​It’s safe to say that most women have had at least some experience with hair dye. Whether it was out of a box and done in the bathroom sink, or while sitting in a chair at a salon, most of us have at least done it once.

Of course, there are different kinds of hair dye these days, some more expensive and sophisticated than others, but most were derived from the accidental discovery of a hair color-changing substance by French chemists in the 1800s.

Before that, there was no single agreed-upon way to change the color of your hair. Of course, that didn’t stop people from developing all sorts of interesting techniques to switch their shades.

Some are dangerous, some are gross, and some are plain confusing.

One thing is for sure — they will make you appreciate your current standing appointment, even if it’s with a box from the drug store.

1. Henna In Ancient Egypt

Wikimedia Commons / The Yorck Project

The Ancient Egyptians are legendary for their innovation. In the hair department, this involved the use of henna to darken what was often graying hair.

Another solution for pesky grays was to shave your hair off altogether and sport a wig, which was also often dyed with henna. Today henna is most commonly used for temporary tattoos.

2. Fermented Leeches In Ancient Greece

Wikimedia Commons / Marie-Lan Nguyen

Dark hair was all the rage in Ancient Greece. They found that the most effective permanent formula consisted of leeches fermented in lead vessels.

3. Sulfuric Acid In Renaissance Europe

Flickr / callmekato

In a book called Delightes for Ladies published in 1602 during the Renaissance, they suggest a substance called Oyle of Vitrioll to transform and lighten their hair. It is mentioned that it should be kept away from the skin, which makes sense because it’s sulfuric acid.

4. Ashes And Nuts In Ancient Rome

Wikimedia Commons / Yann Forget

There was a law in Ancient Rome that required all prostitutes to have blonde hair. If a prostitute wasn’t blonde, she would have to make herself so via a wig or by coloring her hair with the ashes of burned plants and nuts.

5. Gold Flakes In Wealthier Ancient Rome

Flickr / Ancient World Image Bank NYU

On the other hand, wealthy Romans also enjoyed golden locks. Emperor Commodus is said to have powdered his white hair with actual gold flakes.

6. Volcanic Rock In The Maasai Tribe

Flickr / Karen Blixen

Warriors from the Maasai Tribe in Kenya would color their hair red to make themselves look more fearsome. Their formula of choice came from natural pigments in volcanic rock, mixed with animal fat to make a paint-like texture. The Maasai people still exist today.

7. Horse Urine In Medieval Times

Wikimedia Commons / Web Gallery of Art

Women who wanted to lighten their hair during this time in history would sometimes reach for formulas whose main ingredient was horse urine.

8. Saffron And Sulfur In The Elizabethan Era

Wikipedia / George Gower

During the Dark Ages, red hair was supposedly a symbol of witchcraft. However, when Queen Elizabeth I came into power, her red hair became fashionable. Some wealthy ladies tried to achieve the Queen’s hue with a mixture of saffron and sulfur, which would not have been pleasing to smell at all.

9. Goat Fat In Viking Times

Pixabay / Alseeger

During the Viking age, it was the men who were much more likely to color their hair. The remains of Viking warriors reveal that they used a type of strongly basic soap called lye to lighten and redden their beards. Lye is made out of goat fat and ashes.

This article was originally published here

​Hello,

You may have seen or read in the news earlier today that the Governor has issued new Guidances on expanding personal care services outside.  I posted the pertinent information for you below.

While this may seem great, this is not a feasible option for many hairstylist and salons in California.  These new "outdoor" guidelines are still limited to providing services outside of a licensed establishment.   Most salons whether they be in a neighborhood, a mall, a strip mall, or, like our salon, a high rise building do not have access to outdoor space.

We also need to keep in mind that many cities and counties have shut down many, if not all, outdoor social activities.

As much as I wish this were good news for all of us, it still does not move anything forward in regards to me being able to safely provide you with your much needed hair care services.  In my humble opinion, the indoor space of our salon is still a much safer, sanitized, disinfected, and regulated environment for you and me.

I will continue to keep you posted as new information becomes available.

Stay healthy and sane (as best you can).  
And #MaskUp

- Brian ✂️

This is is what the new "outdoor" guidelines specify (link posted below): 

* Outdoor operations may be conducted under a tent, canopy, or other sun shelter as long as no more than one side is closed, allowing sufficient outdoor air movement.

* Salons should not perform a service that would require a customer to have to enter the establishment. 

Other Considerations for Moving Work Outdoors:
* Rewiring and the use of electrical extension cords can increase the likelihood of electrical hazards, including fire and electrocution. Ensure that outdoor operations comply with Cal/OSHA and all code requirements. See Cal/OSHA’s Guide to Electrical Safety for more information.

