What is the minimum hairdressing equipment a hairdresser needs?

For a basic wash, cut and finish, all a hairdresser needs is a good pair of scissors, both sharp and comfortable to use and a couple of good professional combs. It is a good idea to have more than one comb in case one is lost or damaged. Thinning scissors are not essential, but will become useful when you explore new styles, combinations and textures. A nice wallet or small case to store your scissors and comb is a good idea because it keeps them neat, safe, clean and easy to find and store. You will need around half a dozen hair clips that you find easy to use. They must be strong enough to hold the hair in place but gentle enough to stop any damage to hair. A hairdresser will also need a water spray bottle to keep the hair slick and wet when cutting hair.

For drying and styling, a good professional hairdryer with multiple speeds and heat combinations is needed. You will also need a basic blow drying and styling brush. You could also have a set of round brushes for blow drying and styling, but this is not essential.

This is the basic minimum hairdressing equipment a hairdresser needs to complete a basic wash, cut and finish, minus any products.

But what about hairdressing products?

Besides shampoo and conditioner for when the hair is being washed, what products are needed to complete a basic wash, cut and finish? This depends on the style that is to be achieved. When blow drying you can use a styling mousse to give control and lift to the hair. When the hair has been dried and the style is short you could use a good wax or gel to hold and complete the look. If the style is long and wavy or curly you could use a mild hairspray to give a little hold to the finished look. There are many professional products to use on hair that will help to achieve a different finish. They use words like body, shine, lift, hold, bounce etc… Only with experimentation will you know what works best for what look you are trying to achieve.

Compared to the many hairdressing tools and products that are available to the hairdresser, a hairdresser only needs a minimal amount of hairdressing equipment to cut, style and create a finished look.

Many shampoos and conditioners in the hairdressing industry contain what is known as the vitamin B complex. It is used in many hair products because it strengthens hair follicles. What you may not know is that part of the vitamin B complex is a vitamin called vitamin H (or biotin).

Vitamin H has been called ‘the hair vitamin’. Not because it promotes a healthy head of hair, but because a deficiency in vitamin H can lead to thinning of your hair and eventually hair loss. It can also create dry scaly skin and is also the cause of greying hair.

Vitamin H (Biotin) can be depleted in the body by alcohol. So the morning after the night before may be the reason your hair could be suffering as much as your head. And if your lifestyle involves many nights out with a drink or two then the balance of vitamin H in your body could be going up and down like a Yo Yo causing your hair to suffer regularly.

Eating foods that contain vitamin H can restore the balance. Vitamin H is found in many foods. Here is a short list.

Most fruits and vegetables (particularly apples)
Soybeans
Sardines
Whole grains (wholemeal bread)
Dry roasted peanuts
Brewer’s yeast (marmite)
Egg yolks

It is interesting to note, however, that although egg yolks are high in vitamin H, raw egg whites are not and in fact prevent the body absorbing vitamin H (biotin). So if you are one of those health conscious people that take regular exercise to keep your body in shape, you may want to start thinking about your hair too and reconsider having that raw egg shake every morning.

It is not all doom and gloom however. Vitamin H is naturally created by the body and a deficiency in vitamin H is quite hard to achieve. But an up and down lifestyle or irregular eating habits could be having an affect on your levels of vitamin H and in turn could cause problems for your hair in the future.

You can’t overdose on vitamin H either. So if you are worried about thinning hair or going grey too early, it can’t hurt to stock the body up on the many foods that contain vitamin H. After all, you are what you eat!

What are hair etchings?

Also known as hair carving or hair tattoos, hair etching is a technique used in hairdressing to add imagery to sections of short hair. For a while now, guys who have predominantly short hair, have been leaving the barbers with a couple of tram lines neatly clippered into their hair to give them a little more individuality. In the last few years however, these tram lines have become more and more detailed. Ditching the clippers and using a cut throat razor has opened the doors to some amazing new hair art.

What is the technique?

A section of the scalp is clippered very short and a cut throat razor is used to shave a freehand design onto the scalp. The design can then be further enhanced by using colour. As hair continually grows, the design will only last 3 to 4 weeks. Think of it as a temporary hair tattoo.

But isn’t this just for guys?

Apparently not! Women too have been very fast to take advantage of this artistic hair technique, using it to accessorize a hairstyle. These bangs everyone is talking about is a perfect example of a style that can be further enhanced by adding a small hair etching.

