a full understanding of all the different products sold over the counter. Having said that they still keep changing tweaking re packaging. We have to stay on top of. How they work.What's in them.and why.It's essential to stay current and keep up with these ever changing products and the technology they bring.

We have to be able to. Explain and give reason to clients.What these products do show why. The services we offer and perform are worth while. That we are the experts. Who understand the chemistry of hair, also understands the down side and indeed pitfalls, that can be associated with, the use of some of these unprofessional store purchased products, be that colour or home hair relaxer's.

From a clients point view. They can only know what, the adverts and media portray. They don't know or have the product knowledge. To understand what might happen. What the ramifications could be from misuse, that's out job. The professional. To advise.To recommend. To inform. This is not selling. this is doing our job and the consultation correctly. Being totally professional.

Back to me. My next path. My Journey. Will it be. Education. consultation and sharing Promoting Education training and work ethic's an opportunity doing any of these are my goal.  year. Using all the experience I  have gained along with my belief in. Raising both the bar and indeed the awareness of issue relating to our profession.Working with and helping others to grow. To be as successful as they want to be, for it is in every ones hands. To make the changes to grow and succeed.
What ever you read and see on the internet offering help and advise always do lots of re search ! Some of that advise is polluted tainted just bad. Be warned get informed.  

Growing and developing our Business:

How do we do this without investment ? what do we invest in? what do we expect to see as our return on investment? How do we decide?

So many thoughts and questions :

Are you like so many your salon is a good steady business but you feel it could be more. It has so much potential if only.

We had a higher profile!

If i could attract another really good stylist!

if we had more client retention?

If overall sales were higher.

Stylist demand so much. Commission Chair rental. issues!

How do you reach these goals these targets? How do you decide on a path to reach your goals is it possible?

The answer is a very big yes! But sometimes you are so much part of the salon and so part of the issues you cannot step back a look at things in a new and different way.

With over 35 years in this industry my goal is to help advise and get you to that next level is it a journey you want to take?  then lets connect. lets see if we can work together for like a client stylist relationship it has to work are you up for a challenge.

If so all my contact details are and brief bio on my web site:

                                                      http://www.back2myroots.co.uk/

Lets get you on a new road lets take a journey together.

Mike B2MR

An interesting group and forum for discussion.
http://www.linkedin.com/groups?homeNewMember=&gid=3162242&trk=eml-grp-sub

Wedding hair looks and style

Back2myroots : A place to share thoughts and grow idea's


Wedding hair and the Bride:  Such a big day for any women fairy tale day princess for a day.

Princess for a day every Brides dream and so easily shattered when it comes to the look the style.
As stylists we must take the time to communicate and listen to the bride.Share a vision have consultation and practice.

What we want to see is a happy Bride on her wedding day stress free guests looking on in ore of the bride her dress her hair her make up. The full package.
What a great way for you as stylist to advertise your talent, get recommendations and referrals. Stylist who do not enjoy putting hair up the wedding stresses should not do weddings. Especially if! MONEY IS THE ONLY DRIVER!

Classic looks that stand the test of time and stay in place all day. Elegant soft and practical. An up do can look like apiece of art.

Work with the lines of the dress if possible! in this instance i did not see the dress but lucky for me the effect worked so well.

finally evening looks elegant soft but put up to stay. Showing off colour shape texture and form a classic.

Then we can also have the extreme all is possible maybe not for a bride but for  a look it's hair have fun
so have fun .push your self work with your clients. Mike B2MR.
                                                          http://back2myroots.co.uk/

wedding hair sleek looks

Welcome to BACK2MYROOTS B2MR:

A place to share thoughts post comments and idea's on matters relating to hair colouring skill and techniques and anything industry related.

Reflection's on wedding day hair the look the style and the stresses: But also a honest look at ability challenges fear's.

learn to back comb and build shape.

My daughter's wedding was just a week away.  She arrived for that final colour touch up that final up do run through that final practice after much talk and deliberation between us. Lots planning lots open discussion thoughts view's opinions shared.

As both a stylist and as her Dad no pressure right! Think again. This is one up do more than any that has to look amazing! Not that they all don't all have to. But I digress. This is about attitude and facing fear!!

One of many practice sessions finding the look.

The challenges of doing my daughters hair for her wedding. The self imposed pressure all fell away on the day she looked amazing. The colour worked. The look perfect.

Embracing the up do.

Lets start this journey of honesty and discovery. I have to take you back to the late 70's! Yes it's been that long.
My initial training was an apprenticeship in London pre day release to college. It was far from good lots shampooing cleaning little to no training. So I made a change to get the right training. For cutting and styling the right move.  An excellent training not easy very demanding but I was trained and  taught by some of the very best even by today's standards.
Having finished my training thinking the sky is the limit. knowing everything and yet knowing nothing. I was on the salon floor doing clients. I was always good with consultation being a people person it came easy so did building up a clientele fortunate for me. On reflection at the time I was so un-skilled.  Not fully skilled in so many area's. The art of hair colouring putting hair up! yes this is me being honest!

practice session doing colour and up do.

