Day 21 ~ Sticky Buns, New Frizz, Fish and Corn ~ 8/19/13

Cosmetology School ~ Day 21 ~ Sticky Buns, New Frizz, Fish and Corn ~ 8/19/13

Week 4, Start of Month 2

Since it was a special day I decided to wear my custom made Purple hair sticks that I had made years ago for the first time.

Today we started by having the morning session alone with our new Teacher Mrs J. Just like when I started the new students were busy with Mrs Sherri doing their orientation first. So the 5 of us from last month did our intros to Mrs J for the first session. Her last name has the word Frizz in it so she said some call her that. So I may or may not do so. Then after break we did braiding. Mrs J said she never really learned it and even though students have tried to teach her she can't get it. So student C demoed cornrows and we gave those a try. I had something about 1/2 inch wide going on top. Then student S demoed the Fishtail but I really didn't do that one since I've done it before and it was lunchtime since we went at 12 today instead of 12:30. So on lunch I got to meet a few of the new students before we all got into the class.

Then we all got in to the class and it was time to help the new students unpack their cardboard boxes and do the kit checklist. I was helping one of the many students with a J name. Then we did the second round of intros for the day. There might be a 6th starting tomorrow but we had 5 start today. So there's 10 in the room currently and might be 11.

After break they went over the sanitation theory while we braided or did whatever. I don't have pictures but I did a dutch braid going from Reese's temple back along her right side to the nape like a moon shape. Then I just braided the rest on the other side for the heck of it but not fancy.
Then I set up Naomi with textured hair and I sectioned off her sides and then starting at her nape I did horizontal sections across the back. I took those individual blocks and braided them so there was a braid coming from the middle. I did that up the head to the bangs. I had 6 braids. I then arched them together and clipped them in pairs like an arched A shape, like a stegosaurus spike. Then I split her two sides vertically and made 2 braids on each side to make arches sticking out from the sides. So I had 10 braids total on her.

Then it was time to clean.

As I was heading out for one of the breaks or lunch Mrs C was at the front desk at the spot close to the hallway. So I leaned over and said "May I help You?" as if we were on opposite sides just to play with her.

Tomorrow is wax day. This week is Skin. I was going to volunteer for others to practise on for my lower legs but I really don't have much on them yet. But I'll let them use my arms.

Oh I wore black fingers and white thumbs for my nail polish today. Nothing too fancy but I was hoping to get something dry and smooth. I think I'm going to get OPI for my next attempt. The school sells OPI so I can either get credit for selling it to myself or if they don't have the color I need I can go to Cosmoprof and get it with my discount. Either way its a good thing. I'd rather spend the extra money and get myself closer to Designer status.

Thanks for reading. Time to do some hair at home now.  :)

Day 20 ~ "You're Gonna Go Far" ~ 8/16/13

Cosmetology Journal ~ Day 20 ~ "You're Gonna Go Far" ~ 8/16/13

Week 4 and the first month come to a close. 140 hours down, 1360 to go.

Today's style, I wore a French Twist with my pearly twist comb and some bobby pins.

The only thing on today's agenda was updos.

First we went to the salon floor for Friday Celebrations.
I once again had 100% attendance and this week I received a pink butterfly paper to go with my two green frogs.
We had 4 graduates and I think 2 of them were twin sisters. Mrs Sherri had a tray with the boxes of reward shears and one fell on the floor so I jumped up to get it for her. As I picked it up I said this won't be the last time I hold these.
The grads didn't really have much to say for their speeches. One way or another I'll be saying something come June / July.
And then we and I danced. The song they play is something about a Wiggle.

So we went back to class and R and B took their written exams to move on to Rehersal while the rest of us were given the assignment to look through magazines to find an updo picture and try to recreate it using marcel iron curls. So first I shampooed Reese for the first time since we were saving her for updos and not cutting her. While setting up S asked if we could use internet pictures since the magazines had already been picked through and torn up and Mrs C said yes. The other day I shared to FB a picture of a dark haired updo that was on an FB page with daily shared pics. I had also showed the picture to Mrs C and she said that it probably had a hairpiece because the back was so full. But I decided to try it anyway with what I had to work with.

So I set about blowing Reese dry and then I got to work with the Marcel curling iron and pretty much 80% of the curls I did were curled going towards the face so I was holding the hair towards me at 45 and clicking and turning the iron the other direction. So that was a new experience but I did them all except for the second one back on top that Mrs C did after I did the first one. She was trying to show me how to get the Figure 8 feeding done closer to the ends before I finished with curling the curl downward.

I got the head full of curls done by lunch. So all I had to do was come back and shape them into the style.
I told FB what I was doing and also said I'm making Magic. I hadn't even done it yet, just the curls. But I had something to work with to attempt it.

On lunch A, B, and I walked over to Ulta to look around since A wanted something by OPI. It was quite a different feeling walking through there today wearing my logo'd apron, name tag, and a french twist. Compared to the first time when I hadn't started school yet. Plus I wasn't alone. But they were redoing the comb aisle that also had hair toys so I kinda got bored trying to find something to look at.

