HUMIDITY HACKS. FIGHTING SUMMERTIME HUMIDITY
If you been keeping check, you might've noticed in uptick in humidity-related frizz and a difficulty keeping and maintaining your hair style as soon as you step out to enjoy these remaining summer days. The primary reason is that porous curls absorb the outside air humidity.

You can see a list of the 20 most humid cities in America here (in case you're planning a trip to any of these cities). Included in the list are cities like Baton Rouge (#11), San Francisco (#1), and Houston (#10). There were some surprise cities like Green Bay, WI (#19) and Eugene, OR (#13). While your city might not make this dubious list, the humidity and heat in does crank up in the summer months and is probably affecting you right now. 

There are three Huetiful recommendations that we're making to help keep the frizz at bay in August and September.

Hair Steaming to keep your hair hydrated. Since our inception, we've offered free hair steam treatments with every (non-color) service. The average Huetiful hair steam treatment releases 8 ounces of steam under the hood. This hydration, when combined with proteins and amino acids from our conditioning treatment, fill up the hair strand and make it less able to absorb humidity. The end result is less frizz.

Glycolic Strengthening Treatments (click here for more info). This is a $25 add-on to any Huetiful service and the treatment is applied just before the steam treatment so that it deeply penetrates into the cortex of every hair strand. With protein and amino acids, it helps fill and strengthen the hair strand. Glycerin is also a key ingredient which acts as a humectant; retaining and preserving moisture in your hair.

Smoothing Serum. There are a lot of good smoothing serums that help seal the cuticle. Consider KMS HAIRSTAY Anti-Humidity Spray (retails on Amazon for $24.50). It acts like an umbrella for the hair; helping protect that $75 silk press or at home style, from frizz and humidity for up to 72 hours. The great thing about it is that its a weightless shine spray.

If you're looking for a simple bundle of products delivered to your door, consider our curated collection of products that include the Huetiful Sulfate-Free Shampoo, Huetiful Glycolic Strengthening Treatment (3-4 treatments per bottle), and the KMS Anti-Humidity Spray. Sold separately for $75 and available at Huetiful Salon for $100 via service, you can purchase this collection for just $50 with free shipping included. Simply visit our online store here. 

Cold Weather Alert: 3 Things to do to offset the impact of cold weather on your curls. By Nina Christmas, Creative Director, Huetiful
 
Our hair like plants and leaves react to changing humidity each season. Here are 3 ways to protect your hair from below zero weather and low humidity.

Infuse Hydration / Steam Treat Hair: Our hair has the capacity to absorb water until it is full. 15-20 minutes under the steamer can fill your hair to capacity with hydration and ingredients from your oil treatment or conditioner. You can mimic steam by turning your shower up to high and making your bathroom a sauna, heat and reheat wet towels in the microwave and wrap them around your wet hair and capture the steam under a plastic cap. In the winter, I steam weekly to replenish the hydration that evaporated from my hair in the cold and use the Huetiful Hydrating Conditioner with Moringa Oil.
 
Oil: Adding oil to the hair strands and scalp can be beneficial and moisturizing. Your favorite oil will mimic the oil glands production of sebum, which is the natural moisturizer our body creates. Foods that have an oil content like fish and olives will increase natural sebum production and aid your sebaceous glands in the effort to moisturize your hair and the rest of your body. 
 
Brush: Cold weather can leave our bodies dehydrated, cause more dry skin and create a flaky scalp. Many that claim to have dandruff which is a bacterial skin disorder that develops in dark damp environments may only have skin cells that have naturally shed and need to be exfoliated. Dry skin or a flaky scalp can be exfoliated by brushing with a boar bristled brush to reveal fresh layers of skin. This is an easy attempt when wearing a flat ironed silk press but a task from the past when in a curly look. I remember my mother brushing my hair into ponytails by adding a oily or creamy styling product, this is my current method of brushing.
 
Incorporate these three things into your methods of hair care and your hair will remain vibrant despite cold, dehydrating temperatures.

Improved Huetiful Professional Color services!
Now available at Huetiful Salon (Chicago). Introducing Huetiful's ammonium-free single color and root touch up services! Get great looking, professional color now with elevated peace of mind and confidence. Huetiful Salon still uses the Goldwell color line. However, we have included over 20 different ammonium-free colors from Goldwell's Nectaya hair color line to get the best results for up to 100% grey coverage and vibrant, single color options. Nectaya enriches the hair with nurturing care; creating the best basis for beautiful color results without compromising on performance and without that strong, unpleasant ammonium smell.
 
BENEFITS OF OUR AMMONIUM FREE HAIR COLOR
Nurturing hair color - without ammonia
Notably healthier hair feeling
Rich saturated color
Guaranteed grey coverage - up to 100%
 
WHY DO COLORISTS USE AMMONIUM?
Ammonia, an alkaline chemical, is used to raise the pH level of our hair during the coloring process. This then lifts the cuticles of the hair fiber and allows the color to be deposited onto the cortex (the inner part of the hair protected by the cuticles). By using alternative ingredients, you can still lift the cuticle of the hair fiber but you can do so without the ammonium smell and dryness.