Why would I want a hair etching?

Imagine for a moment that you are going out somewhere special. You shop for a new dress or outfit and accessorize the look with new earrings, bangles ect. You then get your hair styled and a small hair etching added to the nape of your neck to match your new earrings or the colour and pattern of your dress. Like a temporary tattoo, a small hair etching can bring the whole look together and will definitely turn heads on that special evening out.

Is hair etching for me?

Granted, hair etching isn’t for everyone. But for those daring enough and when it is done right, hair etching can open up a whole new world of fun that you can have with your hair. As they say, the only limitation is your imagination and being temporary means you can have a different hair etching time and time again. Hair etching isn’t just for the guys anymore and women are taking hair etching to an all new level.

To see more amazing hair etchings visit the hair gallery at oojufink.com

Bangs are one of the easiest ways to transform your look without changing the overall length of the hair and the results are definitely visible. Depending on personal preference, face shape, hair type and facial features one can determine which bangs style to select. There is a bangs hairstyle for everyone, all you need to do is find out which one suits you best and you can easily do this by turning towards a professional hairstylist.

There are a variety of benefits one can obtain through bangs hairstyles and this helps bangs hairstyles maintain their popularity. Bangs can be created on all hair types and that they can be adapted to each and every individual and the most popular bangs styles to choose from are definitely:

>  Choppy bangs
>  Straight across cut or blunt bangs
>  Side swept bangs
>  Baby bangs
>  Asymmetric cut bangs

These bangs can be adapted to suit your style perfectly so try to select the bangs which look best on you. In 2011 blunt bangs hairstyles are making a huge comeback but keep in mind that for this the bangs need to be cut thick so the forehead is not visible through the hairs. These bangs are perfect for women with medium as well as long hairstyles and especially perfect for women with sleek straight hair. However if you don’t have sleek straight hair you can opt to straighten your blunt bangs using a flat iron and allow the rest of the hair to remain natural, the result being equally fabulous and popular.

Side swept bangs are the most popular choice among women as these bangs style suit most face shapes and help soften the facial features. A side swept bangs hairstyle can have a very seductive and sexy look so adapt the length to suit your personality and face shape. Opt for razored bangs for an edgier and fun look or go for soft layered bangs if you want to radiate sensuality.

Women who want a more powerful, bold look which will make them stand out can opt for an asymmetric cut bangs style. The edgy cut of the bangs will suit perfectly confident women which feature a short or medium long hairstyle. Pay attention to details such as the width of your forehead so you can obtain a perfectly balanced look.

Experiment with different bangs hairstyles and find the one which matches your personality and style best so you can look stunning every time!

Contributor: HairstylesDesign.com is a community dedicated to the beauty of hairstyles! Browse the huge hairstyle galleries, read up on the latest fashion trends and get useful beauty tips. Make sure to check out our  Facebook page for regular content updates.

You know how to shampoo, cut and style your clients hair proficiently, but that is not all a prospective employer is looking for. They want a hairdresser that can provide more than just the physical service of attending to a client’s hair.

Good communication skills are not only needed to understand a client’s needs but to give advice and allow a client to feel comfortable and in safe hands. In this way any misunderstandings can be avoided. A hairdresser needs to be confident and outgoing. They need to be able to socialise with many different types of people and genuinely show an interest in their clients.

Being able to work as part of a team is also essential as most hairdressing salons have several members of staff. A higher level of efficiency can be attained when working together which can produce a better level of service to the client over all.

An understanding of changing fashion trends and a flair for creativity is essential in having a long and successful hairdressing career. An awareness of Health and Safety in the salon is also important and must be apparent at all times.

A willingness to learn new hairdressing skills, techniques and methods shows commitment to having a lengthy career in hairdressing.

Most hairdressing salons are open 6 days a week with Fridays and Saturdays being the busiest days. A hairdresser must be prepared to work on their feet for long hours and still enjoy what they do.

There is much more to getting the hairdressing job you want than just the skills and qualifications you have gained. Commitment, determination and a love of hairdressing will eventually give you experience. This experience will give you the ability to provide a great level of hairdressing service to any client and hopefully it will give you a very happy and successful career in hairdressing.

“If it’s about hair they want to know!”

