Hair Styling How To: Section Hair

Sectioning hair is not rocket science . . . and when you apply it to your hair styling routine, it will save your hair from unnecessary damage, result in a better hairstyle and actually quicken the process of getting out the door . . . what could be better than that?  Think of it this way, when sectioning hair is not done before styling, you’ve got problems with every step of styling from there on out.

Sectioning hair is an essential skill professional’s use regularly for hair coloring, perm application, blow drying, straightening and when curling long hair.  Here are some how-to’s that professional hairdressers use to pull it off properly.

Before blow drying, straightening or curling, divide hair into sections and clip them out-of-the-way. Here are the easiest steps for sectioning hair that I’ve used for years. Thanks to Conair for the explanatory video!

How to section hair into 5 easy to manage panels.

1. Section hair on top – comb straight back and take a 3 inch wide section from forehead to crown and clip.
2. Section hair on sides – take a vertical section from hairline to behind the ear on each side and clip.
3. Section hair on back – split hair vertically down the middle and clip each side.

Begin at the back or sides by dropping down approximately a two inch section of hair at a time to style. Take pieces about the width of your brush, curling iron or flat iron, this will keep it manageable and you will blow dry, curl, or straighten a section of hair only once.  Also you won’t miss styling any parts of your hair by following this method.

Barb Quinn on Google+  

Got a question, war story or comment about this topic? Click on the "Leave Your Comments" link at the very bottom of this article. Some of my best ideas for future articles come from reading reader comments. I'd love to hear from you!

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The newest hairstyle virtual makeover tool!

If you’ve found yourself in a hairdo rut and have a hard time making a change, hairstyle virtual makeover software may be just what you need!

Every hair stylist will tell you they have more than a few clients who struggle with making changes to their hair style.  I know it well, not only working behind the chair but I did virtual makeovers with the very first hair styling computer imaging systems way back in the 1990′s. For nearly 10 years I worked with thousands of clients who wanted to see what they might look like before committing to a new haircut or a different hair color.

Styles on Video, was the first virtual hairstyle makeover tool I’m aware of. We snapped pictures of clients and superimposed hair styles on the image. Users could bring photos with their hairstyles and hair color changes to their appointment to consult with their hairdresser. Before hair makeovers, the only tool available for describing a style or hair color to your stylist came from magazines or salon style books.

The Internet soon embraced the concept and all sorts of online makeover sites started popping up.  If you’re interested in checking some out, we did a broad, comparative review of “Face in the Hole” sites. These sites vary in quality and ease, some are free and some will cost you.

The newest tool in hair makeovers is the iPad InStyle Hairstyle Try-On App, introduced last month as a free iPad app. I tried it out and decided to do a review, so here are my thoughts on it.

It takes some time up-front to get the hang of how to fit the hairstyles to your face shape . . . so give yourself a break and have some patience.

• The iPad has its own camera so your picture is instantly uploaded . . . a great feature. I needed to take the picture a number of times to get one that was centered and where I was looking straight into the camera (an important issue in getting the virtual hairstyles to fit right.)  Tip:  get a picture you like!

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• It has a feature that determines your face shape. It was wrong on the first outline I did, it told me I had a square face shape and I’m a long oval. Outlining is done by adjusting dots to determine height, width, jaw line and width at temples. It got my face shape right after I readjusted the dots to add height and taper more at my chin. It’s touchy.

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• Don’t expect the hairstyles to fit when first placed on your image. You will need to adjust the width, length and height of the style by clicking and dragging a number of dots strategically placed on the hairstyle. It also lets you adjust up, down and sideways.  Give yourself some up front time to play with it and it will pay off.

You can save your favorite celebrity hairstyles and bring them in to consult with your stylist, or send them to friends for their opinions.  The 16 different hair color try-on feature is also easy to use.

I’m a big fan of virtual makeovers. Sure, it’s not your hair but neither is the picture you point to in a magazine.  Find a good stylist and this tool will be invaluable for making good hair style and hair color choices in the future!

Barb Quinn on Google+  

Got a question, war story or comment about this topic? Click on the "Leave Your Comments" link at the very bottom of this article. Some of my best ideas for future articles come from reading reader comments. I'd love to hear from you!

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What if you could permanently dye your hair without the damage?

Its great news that we don’t need ammonia (and other allergens) in permanent hair dyes for them now to be effective.  Organic Color Systems , made by Herb UK, a company based in Lymington, England, has been available here in the states since 2002 and more and more hair styling professionals are embracing their line.

I asked Marcie Rehkemper, industry professional and team member from, Organic Salon Systems, to tell us more about their ammonia free organic hair color line.

How Standard Hair Dyes Work

Most of us would associate permanent hair color with putrid smells and unavoidable hair damage. With the popularity of ammonia-free hair color on the rise, these concerns are becoming a thing of the past.

Conventional ammoniated hair color is utilized to open the cuticle to allow the dye particles to penetrate the hair shaft. During this process the hair suffers a significant loss of protein and moisture. The pH of the hair is raised to such an irreversible level that after the process the cuticle remains open; the hair color then subsequently fades at faster rate.

Ammonia’s Negative Health Effects

Exposure to ammonia has been linked to a multitude of negative health effects. For example, short and long-term exposure to ammonia has been linked to damage in the throat and lungs, eye discomfort, and painful scalp irritation. One study speculated that long-term exposure to ammonia may increase the rate of lung, stomach, urinary tract and lymphatic cancer.

Some Mistakes Are Being Made

Unfortunately, many hair color lines that claim to not feature ammonia, replace it with excessive amounts of Ethanolamine (MEA or ETA). The mistakes being made is the replacement of ammonia with MEA and without another alkaline base. Vast majorities are using a very high percentage of MEA; ergo, the same amount of hair damage is occurring.

A Better Alternative Hair Dye

MEA is a better alternative to ammoniated hair coloring systems (in its recommended amounts) because it does not raise the hair’s pH levels to that of ammonia’s.

Most importantly, once the hair cuticle is expanded for dye penetration, MEA still allows for the cuticle to close when treated with a conditioner after the hair color treatments. The conditioning process restores the hair’s pH and locks in the hair color for beautiful, healthy looking hair.

Your Solution!

Eco-friendly and cruelty free hair company Organic Salon Systems provides ammonia-free hair color with MEA derived from coconut. These natural hair dyes feature over 60 color choices full of certified organic ingredients and are rich in anti-oxidants and plant-based nutrients.

What is in this hair color line is just as important as what is not in it; this hair dye does not feature PTD’s, plastics, Sodium Laurel Sulfates (SLS), Thiogylates, and parabens, ingredients known to cause allergic reactions in some clients.

About the author: Marcie Rehkemper is a licensed cosmetologist with experience as a hair stylist, instructor, technical assistant, and as a hair salon manager/owner since 1994. Marcie is an integral part of the Organic Salon Systems team; they are enthralled to be informing consumers about the benefits of using natural hair care products versus the not so innocuous conventional ones.

To find the nearest salon using Organic Color Systems to please call this toll-free number: (888) 213-4744, or e-mail them at info2@organiccolorsystems.com

Barb Quinn on Google+  

Got a question, war story or comment about this topic? Click on the "Leave Your Comments" link at the very bottom of this article. Some of my best ideas for future articles come from reading reader comments. I'd love to hear from you!

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