Hello everyone, I hope that you are all enjoying the new look to the site, I am, thank you again Flora, I appreciate it. Flora thanks for helping me make-over my site and helping me make it awesome! I'll try to learn HTML sometime. So I'm sitting here listening to some Backstreet Boys, I'm actually listening to "What makes you different(makes you beautiful) this is the fourth time I've repeated that song, I love it, what else can I say? So tonights post has two sections....so here goes..... First I want to address an issue, as many of you know or for those of you that don't L'oreal has a 1-800 number that you can call to locate salons in your area that perform the X-tenso smoothing service. I want to let you all know that just because L'oreal might tell you that a salon offers the service it does not mean that they understand the science behind what they are doing, and that goes for any salon offering any vertical smoothing, relaxing or TR service. I think it's nice that L'oreal can give a list of salons in your area that offer X-tenso smoothing service, it's a good place to start when looking for a salon and technician, but that does not replace the technician interview! Please interview the technician and ask them questions about their knowledge of chemical straightening and about the service, you can use the interview and consultation sheets that Steve Tcherkezian has on his site, below are the links http://www.verticalsinhair.com/techinterview.shtml http://www.verticalsinhair.com/trconsultation.shtml I also invite you to read his forum, there are lots of posts that deal with vertical smoothing.....If you are thinking about chemically straightening your hair, whether through TR or vertical smoothing then Steve's site is the ONE site you need to read to get you prepared and educated about the service! Here's the main site link www.verticalsinhair.com Remember just because a salon or technician is advertised in a magazine, advertisement (of any sort) or recommended by a friend or hotline always do your homework and research the technician....."It's your hair, who are you going to trust?"
Okay now for part 2.... I recently read a post about a girl who was afraid about getting her hair chemically straightened....not quite sure why, but it made me think, what was she afraid of and why? I know that some people feel nervous about the service, especially if they have never had their hair chemically processed in anyway. Her fear I wonder had she interviewed the technician? If so, was she not feeling competent about his or her ability to perform the service? Some how I believe in the whole intuition thing, I think that we should trust it to a certain extent. If you are not feeling competent about the technician you interviewed then there is no need to think twice, they are not what you are looking for! If you feel that they did not answer the questions you posed to them adequately and to your satisfaction then move on to the next technician, trust me there are alot out there, but few that are truly good, only one chemical straighteing guru, and that is Steve Tcherkezian. When you interview the technician (hoping and assuming you used the interview sheets from Steve's site) write down the answers that they have given you as you both go through them. Then go home and think about that technician and the others that you have interviewed and then go from there, but the moment you feel that they were not competent and if they did not perform the necessary strand tests then ditch them! Another possible reason she might have felt afraid is that she does not understand the procedure and what the service is to a point where she feels comfortable. I mean, it's important to know what the procedure is going to do for your hair, what to expect from it and what it is NOT meant to be or do. You also have to know what it involves, for example you should know that a consultation is important not only so that you can interview the technician but it's important for the technician because this is where they will do the strand tests to test your hair to ensure that it is competent and in good standing to have the procedure done. If the hair is not competent the technician needs to tell the client how to make it competent and give them options of doing so. You, as a client should know the steps, and the essential and big no-no's...for instance that it is not supposed to touch the scalp, and that the neutralizer should not be left on for more than 5-10 minutes and that you are not to wash your hair for 72 hours after the service (72 hours got it?!) You should feel educated enough that you know what you are getting into, the aftercare and upkeep involved in it. At this point those are the two main reasons why I think someone would be afraid of having the service. It is important to remember that the chemicals used don't mess up the hair, it's the fault of the technician! When chemical straightening is done by a well trained technician who understands the science behind the art wonderful results will result, but in the hands of an unskilled technican who just "applies, hopes and prays that it turns out well" (Steve, I love that quote!) disaster is surely to follow. Take your time, do your homework, and if the technician doesn't meet your requirements, move on! Remember.....