It’s no surprise to us… Ouidad has become quite a hit on HSN (Home Shopping Network).  In fact, they have even built us a signature production set… a true sign that you are up and coming in the world of television. This is really an exciting experience for Ouidad, since we are able to deliver our “love your curls” philosophy to so many more people. And Ouidad loves the viewer call-in segments. So if you happen to catch her on HSN, please do call in and speak with her. She’d love to hear from you.

By the way, if you haven’t already checked out the behind the scene action and photos from our previous appearances at HSN, check out Ouidad’s Facebook page where you’ll find some interesting behind the scene photos and video of what goes on during a live TV production.

Each show brings new logistics challenges. I wish you could all be in our warehouse to get a sense of the buzz of activity and excitement that goes into preparing for every on-air performance. It’s a huge effort to pack all the special HSN product configurations and special on-air offers that will be available for 30 fleeting minutes. Virtual armies of friends of employees generously assisting us in our duties.

After the last of the pallets are loaded, and the trucks pull away, there is a sigh of relief and the huge pride of accomplishment at the end of a project completed. Why do we love it so… because we know that after each show, thousands more people will be well on the way to learning to love their curly hair.

Peter Wise, COO

While we know that you love (and love to flaunt) your naturally beautiful curls, we understand the appeal of a new style – Ouidad says go ahead and straighten occasionally! Be sure though, that you use deep conditioners, so that the occasional blowouts won’t cause major breakage.

Thanks to naturallycurly.com for the Image

Another important tip is to always shampoo and condition before you blow dry, because dirty hair will cause more breakage. Leave a small amount of conditioner (on the ends only) to help protect your mane from heat damage. You should use a large, round, natural-bristled brush; the larger the better to smooth your hair. Spray a leave-in conditioner like our Botanical Boost and keep a few clips around to section the hair.

Click here for some straightening tips specific to hair that ranges from fine to coarse.

To straighten, Ouidad says to divide hair into five sections, top, sides, crown and nape:  Starting at the nape, unclip a one-inch section then re-clip the rest to keep it out of the way.  Hold the brush at the roots with one hand and with the other hold the dryer downward and about two inches from your hair.  Roll the brush down while the other hand follows with the dryer.  Continue this until your whole head is completely dry.  It will probably take 30-40 minutes to complete.

Finally, to perfect the look, blow dry cool for added shine and work in a small amount of a finishing product like our Shine Glaze and enjoy!  But not too much since your lovely natural curls are just a wash away!

You may want sit down for this: the first Ouidad Salon was almost…a restaurant?  A scary but true thought!

After meeting in 1982, Ouidad and her husband Peter decided to open a business. Since he was already well established in the restaurant world, his first choice was to stay in that industry.  However Ouidad had dreams of her own…so, how did they finally decide?  They flipped a coin!

After landing on (of course) heads the Ouidad salon was born! At just twenty-six years old, the pair started out on the beginning of their exciting lives. In just a few years, curly clients were visiting the New York salon from all over the world. Stylists from Italy to Egypt and beyond referred clients to Ouidad via the “curly grapevine!” What better reward than international praise from peers and clients alike!

In her own words, Ouidad explains her purpose in life, “to make every curly-headed person understand and love their fabulous hair.”  With the creation of a full-line of products and a second salon location in Santa Monica Ouidad’s story is one of success!

As with anything worthwhile, Ouidad knows how hard it can be to live one’s dreams, despite a wonderful husband and business partner and two great kids. Living in Connecticut, she spends three or four days a week in New York City to be at that salon, and the remainder at the corporate offices close to home. Traveling so much can be exhausting, but her close-knit family has made it work, and she wouldn’t change a thing.

Those of us with curls cannot imagine what our hair would look like had that quarter landed on tails!

Welcome Curly Guys!!! Since I work at the front desk I get tons of questions about male clients. Do we have any or some women who are surprised that we do? We need to hear more from our male clients and product users.

Some women may not be aware that we have male clients, but just ask all the moms and wives who have to hide their products or buy bigger sizes to share with their husbands and sons! I love it when curly couples come in to have their hair done together. So cute!!

I must admit, when you go on our website you don’t get the impression that we cater to men so we’re going to have to change that. How about a contest where all of our clients can nominate their curly husband for a spot on our website?

Latesha, stylist, 57^th Street Salon, NYC

If you think having natural waves and curls means always having to control your curls, it’s time to change your thinking!

There are many more options for curls beyond the ponytail, wild & messy, or spending hours with a blow dryer and flat iron.

Ouidad reminds those of you who are hair-gifted to work WITH your curls, not against them.

When people ask: “Ouidad, how do I handle my hair?” Her answer is always “As little as possible!”  Of course, the cut is critical in order to have a style that works with your curls. You have to have a stylist that understands your curls.

Find the right stylist, the right cut, and the right method – customized for your hair – then let your hair and curls flow, relax, and focus on your life, not your hair routine!

I am thrilled to launch the new design of my packaging which you will start to see in the coming weeks.   For the past 2 years I have been in search of the right design to express the way I feel about curls.  To me curls are beautiful.  They’re bold, they’re natural, they’re vibrant, they’re classic – they are works of art.  And that’s exactly what my new look represents – the art and beauty of the curl.

I commissioned German artist Gisela Goppel to design the curl icon featured on the packaging.  Gisela told me that she was inspired by the energy and motion of curly hair. She worked with dynamic forms that reflect the shape of the curls, waves and loops and the design shows the richness and variety of curls.

