Lorraine M Hair

Which curl type are you?

Most products for curly hair are NOT universal. Knowing which products are formulated for your curl type is so important when you're starting out. It might be tempting to buy every product recommended to you by fellow curly girls but be sure to only invest in products made specifically for your curl type. Luckily, nowadays many brands are categorized by curl type to make shopping easier than ever!

With hair this long, you're going to need a plan!

When it comes to curly hair, applying product evenly is of the utmost importance.

This is especially true if you have thick or long hair!

Try:
⭐ Sectioning your hair in 4-6 sections.
⭐ Rewet each section as you go and then apply product to wet hair.
⭐ Comb styling product through each section using a wide tooth comb or Denman brush.
⭐ Direct combing upwards for more volume at the roots.

To have curls that look amazing from roots to ends make sure each and every curl is coated and protected.

🍻 May your drinks be cold,
your fireworks shine bright 🎆
And may Freedom Forever ring!!

This is your yearly reminder to

Wash your hair brushes!

Dirty hair brushes can look like:
😕 A brush with excessive hair sitting in the bristles.
😕 Gunk buildup on either the handle or head of the brush.
😕 Lint balls at the tips of the bristles.

Did you know that hair shed left in your brush can actually create unnecessary snagging and tugging if left there while detangling?
💡Remove any & all hair from your brush every time you use it!

Did you know that a dirty brush can transfer product buildup, oils and even dust back into your clean hair?
💡Clean your brushes often to avoid creating unnecessarily oily hair.

To properly clean your brushes:

🧼 Remove any hair & lint caught or trapped in the bristles.
🧼 Add a drop of dawn or your favorite shampoo into a bowl of warm water and soak your brushes for 10-15minutes.
🧼 For visible buildup, use a toothbrush after soaking and gently scrub away any remaining gunk.
🧼 Rinse well and let them air dry.

Most hairbrushes should last at least a year with proper care so keep those babies clean and ready to give you amazing hair!

Want to know the secret to perfect blonde all summer long?

It's a three-part cocktail made up of:

🍸 1 part toner.
Applied by me, your amazing stylist, once every six weeks will keep your tone and shine on point!

🍸 1 part thermal protectant.
Safeguarding your hair from sun and heat damage will protect your hair from breakage and bonus...your toner will last longer!

🍸 1 part moisture mask.
Sun, salt air, and sweat are tough on your hair. We need to show it
a little love just once a week.

The summer sun has kicked into overdrive and cocktails are definitely on the menu, just be sure to mix up a lil something for your hair too. 😉

One thing about me is...

I'm gonna kill the plant,

Laugh hardest at my own joke,

Point out an awkward moment,

Google everything that pops in my head,

And I'm 100% going to play out my favorite song.

Ok, well I guess that was more than one thing.

🤷‍♀️

Making women feel like better versions of themselves since 2007.

4 ways to make that salon shine last.

Everyone loves the gorgeous sheen that a trip to the salon can provide.

So what can you do to extend that salon level shine?

❄️ Cool Shot
Blasting your hair with cool air from the blow dryer as the last step when styling closes the cuticle flat. This not only sets your style for longer wearability but adds extra shine.

🏖 Heat Protectant
Heat protectants add a protective layer to your hair to keep it safe from styling tools. It also seals in moisture & smooths the cuticle making the hair appear more lustrous.

💣 Shine Bomb
This gentle shine boosting salon treatment coats the hair and fills in raised cuticles making the hair look smoother while also elevating the luminosity of your hair for up to 6 weeks.

💎 Brazilian Blowout
For optimal frizz-free, shiny hair, the Brazilian Blowout will give you the best results for glossy, manageable hair for up to 12 weeks.

Salon level shine...what do say we keep these good vibes goin'!

The importance of product distribution.

When it comes to product application there are a few key factors that will effect the final look.
🔑 How wet your hair is
🔑 How much product you use
🔑 How well that product is distributed

Evenly applying the right amount of product to very wet hair will ensure that every strand of hair is properly coated and will allow the the entire head to curl uniformly.

This is especially important if you have long, thick or low porosity hair!

