Hair by Giovanna

HELP! My hair is badly damaged!!!

Giovanna Marchese — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 23:58:49 +0000

If you’re reading this, I take it you’ve done something to fry your hair. Or maybe you just haven’t taken good enough care of your hair and the results is fried-looking hair, aka cotton candy hair. This is the epiphany of ruined hair. Some people don’t know how their hair got to such a state. Not to worry, I will help you work through this. It may take some time depending on how “fried” your hair is.

First things first. How fried is your hair? When you run your fingers through your wet hair is it breaking off? Not shedding, but breaking off. How much of it is breaking off? Is it a disgusting amount or just a few pieces of hair? If it’s disgusting amounts, I want to congratulate you, your hair is badly damaged, and the recommendation I have is to go to your favorite stylist (You do have one right? That’s another topic!) and have them cut off as much of the damaged hair as possible. At that point you will start over. Just learn your lesson and fail forward. You wanted a new temporary new look anyway! Right? Please don’t cry! That breaks my heart!

If that is not your problem, then when your hair is wet, does your does it feel abnormally soft? If it does, it’s not a good sign, and it does not mean your hair is healthy. It means its getting near to all breaking off!

Take a strand test. Here’s how: Take one strand of hair and pull it in opposite directions. Is it stretching like a rubber band? When you pull it until it snaps it does NOT curl? If not, then it’s fried. It should curl when it snaps.

So lets move on to the remedy.

1) Don’t bleach your hair. This means, not by your nor a professional. Let’s get it in perfect condition before worrying about going lighter.

2) Use a shampoo that is sulphate free! Sulphates break down the hair. Never, ever use shampoos with sodium laurel sulphate (SLS)! As a matter of fact, get rid of any product in your house with SLS! It’s bad for your skin too (Skin is another topic I’ll write about!). Products that don’t use SLS will typically state it, proudly on their packaging. “SULPHATE FREE” There are lots of them out there. Pureology and Nevo by Pravana are two that I use, but there are many more out there. And don’t wash your hair every day. Think about the clothes you wash the most. They wear down faster. By the way, stop using detergents for your clothes with SLS too. It’s also bad for the environment and breaks your clothes down quicker.
(A little side-note: On the days you don’t wash your hair, use a brush to distribute your natural oils through your hair prior to going to bed. Get rid of the cotton pillowcase and use a satin pillow case. Cotton absorbs oils from your hair.)

3) Condition your hair with really good conditioners. Don’t go cheap with your conditioners. You want a conditioner that works on the inside of your hair, not just coats the hair. Don’t go to the grocery store for a conditioner. Just because it feels good when you’re using it doesn’t mean it’s working on the inside of your hair. It’s just coating it, and with fried hair you need more than a coat of wax. You need to repair it. On that note, also pick up a leave in conditioner. Use it everytime you wash your hair.

4) Go see your hair stylist for a signature conditioning treatment. This is not a simple conditioner they use on everyone. This would be a special treatment they use for getting damaged hair back to normal. Every situation is different, but these are what I use, depending on the the level or type damage and repair needed:

Keratin:

Keratin is one of the main ingredients of hair. When hair lacks elasticity and strength, Keratin can be added to repair damaged areas and rebuild internal structures. The Noiraudepro Keratin applications come in three different molecular weights to rebuild the various levels of the hair’s structure.

CMC:

CMC is an oil based ingredient in the hair. When hair becomes weakened and dehydrated, it loses CMC which retains the moisture within the hair’s cortical layers. By adding CMC, dehydrated and distressed hair is then able to retain moisture and lock in the necessary Keratin.

Collagen:

Collagen is a protein which adds strength and support to skin cells. When applied to hair, it creates a veil on the cuticle’s surface which locks in moisture, adds softness and deters frizz.

Chitoaqua & Silk Peptide:

Silk proteins and aloe extract create an even veil of protection on the hair’s cuticle to add shine and resistance. These also protect the hair from daily stresses such as thermal styling, UV light and brush friction.

M.R.A.:

Super moisturizing ingredient for severely damaged hair. Contains the ingredient Ceramid 2 to repair the CMC water pathways to retain moisture inside the hair

I know I’m probably going over your head (no pun intended) but I wanted to show you an example of why a good stylist is needed. If you are going to a good stylist your hair shouldn’t even be in a fried condition. Right?