* Ensure there are no tripping hazards from cords or other equipment in outdoor work areas.

* Use shade or other skin protection when not under shade.

* Stop operations, move away from electrical wiring and equipment and seek indoor shelter if there is lightning within 6 miles of your location (see the FEMA “30/30 rule”).

Expanded Personal Care Services Provided Outdoors

Surfer hair is one of those hairstyles that are referred to as tousled. The hair is intentionally made to look unkempt, disheveled and messy to create a relaxed impression. It appears as if you’ve spent long hours under the scorching tropical sun, with salty sea water and gentle breeze shaping your locks. Though, with the right styling products and approach, you can achieve such an appealing hairstyle without leaving home. Already feeling intrigued? Then check out our ultimate guide to the surfer’s hair look.

How To Get Surfer Hair
Surfer’s hair begins with medium shag haircuts, thus to nail the look, your hair should be of the neck length at the back, chin length on the sides and eye length at the front. Hence, when considering a beach hair style, ensure that you have enough will and patience to grow your locks. As for the texture, don’t bother adding any waves or curls. They will come with length, so let nature do its business.

How To Style The Haircut
When looking for the ways how to style long hairstyles for men often misjudge that because of its length, the styling of the surfer haircut requires a lot of time and effort. In reality, you can achieve the perfect surfer hair by simply going with a “bed-head”. Although, for the added enhancement, follow these simple steps:

1. Wash your hair and dry it with a towel.
2. Apply a salt-infused product with a matte finish and either leave the hair air dry or blow dry with a diffuser.
3. Optionally, add a touch of shine with a pomade.

Men’s Surfer Hair
One of the main advantages of a surfer hair style is its versatility. You can style it in naturally hanging loose locks or get a skater haircut and play with the hair on top. You can even add a formal air to it by brushing back with a blob of pomade. For more inspiration on the look, here’s our handpicked gallery of the best surfer hairstyles.

Tousled Hairstyle
This short on sides long on top haircut is a modern take on classic surfer mens haircuts. Thanks to the cropped sides, you get a clean and defined look appropriate for different social occasions while the prominent sun bleached hair on top reminds of a tousled origin of this style.

Long Surfer Hair Style  
Long wavy haircuts are arguably the best option if you want to pull off a surfer hair style. Paired with a coarse full beard, these soft and mellow waves create a perfect merman look. All you need to do is to arm oneself with patience, as both the hair and beard require some time to grow.

Curly Surfer Hair With Beard
If you’re not after long mens haircut styles that much, go for a medium-length haircut then. The blonde highlights men usually add to random strands enhance the appearance of the sun-bleached hair for a more authentic look whereas the mid-length beard brings it a dose of masculinity.

Curly Medium Style
The beach hairstyles are most complimentary for those guys whose hair texture is naturally curly or wavy. To ace the surfer hair style, they simply should let their hair grow until the coils begin to form and wear it loose. Several bleached streaks here and there won’t hurt though.

Parted Tousled Medium Hair
Here’s another good example of medium-length guys haircuts for a surfer look. Similar to the undercut long hair on top, this mid-length hairstyle can be harnessed on any occasion, from casual to formal. You can add an elegant twist to the style by pushing the front section to the side, thus dividing the hair with a natural side part.

Straight Layered Blonde Hair
Blonde hair men are bound to try a surfer hairstyle at least once. They can skip on the dyeing job and simply get one of the shaggy haircuts to pull off the beach boy look.

Long Flowing Hair
Shoulder length blonde hair styled falling on one side is a perfect fit for a beachy ambiance. To achieve more volume and texture, get one of the layered mens hair cuts all over the head.

Surfer Short Hair Style
To get the surfer look right with the short haircut styles for men, you should focus on layering instead of growing. The best haircuts for men are stylish, low-maintenance and hassle-free, which is exactly what a short surfer hairstyle is about.

From Mens Hair Cuts

On average, hair tends to grow between 0.5 and 1.7 centimeters per month. This is equivalent to around 0.2 to 0.7 inches.

This estimate comes from The Trichological Society. However, lots of different factors affect the speed of hair growth.

Males, for example, may find that their hair grows faster than that of females. Other things that influence the speed of hair growth include genetics, age, health, and pregnancy.

Bone marrow, which is the soft substance present inside the bones, is the only part of the body that grows faster than hair.

The lips, palms of the hands, and soles of the feet are the only parts of the body on which hair does not grow. The main purpose of hair is to protect the body and keep it warm.
​
Keep reading for more information on how hair grows and the various factors that affect the speed of its growth.

People are born with around 5 million hair follicles. These are little pockets in the skin that hair grows out of.

Around 100,000 of these follicles are on the scalp. People with oval shaped follicles have very curly hair, while those with round follicles have straight hair.

