Styling Product: Application 101
Have you ever heard “More is Better”? Well, NOT with everything!
A question I am often asked by new clients who’ve had application issues is, “Did I use too much styler?” Oftentimes, the answer is a resounding YES! Most of MopTop’s styling products are gel-based, so if you use too much product, the product can dry out and flake on the hair.
There are several variables that come into play here. You know your hair better than anyone, so let’s break it down and figure out the appropriate amount for you.
Tell Me About Your Hair
When consulting with a customer, I always ask the same questions:
– What is the texture pattern of your hair?
* Straight, wavy, curly, kinky-coily and/or a combination pattern
– What is the length and density of your hair (number of hairs per square inch)?
* How long is your hair?
* When you put your hair into a ponytail, how big is it? (e.g., diameter of a pencil? Dime? Quarter?)
* Small pony=thin or fine, medium pony= average, big pony = thick, a lot of hair!
– Do you color your hair? What color?
* Black, Dark Brown and Red are the largest color molecules and “slip” the fastest.
* Bleach opens up the cuticle the most.
– What is your hair porosity?
* High Porosity – if your hair gets wet very fast and dries very fast (without any products on your hair)
* Low Porosity – if your hair is slow to get wet and dries very slowly once wet (without any products on your hair)
So WHAT does this all mean?
Well, very simply, our hair is unique, much like our thumb prints, but a general rule of thumb is the more hair you have, the more product you will use. You may need to experiment a little to figure out the perfect balance of products to get the best “formula” and, more importantly, the BEST RESULTS for your hair!
Know this, I have three girls with LOTS of hair among them, which could mean we use lots of product. However, with all of this in mind, I chose to make our products as concentrated as possible… which means A Little Bit Goes a LONG Way! Another plus – all products are water soluble, so if you use too much (and get white flakes) you can do a quick fix – dilute with a little spritz of water, use less next time, AND – the BEST PART – you can get great 2nd and 3rd day hair! With three kids, four if you count my cute hubby, I sometimes (quite often, actually) don’t have enough time to go through the whole routine everyday!
Kelly’s Routine
Sounds great, right? But you may be asking where do I start? To help illustrate what I’ve shared above, here’s how I would answer these questions for myself:
1. Texture: Curly/Kinky-Coily [3c-4a]
2. Length: Mid-back; Density: Medium
3. Color: Yes, both low and high lights
4. Porosity: High
For Styling I use the LOC Method (Leave-In, Oil, Custard):
1st: On WET hair, apply a quarter- to a half dollar-size of Leave-in
2nd: 3-4 drops of Mongongo Oil
3rd: Apply a nickel- to a quarter-size of Curly Hair Custard
For the Curly Hair Custard, I apply root to end, making sure all sections and strands are covered, scrunch and DO NOT touch until 80% dry, whether diffused or air dried (curls are friends and they LIKE to be together while they “Set”), then I scrunch and go.
General Guidelines
Texture: the more curly or tighter the texture, the wetter your hair should be when applying a styler (so wavy hair can be damp) AND wavy, curly and tighter coiled hair will use more product.
Length: The longer the hair, the more product you will use.
Color: If too much product is applied to darker hair, flaking will be easier to see. Use a spray water bottle to dilute, and next time don’t use as much!
Porosity: A lower porosity hair will use less of our gel -based products, and more of our cream-based products and oil.
Remember: A Little Goes a Long Way, even with a lot of hair, so try applying with a light-hand until you understand how the products will work in your hair! If you have questions, we are only an email away.