5) During this repair time, how about coloring your hair a tad bit darker? Ask your hair stylist about a gentle hair color approach that doesn’t use ammonia.

6) And finally, chill it with the heat tools! Serious! Your stylist can help you with a temporary style that will allow you to not use heat tools on a daily basis. Or depending on the condition of your hair, maybe a retexturizing treatment.

I wish I could help every one of you out there!!! I love seeing people with beautiful hair and beautiful skin, but mostly I love seeing you so happy with your appearance you smile from ear to ear.

And if you need some extra money in order to afford a good stylist, text or call me for information about a plan b (or maybe you need a plan a!) I’d love to help you out with this too!

Hairs to you!
Gia xoxo

I want longer hair, but it won’t grow!

Giovanna Marchese — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 00:59:04 +0000

MY HAIR WON'T GROW!

Everybody’s hair grows, yes, even yours. Here’s proof. Have you ever had color or perm in your hair? After a while, the roots start to grow out, right? So you know it’s growing at the roots.

The trick is to keep it from breaking off at the ends.

Here’s a tip: When your hair gets long enough for a ponytail, tie it up loosely on top of your head (not with a rubberband!), so you’re sleeping on the under side of your hair, not on the top layer or the ends, where the friction can rub weak spots into the hair, causing breakage. Do this every night, and your hair will grow out longer, silkier, and with fewer “fuzzies” on the surface.

Another tip: Use products that are recommended by your stylist! Yes, they cost more, but do you want long hair or not?
The correct shampoo and conditioner really does make a difference! And although they are more expensive, they are also more concentrated. At least the higher end products are. I strongly recommend using Enjoy Hair Products. They don’t contain any animal protein so your hair won’t dry out. Plus no animals are harmed in the making of their product. And don’t forget to go in for conditioning treatments. Maybe even a little scalp massage, which always feels amazing!

Also, be gentle with your hair. Treat it with TLC! I see people ripping brushes and combs through their hair causing it to break off. Don’t cause damage! I don’t care how much it doesn’t hurt your head, be gentle with your hair!

And find a hair stylist who’s not scissors-happy. (If you’re in the Riverside, California area, that would be me.) :o)

Any other questions? Just ask. Email hairbygiovanna@aol.com. I’m not always able to answer each question individually, but I do check back regularly for updates. I’ll send you a nice prize if your question is used!

Alrighty then! Right this way to the virtual shampoo bowl. (Not really. At least, yet. The virtual shampoo bowl is still under construction.)

Hairs to you!
Gia xoxo

Biggest Hair Color Mistakes done from home

Giovanna Marchese — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 18:04:42 +0000

When you color your own hair, picking the perfect new shade or color can be difficult. Here are some ideas if you are doing it yourself.

Do NOT Go More Than 2 Shades Lighter or Darker
If you want to go from a darker shate to a lighter shade, pick up your cell phone and call your stylist!!! Don’t try this at home! I get so many women calling me after a bad dye job. Going to a lighter shade takes an expert. There is more to it than just throwing some color on your hair.

If you are going to a darker shade, save yourself the trouble of needing your color stripped by using a semi-permanent color and never going more than two shades darker than your natural hair color.

Don’t Go By Your Hair Color on the Picture of the Box
Pictures on hair color boxes are very deceiving. Go by the color swatches and the descriptions instead. Most boxes will call out the color (blonde, brown, red and black) and the shade of that color (light, medium and dark). There might also be mention of the tone golden or ashy.

Are You “Warm” or Are You “Cool”
Most of us would like to think we are both warm and cool. But when it comes to hair color, it’s important to know which one you really are (and it has nothing to do with your awesome personality).
You’re likely a “warm” if you have golden, olive or dark skin and brown or dark eyes (most Latinas, Asians and African Americans fall into this category). “Warm” women tan easily and the veins in their inner wrists are green.

You’re a “cool” if you have fair skin and blue or green eyes, you burn before you tan and the veins in your wrists run blue. If you’re confused because you sometimes burn, sometimes tan, you likely skew warm.

