I keep trying to "train" my hair to lay differently, but it's not working.  Can you give
me some help?  - Judy

One of the things we love to do on this site is dispel old myths about hair, and the "training the
hair"  myth might be the oldest.  The hair on your head has automatic "training".  It's called a
wave pattern and
it determines the direction your hair wants to lay.  As hair grows to different
lengths, the dynamic of the wave pattern may change slightly due to hair weight and texture.  In
other words, your hair may lay slightly different at 6 inches in length  than it does at 9 inches in
length.  Try as you might, you cannot change the wave pattern you were born with.



What kind of shampoo & conditioner is best for my hair? - Sandy

There are only a few guidelines to follow here.  If your hair is normal with no oily or dryness
issues, just about anything.  If your hair has a chemical process, then stick with gentle products
for color, perms, etc.  If your hair has a particular issue, like oiliness, then a prescriptive
product recommended by your stylist should do the trick.  In the end,  the
best thing to do is to
not shampoo every day.
 (see hair basics by Nio for more info)

How often should I be getting my highlights?  I'm afraid of damaging my hair!!! - Lisa

This is a very common concern with most people when it comes to coloring their hair.  I
recommend highlighting your hair 3 - 4 times per year.  There are several options for coloring
the hair
in between highlighting appointments to camouflage your natural hair color.  Used
properly, color and bleach should never damage the hair to the point that breakage occurs if
the stylist is competent and knowledgeable.

My red hair color fades soooo fast.  Why? - Mary-ann

Red shades fade fast if they lack strong underlying pigment in the hair to support the color.  On
highlighted and/or naturally light brown to blonde hair, a copper/strawberry blonde shade is a
better choice for the sake of longevity.  Other factors, including previous chemical services,
variance in porosity, and exposure to sunlight can adversely affect hair color no matter the
shade. Proper care of the hair  in - between visits will go a long way to keeping your color
vibrant.  A
Glass treatment after your normal color service does a great job of "sealing" your
hair color in.

I love my new color, but.... when I look in the mirror, something seems strange.  Am
I crazy or what? - Lucy

Sometimes drastic changes with haircolor can take a few days to get used to.  I always
recommend that with every color, clients also have their eyebrows tinted.  It makes a world of
difference, believe me.  There are products formulated strictly for coloring the eyebrows, and
under no circumstances should hair tint be used in place of these products.

What am I supposed to do on the days I can't shampoo & how do I style my hair? -
Kylie

While you should limit the frequency of shampooing, it is perfectly fine to "wet" your hair each
day and condition the ends.  Remember, if you are conditioning on a daily basis,  you should
be using a "moisturizing" conditioner and not a "protein" conditioner
.  When styling the hair,
remember to add 1/2 the amount of styling product you would normally use, then proceed to
style as usual.

What is the difference between a moisturizing & protein conditioner and why
shouldn't I use a protein conditioner every day?  How do I tell the difference? - Lynn

A moisturizing conditioner is used to infuse the hair with moisture, allowing the hair better shine
& manageability, as well as better overall appearance.  Moisturizing conditioners can usually
be used with impunity. Exceptions to this rule, for example, would be someone that has
baby-fine, fly-away hair.  

A protein conditioner is used to reconstruct & repair over-processed or damaged hair.  These
conditioners repair microscopic breaks or tears in the fiber, infusing strength.  These products,
if used on healthy hair, will usually cause dryness and brittleness in the hair shaft.  If
overused,
on damaged hair, the condition of the hair will never appear to improve.  There is a very fine
line to using these types of conditioners effectively, so if in doubt, follow the directions on the
bottle.  Again, misuse of these types of conditioners will not yield desired results.

The easiest way to tell the difference between a protein or moisturizing conditioner is to look at
the wording on the bottle.  Words like "repair", "strengthening", or "restructuring" , are the usual
clues that point to a protein-based product.  Also, better protein conditioners usually have
what's called a molecular "weight" or "size" listed on the bottle.  This is a dead giveaway that
the product is protein based.

Bottom line - Look closely before you use any product on your hair, and if in doubt, ask the
advice of your stylist.

I have dandruff and wanted to know what you could recommend. -Angel

I recommend a shampoo containing melaluca as it's active ingredient.  NEVER use those
popular over-the-counter dandruff shampoo's.  I'll tell you why.

The active ingredient in most dandruff shampoo is
zinc pyrithione, a pesticide.  The problem
with this ingredient, other than the obvious concern of using bug killer for your dandruff, is the
way it controls dandruff.  It doesn't.

What it will do is remove the top several layers of skin on the scalp, exposing the sebaceous
glands. These glands produce sebum, your body's own lubricant and protectant for the hair
and scalp.  By stripping sebum away with every shampooing, you are denying your hair and
scalp an important protection.

If you decide against poisoning yourself with an over-the-counter dandruff shampoo, and
switch to a melaluca based product, you must have patience.  Your dandruff will seem to get
worse before it gets better again.  This is because your scalp is regrowing layers of skin.  It will
usually take 3 months for your scalp to make the transition from an over-the-counter dandruff
shampoo to one containing melaluca.

I just had a baby & my a lot of my hair is falling out. What's wrong with me? - Erin

One of the unfortunate side effects of pregnancy hormones is the synchronization of the growth
of your hair's follicles.  Normally your hairs grow at different rates and so fall out at different
times. Now that they are synchronized, a lot of them will fall out together, probably after the
birth.

As your body normalizes, your hair should normalize.  This can take a different amount of time
for each individual.

I recently purchased a "volumizing" shampoo & a "thickening" shampoo.  What's the
difference and which one should I use? - Emily

Great question Emily.  Volumizing shampoo's give the appearance of fuller hair by allowing the
outermost layer of the hair shaft, called the cuticle, to open and remain open.  This can give a
temporary boost of volume, but can lead to serious color fade and lots of "tangles".  I believe
that over use of these products long term can  lead to degradation of the hair shaft, since the
protective, outer-most layer of the shaft leaves the inner structure vulnerable to all manner of
nasty scenarios.  Always use whatever conditioner is recommended for your particular brand of
volumizing shampoo.

Thickening shampoo's force proteins (usually plant based) into the hair's shaft resulting in a
fuller, plumper follicle.  The effects of these products are longer-lived than their "volumizing"
brethren, but also cause premature color fade due to the influx of proteins into the hair's shaft
on a daily / semi daily basis.

If I had to choose between these two types of products, I would prefer a  "thickening" product
used judiciously once or twice a week.  The results from these types of "volumizing" or
"thickening" products, overall, are quite limited after repeated, long-term use.
1644 N. High St. Columbus, Ohio 43201 (614) 516-6393
OUR MISSION
Sin City Hair & Sin CIty Ink are dedicated to providing each
& every client with the very
best in beauty, body art, and
body modifications using the finest products, techniques, &
training available.
Our Staff promises to provide outstanding customer
service in addition to superior technical knowledge & skill
to offer nothing less than the most exceptional experience
and results possible.