A frequently asked question is what types of hair can be finger-waved successfully. Some hairdressers believe that all kinds of hair may be so treated—straight, naturally curly, and permanently waved; in fact, any kind of hair except very coarse, thick hair. It has been the author’s experience, however, that fairly straight hair must have a slight tendency to curl; unless there is a vestige or inclination of a natural wave, however good the subsequent setting or finger-wave may be, it is absolutely impossible for the wave to remain in the hair for more than a day or so. It may not happen too often but occasionally a client with this type of hair will ask for a finger-wave, and in these situations it is advisable to try and persuade her to indulge in a permanent wave. However, should the hairdresser happen to come across this type of hair during his regular work, the use of combs is recommended, by means of which quite a pleasant result can be obtained; but in no circumstances should combs be used upon permanently waved hair, as the hardness of the waves obtained through inserting combs will ruin the nicest of hairstyles, and the work will thus become considerably devalued.
A very important point, one to which too little attention is paid, is the ends; the side-pieces in particular, which are usually left in a clubbed condition, and can, therefore, never be finished gracefully and neatly. The ends, or side-pieces—in fact, the hair all over the head—should be carefully thinned or tapered. It will then be noticed that the ends will curl much more easily, and which then will mould themselves nicely to the head, thus keeping their curl much longer. This is vitally important factor, and finger-waving should never be started until the ends are properly tapered or thinned.
Clean hair is much easier to work with, Dirty hair is harder to set and also takes much longer to dry. Following the shampoo, partially dry the hair with a rough towel, so that the hair remains only just damp. This is important, not only from the setting point of view, but also to ensure the client remains comfortable. You will not be popular with your client if there are drips running down their back from over-wet hair. Adjust the parting, and then sprinkle or spray the hair with a good setting lotion. Some operators are of the opinion that the lotion helps to set the hair better and more easily. This is an error; its main advantage is that the finger waves dry much more quickly while at the same time there is a chance of a possible sale.
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