The great-great-great-great granddaughter of Madam C.J. Walker – the woman who revolutionized the African-American hair care industry – has written a book to help women and girls deal positively with their hair. A’Lelia Bundles wrote Trip in Time to tell the story of African-American girls who go back in time to meet Madam Walker. Through the reading, she starts to dissolve dangerous misperceptions about what is “good hair.”
“All hair is good hair,” Bundles tells the audience as she does a live reading of her work. “Enjoy what you have, enjoy your natural hair. It’s all about how little girls feel about themselves.” She says that some women are worried about the texture of their hair, along with other features about their appearance. During her visit with the girls, Bundles mixes her story of the true history of Madam Walker – and her work with professional hair shears, women, salons and more – with practical advice about nurturing a strong parent-child relationship.
“It starts and ends with the parents,” Bundles said. “What you see now is a little bit of everything. Now, you’re bombarded with things. That makes it even more important for mothers and parents to help their daughters sort through when they’re watching these images on TV and help them shape their values.”
Bundles adds that a great mother-daughter bonding opportunity is when the mother is doing their daughter’s hair – or even sometimes vice versa.
Walker, born Sarah Breedlove Walker, is the historic entrepreneur who made a name for herself selling hair care products for African American woman. Not only is Walker recorded as the first African-American self-made female millionaire but also the first self-made female millionaire in American history, according to the Guinness Book of Records.
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You don’t even need professional shears to follow the latest trend. According to one stylist, your best bet is to just let hair go, and see what happens. Of course, that can be easier said than done for some people! After all, getting the perfect “undone” look can actually involve lots of prep time!
“People are so worried about getting every single piece of hair in the right place that it ends up looking old lady instead of young and hip,” says Kristie Pellegrino, a stylist Louie Salon in San Francisco, California. “Hair is supposed to look messy and natural, not at all perfect.”
All of the latest mussy styles – perfect for a night out, date night, or even to take you from the office to the bar – require back-combing, which involves holding a small section of hair 90 degrees off the scalp. Then using a fine-toothed comb,comb down the hair shaft beginning mid-length. Pellegrino says “Do this in a repeated motion to create a little nest that looks like one of those troll dolls.”
There’s a phrase you probably never guessed you’d hear when describing hair you’d love to have. But that’s the way syles go. If you’re not ready to, essentially tease your hair, just remember that messy tresses are in. Don’t over style, don’t over blow dry and don’t think every strand has to be in perfect place!
Technorati Tags: hairstyle, Professional Shears, shears, updo
Many hairstylists who are moms couldn’t imagine turning in their professional shears for bottles, diapers and play-dates 24-7. But sometimes the life of a hairstylist isn’t conducive to having kids or a family. One chain of hair salons is aiming to change all that.
Fantastic Sams Hair Salons, the nation’s largest full service hair salon brand, has a unique business model that allows women entrepreneurs to successfully achieve work/life balance. Ranked as one of Entrepreneur Magazines Top 10% of franchises to buy and featured on Lifetime’s The Balancing Act, over 40% of Fantastic Sams salons/franchisees are women owned.
Fantastic Sams has a solid, proven system of success, which allows women business owners to go into business for themselves, but not by themselves. Along with a network of support, the salons also offer moms the flexibility to run out to pick up kids, spend time with families and work the hours they want to work.
And since salons typically aren’t hit too hard even when a recession hits – especially economically priced locales – they have a fairly safe, steady stream of income.
The average initial investment to open a Fantastic Sams salon (ranging from $100,000 to $225,000) and the company’s fixed fee royalties make it one of the most competitive opportunities in the industry.
So moms, hang on to those professional shears, and live your dream!
Technorati Tags: hair shears, Professional Shears, stylist moms, stylists
