CREATING THE LOOK THAT IS UNIQUELY YOU

 Hair Stories: The Long and the Short of It

Go on a Hair Adventure with Lakeside Salon’s
Clients and Followers

Hair Stories: The Long and the Short of It is an occasional blog about our relationship with our hair. Original and curated submissions are from our clients and followers of Lakeside Salon in Westlake Village, CA., and from influencers and those with a curiosity about the cultural impact of our hair and hairstyles.

We will give you something to think about. It could be thought-provoking. Educational. Even a bit humorous. You will learn about hair and beauty from a personal perspective and get advice from our talented stylists. 

Have a Hair Story you would like to submit? Contact us at: Info@lakesidesalon.com and put Hair Story in the subject line.

THIS MONTH’S HAIR STORY: MEET LAINI

Disney Girls and Perfect Curls

When a Disney princess asks you for hair care tips, you know you’re doing something right.

As a life-long curly girl, you get used to people coming up to you on the street to compliment your hair, or other curly girls asking for your routine (and oh, is there a routine). But the common theme among every curly-hair interaction I have comes down to the other person saying, “I wish I had your hair.”

Nowadays, I smile and politely thank them. But in the past, I always deflected the compliment by saying, “I wish I had your hair.” Any curly girl can relate to having wished for straight hair at least once. More likely, it’s a frequently occurring wish that creeps in when we’re running late for work and have to scramble to tame the massive bed head, wishing we could just pull it back in a pony or brush out the tangles.

Now that I’ve finally found a routine that works for my hair type, I have come to appreciate my curls for the unique, bouncy, overly-voluminous mass that they are. And let me tell you, it’s been a 27 year long journey.

Almost every kid born in the ‘90s grew up watching their favorite Disney princess on the big screen. The ‘90s gave us some of the most iconic princesses in: Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Mulan to name a few. You can’t go wrong with any of them or their impeccable hairstyles, even ones that can stay put whilst riding a flying carpet. But of course, these are impossible or unrealistic to achieve.

When I was old enough to start caring about my appearance, of course I compared myself to my favorite on-screen characters, longing for the silky smooth, perfectly positioned locks. And thus, sparked a flatiron trend that lasted from ages 11 to 14, a curling iron phase from 15 to 17, and a year where I curled the bulk of my hair and straightened my bangs. Undoubtedly, the damage I caused my hair lasted for years. 

Come college, I suddenly didn’t have the time to devote to manufacturing my hair style and begrudgingly agreed to wear it natural. Thus, began my search for the perfect product - a search that took several years of trying out different products and brands and combinations of virtually everything designed for curls, until I finally found what worked for me.

Fast forward to January 2020 - My first trip to Disney World, in awe to be living out the magic of my childhood. When my friend Jamila (pictured to the left in the center photo above) and I stood in line to meet the Disney princesses and fulfill a lifelong dream, we were overjoyed when some of our favorite princesses, Cinderella (pictured) and the hair queen herself, Rapunzel (not pictured) asked both of us natural curly girls for curly hair tips! 

While Jamila has an entirely different routine for her gorgeous curls, which are much longer, bouncier and corkscrew-like than mine, here’s what I had to share:

-No need to shell out the big bucks for the expensive brands. Affordable over the counter products work just fine! My favorite is basically anything by Garnier Fructis.

-Don’t be afraid of a hair dryer, but always make sure to use a diffuser - of course, with hair as long as Rapunzel’s, this could take a while.

-Try different product combinations for the best effect; I start with a dollop of mousse and a dash of gel cream before blow drying for a while. I then add a little more gel cream before finishing with an anti-frizz serum or a leave-in conditioner for a silky shine. 

The moral of my story? While we all may wish to look like the Disney princesses of the world, maybe the princesses are secretly wishing to look like us.

If you’re not yet happy with your curly routine, keep trying new things. Or, if you want to accelerate your learning curve, you could come to Lakeside Salon in Westlake Village and just ask Lisa or one of the stellar team of stylists for advice. It’s a process, for sure, but it comes with a gorgeous reward. You can love your curly hair.

ABOUT OUR CONTRIBUTOR: “Actor. Singer. Dancer. Artist. Adventurer. Aspiring human. Stumbling through life one pot of coffee at a time.” That is how Laini, a 27 year-old member of Gen Y, describes herself. When she is not on stage in a musical or drama or an apprentice at a playwright’s lab, Laini is a Manager of Educational Programming at a national children’s theatre.

Lisa Says:

Lisa Grimmett

Owner, Lakeside Salon/ Master Stylist

What I love about Laini’s journey to a perfect curly hair day is her great attitude to discover new ways to bring out the best curls. Not only did she do her homework about her natural texture and porosity, maintenance and routine, but also put what she learned into practice over the years. She explored shampoos, conditioners, mousses, gels, and masques until she found the ones that took care of unwanted frizz and left her curl shaped, soft and bouncy.

Sometimes you may be lucky and find the one product that cares for all your hair needs. Other times, it may require a few different products. Whatever the case may be, experiencing well-groomed silky curls will make your day.