Winter is holding on but I am sooooo excited that spring is soon approaching. It’s been a while since I have blogged; I have been busy pre-launching my new hair extension line. That’s right. Noël new york (my company) has recently debuted Clip-In Hair Extensions. I’m amazed to know how many people are clueless about this type of hair extension. It’s the most flexible and versatile hair extensions and they’re not harmful to your hair. The best part…its takes minutes!

There are so many types of extensions out there. Some require long-term commitments and some have shorter-term commitments. If you are thinking about growing out the faux hawk, shaved side, asymmetrical cut you did during the fall, or maybe want to add some blonde in your relaxed hair (but are scared about damaging your hair), well these extensions clips could be just the right thing for you. They’re also great if your hair is very fine and limp and you’ve been dying for thicker hair too. They simply go in like little hair combs and then clip into place. I’ve been making these clip-ins for years and have used them on celebrities from Alicia Keys (to create dramatically long looks) to Chrisette Michelle (to add color to her faux hawk) and now I’m making them for you too.

There are many variations of hair extension clip-ins out there on the market. Whichever one you chose, the key to hair extension clip-ins is the proper blending and even distribution. In general, clips are less bulky and move freely but my clips are less bulkier than those already on the market. If you have a hard time finding some online to purchase, my clips are currently sold at Georgia Product & Salon in NYC.

Look out soon for the Noël new york Clip-In Hair Extensions at The John Barrett Salon at Bergdorf Goodman in NYC—they’ll be there this spring.

Have fun with them and spring into a new you!

For questions about NNY Clip-in Hair Extensions or to make an order, contact info@noelny.com

We all have made those New Years resolutions. I challenge you to add one more. Think about you and how your hair represents who you are. Take a leap of faith and try something new. A new hairstyle lifts your spirits,  motivates you  and inspires action. When we feel good about how we look, we perform in life better.

You can start with something simple like a glaze for that dull hair or wearing your hair off your face instead of in your face.  Perhaps going curly or going straight or even go for something more extreme—try a new base color or an exciting cut! It’s freedom to say the least. Almost anything can be achieved (i.e. extensions lol) and you have the power for the change. Doesn’t it sound fun?

It’s been a little over a year since I started blogging and we can take a year in review and think about what might work for you. You may need to read my second post on finding the right stylist. Go back to my previous posts “The Secret to a Dream Haircut” and “Want to Color your Hair?” and go see a professional stylist soon! HAVE FUN and HAPPY NEW YEAR.

It’s holiday time and there are lots of parties and gatherings. Of course we want to look our best. Have you ever been in a situation where you need your hair washed and you don’t have time? It looks dirty or oily, or even a little sweaty after working out? I have the solution!

Dry Shampoo! Some of you natural lock ladies know about it, but I come to find that sooo many sisters don’t know anything about it. Dry Shampoo should be a weave wearer’s best friend and anyone else who finds that their hair tends to get oily often.

There are plenty of brands out there and they all work pretty much the same way. Spray the dry shampoo into your hair and let it sit for a few minutes and the brush it with a boar’s hairbrush vigorously to remove the powder substance. Please read the directions! Dry shampoos generally come in various colors to match closest to your hair color. If you are on a tight budget, try hairspray and baby powder, they will work similar as the dry shampoo. Try a little at a time. An extra tip: If you are having a hard time brushing it out, use a blow dryer on low air to assist. Then continue to style as usual. Straight or curls, have fun with it!

So don’t get caught between washes with no time to head to the salon and no dry shampoo. It should be in your hair cabinet just like the Mason Pearson brush. Enjoy the tip!

Last week I had a visit from grammy winner Chrisette Michelle at the salon. She came in to get her hair cut. I asked her what she was looking to do. She explained that when I originally cut her hair two years ago into her infamous “Ephinany” faux hawk she recalled never having to do her hair, “I used to get up and run my fingers through it, I want to be able to do that again”. She then pointed out a white boy at the salon and says, “just like his hair”. Apparently the stylist who works with her on a regular basis now cuts very different from me.

Like a lot of black girls, Chrisette’s hair is thick. She was complaining that currently she has to do her hair every two days because it was so thick. She wanted to be able to do what most of my clients do. Wake up and go. Just like the white girls. Lol. If you ladies know me by now…that’s my famous outlook. Wake up and go. It is the key to any great hair cut.