So after Lunch I got to work basically making large dry pin curls because that's what the style looks like. And I got it done before the next break. I took pictures with my camera and then I figured out how to share a picture with my phone so I snapped one and cropped out the other students and shared it to FB.
Mrs. E came in and she liked my updo and I showed her to picture I was trying to do. Then Mrs C came over to see what I had done and I told her it was the one I had shown her. So she gave me the pointers and corrections about the bobby pins and such. Then she was telling me that I could have back combed the underneath a bit to get a foundation. Oddly enough although I wasn't sure if I was supposed to do it, I had done some and left a few of the curls in their rollers shape form to try to build a pillow.

I told Mrs C that I had brought another rolled set on longer hair from home so after break I took Suzie's rollers out that had been in for almost 2 weeks. I had her hair rolled in mostly the smallest blue rollers and when I took them out her hair looked like finger waves with perfect ridges. But I had to brush brush brush brush them out LOL. Mrs C then parted off a diamond shape near the crown / occipital and we both did some back combing on that to build a pillow. Then she put that section in a tiny rubber band with just the end curls popping out. Then she took alternating sections from different side of the bottom nape area and pinned them up around the Bun area. And then I finished that and moved on to the sides. Then as time ran out she showed me that I could just pull the top back as one section and blend it in with the rest and I've got her here with me to try to finish. 

Then it was clean up time and the end of the last day with Mrs C as workshop instructor since she rotates to the floor next. We get Mrs J next and the new students are coming on Monday too.

As I was sitting there I took my French twist down and listening to the music that had been turned up. And I was thinking about the hug that I was going to be sticking around to give and my eyes dripped a bit. Mrs C asked if I was tired and I said no and she then said are you crying and I said yes I'm crying happy tears.
Then it was time to clock out and I went to the computers and clocked and then came back in to do what I intended. R was in there saying her goodbye and I said goodbye to her best I could with not being able to speak. And Mrs C came at me with her arms open and said "You're gonna go far" and all I could get out was a choked up Thank you without letting go. I made it to the car with only a few streaming down the cheeks and didn't quite let go until I got home.
I should still see her with her being on the floor for a few weeks but after that she goes on nights for a while. So I may get to say more.

The bottom ine is no matter how she was teaching me, I learned. I came here to learn and I am. Today was a major step. I may not have done exactly what the picture showed. But I was role playing a client bringing me that picture and I created something. I find myself looking at pictures now and having somewhat of an idea how to cut the style. Something that has scared the daylights out of me for years. I just couldn't see it. Then again I'd never cut them. I wanted her to learn with us and I think we taught her too. She struggled with us at times. We had great days and some off days. We were far ahead and then far behind. But we got through it together. I wasn't watching yesterday but I could hear her over with S as he was trying to get the finger waves and it was amazing as he went from no clue to getting it and getting it as she was walking him through.. I think that helped her a bunch. Because before that she was going to have us all doing fingerwaves again today. 4 weeks ago I walked into that room and she was helping me unpack my kit boxes. I didn't know her. But it was a little thing that mattered. And she added lots of little things. Thank You Mrs Celeste. Thank you for wanting to come and teach because school was hard for you.

Bob Segar - Understanding


In closing I want to say that today, doing that updo made me feel like I had some talent. I felt like I was making magic. There's plenty to refine and get better at. But for the first time I felt like I was Dressing hair. Sculpting. Coiffing. Its a long way from the day when I was using a clothes pin to make fake roller curls. I will be using the tools I bought. Mrs C encouraged me to. I'm going to practise at home. We're all gonna have some fun right? Because I have my foundation firmly planted On Base. The past is now done. This is real now. I've got a week of Skin coming up followed by the chemicals and colors. And then its on to Rehersal and the floor and my own chair. But first lets see what the weekend brings :)
Thanks for reading :)


Pictures

Link to picture I was trying to make

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=702098016470902&set=a.124728450874531.21670.124727424207967&type=1

Day 19 ~ Dutch Boy & Rollers ~ 8/15/13

Cosmetology School Journal ~ Day 19 ~ Dutch Boy & Rollers ~ 8/15/13

Going into today I knew it was going to be an action packed day. Not only did we have a lot scheduled but we were also planning to do a little pot luck lunch to celebrate R and B moving on to Rehersal.

Switching things up a bit: If you're reading this on Facebook I am putting the pictures in the replies / comments. Otherwise they are at the bottom of the entries on the blog. But in the interest of going in order of events lets start with Me before school.

Today's style was I believe my first attempt at a Dutch Braid where you do the same as a French braid with adding hair from the sides into your 3 strands except you pass your outer strand under the center strand to get the braid to pop out from the head instead of blend inward. I got at least 3 added pieces from each side so even though its going to look small in the picture when you see it, it is a real deal. I finished it off with a small band and put a mint green and pink wavy striped bow on it. The bow is a clip on type.

I also tried some nail art last night before bed this time using my new Orly spritz dry spray after I did each step. I was able to get done fairly well and I took my picture right away in case it got ruined. I did get some smudges from the bed sheets but not like I was getting when the nails wouldn't dry.

