againstallodds
Well-Known Member
I successfully completed my 14 week stretch!!! I hadn't even realized it until I just counted the weeks. YAY! I made it through the shedding, the crunchy roots, the tangling, the uneven ends (parts of my hair grow faster than others.
So I relaxed this Saturday and opted out on the DIY route and made an appointment at MonicaTodd in Boston. It was my first time at this salon and lucky for me the booked my appointment (they don't take new clients on Saturday). I've been really wary about going to a new hair stylist but didn't want to go back to my old stylists as well - through research I basically saw how many of the ways she treated and relaxed my hair just weren't healthy practices and techniques.
Moving on. I was early for my 8:30 appointment and as soon as I walked in, Nicole, the hair technician with whom I had my appointment with greeted me and asking me to fill out a new client questionnaire. I'm not used to stylists asking me in depth questions about my hair, scalp, and how I care for my hair so it was a nice change. Oh, and the environment was relaxing and welcoming.
I immediately figured out who Todd was (as the only man there lol... and because of his big personality). He had me laughing with his jokes and singing, yes singing, it's apparently a constant thing lol.
Now, I was 14 weeks post and haven't been actively detangling my hair and had a ton of new growth. Nicole patiently detangled and combed through my hair and based my scalp. I felt bad because I could tell she was going slow as to not break my strands and pull my hair... I had to apologized haha.
Then she set a timer for the whole process (something I've never had a stylist do before). She didn't apply the relaxer to my scalp not once, only the new growth. It took a while to get through my whole head but with my scalp based properly and an off the scalp application I sat there comfortably. She applied and smoothed out my hair and then rinsed out the relaxer. Oh, I should say that she relaxed my hair with Mizani mild and used Paul Mitchell for everything else. I've never used Paul Mitchell on my hair before, but I love the results.
Off-topic side note: the chairs at the washing station were really comfortable on my neck. I experienced none of the aches I get sometimes when my head is bent into the basin. Instead of my neck bending, the back of the chair bends backwards so that my whole upper body is tipped towards the basin.
Moving on, she made sure she rinsed out every once of relaxer out before applying something to my hair and letting it sit for a couple minutes while she combed it through. Regrettably, I didn't ask what it was. Then she rinsed my hair out. Back in her chair she sprayed a protein-in leave throughout my hair and set my hair on rollers using another leave-in conditioner (they don't use water to set hair she told me). Now she used picks with the rollers for maximum tension on the hair and more volume and I'm used to picks being used but Saturday was the first time I felt comfortable with them. No poking, hurting, sore spots, nada.
Sat under the dryer, read a book, put my feet up (literally lol, there was a foot stool), and waited for my hair to dry. After my hair was dry she blowdried my roots. Now while doing so she told my I needed a trim and asked if it was ok. I'm usually anti-trim at the hands of hair stylists, but I knew I needed a trim badly and trusted her to not chop 5 inches off in a name of a "trim."
Let me tell you I've never loved the look of my ends and the shape of my hair after a trim. I retained length and adding on what I gained from my new growth that even though she trimmed off my raggedy ends, I still had some length. She methodically trimmed my hair, sectioning it off with clips and slowing trimming it. I felt safe lol. She wasn't another scissor happy stylist. She also shaped my bangs for me which I also love. She made sure to keep them long.
I was grinning ear from ear by the time I left. I had such a wonderful experience at MonicaTodd, I left feeling so much better about myself because my hair looked great.
My hair feels so strong. It's never felt like this before. My fine strands feel strong and reinforced.
My only complaint is that they close at 5 Tues-Friday, 6 on Wedn., and 7-noon on Saturday. The times conflict with my work schedule but I'll make it happen because I can't wait to get my hair done there again.
And of course this post is worthless without pics! lol but I've a migraine tonight so please be patient and I'll post some tomorrow!!!!
Oh and I loved the fact that one of their employees shirt had "Real. Healthy. Hair" written on the back.
So I relaxed this Saturday and opted out on the DIY route and made an appointment at MonicaTodd in Boston. It was my first time at this salon and lucky for me the booked my appointment (they don't take new clients on Saturday). I've been really wary about going to a new hair stylist but didn't want to go back to my old stylists as well - through research I basically saw how many of the ways she treated and relaxed my hair just weren't healthy practices and techniques.
Moving on. I was early for my 8:30 appointment and as soon as I walked in, Nicole, the hair technician with whom I had my appointment with greeted me and asking me to fill out a new client questionnaire. I'm not used to stylists asking me in depth questions about my hair, scalp, and how I care for my hair so it was a nice change. Oh, and the environment was relaxing and welcoming.
I immediately figured out who Todd was (as the only man there lol... and because of his big personality). He had me laughing with his jokes and singing, yes singing, it's apparently a constant thing lol.
Now, I was 14 weeks post and haven't been actively detangling my hair and had a ton of new growth. Nicole patiently detangled and combed through my hair and based my scalp. I felt bad because I could tell she was going slow as to not break my strands and pull my hair... I had to apologized haha.
Then she set a timer for the whole process (something I've never had a stylist do before). She didn't apply the relaxer to my scalp not once, only the new growth. It took a while to get through my whole head but with my scalp based properly and an off the scalp application I sat there comfortably. She applied and smoothed out my hair and then rinsed out the relaxer. Oh, I should say that she relaxed my hair with Mizani mild and used Paul Mitchell for everything else. I've never used Paul Mitchell on my hair before, but I love the results.
Off-topic side note: the chairs at the washing station were really comfortable on my neck. I experienced none of the aches I get sometimes when my head is bent into the basin. Instead of my neck bending, the back of the chair bends backwards so that my whole upper body is tipped towards the basin.
Moving on, she made sure she rinsed out every once of relaxer out before applying something to my hair and letting it sit for a couple minutes while she combed it through. Regrettably, I didn't ask what it was. Then she rinsed my hair out. Back in her chair she sprayed a protein-in leave throughout my hair and set my hair on rollers using another leave-in conditioner (they don't use water to set hair she told me). Now she used picks with the rollers for maximum tension on the hair and more volume and I'm used to picks being used but Saturday was the first time I felt comfortable with them. No poking, hurting, sore spots, nada.
Sat under the dryer, read a book, put my feet up (literally lol, there was a foot stool), and waited for my hair to dry. After my hair was dry she blowdried my roots. Now while doing so she told my I needed a trim and asked if it was ok. I'm usually anti-trim at the hands of hair stylists, but I knew I needed a trim badly and trusted her to not chop 5 inches off in a name of a "trim."
Let me tell you I've never loved the look of my ends and the shape of my hair after a trim. I retained length and adding on what I gained from my new growth that even though she trimmed off my raggedy ends, I still had some length. She methodically trimmed my hair, sectioning it off with clips and slowing trimming it. I felt safe lol. She wasn't another scissor happy stylist. She also shaped my bangs for me which I also love. She made sure to keep them long.
I was grinning ear from ear by the time I left. I had such a wonderful experience at MonicaTodd, I left feeling so much better about myself because my hair looked great.
My hair feels so strong. It's never felt like this before. My fine strands feel strong and reinforced.
My only complaint is that they close at 5 Tues-Friday, 6 on Wedn., and 7-noon on Saturday. The times conflict with my work schedule but I'll make it happen because I can't wait to get my hair done there again.
And of course this post is worthless without pics! lol but I've a migraine tonight so please be patient and I'll post some tomorrow!!!!
Oh and I loved the fact that one of their employees shirt had "Real. Healthy. Hair" written on the back.
Last edited:
j/k. Glad you had a good experience! Can't wait to see pics!