Once you know if you’re a warm or cool, you’ll better know what shades of color look good with your skin tone.

How to Choose the Right Color Tone
If you have warm skin, opt for golden shades such as caramel and bronze in a darker shade than your skin. Not everyone can wear Joan Jett black, so be careful with black hair color. If you do opt for a golden shade, don’t go too light or your hair could turn orange and then it will cost you a lot more money than if you want to a professional to begin with. Can you go blonde as a “warm”? Yes. But it is a delicate process and should be done in a salon, not on your own.

If you are a cool shade, avoid colors such as gold, auburn or copper. They will only highlight the ruddiness of your skin tone. Ash blondes and cool browns work best.

When you go to the hair salon, ask your stylist to bring out swatches. A good stylist will typically have you go through swatches since everyone’s idea of what color they mean is different from each other. First pick out the colors you are most drawn to, then hold them up to your face near a window where natural light comes in. A good stylist will help you determine which shades and tones work best next to your skin.

How to Tell If You’d Make a Great Blonde
A basic rule of thumb: People who had blonde hair as children have the right skin tone to be blonde adults. Does this mean you can’t be blonde if you didn’t have blonde hair as a kid. Nope. You just need the right shade and you should ask a professional for advice.

How to Pick the Right Shade of Blonde
Brassy blonde color or highlights on someone with a warm skin tone can be harsh. Opt for warmer shades instead.
If you have brown hair and want to go blonde, you don’t want to go too light or you could look washed out. Opt for contrast: highlights and lowlights. And keep in mind that darker hair will actually complement brown or green eyes better than blonde hair.

Aww! Don’t Be Blue! You Can Hide That Gray!
Gray hair can be stubborn to color because of its coarse texture. Many women hide their gray hair with blonde color. If you want to stick with your natural color and your hair is less than one-thirds gray, opt for a semi-permanent color that’s a shade lighter than your natural color (or matches your color). The gray will blend right in.

LOVE THAT RED!!! You Want To Go Red, But Can You Get Away With It?
Good news! Almost everyone can go red, what’s most important is finding the right shade. If you want to go red, I suggest not trying it on your own. Get a professional consultation.

HELP! I Colored My Hair And It Looks HORRIBLE!!!
This can happen if you try to go more than two shades lighter or darker than your natural color. If this does happen, a professional can fix it. Don’t try to do it yourself. Fixing a bad dye job is a scientific venture and we professionals know exactly what we’re doing

What’s The MOST Important Information on Coloring My Hair?
SEEK A PROFESSIONAL HAIR STYLIST! If you already don’t have one, or you are unhappy with your stylist, I would love to be your stylist! Please call me and let’s get to know each other! Gia 951.237.0667 Mention my website for a huge savings!

How to Get Great Hair…In Bed!

Giovanna Marchese — Sun, 16 May 2010 12:31:41 +0000

How to Get Great Hair…In Bed!
by Deborah Dunham

Love long, soft, wavy hair like Sarah Jessica Parker’s? The great thing about her look is you can get it while you sleep.

That’s right.

By following a simple bedtime routine, your shut-eye can turn into some serious beauty sleep.

According to the folks at hairboutique.com, creating great morning hair starts with a good cleansing the night before. Here are their tips:

1. Wash hair as you normally would with your regular products.
2. Apply a rinse out conditioner.
3. Finish with a cool/cold water rinse.
4. Towel blot.
5. Apply leave-in conditioner.
6. Detangle hair gently from the ends up to the roots.
7. Create desired part and/or fringe sections and arrange hair the way you normally wear it.
8. Allowing for where you wish to create waves, separate strands into individual 2″ sections.
9. Gently twist hair into a clockwise direction until the hair is completely twisted (the tighter you twist, the tighter the resulting waves). You can also braid your hair or put it in a ballerina bun for a different wave pattern.
10. Tuck the end of the twisted strand under at the base of the twist and secure with elastics.
11. Go to bed and allow hair to dry naturally overnight.
12. The next morning, carefully remove the elastics.
13. Use fingers to pick out waves and arrange as desired (do not brush it or the waves will come out).

