My Hair Crush: An Inverted Bob

I have absolutely come to love bobs.  They are my absolute favorite hairstyle and after having one myself it only makes me love them even more.  I made the decision to let my hair grow out to be the example to my clients as well as all of my blog readers in order to show that you can grow your hair to be long and healthy while having a relaxer.  This client has relaxed hair which used to be long.  She was tired of ponytails and not really having a style so she wanted to cut it into a layered bob that got longer towards the front.  Since I chose to let my hair grow out (for now anyway) I can vicariously live through my clients' hair (one of the many perks of my job!).  

Silk Press on Very Long Hair

I simply love this client's hair!  This is the kind of hair that I pay for.  She can wear it straight with a simple silk press or can wet it and allow her curls to pop with a simple wash and go.  Today she chose to play with a little color and get it straightened.  If you think you want color the perfect way to introduce yourself to it is to add some just around the face to frame it.  Then if you want more you can add it later.

What Happens To Your Hair If You Never Get A Trim?

Many, many, many women absolutely despise getting trims.  I know, I know you want to retain as much of your length as possible and your hairstylist (not me of course!) always gets a little scissor happy right?  The truth is that the only way to get rid of your split ends is in fact to cut them off.  There is not a product out there that will mend, repair, or fix split ends. These products that claim to do this only mask the split ends and make them appear to not be split, almost like putting a bandaid on it.  When you do not get your ends trimmed they only continue to split up the shaft meaning MORE HAIR WILL NEED TO BE CUT!  To put it more simply, get a little cut now, or a lot cut later..

In the picture above, this client is a young five-year-old who has never had a trim.  As you can see her ends are very frizzy and rough.  All of the frizzy ends are what need to be cut.  Although it looks like a lot only about 3.5 inches needs to be cut.  The hair in the back is longer than her hair at the crown of her head so once she gets all of the ends cut it will almost look layered.  Not getting it trimmed will result in it being harder to detangle and harder to comb and overall it just does not look as healthy.  Yes it looks long but remember that the goal is to have healthy hair.  You can have long hair that is healthy and long if you continue to take care of it.  This client's mother did not want to get her child's hair trimmed because mom does not like trims at all.  I can only do what I have permission to do so unfortunately she left without one.  The ends were so split that the hair on the ends would not curl to give the look of being bumped to it just looks straight.

This is a client who was not opposed to getting her hair trimmed.  After her trim her hair is still long, just minus the split ends which makes it look much healthier.  I have never been one to care about getting my hair trimmed but I do see why some women hate it.  Even cutting the tiniest amount can seem like a lot when your hair seems to grow so slowly.  But, take it from me, go ahead and get your hair trimmed!  If you need a lot trimmed you can get a little bit trimmed at a time so it will not seem like such a lot at one time but it must go.  Once you get all of your dead ends off a good time frame to get your trim would be every 10-12 weeks.

How To Stretch Your Relaxer Past Six Weeks (week 21)

Welcome to week 21 of the "How To Stretch Your Relaxer" series!  Wow, 21 weeks sounds like a really long time but my stretch is almost up.  In approximately one more month I will be concluding this series and starting all over again.  I must say, I can not wait until I get my relaxer because I am tired of my hair getting bigger and bigger each and every week.  I am ready to be able to shampoo my hair and it still be straight once water hits it.  Here is the week 21 video.  I chose to go bone straight this week since I did curly last week.

I used all Silk Hydration products (of course!) and other than that have only been wrapping my hair for the rest of the week.

Silk Press Transformation

This silk press was one of the best silk press transformations to date that I have done.  This client has been growing her relaxer out since last year.  She has been getting sew ins for the convenience and to help her in the transition.  I must say that her hair has grown tremendously with the help of her sew-ins!  A lot of people say that sew-ins can damage your hair but that is just not true.  If your hair is already damaged and you try to get a sew in, yes your hair will only get worse.  Also if the braids are too tight or there is too much tension on your hair from it not being healthy in the first place then yes you could see damage.  However, if your hair is healthy to begin with and you decide you want a sew in, you will see significant growth in your hair.