They also run a Hairdressing Directory for business readers – if you are a provider of services to the hairdressing industry, they invite you to add your details to their free Directory – So if you run a business and need a free listing just visit http://www.hairdressing.co.uk/directory/ and click Submit a Listing.

What are you waiting for? It’s FREE!

The GHD brand sets the standard when it comes to professional heat styling products. Quality products create quality results.

Take a look at the features:

- Static-free shine is guaranteed with the use of Ceramic Heaters.
- Flicks, curls, kinks and waves are created using the rounded barrel.
- Pressure is kept evenly ditributed across your hair using unique floating plates.
- Travel anywhere with the use of a universal voltage control.
- If unattended the Styler will turn off after 30 minutes with it’s safety sleep mode.
- The cord is kept tangle free with a swivel cord attachment.
- On/Off Button; No need to unplug it anymore!

All this is great but what is the cost of the GHD Styler? At the time of publishing the Gorgeous Shop has the GHD Mini Styler selling at £119 in their Christmas Sale. Not only that, but you can save a further £5 when you spend £60 at the Gorgeous Shop using a special voucher code.

Just enter this code at checkout:

GHD Voucher Code – GS2786842

Promotion Expires – 30-11-2011

The GHD Gold Mini Styler from the Gorgeous Shop.

Commercial mortgages are available for hairdressing entrepreneurs who are looking to purchase their salon premises. Purchasing the premises has many benefits, the main one being although mortgage repayments will be made each month, unlike rent one day these payments will end. Also the property could become an excellent investment if the value of the property increases over time. Furthermore although the initial commercial mortgage repayments may seem quite a struggle to begin with, over time they will only fluctuate as interest rates change. Rents tend to increase and keep on increasing, so in 10 or 15 years they maybe considerably more than they are today.

However, purchasing may not be an option and renting premises with a lease can also be an excellent alternative. Business loans may be available from you bank, but you can also look elsewhere for options such as asset finance.

To help fund equipment purchases or to rent up to date quality equipment, hire purchase, finance lease and asset finance can be great options. With asset finance you basically rent your equipment and pay monthly payments to the asset finance company. Arrangements can often be made by which after the asset finance period ends you can buy the equipment from the asset finance company for a small nominal sum. This is a great way to equip your hairdressing salon with up to date equipment without depleting your bank balance. As the equipment then goes to work and makes money it can pay for itself each month.

Asset finance can also be used to finance equipment that you already own in order to provide a cash injection, something that is worth remembering if the bank decides to pull your overdraft facility or you have a large unexpected bill to suddenly pay.

Finally there is an invoice finance or factoring facility available for retail businesses like hairdressing salons. It is based on PDQ sales and can provide a cash advance based on the volume of sales. This is then paid back over a period of up to 6 months from future PDQ sales. The money raised can be used for purchasing stock, equipment, paying advertising costs, rent, rates, credit consolidation or to just provide a cash injection for the business.

Now we have discovered that medical staff, whilst walking around in hospitals wearing Crocs can discharge static into medical equipment and consequently they have been banned in some hospitals. A report claimed that the Croc wearer caused ‘clouds of lightening’ due to a build up of electricity.

Should we hairdressers be concerned that whilst holding our electric hairdryers or hair straighteners whilst wearing Crocs on our feet will  cause our clients hair to be so full of static that their hair may stand on end. Or could something even more sinister happen like a bit of a shock? Will we have  have to ask our Croc wearing clients to leave their foot wear at the door?

So whatever gets you through the day, whether it is 6 inch plus heels, boots, flip flops, or running shoes, happy feet are essential for comfort and safety in any hairdressing salon.

Source: Hair Heads

The Japanese steel blades, have been hand ground and triple heat treated for a smooth and precise hair cutting experience. They are slim and very lightweight, but their perfectly balenced design allows for both sharpness and accuracy. They have an adjustable tension system to get the right feel and a removable finger rest.

But added to their professional build and high performance, they also look great with their unique stripe affect which can be customized with a choice of plain or coloured finger inserts.

All you have to do is pick your blade size which is available in 4.5″, 5.0″ or 5.5″ models.

GLAMTECH SLIM ZEBRA PROFESSIONAL SCISSORS (4.5″)

GLAMTECH SLIM ZEBRA PROFESSIONAL SCISSORS (5.0″)

GLAMTECH SLIM ZEBRA PROFESSIONAL SCISSORS (5.5″)