For best results:
⭐ section off the hair when applying product
⭐ spray it down with water to keep it very wet
⭐ use a denman or wet brush to evenly distribute product throughout the hair

When you're first starting out, it's better to use too much product and learn to cut back than to not use enough and mistakenly think a product isn't working for you.

Remember: hydrate, saturate and distribute!

3 reasons blonde hair needs special care.

If you've ever been blonde in any capacity, you know that blonde hair requires a little extra TLC. What you may not know, is why.

1. As natural pigment is removed during lightening, the hair's undertones are exposed. These undertone colors range from yellow to red. That makes regular toning an important and necessary part of upkeep and maintenance.
💡Tip: Using a sulfate free shampoo can help extend the life of your toner!

2. Along with removing pigment, blonding also damages strengthening protein bonds in the hair. Weakened hair needs a lot of care to keep it healthy & prevent unnecessary breakage.
💡Tip: To keep hair healthiest, a combination of protein & moisturizing treatments will do the trick!

3. During the lightening process, the hair cuticle swells and raises. This swelling increases porosity and can make the hair more prone to tangles and snagging. Gentle brushing and detangling is an absolute must after lightening your hair!
💡Tip: Always start at the bottom and work your way up.

Remember, with great blonding comes great responsibility. Treat your blonde hair well and it'll continue to dazzle with health and shine!

How to know if a Brazilian Blowout is right for you.

Do you have frizzy hair?

Do you have curly hair?

Do you have straight hair?

Do you have damaged or compromised hair?

Do you wish your hair had more shine?

Does your morning styling take longer than you like?

Do you straighten your hair often?

Do you curl your hair often?

Do you have lots of "p**f" in your hair?

If you answered yes to any of these questions then a Brazilian Blowout is for you.

If you answered YES to 2 or more of these questions, a Brazilian Blowout can legit change your life!

To us! 🥂

Are you the kind of person who looks up a restaurant's menu before you go?

Do you look up directions weeks before an event?

Cause same.

That's why I like to ensure all of my new guests know what to expect before they arrive at the salon.

I firmly believe the pre-visit experience is just as important as the actual appointment and I try to eliminate as much of that "first salon visit anxiety" as possible!

From recommending services to price points and even parking. I want everyone to feel confident and comfortable even before they arrive.

When you schedule an appointment, you can find all of this info and more. Just be sure to check those emails, ladies!

Is there such a thing as
Too much of a good thing?

Yes!

I'm hearing more and more often that you gals are using up to 5 or 6 products in your hair routines. This is WAY too many products and a good indicator that at least 4 of them aren't working for your hair type!

You'll know a product isn't working if your hair:
🙆‍♀️ feels waxy or oily
🙆‍♀️ frizzes after drying
🙆‍♀️ doesn't shine
🙆‍♀️ weighs down your curls and/or stretches them
🙆‍♀️ flakes
🙆‍♀️ doesn't support second day hair

Your hair routine should be simple.
A good place to start is by using one leave-in conditioner and one styling product.

If you've been using an excessive amount of products, it's probably hard to tell which ones your hair is responding to best.
✨ Start by clarifying your hair and try using 2 products at a time. See what your hair best responds to and put the rest aside!

Dos and Don'ts of a successful hair appointment.

Hair appointments can be an exciting event. To ensure you get the most of your time in the salon, I've listed some well known and maybe some not so well known things to keep in mind.

👍DO:

Do arrive a couple minutes early to settle in, use the restroom and get a drink. This should be a relaxing time.

Do bring photos of hair styles with texture similar to yours as inspo pics. Realistic comparisons are always best.

Do come alone. This time was set aside just for you.

⛔️ DON'T:

Don't wear a hoodie or bulky collar to your appointment. This can make cutting and coloring much more difficult.

Don't be in a rush.
Expect your appointment to take as long as listed.

Don't hesitate to ask questions. There are no dumb questions in a consultation & the more clarity there is between us, the better.

Bonus: If possible, avoid wearing white. My anxiety just can't handle it. 😬

❤🥰❤

"Do not deny the world it's one and only chance to bask in your brilliance."

How do you detangle?

When it comes to detangling, the most important thing to remember is that the goal of this process is to gently unravel the hair that has become intertwined and knotted. Pulling and snagging at your curls while detangling will only cause damage and create frizz and breakage.