Hair Of The Week (HOTW)- Simply Straight Hair

Last week I had my hair very curly giving off the look of a roller set.  That really made me miss my straight hair!  This week I flat ironed it bone straight at 21 weeks post relaxer.  Today was shampoo day and I used all Silk Hydration by L. Jones products and since the weather is warming up I have started using more moisturizing products.  I used the clarifying shampoo, moisturizing shampoo, daily conditioner, and leave-in conditioner.

Full Sew-In With Minimal Hair Left Out

Many times when I post a sew-in with leave out it is a sew-in with versatility meaning it can be pulled up in a ponytail or high bun.  This sew-in however, was not done with versatility because I knew that this particular client wanted it to be cut in a bob and there is no way a bob is going to be pulled up in a high bun or ponytail.  Most styles that can do that are left long.  With this sew-in I left just enough hair out to show her natural part, cover the tracks, and a little bit of the edges out.

Before sewing the hair in, I shampooed and deep conditioned the client's natural hair as well as put a generous supply of leave-in conditioner (Silk Hydration by L. Jones products) on the hair.  After sewing in, I then cut the hair into a layered bob style and curled it.

We also did a heavy bang so she could have a swoop in the front.

Before I curled the hair I flat ironed it first.  I thought she wanted her hair just curled the way it was cut so the layers would show.  That is what I get for not asking because she wanted it curled like the pics above.  While I had it all cute I decided to take pics of it this way as well.

To take care of her hair she can wrap it at night and put her silk scarf on it.  She can also choose to just put her satin bonnet on as well if she does not want to wrap it.

If she ever needs to bump the ends of the hair, she can do so with no damage to her real hair. For the leave out she can tie that down with her scarf instead of applying heat to it.

To give it a bit more shine she can spray Silk Hydration by L. Jones Miracle Potion no.9 on it to eliminate any frizzy ends and give it some shine.

Series: How To Stretch Your Relaxer Past 6 Weeks (week 20)

Welcome to week 20 of the series!! This week's video is visual only, no talking from me.  It was very late and I was super tired.  I do not know why I continue to do my hair so late.  I am beginning to think the real reason is because I try to put it off secretly hoping that someone will magically appear and do it for me.  This week I did it very curly against my better judgement because 1) I do not like my hair curly and 2) it rained the very next day!  I try to switch it up sometimes just to show you lovely readers something different and possibly give you ideas for your own hair.  As always I used all Silk Hydration by L. Jones products including the clarifying shampoo, the moisturizing shampoo, leave-in, and the daily conditioner.  I let my hair air dry just a tad before blow drying the rest.  To get my curls I curled it with the flat iron, then rolled it until the next day.  This gives the look of a roller set without the trouble of sitting under the dryer for hours.  I have a little over a month left until I get my next relaxer and I can not wait!!  My hair is getting thicker and thicker and I am tired of having to depend on edge control to lay my edges down.  I am also ready to see how long it will be after it is relaxed.

Also, don't forget to download my new app LaToya Jones!

Enjoy!

Silk Press On Transitioning Hair

I had so much fun doing this client's hair.  It was her first time and she is in the process of letting her relaxer grow out.  She has much more natural hair than relaxed hair so I did a silk press on her.  Her hair fooled me at first because it was so straight when she came in.  I thought she just had a little bit of new growth and mostly relaxed hair but when I put that water on it, it completely changed on me!  I should know better because that is exactly what my hair does!  Once it is flat ironed it is perfectly fine but as soon as it gets shampooed the true beast comes out.  This client already had her hair cut in a bob but wanted to add a few layers and ya'll know how I love cutting layers!

Products used:

• Silk Hydration by L. Jones Clarifying Shampoo
• Silk Hydration by L. Jones Extreme Moisture Shampoo
• Silk Hydration by L. Jones Daily Conditioner
• Silk Hydration by L. Jones Leave-In Conditioner
• Silk Hydration by L. Jones Miracle Potion no.9

(in that order!)

