Made-to-measure haircare

BY: Rea McNamara

Trust a professional when it comes to retexturizing treatments

"There aren't many places in Toronto that provide a sound and biochemically careful relaxer service," says Christos Cox, owner of UrbanTextures Salons. "We promise bouncy, behaving and, more importantly, healthy hair." The hair specialist knows a thing or two about taming your mane. Below is essential advice for every season.

READING THE LABEL According to Cox, manufacturer instructions (important label info outlining treatment times) are, more often than not, ignored by hairdressers. "Most of the hairdressers have never read the bottle that the relaxer comes in; they only do what they're told by someone else. Some even assume that the product can be left on the hair for 20 to 30 minutes, and in some cases, 40 to 45 minutes! Any retexturizing isn't allowed to sit on hair that long � no matter how coarse your hair is."

CHEMICALLY-SPEAKING The common chemical in relaxing services is hydroxide. Yup, the same chemical found in hair depilatories like Nair. "Hair relaxing should be considered as serious a service to a hairstylist as open-heart surgery is to a surgeon," says Cox. "If not done properly, not only will your hair fall out, but you can end up with permanent baldness." For clients with a sensitive scalp that's prone to burning during the relaxing process, UrbanTextures recommends using milder-strength products, and, according to Cox, any professional salon will know the difference.

DAMAGE "Elasticity is the power of hair to stretch when you comb and thermo-style it," explains Cox. "But it has less of that ability when it's over-relaxed; that's why it's all over your bathroom floor, on your shoulders, in your husband's mouth." So look for signs of shedding hair, a clear signal to immediately book a weekly moisturizing treatment.

TRUST A TRAINED SPECIALIST Cox advises to be wary of stylists quick to make a buck on "overlapping relaxers" or have a poor understanding of the "line of demarcation" that separates the old, chemically-treated hair from the new growth. (It goes without saying that you should only apply relaxer to new growth.) "Be careful about doing double processes," says Cox. "Do the relaxer first, then two to four weeks later, follow up with hair colouring. This will give your hair the necessary time it needs to return to its natural state in between treatments."

The MIZANI low-down

At UrbanTextures Salons, Cox swears by Mizani's Curl-Care Complex System. The anti-breakage technology with vitamin E and jojoba oil infuses moisture deep into the hair sealing the cuticles. In addition to Mizani, Cox also likes the Affirm and FiberGuard systems by Avlon, developed by Dr. Ali Sayed, one of the world's top chemists in the field of haircare science. Says Cox: "The most exciting research in multi-textured hair is taking place right now in L'Oreal laboratories."

Post-treatment dos & dont's

DO towel dry your hair before conditioning or you will dilute the power of your moisturizer.

DON'T sleep on cotton � use a satin pillowcase or tie your hair with a silk scarf.

DO use products with thermal protection every time you use heat on your hair.

DON'T flat iron your hair every day. Plus, you shouldn't flat iron a section more than three times in between shampoos.