Wedding hair.
As you build up a clientele you tend to attract clients a following of in my case young women around my age you get to know them they recommend you so it start's success! . The big problem is we are all growing up maturing at the same time. So it follows wedding season that taking a relationship to the next level all happens at once. Your clients are coming in excited waving engagement rings talking weddings talking wedding hair!! Yikes I hated putting hair up!

I had never been taught or  shown how to put hair up. Backcombing went out the window as I started training. Vidal changed all that!

Here I was busy successful busy being asked to do wedding hair. Plans dates being set for me this was days out of London huge events big on the social calender Marquee in the garden very formal.
I was clue less! I was scared why? I had no idea how to play with and enjoy putting hair up. I did not have the skill,

To get around this I would suggest hair to have any look but up. I would say. Oh i will be on holiday then! Fear fear fear! I could blame poor training. To some degree true but the bottom line is I owed it to my self and my clients to get over this. To learn. To grow. To challenge myself get the skills.

It's the full package Hair .Make up. Dress. Accessories

It started with asking for help some basic up do techniques at the time that roll was always a life saver

soft sweeping role bung on some flower's or a tiara off you go. This worked but was very unsatisfying for me . As you might have guest it's all about me!

I muddled through may weddings some of them huge events I never really enjoyed any of them.  That on reflection is very sad. I feel that I missed out on a great deal and did not give my best to my very loyal clients. I had such amazing clients who shared their day with me. Invited me to the wedding brought me right into the center of the day the event and yet I blew it through fear.
I missed out and although they don't know it i let them down because I did not gain the knowledge and the training the tools I needed.
Don't be as I was! Don't miss out on or diminish an experience because . Your own ego and fear holds you back.
Sharing this with you is in the hopes that it will encourage all stylist's to challenge themselves. I did the work faced the fear got the knowledge and skill.

added a hint of blue with false strand.

For me now I have taught up do classes. Put hair up for hundreds on stage talked about the look the skill the challenges and yes the struggle the fears. Head set. Huge video screen. Sharing my journey trying to encourage. How through learning. Admitting to my self that I need to do this to face this to get over this lack of knowledge the fear!

How can one learn that hair is a medium to play with. To explore shape and texture be creative. Like cutting their is no right and wrong just shape and form that works get over this get over your self and it's half the battle won.

Now as I write this I reflect on the main stage shows the standing ovation's. The looks created the questions asked about technique at an Avantgarde show and wonder why did I not get this earlier!

Maybe I was. Unwilling. Unable. To stubborn. Not ready.

Embrace the up do it's an art it's takes you to creative levels it's another way to express you skill and talent.

That special day

Mike B2MR
A big thank you Emily for letting me share these shots.

Hairdressing Transferable skills and certification.

Back2myroots : A place to share thoughts and grow idea's. B2MR

This is a topic that was brought to my attention by a fellow professional but one that I have personally been impacted by.

I hoping that others will share views thoughts and share experience of the topic.

Transferable skills and certification:
The question that raised this issue as one to write about was.
I just moved to New York and have had an Illinois license
for 30 years. I went on The NY website and IL was not on the list of
reciprocal states. I am surprised to say the least, and am worried I will have
to pay for beauty school, on top of going to State Boards again.
It has been A VERY LONG time since I have taken that test ( 1978 to be exact!) Do you know anything about getting grandfathered in? 


I have been effected by this on more than one occasion. Having moved from London to Ontario Canada. Then out west To British Columbia.Canada. 


I have been qualified for many years I also have certification for advanced courses in Colouring and  Cutting. But my experience is how ever long you have worked . Each country and indeed in the case of Canada with it's provincial system the rules and requirements differ standards are claimed to be different  and yet my experience was they are no different it's all about registration legislation and Money!
The same applies in the United States rules and regulations differ from state to state.




Maybe as professional there should be an international body  that can be joined this would store all  records of training and qualification that would be internationally accepted.
It is wrong that some one who has successfully trained maybe owned a salon is suddenly asked to re-train with young students.
In my case I was a platform artist and educator for an international company part of an international artistic team. had represented canada on stage.owned and managed salons in London. Asked in-fact told i had to re sit the full training exam for BC Canada.
After much discussion and deliberation a compromise was reached and a life time certificate issued. Since then the governing body was disbanded due to funding issue and then revived some years later.So it's political and finance based.


So the question is. Should certification and qualification be industry governed and controlled. With fixed agreed standards agreed s o that both inter state province or international moving is much easier. No one would object to a fee for the administration of this. But come on a re take every time one moves is crazy.


Has this effected you ? what are your thoughts? 


To any one dealing with this i say get a name of someone to deal with and communicate with provide  full proof of training and qualification.experience but stand your ground be respectful have some humility. But remember you are a full true professional.
Mike B2MR