As women, we know that a good hairstyle is key to looking our best, hence our reasons for investing in good hairstylists, products and hair-care systems. For the most part we require looks that are flattering, affordable, durable, low maintenance and fabulous, which is a challenge for many. Our Under the Dryer team collaborated with expert hair-care professionals Christina Johnson, Tanesha Barrett and Stacey-Ann Brown of Salon Renaissance to show you a few trendy ‘dos that can last for up to a week.

(Photos: Karl McLarty)

Tanya Williams – Shapely Layers

Tanya has a very demanding schedule, so a trendy, low-maintenance ‘do is a must for her. She is only available during her one-hour lunch break, so her competent hairstylist Tanesha must be quick.

Tanesha’s Solution:

Since Tanya already has a layered haircut, Tanesha decides on moulded curls to frame her face and highlight the shape of the cut.

The Routine:

Tanesha first shampoos her hair, works in a little Creme of Nature Thermal Sheen Booster Kisii — a leave-in conditioner — for a soft texture, moulds it and places her under the dryer — moulding is similar to wrapping, but the technique is slightly different. When Tanya’s hair is dry, Tanesha then works in a dollop of Nairobi Recovery Volumizing Foaming Mousse for a natural yet firm hold. It also protects her hair during heat styling, which is a necessity for the next steps. Next, she applies Jamaican Mango & Lime Cactus Oil to Tanya’s scalp before using a ceramic flat iron to style the longer layers towards the front, and a fine-barrelled curling iron for the shorter areas in the back. Motions At Home Oil Sheen Spray is then spritzed over her tresses for added shine.

Why it works:

“This hairstyle is great for a career woman because the curls can last for up to a week. All Tanya has to do is tie her hair with a silk scarf before bed, then brush and go in the mornings”, Tanesha explains.

Jhenelle Smith – Regal Knots

Jhenelle loves her locks, and usually wears her hair in a ponytail or a semi updo, though she sometimes lets it down. However, she has not worn it in an elaborate style for quite some time, so she decided to visit Christina at Salon Renaissance for a new look.

Christina’s Solution:

“I’m going to re-tighten her locks and give her a nice, regal style to suit her face. I haven’t decided what it will be yet, it may be an updo, but definitely something that lasts a while and can be worn in several ways.”

The Routine:

Christina first shampoos Jhenelle’s hair with Jamaican Mango & Lime Tingle Shampoo and Protein Conditioner before towel-drying. She then applies Jamaican Mango & Lime Locking Gel and proceeds to re-tighten the locks using the palm-rolling process. After this is complete, she uses a few hairpins to secure Jhenelle’s locks to the crown of her head and places her under the dryer for half-an-hour to lock in the moisture and style. After Jhenelle’s hair is dried, she liberally applies Jamaican Mango & Lime Cactus Oil to her scalp before her assistant Stacey takes over to create Nubian knots, or ‘chiney bumps’ as we know it.

Why it works:

“Jhenelle wanted a very Afro-centric look, so we decided to give her the ‘chiney bumps’ she requested because the style really highlights her face. It lasts for a while and when she wants a new look, she can simply undo the knots and wear her hair down as it will be curly, which also lasts a long time,” Christina says.

Jhenelle’s take:

“I love it; it makes me feel very pretty” (smiles).

Trudy-Ann Pryce – Edgy meets Classy

Trudy-Ann wanted a very classy hairstyle with a bit of edge to represent both facets of her personality. Tanesha knew just what to do.

Tanesha’s Solution:

“People generally don’t want to ‘set’ their hair with rollers because they believe that it provides them with limited styling options. I plan to use Trudy’s hairstyle to show how versatile it really is”.

The Routine:

Tanesha first shampoos Trudy-Ann’s hair before applying Creme of Nature Thermal Sheen Booster Kisii leave-in conditioner to her wet mane ahead of drying. When Trudy-Ann’s hair is dry, she removes the rollers, using her fingers to tease the curls for fuller volume. A dab of King Professional Bees Wax is combed through her tresses from the roots to the middle of the strands with a rat-tail comb, which is used to sweep her hair to the centre to create a faux hawk, and secure it with hairpins. Tanesha also applies a dab of SoftSheen Carson Let’s Jam Shining & Conditioning Gel around her hairline, using a soft-bristled brush to seal it in. Flashy Hair Washable Colour & Glitter Spray in blue was liberally spritzed over her curls to create highlights.

