Issue link: https://www.ahpindiestylist.com/i/1520596
54 AHP Indie Stylist Volume 5 Issue 1 shows how relaxers can eat through a can of Coca-Cola if left on too long. From my industry experience, many clients have experienced burns, scars, and hair loss from chemical straighteners, leaving long-term damage. is may be one of the reasons they come to you for help transitioning back to their natural hair. Additionally, a recent 2022 study linked hair-straightening chemicals to a higher risk of uterine cancer. 1 Going natural is not only best for your clients' hair health, but it may also be best for their overall health. START WITH A GOOD CONSULT It's always important to get to know your client. Consultations are the best way to learn about your client's lifestyle and start to build trust. You get to learn about their personal style, what they do for a living, how much time they have, and if they can be consistent with their hair routine. e consult is also a way for the client to interview you—if you don't have the training or experience for their appointment, they may ask you for a referral to another hair professional who does. (You wouldn't want to take on a service you're not qualified for and leave them unsatisfied.) is is also the time to learn to listen to the client about their hair story. In that story, you'll usually hear clues about their expectations from you and their likes and dislikes about their current hair. is is the time to instill confidence in your client, since a lot of clients are frustrated with or discouraged about natural hair care. Some have been deterred from wearing their natural hair in the past and feel uncomfortable about it. Listening to their story and offering compassion as well as expertise will help them feel confident in the appointment. DETERMINE THE HAIR FINGERPRINT Now it's time to figure out the client's hair type. e hair type is what I like to call a hair fingerprint. Just like a doctor can prescribe something to one patient but wouldn't recommend it to another, you may suggest a hairstyle or an at-home regimen for one client that doesn't work for another. ere are five categories I use to identify a client's hair fingerprint: porosity, curl pattern, density, texture, and feel. Porosity Porosity is how hair receives water and ingredients. e way you test porosity can be as simple as putting a hair strand in a glass of water and seeing where it lands. When it drops directly to the bottom, the client has high porosity hair. at means their cuticle is open and the hair absorbs and releases everything quickly. If it stays in the middle, it is a normal porosity. If it stays at the top, the cuticle is closed shut and it has low porosity. Low porosity means the water and ingredients have a hard time getting into the hair. Learning porosity helps you determine which ingredients your client's hair can receive. Low porosity hair needs lightweight ingredients—like olive oil, aloe juice, jojoba oil, grape seed oil, and coconut water—that can pass through that tight hair cuticle. On the other hand, high porosity hair needs thicker ingredients, such as shea butter, castor oil, mango butter, coconut milk, and avocado oil. ese thick ingredients coat high porosity hair, which keeps it hydrated longer. Using the wrong products on hair can cause buildup and could cause hair to become extremely brittle and dry. Before recommending your natural hair client a new regimen, always read the labels on products to learn what's best for each hair type.