Hi again.

A Ouidad salon just opened a mile or so from me in Westport, but I haven't tried it out. I think I may call there to find out what they charge, hopefully it's less than in the city. I drive to Manhattan to get my hair cut now, but I'd like to find somewhere local.

A girlfriend went to their salon in the city and the results were less than spectacular. She has very long, very, very coarse curly hair. All tight, small spirals.

They "fixed" her color (it looked exactly the same to me), and just gave her a small trim. They told her that her hair wasn't ready yet and she needed to follow their program for 6 weeks and come back. Their program consisted of buying their very expensive products and not using shampoo anymore. They charged her over $300.

Both my son and I have very curly hair, so I'd like to find a place for us locally, but for now I'm sticking with my trusted man Scott.

AM

Check out this site...
www.naturallycurly.com

There's usually a couple on-going conversations about people using Curly Girl by Lorraine Massey, & Curl Talk by Ouidad, including the cuts, etc.

piffle...

I've got coarse (like a horse's mane) wavy hair, and DH has nearly waist length, coarse hair that's prone to 'poodling' it's so curly...

shampoo it half as often (he does his twice a week, I do mine rather less than that)

and try waking up sunday, and deep conditioning it with avacado or coconut oil- for serious. We do this every three weeks, and it's amazing. we don't wash it out, just put our hair up, and leave it to soak in all that day.

the only grooming product I've found that we like is by some little outfit called Got2B, they sell it at CVS and Walmart, of all places- it's a pale yellow goop, and it doesn't take much (considering the mass of hair my hubby's got) and it dries nicely- I also like a thing called CURLZUP which is clear yellow in a squirt top bottle, but I can feel it in my hair, and need to wash my hair much sooner.

I think that anyone who tells you you need a course of treatment you can't copy at home- needs to either have a medical degree...or should be willing to hand out 2 weeks worth of samples (which they could, if it really worked)

So far chinacat - sunflower your hubby seems to have the closest thing to my hair & if these products work for him I'll give them a try. I especially love being able to find them at drug stores. What I can't imagine though is that you describe the Got2B as a goop. I have found that thick products don't generally work on my hair b/c EVERY strand has to be coated otherwise I get very frizzy flyaways & there is no way to do that with a thick product, which is why I've relied on Sebastian Wet & spray gels b/c I am able to get them throughoutly mxed in. What I don't like about them is that my hair is so stiff & with the spray gels although they are good enough when I wear my hair in a headband they are not strong enough to keep the frizz down if I need to blow out any part of my hair as when I let it down, such as the roots to get a little lift. I'll give it a try though.

I too wash my hair 2-3x/wk so it won't dry out so much & I condition in the shower well, but have never found deep conditioners to do much. As far as the oils deep conditioning treatments you use - I assme you do wash them out that day or at least before stying, right?

Michie

I just made an appt. with them for next Sat. I'm so excited. I put in my profile on their website & ordered the products recommended for my hair & will start using them prior to my appt with them to see ii they make a difference. I'm really looking forward to their hair cutting technique. Hey, if this place can't do anything interesting with my hair then no one can. This was part of my bdy gift along with bikini laser hair removal. It's like a make-over!

Michie

I used to go to Ouidad in New York. Ouidad herself cut my hair.
Here's my opinion...
They cut GREAT!! They have a special "razor slicing" technique that's wonderful for curly hair. They cut it so that each curl "sits" on the next one. It's very expensive. At the time (about 5 or 6 yrs. ago) I was paying approx. $85.00 for the cut itself. If you wanted a deep conditioning, it was extra. They really push the products on you, and of course they use every last one of them while you're there, so if you love the results, you're bound to buy the products. I'd end up spending about $160 by the time I was done. I found that my hair was just drenched with the stuff. They used way too much. I couldn't wait to get home to wash it out. Also, they like to leave you with the "wet" look, which to me just means too much product. By the 3rd visit there I was basically just going there for the cut. I remember telling them not to style it, that I'd go home and do it myself. They were shocked. I mean, most people go there for the whole deal, but it just wasn't for me.
I was so excited for my first appointment. I couldn't wait. I thought my hair would be "transformed". Not so.
Some of their products are really good, but in my honest opinion, not worth the cost.
By the way, my hair is VERY curly, long, and if not blown out I look like Annie (yuk!).

Thanks Stef

I was hoping to hear of someone who had gone. I bought he hair products & followed their techniques but it really makes no difference compared to what I am currently doing. My hair is not damaged so that's not it. I spent about $125 in products alone. I know they push the deep conditioning in their salon which they charge $80 for but if I do it myself it only costs $30 for a bottle that will do my hair 2x. I was hoping the products would change my hair from very dull, dry & crunchy to a softer shinier hair, but unless the deep treatment is a miracle cure I doubt it. The haircut technique I'm really looking forward to, costs $100. Do they show you how to style your hair or just do it for you? I go on Sat - wish me luck!

Michie

Michie,
They'll show you how to style it. When I went they were very into scrunching and blow drying (minimal blowdrying) section by section. They take a very long time, so you're certainly going to feel pampered. Just watching them is kinda fun - and also looking at all the other curly heads in there (lol).
I hope you get the results you're looking for. Who did you get scheduled with? Let me know how it goes.

Stef~

I am surprised to hear they're into scrunching b/c they say in their booklets not to do that b/c it disturbs the natural curl pattern. I certainly don't need any extra scrunching & curls. It will be interesting being surround by all curlyheads.

Can I ask why you stopped going? I imagine if I find I love them so much that I'd find a way to get in there a couple of times per yr.

I don't recal who they scheduled me with. I figured it didn't make a difference since I didn't know anyone. I think Ouidad doesn't do so much of the styling anymore & I think she charges extra too. I did request someone who has extensive experience with my type of hair (not with just people who have looser curls).

Michie

Michie,
I stopped going because I couldn't keep up with how often I "should" have been going. Like I said before, I only like the cut. When I got home, I found I was doing the same thing to my hair that I always did. They wanted me to use more product, and less blow dryer. I admit I'm a bit crazy with the blowdryer. I cause alot of unnessary damage to my hair. But I like the loose curl look for me. If I don't blow it so much, it's a tight curl that I don't like on me. They wanted that tight curl. So even though I liked the cut, it wasn't worth all the money I was paying. I live in NJ, so it would cost approx. 30-40 just to get into the city, with parking and tolls, and gas. By the time I left the salon, I'd spent another $150. For me, it wasnt' worth it.

Yeah Stef,I know what you mean about the time & cost just getting into the city. I live on LI so I am going the night before to my father's in Queen, sleeping over, leaving my toddler with him for the day & taking the subway into the city. It'll be a whole day thing by the time I get home at night.

Thanks for sharing....
Michie