Blowout On Natural Hair (Silk Press)

This client came in today to get her hair silk pressed for the first time.  She did the big chop eight months ago because she had relaxed hair which was always breaking and becoming thin.  One day she could not take it anymore and told her husband to cut all of her relaxed hair off.  She was very anxious today because not only was this her first silk press but it was also her first visit to L. Jones Salon.  She said that she heard many good reviews about me online and could not wait to see what her hair would look like all pressed out.  She wondered if her hair was too short to be pressed since she had been growing it only a short time.  I assured her that her hair would be fine and that she was in good hands.

I used all Silk Hydration by L. Jones products on her hair starting with the clarifying shampoo.  I then used the moisturizing shampoo and the moisturizing treatment.

After that I began blow drying and straightening.

The easy part was the actual pressing.  Her hair was short but much longer than she thought it would be.  When her hair is in its natural state it has a lot of shrinkage.  Her hair is in that in between stage right now and she was not interested in cutting other than a trim so I just curled it in the direction that it naturally wanted to go in.

After she saw her hair she was very pleased with it.  She is graduating this weekend so getting her hair done was something special she wanted to for herself.  I am very happy that she was pleased that she picked me to help make her graduation day special!

How To Stretch Your Relaxer Past 6 Weeks (week 19)

Welcome to week 19 of the series!  I can tell you one thing, if I were not actually documenting this series, I would have completely lost track of exactly what week it was.  I normally keep track of when I get my relaxers by the months because I always get one in December and one in July.  So, here we are with week 19. This week was really no different from previous weeks.  I shampooed with Silk Hydration by L Jones products to begin with.  I always use these products because they clean my hair thoroughly, moisturize it, and make it extremely soft.  I get so many compliments on my hair from week to week and many of the people ask me am I natural.  Like the only way to have healthy hair is by being natural?!? Chile please!! Anyway, I absolutely love telling people that I have relaxed hair and that it is 100% healthy and growing.

Check out the week 19 video.  Remember, I will keep on doing this series until I get my next relaxer.

Enjoy!

5 Ways To Avoid Damaging Your Hair With Hair Color

With the summer months quickly approaching us, hair color is becoming increasingly popular.  When it gets warmer, many women like to lighten up their hair as well.  But before you decide to go color crazy I would like to share a few tips so you can also keep your hair healthy.

1. Do not color your hair if it is damaged-  This seems quite obvious but some people do not think certain rules apply to them.  If your hair is already damaged, permanent color will only make it worse.  Work on getting your hair healthy (read more here) first, then try color.
2. Do not try to color your own hair- This goes hand in hand with relaxers.  When it comes to chemicals, never try to do them on your own.  Always seek a trusted, reliable professional hairstylist to do your hair color.
3. Do not go too light- Be careful when choosing your hair color that you do not go too light.  Jet black hair is not meant to be platinum blonde.  It is safe to only go two shades lighter than your natural color.  Going any lighter can result in damage.  If you are wanting to go extremely light on your hair color, try using weave so that your natural hair is not harmed in the process.
4. Take care of your hair afterwards- After you get your color, remember that you have to do all of the required maintenance to avoid damage.  Keep your hair moisturized and properly cleansed at all times.
5. Enjoy your new hair- After you have done all of the above you can now look fabulous and enjoy your new hair color!

Remember to download my app! Head to Google Play and type in LaToya Jones, it's free!

5 Things Semi-Permanent Color Will & Will Not Do For Your Hair

Semi-permanent color will do many things for your hair.  I personally love them and use them quite often on my clients.  Check out the things semi-permanent color will and won't do for your hair.

Semi-permanent color will:

• Cover your gray hair- This is the number one reason most people get semi-permanent color.  They simply want all of their hair to go away.  Semi-permanent color will do that for you.
• Liven your hair up- If your hair seems to look dull and dry, a clear semi-permanent color may be your solution.
• Be safe on your hair- Semi-permanent color is extremely safe on the hair.  So much so that it can be done on the same day as a relaxer with no damage.  You can get them every week if you wanted to and it would not hurt your hair at all!

