When dealing with multicultural clients. A lot of stylists confuse their ethnicity with their hair texture or type. Multicultural is who the client identify themselves as. I have encountered a lot of unsatisfied clients because the stylist did not determine the hair texture. They determined how the client looked as opposed to analyzing the texture of hair.
In this day and time their are a lot of blended families and everyone in the household may not have the same hair texture. The parent or caregiver at the time may not have knowledge of how to maintain hair that they have never encountered or have never had to care for. Knowledge is key. The person that left to maintain this mane first thought is to take a visit to the hair salon. This is where the mishap sometimes began.
When choosing a salon make sure that the stylist is used to working with all textures of hair. You cannot perform the same service on a client with straight hair the same way as if you had a client with textured hair. It is very possible, but the results would vary. You have relaxers, perms, keratin treatments and many other services that are available for different hair textures. It is up to your stylist to determine which is right for your hair type.
Products also make a difference in the results of your hair. Textured hair sometimes may be a little dryer than most hair types and may require a shampoo with a little more moisture where as hair with less texture may not need as much. A persons texture can be curly, straight, kinky,coarse, or fine. We can go on all day about texture but that does not determine who's head those textures are produced on.
As a professional stylist I frequent with a lot of customers who feels really bad because they do not know. I remember a conversation that I had, and someone told me that their multicultural family member had contracted lice at school. She stated that she didn't think she could catch it because she was multicultural. I had to explain that it did not matter of her ethnicity, it was all about the hair texture.
There are a lot of myths, fairy tales, and urban legends surrounding all phases of hair. The key to a healthy mane is to determine the products and services that are right for your hair type no matter what color your skin may appear to be. Do not be afraid to ask for home maintenance. Consult a professional stylist to determine what products and services are right for your hair type. I have learned we don't have to love our locs but we do have to embrace and nurture them. My motto in the salon is A Pathway To Beautiful Hair. Find Your Path.
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