Why it works:

“The hairstyle is classy enough for a special occasion, versatile enough for the office, and the hint of blue colour gives it an edgy look,” Tanesha says.

Lorraine Campbell – ’50s Chic

Lorraine usually wears her hair short, but she has now decided to let it grow out and try a longer look for a change. Christina’s challenge is to create a look that is trendy, durable and inspires her to maintain her hair at the current length, rather than opting for another cropped hairdo.

Christina’s Solution:

“I’m going to give Lorraine some drop curls, but not the clichéd look, drop curls with a twist. It will be a refreshing change.”

The Routine:

Lorraine’s hair is first shampooed and towel-dried Christina then applies a leave-in conditioner – Creme of Nature Thermal Sheen Booster Kisii — to Lorraine’s wet hair and a dollop of Nairobi Recovery Volumizing Foaming Mousse is worked through her curls; she is then placed under the dryer for a few minutes. When this is finished, Christina applies King Professional Bees Wax to her tresses ahead of curling with a barrel-heated curling iron, which is used to create “large, soft, loose curls”. She then finger-styles Lorraine’s hair, teasing her hair strands to separate the curls for fuller volume, which creates a ’50s-inspired look. Motions At Home Oil Sheen Spray was then spritzed onto her tresses for added shine.

Why it works:

“This hairstyle is perfect for Lorraine’s face. It is very stylish and vintage, and shows that there is more than one way to wear drop curls,” Christina explains.

Lorraine’s Take:

“This is so cute! I really, really like it.”

Kareen Gooden – Unexpected Flips

Short hair is perfect for Kareen’s demanding schedule, so she chose a face-flattering pixie cut as her style of choice. She wanted a quick shampoo and style, so she paid Salon Renaissance a lunch-hour visit to get the job done.

The Routine:

Stacey quickly shampoos Kareen’s hair, towel-dries it and works in a dollop of Nairobi Recovery Volumizing Foaming Mousse ahead of moulding and placing her under the dryer for a few minutes. When the process is complete, Tanesha takes over, using a fine-barrelled curling iron to style her hair, creating a few unexpected flips towards the crown. King Professional Bees Wax is used to hold the curls in place and add moisture to her tresses, and Motions At Home Oil Sheen Spray for a bit of sheen.

Why it works:

“It’s a very hot look — quick, easy and it lasts for a while,” Tanesha says.

Jheanelle Reid – Combination Curls

Jheanelle was a bit undecided about her hair, as she had previously gotten a haircut, relaxed it and dyed it blonde, but is now trying to grow out the colour and will decide on her next look soon.

The Solution:

The knowledgeable hairstylists (Christina and Tanesha) decide to relax her hair and create a curly ‘do for her, as opposed to the straight look she usually wears.

The Routine:

Christina first relaxes Jhanelle’s hair with Motions Oil Moisturiser Hair Relaxer, then applies Creme of Nature Thermal Sheen Booster Kisii to her hair ahead of moulding and placing her under the dryer. When this is complete, Tanesha takes over, working a dollop of King Professional Bees Wax through her tresses before using a barrel-heated curling iron to create a combination of drop curls and ‘indentation curls’. She then uses her fingers to tease Jheanelle’s curls a bit before spritzing a generous amount of Motions At Home Oil Sheen Spray over her tresses to complete the look.

Why it works:

“The combination of drop curls and indentation curls (flips) with the addition of the straight fringe in the front is very fresh and unexpected,” Tanesha says.

“And the style will begin to look different and even better as it gets stale,” Christina added.

Hair & Make-up by:

Christina Johnson, Tanesha Barrett and Stacey-Ann Brown of:

Salon Renaissance, Shop 14, 7th Avenue Plaza, Kingston 10.

Email: christinanailworld@gmail.com

Tel: 418-6520