Short styles require movement just like long hair. The problem I for see with some short cuts is that the stylist doesn’t thin out the hair. They simply blunt cut the hair and then style the hair to the shape they are looking for. What ends up occurring is that client has to style their hair frequently. The same look can be achieved by thinning the hair so the hair isn’t forced to sit on other hair not allowing much space for movement and the style can take a shape of its own allowing for more time for your make-up or dressing.

It’s not always the stylist not understanding hair movement though, sometimes it’s the client. A lot of us black girls don’t like to cut or “thin” out our hair. It comes from the myth that our hair doesn’t grow. And we are scared to death. Gotta tell you, when ever I cut a short style for the first time and its on a thick hair, I always hear “what’s that your doing?” They seem nervous, but once they start seeing the style take shape, they relax and get excited. I always get a phone call or email within a few days appreciating the new cut. Give it a try!

As always I grab my blog topics from my salon stories. How funny and crazy they can be sometimes. I promised a recent client I would write my blog on her because I wanted to dispel yet another myth.

To give you a little background; she has been a client for over 6 years. As you all know, I live to educate my clients about their hair and give them a style that enhances who they are. On the education side of things, after 6 years under my care, service and continued consultations and product recommendation, I assumed that everyone…. especially MY clients…know what I perceive to be common understanding, PLEASE USE AS DIRECTED ONLY.

Since becoming a stylist I have come across sooo many myths about hair care. The one I am here to dispel today is; the longer you leave it in the better it works. NOT TRUE. Especially when it’s a protein treatment. As the weather changes our hair changes and often you can experience some breakage. Many things, including the most common, lack of moisture or lack of protein, can cause breakage. At this time of year, our hair can be breaking from over blown hair (needs protein and moisture) or responding to the cold weather (needs moisture). Well my client decided that she wanted to give herself a protein treatment and decided that she would leave the treatment in for two hours while she cleaned. She then followed it up with a moisture conditioner for 5 min. COMICAL !!! Not really. But that’s just nuts. I love you girl…but you know…I’ve never done that on you. Needless to say…her hair continued to break from over use of the treatment. She needed a serious deep conditioner after the two hour crazed protein treatment.

Directions for the use of a product are there for a reason. MANY times you can over condition or treat your hair. Many of you think you are helping, but you can be damaging your hair as well. Ask a professional for advice if you have thoughts of giving yourself treatments. Otherwise…follow the directions!

Ok, Ok, Ok……Let’s talk about it. Have you seen the trailer for Chris Rock’s new movie “Good Hair”? How do you feel about it? For the next three weeks, I want to have an ongoing conversation with you  how you feel about  the good vs. bad hair issue.

I haven’t seen the movie yet…but it looks like it good hair vs. bad hair in the black community. Although… bad hair is in my opinion non-existent, it seemingly refers to tightly coiled hair. Some Jewish girls I know, or even clients for that matter, who hate their curly hair and want straight hair. Bad hair vs. good hair exists for them as well.

However, based upon my assumption, I will proceed. Week 1 – I want to discuss various the emotions surrounding the belief, Week 2 – the movie idea itself (something we “black folk” don’t want to talk about in front of other non black folk” almost “cooning”) and finally Week 3, – A closer look. I will choose a topic that seemed to be reoccurring in the previous two weeks and “take it there”. So if you haven’t seen the trailer yet, I’ve included it below.

So lets get started with WEEK 1

Good Hair????

I will stand tall and say “ I DON’T BELIEVE IN ‘GOOD HAIR’” Hair is hair…. If you have some, you should be thankful! It’s unfortunate that anyone looks at hair that way.  Since  I make a living from my association with hair, I’d still go out on a limb and say hair doesn’t make you or break you. Like India.Arie said “I am not my hair”. Hair is simply an extension of who we are so it doesn’t make us; it does however represent you.  Just like if you were to look like a homeless person on the street and go into a job interview, chances are you wont get the job.

Good Hair is a myth. Everybody wants what he or she doesn’t have. Individuals with straight hair wish they had more body. The fact is…. I think we just want hair that we can handle and that we find represents what we feel…. just like a haircut.

What are your thoughts?

Summer is almost over and fall is just around the corner. Are some of you looking at sun, ocean salted, chlorine, or heat damaged (from over use) hair? How do we get from damaged to healthy?

Some great ways to fight back at your damaged hair include protein treatments and glazes/varnishes.