To detangle your hair you can use a:
➰️ Wide tooth comb
➰️ Wet brush
➰️ Flexi-detangling brush
➰️ Denman brush
or even your fingers

No matter the tool you decide to use, it's best to do it in the shower with conditioner in your hair for added slip and to also properly distribute the conditioner.

I like to flip my head over and detangle upside down to ensure I get all of those fairy knots at the base of my neck. *iykyk

I often encourage people to use a brush of some sort after applying their styling product to get it evenly dispersed throughout the hair but this should not be confused with the detangling process.

Detangling is detangling and styling is styling. If you've detangled properly, the styling will be a cinch.

Bouncy curls are able to clump so beautifully because they're freshly washed and detangled first!

If your hair is straighter at the crown, it may not just be length pulling it straight.
Here are a 6 ways you may be unknowingly contributing to the problem.

1. Tight or low ponytails

2. Slicked back buns

3. High heat when using hot tools

4. Excessively running your hands through your hair

5.Chemical damage

6. Regularly tucking hair behind your ears

Curly hair, by nature, is more susceptible to damage.
And damage in curly hair doesn't just look like split ends & breakage.

Any time you pull or manipulate your hair out of it's natural state, you run the risk of weakening your cuticle. A stretched or weakened cuticle can't properly support a healthy coil and will fall straighter.

⭐️ While one bun or hair tuck probably won't cause much harm, consistently doing these things will inevitably lead to compromised curls!

Inconvenient Truth:

Purple shampoo is not a maintenance plan.

Far too often Purple Shampoo is used for blonde hair maintenance instead of simply being used to stretch out salon visits.

This is a losing strategy in overall blonde hair care.
Here's why:

1. Purple shampoo is intended to neutralize unwanted YELLOW tones in the hair. If your hair is truly warm or brassy, a purple shampoo will do little to help. You'll need a professional toning treatment.

2. With regular use, the high pH levels of most Purple Shampoos will leave your hair feeling dry and brittle and dry hair is more prone to breakage and tangling.

3. Because of the staining, compoundable nature of toning shampoos, blonde hair will become dull with prolonged use. It will lose both brightness and shine.

4. With every use of Purple Shampoo, you're getting further from your original salon tone. When it's time to re-gloss, there's no guarantee that you'll get the same shade you started with because your hair is now a different tonality and condition.

Every blonde requires *some* toning so schedule those toners as needed and use Purple Shampoo sparingly until your next appointment time!

Scrunch out the crunch!

Scrunching out the crunch essentially means you're breaking up the stiffness created by your hair product drying.

It's often skipped because many assume disrupting the curls will cause a frizzy mess but that couldn't be further from the truth.

Here are 4 tips to help you on your way!

1. Make sure your hair is 1000% dry.
I realize this sounds dramatic but I promise you, breaking the cast before your hair is COMPLETELY dry will result in unnecessary frizz.

2. Choose the right direction for your goals.
Scrunching in an upwards direction will build volume at your ends.
Scrunching in a downward praying hands motion will disrupt the curls less. It'll soften them without creating more volume.

3. Help yourself.
Always make sure your hands are clean and dry before SOC. Some people like to use satin wraps or t-shirts to minimize friction and frizz. I personally like to use a drop of oil for added shine and praying hands when breaking the cast.

4. Don't forget your roots.
Work splayed fingers along the head to break up any stiffness at the root. This will lift curls off the scalp and create volume at the base to perfectly complement the softened curls at the ends.

Scrunching out the crunch is the last and most satisfying step in the curly routine. It takes hair from stiff to bouncy in no time flat and is the key to those juicy, touchable ringlets!

Reasons to get your hair done:

You're going on vacation.
You have a date.
You have a job interview.
You're getting married.
You just want to relax with me,
sip some wine
& enter a new week feeling refreshed.

Whatever your reason, I can't wait to see you and make you feel your best!

Do you know your hair's porosity?

A simple test to determine your hair's porosity is to fill a glass of water and drop a single strand of hair in. Allow about 3 minutes to pass.

If the hair is floating at the top:
Low Porosity

If it sinks to the bottom:
High Porosity

If it's somewhere in the middle:
Medium Porosity

Now what does any of this mean?
Your hair's porosity level will tell you a lot about your hair.