Me playing with black hair

Semi-permanent color will not:

• Lighten your hair- One of the reasons semi-permanent color will not damage your hair is because it does not have any ammonia in it. Unlike permanent color, it only adds more color to your hair, it does not lift to make the hair lighter.  If you were to put a blonde semi-permanent color onto your black hair, you would still have black hair. You would only be able to put a color the same as your hair or darker.
• Stay in your hair permanently- Like the name says, this color is only semi-permanent meaning it is not a permanent color.  Most semi-permanent colors last about 6-8 shampoos.

If you have ever been thinking of trying a semi-permanent color go for it!  They are only temporary so if you do not like it, you will not have to worry about committing to it long term.  And if you do like it, you can continue to get them.  Either way, the main benefit is that it will in no way, shape, or form damage, harm, or hurt your hair!

Mother's Day Makeover

This is one of my favorite clients.  She is so sweet and extremely nice and I have been trying to get her to let me give her a major hair cut.  She had a little bit of breakage in some areas and some of her hair looked much thinner on the ends.  I must have gotten through to her because she finally let me cut it!  I was so excited that I did not take a before picture but it was a little bit past her shoulders and she had a bangs.  I wanted to give her something more edgy yet still age appropriate.

How Getting Sew-Ins Can Grow Your Hair

Some women are skeptical about if getting sew-ins can grow your hair or damage it.  The truth is that sew-ins can absolutely grow your hair if you get them done correctly.  You must take care of your real hair and make sure that it is healthy BEFORE you even think of getting a sew-in.  If your hair is damaged, a sew-in will only make it worse.  However, if your hair is already healthy, a sew-in can be a beautiful thing.  Take this client of mine in the pictures below.  She got a partial sew-in in February 2014 and this picture was taken in

May 2014, approximately three months later.  She already has over two inches of new growth!  She will be taking it down this month and getting it redone because she is on a quest to grow her hair back long.

The pictures show how much the braid has grown from the scalp.  Remember, that when you get a sew-in the hair is braided to the scalp then the weave is sewn onto the braid.  As the hair grows the braids become looser.  If you look closely at the picture, the weave is still sewn onto the braid, but the new growth has made it become loose.

She is very close to having this hair taken down in the very near future.  At that point I will shampoo and deep condition her hair very well before doing it all over again.  There will be no breakage or damage because her hair was healthy to begin with.  Had her hair been damaged before the sew-in, the stress of the braiding and sewing of the other hair would have only made it that much worse.  Also the sew in can last much longer than three months but at that point it is time to take it down and give the natural hair some much needed attention.  Leaving it in longer than the recommended time can also cause the hair to become matted or even begin to grow mold!  This would result in the hair having to be cut which is the exact opposite of the whole reason for getting a sew-in in the first place.  Remember, wearing weave should always be an option, not a requirement.  Healthy hair first!

How To Stretch Your Relaxer Past 6 Weeks (week 18)

I feel like this has been a very long series!  However, it still continues.  These are the lengths I personally go through to get healthy hair.  This is week 18 of the series and this week I wore my wig Tori.  I really liked wearing Tori because it was so easy to just throw her on then take her back off at night all while leaving my hair wrapped up.  I did not unwrap my hair until Sunday (I shampoo on Tuesdays) so my hair was very safe and secure under Tori.  I wore a wrap cap so that there would not be any friction of my hair from rubbing directly agains the wig unit.  This week used Silk Hydration by L. Jones products as always and this week I could really notice my hair getting longer.  It has definitely come a long way since when it was cut in a bob!  I can still manage my hair even at week 18 so I will definitely continue the stretch.  Check out the video this week.

Silk Press On Natural Hair

I am doing this silk press post to let everyone know that a silk press can be done on any type of hair!  Let me first say that you do have to go with the right person to get it done, but once you find the right hairstylist any type of hair can look like it has been relaxed.  This client has a very tight coil and her hair is coarse and thick.  I started this silk press by prepping the hair with Silk Hydration by L. Jones Extreme Clean Clarifying Shampoo.  I used this to get all of the dirt, oil, and residue off of the hair.  I shampooed with it twice before moving on to the Silk Hydration by L. Jones Moisturizing Shampoo.