Lets first discuss the importance of protein. Your hair is made of keratin protein. So damage from summer abuse takes away from the strength from the hair shaft. Replacing the protein will make the your hair strong again. A weekly protein shampoo and conditioner will help. Protein shampoos are also quite often called reconstruct or shampoos and conditioners. A few great choices for weekly protein are Joico K-Pak Reconstruct Shampoo and Deep Penetrating Conditioner, Tigi’s Bed Head Dumb Blonde shampoo and conditioner and Barry Fletcher’s Mean Protein for a bi-weekly home treatment. All of the above mentioned products are great for personal use. If your hair is really damaged, I suggest going to the salon for a deep penetrating protein conditioner treatment.

When the hair shaft is weak any extra protection will assist in strengthening. Glazes, varnishes or rinses as they are often interchangeably referred, can do just the trick. Whether color of clear, the additional coating of the hair is a great way to make your hair feel and look healthier.

Your weave+water= one of the summer trends that can cause breakage. Listen ladies, the weave is easy and fun, but can be harmful to your hair and scalp in the summer if not taken care of properly.
Here are some things to remember when thinking about getting your weave wet:

1. If you’ve been in the pool or ocean, rinse, rinse and rinse more! Chlorine and salt can be the death of great healthy hair. Because you have your hair braided, the chlorine and salt stays in your braids. You need to make sure all residues from the pool or ocean is cleansed from your hair. I’ve seen clients’ hair break and I’ve seen red hair from chlorine left in the hair. Rinse, rinse, rinse!!!

2. Let your hair get a chance to dry. If you wet your hair everyday, your braids never have a chance to dry. Wet hair causes mold or mildew to grow. And a stench that takes forever to go away. You can use a hand dryer and aim the dryer at your braids, or purchase a bonnet dryer. If you have extensions that wave up with water, I suggest using a spray bottle to wet the weave hair only.

3. If you have edges out, treat them with the ultimate care. Watch all the heat from constant blow drying and flat ironing. Try letting your edges dry naturally with a leave-in conditioner and then using a ceramic iron to straighten.

“My hair is soooo thin”. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that one. It’s the main reason why many folks decide to go natural. It’s one of the most frustrating things to go through if you don’t have the proper information or proper care. As you have heard me before say it, everyone’s hair texture is different and it may be easier for some than others.

The frustrating part of it all comes from watching your hair break in the process or hearing, “cut it all off” to get rid of the relaxer.STOP!! There are several alternatives! I have successfully grown out many of my client’s relaxers. Never was there a more relaxing process.

Here are some ideas to help you grow out that relaxer:
1. Move to a texturizer (light relaxer) on your next visit to the salon The texturizer will help keep some texture to your hair keeping the texture friction to a minimum, assisting with possible breakage. If you have “tight tight” curls, I would suggest using the next three “touch-ups” to get progressively lighter and lighter texturizers each time eventually no longer using any chemicals. The tighter your curls the longer the process can take going natural. It is important in this process to keep the natural and relaxed hair as straight as possible and well conditioned while growing out. Friction between the relaxed hair and your natural curl can cause severe breakage.

2. Weave – if you plan to press your hair when you go natural you can still keep a cute style of your relaxed hair. The process would be the same as the texturizer except you have less of your hair to deal with because the majority of your hair is away.

3. Braids – this is probably the easiest way. BUT be careful to use human hair only!!!! I can’t express that enough. Your stylist may fight you on it…but it’s worth the fight. I’d suggest you bring your own hair to ensure that it is human. Synthetic hair is plastic. It will break the relaxed hair right off and damage new hair as it grows in. In other words, you’ll be stuck with natural damaged hair.

If you have questions, ask away!

Damn recession! You’ve cut out so many of your luxuries…but you’re still probably looking for ways to trim the fat. You might even be thinking about cutting out your hair stylist. But how do you do that and still look good and maintain a healthy head of hair?

Here are five suggestions:

1. Make wise decisions. Have a talk with your stylist; don’t just disappear. Your stylist knows your hair and will help you make decisions that are good for your hair.

2. Those of you with relaxed hair should think about moving to a texturizer—you’ll probably be able to go longer between touch-ups. This will save you some money in the long run.

3. Since you may be washing your own hair, you should invest in a light protein shampoo and conditioner and a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. If you’re saving on those salon visits, use your money here. Alternate your washes between the protein and moisturizing shampoos and conditioners. Don’t go cheap…(If you must, try Pantene for relaxed or natural hair) your hair will behave so much better with the correct attention. For my recommendations, check out my post Choosing The Right Products For Your Hair. This can help you keep the balance your stylist generally helps with.

4. Have beauty night with the girls. Its always easier having someone else do it for you. I never suggest having you or your friend use chemicals on your hair, but simple washes can be fun!

5. Many stylists give at home styling maintenance and styling classes. Invest and learn what can work for you.