A consequence of this action can be damage to the hair cuticle that ultimately degrades the hair's structural integrity. The result overtime can be dry, brittle, unhealthy looking hair.

 
HUETIFUL AMMONIUM FREE COLOR SERVICES
We are currently offering our ammonium free color services for $110 (Root Touch Ups) and $160 (Single Color coverage from root to tip). Interested but not ready to experience our professional hair color? Got questions? Schedule a color consultation with one of our 4 certified Huetiful Ammonium Free Professional Colorists (Akina, Arkeia, Rachel and Sherri) at huetifulsalon.com
 
HUETIFUL COLOR TRENDS: AUTUMN/WINTER 2020
Our creative direction team has identified four (4) ammonium free hair colors that are ideal for this upcoming autumn. Consider warmer shades (from left to right below) with red and coppers; Mid-Brown Copper, Light Brown Copper, Light Brown Red, and Dark Copper Gold are four of our favorite for 2020-2021 Autumn/Winter.

  MID BROWN COPPER

   LIGHT BROWN RED

  LIGHT BROWN COPPER

  DARK COPPER GOLD

We have 14 additional ammonium-free colors in stock at the salon and you can always schedule a Color Consultation at our salon to ensure that we have the right shade or "hue" for your hair. Consultations are 20 minutes long and are $15. The $15 consultation is credited back to you, as a discount, when you do come in for a hair care service. 

There are two ways to grow and maintain hair length. First and foremost, hair grows from the scalp. So, a healthy scalp will promote more hair growth. Secondly, hair length is retained at the ends. So, stronger hair that doesn’t break or split will retain its length. That’s why Huetiful created a glycolic acid-based treatment that significantly improves scalp health and strengthens textured hair.  

Huetiful's Glycolic Strengthening Treatment is made from glycolic acid derived from sugar cane. We don't just put a drop of it in the bottle so that we can claim that it's in there. The quantity and quality of the glycolic acid matters.

THE ROLE GLYCOLIC ACID PLAYS IN PROMOTING SCALP HEALTH

Dr. Melda Isaac, a board-certified dermatologist based in Washington, D.C., states that “glycolic acid has the ability to really get down into the hair follicles and loosen up any oils [sebum] naturally produced from the scalp” as well as product build-up.

Glycolic acid in hair treatments serves several functions; with the primary function being exfoliation. However, it can do more than just exfoliate. Glycolic acid has been clinically proven to help maintain moisture, strengthen hair and also prevent breakage. In addition, it increases textured hair’s ability to stay stronger at high temperatures like heat styling.

THE UNDER VALUED IMPORTANCE OF SCALP HEALTH

The scalp’s protective benefits for hair (such as ultraviolet radiation (UVR) screening, moisture retention, and shielding) are obvious. However, the role of the scalp as an incubatory or hair growth environment is often overlooked and under valued.

Huetiful is the first natural hair salon and natural hair care brand to use glycolic acid to facilitate a healthier scalp and stronger hair. In fact, 9 out of 10 clients recommend the Huetiful Glycolic Strengthening Treatment service. We hope that, as we did with hair steaming dating back to 2009, Huetiful will lead the way in a focus on scalp health.

THE SCIENCE OF IT ALL

The scalp is bordered by the face at the front and by the neck at the sides and back. It is characterized by a usually high density of hair growth with numerous sebaceous glands that contribute to a microenvironment with significant differences from the rest of the skin. The scalp is a rich environment for microbes, dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis and ultimately alopecia conditions.

THREE DIFFERENT SCALP HEALTH CHALLENGES

Scalp Aging affects hair color (graying) and hair production (alopecia).  In contrast, scalp aging does not appear to follow a perfectly regular course over time. Factors such as general health, nutritional status, and life style can accelerate scalp aging. Glycolic acid for the scalp, much like for facial skin, helps reduce the impact of scalp aging.

Dandruff is a skin condition that mainly affects the scalp. Symptoms include flaking and sometimes mild itchiness. A more severe form of the condition, which includes inflammation of the skin, is known as seborrhoeic dermatitis. Even a normal scalp will develop some degree of flaking within 1 or 2 weeks if the hair is not washed, while dandruff results from accelerated proliferation of skin cells. Glycolic acid helps prevent the symptoms that lead to flaking and itchiness.

Seborrheic dermatitis represents a chronic recurrent condition characterized by scaling and patches on the scalp. It is most common in areas rich in sebaceous glands like the scalp. In contrast to dandruff, in seborrheic dermatitis, the redness and scaling frequently extend beyond the scalp to include the folds of the nose and eyebrow areas. Seborrheic dermatitis can affect all people, but a lot of People of Color (both women and men) develop it.  When People of Color develop seborrheic dermatitis, it can cause not only scaling and flaking, but also unsightly discoloration (usually lighter than your skin tone) around your hairline, and sometimes even on your face.Glycolic acid helps eliminate scaling to provide healthier looking scalp and hair.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HUETIFUL'S GLYCOLIC TREATMENT here.