The stages of hair growth are as follows:

1. Each follicle contains a hair root, which is made of cells of protein.
2. As blood circulates around the body, it delivers oxygen and nutrients to the protein cells, which they need to multiply.
3. As the protein cells multiply, they build hair, which pushes up through the skin.
4. As the hair grows out of the skin, it passes an oil gland. This lubricates the hair with the oil it needs to stay soft and shiny.
5. By the time the hair is long enough to come through the skin, it is dead. As a new hair grows underneath, it pushes the dead hair out of the skin. The hair then falls out or is shed.

Not all hair follicles are in action at the same time. Follicles on the scalp, for example, will grow hair for a few years before becoming inactive for a period. This inactive part of the hair growth cycle is called telogen.

People lose around 50–100 hairs from their body every day as part of the normal hair growth cycle.

Factors That Influence Hair Growth

Everyone’s hair is different, and lots of factors can influence how quickly it grows.
These include:

• Genetics: A person’s genes will dictate how quickly their hair will grow.
• Sex: Male hair grows faster than female hair.
• Age: Hair grows fastest between the ages of 15 and 30, before slowing down. Some follicles stop working altogether as people get older. This is why some people get thinner hair or go bald.
• Nutrition: Good nutrition is essential for the growth and maintenance of healthy hair.

Telogen Effluvium

Telogen effluvium occurs when stress prompts the hair roots to enter the telogen stage of the hair cycle too early. It can mean that as many as 70% of scalp hairs fall out within about 2 months.

People experiencing telogen effluvium often find that their hair comes out in handfuls. It is usually most noticeable on the scalp but can affect any part of the body.

Common causes of telogen effluvium include:

• childbirth
• high fever
• severe infection
• severe illness
• surgery
• overactive or underactive thyroid gland
• not eating enough protein

Several medications can also cause telogen effluvium. These include:

• retinoids
• beta-blockers
• calcium channel blockers
• antidepressants
• nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen

Telogen effluvium will usually clear up on its own once a person has sought treatment for the cause. According to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology, the amount of shedding tends to decrease over a period of around 6–8 months.

Can You Make Hair Grow More Quickly?

According to The Trichological Society, there is little evidence to suggest that using special shampoos or taking supplements can make hair grow any quicker.

​Good nutrition is an important part of healthy hair growth. This is because the living part of the hair (the root) receives its nutrients from the blood.

Adopting a healthful diet containing fruit, vegetables, grains, and an appropriate amount of fat will promote healthy hair.

Specific foods that can promote healthy hair include:

• Fish: Fish contains essential omega-3 fatty acids, protein, vitamin B-12, and iron, all of which prevent a dry scalp and stop hair from looking dull in color.
• Dark green vegetables: These contain high levels of vitamin A and C, which help keep hair in good condition.
• Legumes: These are full of protein, which promotes hair growth and helps prevent weak and brittle hair.
• Biotin: A biotin deficiency can lead to brittle hair or hair loss. Whole grains, liver, egg yolk, soy flour, and yeast all contain biotin.
• Nuts: These are a good source of selenium, which is important for a healthy scalp. Some nuts also contain alpha-linoleic acid and zinc. These help condition the hair and prevent shedding.
• Low fat dairy products: These are good sources of calcium, which is another key component in hair growth.

Factors That Slow Hair Growth

Factors that can slow the rate of hair growth include:

• crash diets
• eating disorders, such as anorexia or bulimia
• stress
• smoking
• vitamin deficiencies

Summary
 
Everyone’s hair grows at different rates. Many factors — including genetics, sex, and age — can influence the speed of hair growth.

Hair grows out of follicles, which are small pockets inside the skin. Each follicle contains a hair root, which is made of protein cells. As the blood vessels feed the roots with oxygen and nutrients, they multiply and grow into hair.
​
There is little evidence to suggest that specialist shampoo or supplements can speed the rate of hair growth. Instead, eating a nutritious diet that includes plenty of protein is essential for healthy hair.

​COVID-19 is a secret predator. The nature of my work is very intimate and breaches the 6-foot distancing recommendation, now 30 feet in some situations. This means even stricter protocols are necessary. By asking me to come to your home or cut your hair outdoors you are asking me to break the Stay-at-Home order and put a few things at risk.  First would be both your and my heath, safety, and well-being. We are not of the same households nor have we been self-quarantining together. Next would be my license and career, basically my livelihood. I have invested too much to foolishly risk having that taken away.  Reopening the salon, even with the highest cleaning, sanitation, and disinfection protocols in place, has its own risks.  But at least in the salon, we are doing our best to protect you (and ourselves) in somewhat of a controlled and hopefully safe environment.