What I’ve always loved about my packaging is that it’s timeless and never feels outdated.  Throughout the design process I saw countless images and layouts before I finally landed on this exact look that I had been searching for.  I believe the new expression shares both a sense of lasting design and my vision of curls as art.  And I feel that the new packaging embodies the essence of my curly haired clients and friends- strong, determined yet warm and fun-loving.  I hope you’ll love my new look as much as I do.   Please let me know what you think.

Ouidad

I was at the gym last night and arrived to my yoga class a little early, so I decided to go in and stretch out.  The other women in the studio were complaining about how their hair is always ratty after class and they have to redo it.

Of course I couldn’t keep my mouth shut. I had to chime in.  I suggested to them to not put their hair back so tight, and after class to just use a leave-in conditioner spray, such as Botanical Boost, to refresh their hair.  Although they were freaked out about not shampooing after the gym, I told them it’s just salt and sebum – not the same smelly sweat that comes off on the rest of the body.

So here I am now holding up the class because I realized the whole class and instructor were listening to me.  It made me laugh because my job never seems to end, even after I leave the salon.  The discussion continued and after a while I was almost getting frustrated because I wanted to start the class, but everyone was so into the conversation – it made me realize how much women just don’t know about their hair.

So many women say that their hairdresser just doesn’t educate them.  If we as stylists don’t educate, who will?

Alex, Stylist, 57^th Street Salon, NYC

Shampooing regularly is a necessity.  The hard part is figuring out what “regularly” means for your hair.  To set the record straight: daily shampooing is not a necessity, but more a matter of personal preference.

Image compliments of: hair-styles-secrets-revealed.com

When deciding how often you should shampoo, it’s tempting to take simple tips advising that a cleansing schedule should be based on whether your hair is normal, oily or dry.  The trouble is that some scalps have all three of these conditions.  Ouidad says that both the texture of your hair and styling techniques are the best way to create the right shampooing routine.

People often mistake curly hair as dry hair, and recommend fewer washes.  However this can clog your hair follicles with debris and oily white flakes.  Ouidad has a solution: base it on your curl pattern.  Once you know your curl pattern – loose, curly or kinky – determining the appropriate shampooing frequency is much simpler.

• Loose curls tend to be coarse/strong and can be washed as much as 4-5 times a week, although Ouidad recommends less. Always use a shampoo with a low pH.

• For the curly pattern, it’s best to shampoo every second or third day with a moisturizing shampoo like Clear and Gentle.  This type of hair requires constant hydration so it’s important to rinse daily with warm water and follow up with a detangling rinse like our Balancing Rinse Essential Daily Conditioner.

• For kinky hair, shampooing once a week (or twice if you’re very active) is best.  It’s important to remember that kinky hair is very fine and delicate despite its voluminous appearance.  A moisture-rich shampoo like our Curl Quencher works best on kinky hair because it is extra gentle and nutrient-rich.

Now that you know how often to shampoo, it’s time to focus on the how to shampoo.  It sounds simple enough, lather, rinse, repeat….but watch this blog for Step 2: How to Work Those Suds, and Ouidad will teach you the Ouidad Way to shampoo your hair, keeping your curls healthy and intact.

What’s in Ouidad’s bottle? Chances are, when you think of what goes into a bottle of hair products, you think of the liquid that pours from the spout or sprays from the nozzle.

For Ouidad, there is so much more in the bottle than the solution itself.  When she begins to formulate a new product for curly hair, it doesn’t matter if it ultimately becomes a lotion, a gel, foam, or a spray.  She first begins by identifying the needs of our clients’ curls.  Then the creative juices start flowing.  How can a tried and true ingredient be used in a new way, how can new ingredients and manufacturing technologies be employed to solve the puzzle?  What delivery system will be used to make the solution easy to apply?

For the many years I spent working at the front desk of our first salon and answering phones and emails in our customer service center, I have been asked the same question over and over.  What makes Ouidad’s products different? I would talk about how advanced preservative technologies keep the active ingredients viable until the moment of use.  I’d talk about the quality of our ingredients.  After all, an ingredient can go by one name, but be available in several grades or concentrations.  Still, prospective clients would challenge me to explain why they saw the same ingredient listed on another bottle.

I have been involved in the approval process of our formulas since the inception of our business, but I do not approve the formulas.  Ouidad does.

I took an art class once.  We were all doing charcoal drawings of the same model.  Each student had a different perspective and technique.  And that’s the point.  It is Ouidad’s personal and professional experience, and her perspective on curly hair, that makes her an expert product formulator.  In each bottle of Ouidad products, you get Ouidad’s 25+ years of knowledge.  Our salon is her proving ground.

There’s something else that’s in the bottle too; free advice, tips and education.  Ouidad has continuously staffed a call center of trained Curl Consultants since 1989.  What other hair company makes it as easy to simply pick up the phone, or blast off an email to get answers to your questions about your curly hair, our product formulas, how to best apply a gel and how much to use, etc. Ouidad pioneered the highest level of customer service in the hair care industry.

Ouidad Curl Consultants are available to take calls during usual business hours, Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 5:00 eastern time.

Peter Wise, COO

Over the years, I’ve wondered, “what advice could I give to any new client?”  I would say to come with an open heart and mind about your upcoming experience.

I completely understand why some women come with their guards up.  If my hair was repeatedly butchered, I would be apprehensive also.  Just keep in mind that this will be a completely different experience.  Instead of working with stylists that cater to the straight world you’ll be working with stylists that want you to love your curly, wavy hair.

We want nothing more than to help you, but with your guards up we proceed with caution and care and you may miss out on great tips, or tricks of the trade.  You may be doing a disservice to yourself if you come with too many preconceived notions.

So I say again, we welcome all who want to embrace their curls and have a great new curly experience!

Latesha, Stylist, 57^th Street Salon, NYC