Low Porosity Hair:
Your hair cuticle is very tight and therefore your hair doesn't easily absorb moisture. Your hair also tends to get product buildup quickly because the product doesn't absorb into the hair shaft.

Medium Porosity Hair:
This is the ideal porosity. It absorbs and retains moisture well.

High Porosity Hair:
This hair cuticle is pretty much wide open so it absorbs moisture easily but also loses moisture quickly. It tends to be frizzy, may even tangle easily and is prone to breakage.

Take the test and let me know if the results resonate with you.

Hey FB friends, we've got some new faces around here so I want to take a moment to reintroduce myself.

I'm Lorraine!

Like most women, I have a few different titles. I'm a hair stylist & curly hair specialist, a celebrity gossip connoisseur, and most importantly- a mama to two amazing people.

When I'm not behind the chair, you'll find me hiking some of our local trails or binge watching SVU reruns with my daughter. I'm also a pretty avid sports fan who's always on the hunt for the perfect cocktail!

As you can imagine, my passion for curly hair was a natural progression in my career. Sharing this passion and educating clients on how to care for their hair is something I take great joy in. I absolutely love working with people and find that I'm most fulfilled when I'm connecting with clients in my chair.

So welcome again to all new followers and a very happy 2024 to all.

I'll see you soon! 😉


🌙 For more information on booking, head over to lorrainemhair.com/newguests to get started!

All gave some, some gave ALL.
Today we remember ❤

3 hair products I can't live without!

To be fair, when it comes to my hair, there are a ton of products I can't live without but some stand out above the rest.

Here are the top 3 products I'll never be without!

✨️Ouidad Whipped Curls
This product, for me, was a game changer. Whipped Curls is a leave in conditioner and curl primer in one. It's super rich and helps my curls to hold their shape and feel moisturized for days on end. Definitely top spot material!

✨️My bonnet
ha! I know it's not the sexiest thing in the world, but my bungee cord bonnet has been key in getting my curls to last. I can adjust the tightness as needed so it stays on all night and I get to wake up to shake and style curls.

✨️Spiral Hair Ties
I use these telephone cord looking ties every single day! I was always skeptical of these little guys because I have such thick hair but they hold up so well! I work out with them, I sleep in them and spend my days off in them. They always hold firmly and never crease my hair. (Another trick to shake and wear curls!)

Like I said, I have so many hair products that I rely on but I'll never, ever be caught without these three!

Wanna extend the life of your highlights?

If your highlights have grown out but you're not sure you're ready to touch them up, then a root melt is going to be your new best friend!

Root melts are often done with balayages but can also be used with highlights.

It's generally done with a demi-permanent color and it's used as a buffer between your natural or base color and the lightness of your highlights.

This gentle mid-tone gloss melts the two levels and makes the whole style look seamless and purposeful. It'll leave you with a flawless grow out and gorgeous shiny hair until you're ready to lighten again.

Root melts are ideal for guests who want to take a break from lightening their hair but aren't quite ready to darken it.

Is there such a thing as
Too much of a good thing?

Yes!

Lately, I'm hearing more and more that you gals are using up to 5 or 6 products in your hair routines. This is WAY too many products and a good indicator that at least 4 of them aren't working for your hair type!

You'll know a product isn't working for you if your hair:
🙆‍♀️ feels waxy or oily
🙆‍♀️ frizzes after drying
🙆‍♀️ doesn't shine
🙆‍♀️ weighs down your curls
and/or stretches them
🙆‍♀️ flakes
🙆‍♀️ doesn't support second day hair

Your hair routine should be simple. A good place to start is by using one leave-in conditioner and one styling product.

If you've been using an excessive amount of products, it's probably hard to tell which ones your hair is responding to best. Start by clarifying your hair and try using 2 products at a time. See what your hair best responds to and put the rest aside!

‼️ Remember: Our number one styling aid is good 'ol H2O. Always add more water before ever adding more products!

Pick your poison.

Sometimes all you need to ease your mind is a hot cup of tea. 🙋‍♀️ Or if you're anything like me, a glass of wine!

While in the salon, I encourage all of my guests to take advantage of a wide assortment of hot teas, coffee, wine and snacks.

This is your time. Allow yourself to unwind, relax and enjoy!

Cheers!