askpixie.

05.29.04

Hi.  I came across your web page and thought that I could maybe offer some advice or at least some insight to people who are asking about the whole highlighting and TR issue.  I had really long hair with a single process and highlights.  I went to Sei-Tomoko in NYC (13th street location) upon recommendation and had a consultation.  She told me that my hair would suffer to some extent if I did the TR and she said she would not do it if she felt it would ruin my hair.  I have fine hair but a lot of it and it was curly as in wavy and frizzy (weather permitting).  After just hating my summer hair-do I decided to go for it.  I told her I wasn't good at the whole blowing-with-a-brush thing and she said I could use one of those brushes that looks like a flat-iron but that actually has the brushes on both side instead of the metal plates.  She told me that I should expect that the highlighted parts of my hair, the crown, mainly would not take on the same smooth texture as the rest of my hair that was unhighlighted and that I would indeed have to blow the top with a brush while the rest of it I could just toss my fingers through it.  ALSO, I had to get a lot of it cut off...that's the deal, your ends can't be all scraggly or they split and frizz.

So it's been 3 or 4 weeks now since I had it done and here are the results:

My hair is straight, but not thin straight, but more voluminous straight....more like Heather Locklear texture than let's say a Courtney Cox but it is straight.  Also, I have to use this Japanese shampoo and conditioner and a blow-drying spray as well as a finishing serum.  The first few times I had to blow it I used the brush and it was eating my hair alive.  Then I tried to use the finger-pull on the whole head and it was straight but not smooth.  Now I am using a comb attachment for the blow dryer and it is working out the best.  BUT, my hair is feeling it.  The highlighted parts got lighter from the procedure.  In addition I have a LOT of fly-away hairs that I didn't have before and the ends seem to not look very healthy on the highlighted sections.  The other parts are beautiful though.

Overall I am very happy with my decision to go ahead and do this BUT I think it's really important to go to someone who really knows what they are doing if you have highlights because for me, she adjusted the strength and the time the formula stayed on and that is what saved my hair.  Don't be fooled....it's not as easy as rolling out of bed and having stick straight hair.  You gotta fuss a little, which I guess is not a bad price to pay if you have always wanted straight hair.  You also find yourself carrying around an umbrella a lot more. 

Hope this helps :)

-Stephanie

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