 This client says her hair is dry a lot so I put Silk Hydration by L. Jones Intense Moisturizing Treatment on her hair an let sit for a few minutes before rinsing.  It has plenty of oils added to it to help combat the dryness.  After that I generously applied Silk Hydration by L. Jones Leave-In Conditioner and began to detangle and blow dry the hair.

 Once all of the hair was blown dry I pressed it out with the ceramic iron to give you the results you see here.

 To take care of her hair all she has to do is wrap it every night and sleep well.  It will stay straight until it gets soaking wet again.  At that point it will revert back to its curly stage like the first picture.

Full Sew-In As A Protective Style

This client wanted something that would protect her natural hair.  She is 100% natural and is very active by playing tennis on pretty much a daily basis.  Yes, she is in her 60's and is still active and living a healthy lifestyle!! Talk about motivation.  Anyway, she wanted something that would protect her natural hair and something that she could maintain while she played tennis.  She tends to sweat in her hair and has a hard time maintaining it while being active.  We decided that a full sew in would be the best thing for her since they are sooooooo easy to take care of.  

Top 10 Ways To Get Your Hair Healthy AND Grow It Back

Has your hair been damaged and had to be cut? Have you had it cut and regretted it?  If you have had to cut your hair for whatever reason and now want to grow it back I am here to help.  Today I am going to share with you my top ten list on how to grow your hair back long and healthy.  Note: All of the pictures on this post are the same client who grew her hair back in one year! Let's get started..

1.  Shampoo and condition weekly- Doing this helps circulate the blood flow in the scalp which stimulates hair growth.

2.  Limit your heat to once per week or less- Excessive heat can damage the hair causing breakage.

3.  Use heat wisely-  When using heat only go one pass on the same section of hair.  Never continue to curl or flat iron the same piece of hair over and over.  This can lead to heat damage which can cause breakage.

4.  Use the right shampoo and conditioner for your hair type- Choose your products based on your hair's needs.  If your hair is always dry, be sure to use products with lots of moisturizers in them.

5.  Wrap your hair daily-  Wrapping the hair helps protect the ends and lay the roots down which keeps the hair healthy.

6. Trim regularly- Trimming the dead ends off the hair is the only way to stop them from continuing to split up the hair shaft.  Trimming split ends does not make the hair grow, but it does allow the hair to grow healthier because the split ends have been removed.

7.  Keep your stress levels low- Stress can adversely affect your hair causing it to shed significantly more than normal.

8.  Drink water daily- Drinking half of your body weight in water daily helps keep your body hydrated and nourished, including your hair.  This is much easier said than done, but trust me, it works!

9.  Eat a balanced diet- Making sure your diet included plenty of fruits and vegetables helps nourish all of your body, including your hair.  Taking a multi-vitamin also helps supplement the nutrients that you may not be able to eat through your food.

10.  Be patient!- Hair growth is very slow, averaging about 1/2 inch per month.  It may not seem like your hair is growing but it is!  Continue to follow your healthy hair routine and in no time your hair will be down your back.

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Full Sew-In With No Hair Left Out

If you have every wondered what you should do with your hair while working out or growing your hair out here is an option for you.  Sew-ins, when done correctly can be great for the hair.  They can protect the natural hair and allow it to grow faster than it would if you did not have one.  Also, they are very manageable so while you are working out, they are easy to care for.  They are highly addictive due to their low maintenance profile which is why many people, including myself, that have plenty of hair still love to wear weave.  You can curl it everyday and not worry about damage being done unlike your real hair.

This client is a very active tennis player.  She plays and/or practices almost daily so she needs a style than can handle her lifestyle.  Before coming to me she had a partial sew-in with only half of the hair braided up.  She is also transitioning to natural hair and wanted a full sew in so she would not have to worry about blending her leave out.