Stylist Heather O’Malley at Salon Vanity in Philadelphia tells StyleList that waking up with great hair depends a lot on the type of product used. “Bedhead really works for those lucky enough to have a natural soft curl. After waking, they only need to scrunch their curls into place with a bit of product. For those with a shorter, edgier, spikier style, it looks great with some product in it from the night before.”

O’Malley also says styling your locks while you sleep creates a modern look. “It is the iconic carefree, fun and casual look but it has to be deliberate,” she says. “It can be incredibly versatile depending on the style and texture of the hair, and it can range from romantic/bohemian to punk/goth.”

Try it! Creating your style overnight will not only save your hair from over-processing with a blow dryer, it will save you valuable time in the morning — and we could all use a few extra minutes before that alarm goes off!

My hair is too….

Giovanna Marchese — Sun, 02 May 2010 22:37:07 +0000

….thin, thick, curly, straight, coarse, fine, long, short!

Everyone wants some other kind of hair other than the kind they have. I think this is the human condition. Just another one of those things we’ve had to put up with ever since the beginning of our species. Although…if this weren’t so, I’d be out of a job! LOL

What I do is study your hair to see what it does naturally. Then I design a style that makes it look good doing what it’s going to do anyway.

Above all, I want a hair style that makes you look good. Otherwise, what’s the point? But you don’t have to be somebody else in order to look good. You can look good as yourself, and feel perfectly fine about it. In my opinion, this approach, completely aside from the benefit to your self-esteem, is actually healthier for your hair, because if it looks good without too much fussing, then you won’t always be mauling it around with blow driers and flat irons that can damage the hair when overused or used improperly.

I will chat with you on what your lifestyle is like, find out what kind of work you do. Do you have a dress code at your job? How does humidity affect your hair? How much time are you willing to spend on maintenance and upkeep? Are there any special activities that need to be taken into consideration, like “musician with a day job,” or “professional woman who hikes every day,” or “actress/actor auditioning for a part as a certain type of character?”

This way you end up with a style that looks good while it’s growing out — and fewer bad hair days. Voila!

HAIRS TO YOU!!! Gia xoxo

Keeping in touch with your tHAIRapist!

Giovanna Marchese — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 15:21:46 +0000

Hi my beautiful and handsome clients! Did I ever tell you how much I enjoy seeing you? Not only as your hair stylist, but as your friend. Many of you are even like family to me now! You know who you are! It seems like my family is growing all the time too!!! You all are amazing. I’m extremely honored and lucky to have you in my life.

Since all my clients seem to keep in touch with me, I am not writing this to ask you to call me or to do anything special. Having you in my life on a continuous basis is already perfect!

I am literally writing this to THANK YOU for the years and the loyalty! To all of you whether you come in for haircuts, trims, color, shampoo and blowdry, highlights, lowlights, conditioning treatments, Japanese straightening, Brazilian Blowout ™, perms, hair extensions or any other hair service, I really want you to know I appreciate and love you all.

THANK YOU!!! I hope I do as much for you as you do for me!!!
With Love,
Giovanna Marchese aka Gia

I have split ends! My hair is fried!

Giovanna Marchese — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 14:31:45 +0000

I won’t mention any names, but maybe someone used a blow dryer or curling iron on their hair improperly, so it became over-exposed from the heat. Or maybe it was over-processed with chemicals. Or you work outside in the sun. How about just had a long day at the beach? Or even you just haven’t had a trim in a while.

On healthy hair, this is easily remedied. I just trim a bit off the ends so it has a normal healthy look again. Sometimes it needs a deep conditioning or two. Or better yet, a Brazilian Blowout ™!

Using products from you local drug store or supermarket doesn’t help this matter either. These shampoos are loaded with animal proteins which are awful for the hair…not to mention for the animal! YIKES! (And by the way, most of these products are still doing animal testing!)

You’ll want to use a product that doesn’t contain any “sodium laurel sulphate.” This ingredient may as well be called disaster-in-a-bottle! This ingredient strips the hair of it’s color and it’s cuticle. It’s basically a degreaser. It dries out the hair and makes it frizzy and dull. One can strip wax off floors with shampoo containing sodium laurel sulphate.

You are welcome to come see me for a FREE CONSULTATION so we can discuss what could possibly be causing your split ends or fried hair.

Hairs to you! Gia xoxo