Title Pun: Dutch Boy is a brand of Paint and the pun is Painting Rollers / hair rollers with the Man wearing a Dutch braid

Start of school: Today was a relaxed day for the first part. As mentioned we had a pot luck planned although it kinda fell apart at the last minute. I still brought the pop just in case. C brought some donuts and S brought some Mousse pudding and O brought some chips and mexi dip. Then for lunch we chipped in to order from the sub place too.

We started the day doing hair wrapping where you take the hair and smooth it around the head as if the head is a hair roller. This is something you can do if you have curly hair and want to smooth it out a bit. Then we take the stretchy sani strips / neck strips and use those as a wrap to hold the hair in place. You use clips to clip the strip ends together but you don't clip to the hair. Then manikin Ben went under the dryer. Next up was the Classic Styling quiz. I got 3 wrong out of 20 for 85%. I missed a couple goofy ones. A few people had been absent for other quizzes so they took the make ups. While they did that I was setting up for the Fingerwave to Pin Curl to Rollers all in one rubric. I didn't know the order though so I put my On base 45 forward or up held roller, Half base 90 degree straight out from the head at that spot roller, and Off base 45 degree backward or down onto the top of the head. Then it was lunch time and I said to FB that I was feeling happy and then said Easy so far. Because the rubric was coming.

I had Deborah from home to use because I didn't know what kind of rolling we were going to do but she has the most even hair that's still got some length at about 4ish inches.
Mrs C said that we weren't starting with the rollers so I took them out and then got started with the side verticl C shapings or small Fingerwaves to carve the Pin Curls out of. I got the flat curls done just fine but then I couldn't remember how to clip the next 2 rows to get them to stand up. I was trying to clip across the circle part of the curl but not get the other side like we're not supposed to because of dents. But I couldn't get the curl to stand up. Somehow I managed to make it look like it was standing. I did my 3 rows on each side. And then I did the Rollers again on top and then moved on to the Bricklaying rollers to fill in the back to complete the set. I passed the rubric but when she checked thats when she showed me how to clip those curls again. The clips go in kinda flat against the head to pin the curl to the base. Not in the downward across the circle way I was trying. So now I get it.
By the time this was all done it was 3 O clock and it was extra time. So I decided to take that stuff out of her hair and do a full set of rollers before 4 since I'm used to having all the time in the world at home. This may have been the last time I do a roller set before I'm out on the floor with the exception of when we learn perm rod wrapping. So I need to know if I have any speed when all I'm doing is rolling without distraction. Speed is going to make or break me. I know that. It broke me last time because they had to keep helping me finish.
But with a few distractions interrupting me and running out of aqua rollers and having to choose to finish with the smaller ones I got her done by 4 which is clean up time. So for me that was a nailed it moment. I got it done. I was my own boss on that one. I decided what i was going to do with them and I tried to apply some of the triangle and diagonal lines that Mrs C suggested for not having part lines showing. I basically tried to make a C shape on both sides and incorporated some triangles. I had the bag with all the rolled home clients with me so I took one out and left her in the locker to make room to bring Deb home to dry.

She has gel in her hair still and the bag roughed her up a bit but here's what I did

Today's Hair and Nails

Day 18 ~ Making Waves ~~~~~~ ~ 8/14/13

Cosmetology Journal ~ Day 18 ~ Making Waves ~~~~~~ ~ 8/14/13

I'm feeling it. I really am. I think I may have finally conquered the ridge making. Or at least I am close enough to get it without the struggle. Its fun. Don't get me wrong I am still happy that Fingerwaves are not on the State board exam. But I got this and I like it.

We started the day by watching a Linda video for a back comb combout. And we did some theory and workbook while Mrs Sherri the campus Mgr was watching on.
Then we got set up to do the Rubric for it. However my partial roller set was in the cabinet over night and the hour she got today under the dryer did not dry her so I couldn't use her. Ah but plan B to the rescue.
I had brought Deborah from home as a possible roller set or finger wave model and I looked at her hair that was only a round layered cut from last weeks cutting rubric and thought I'm going to back comb her. She's got some wave in her hair and its evenly layered so she already had some volume to her. So I worked some magic and passed. Kinda fitting since she's the one I was back combing the other day with Mrs C after taking my home roller set out of before her hair was cut.

Here's where the day got interesting. Earlier while getting set up for the combing Mrs Sherri asked if I would model for a beard trim demo since we don't get many beards and it would be helpful to show the rehersal  students. So I sat in front of two classrooms worth of students while I let her do pretty much anything and long as I still had my mustache. Although I'm about to stop letting that scar be an issue. Just one more thing to purge and let go of. But anyway I got to sit there and now lots of people were focused on me and if they didn't see me before they know I'm there now. All day they were coming to me and telling me how good it looks. I'm glad I got the chance to do something. Even if I just had to sit there and do nothing. I'm grateful for my Cultural Council experience for helping me with being comfortable in front of a crowd like that. I had a few jitters but I was too excited to be helping that they didn't last long.

At lunch I almost got to introduce elementary school friend D with Cos school friend A but A got in a car just as D was arriving from the other direction. D was dropping off the goodies I ordered from her when I visited her a few weeks back. Thanks D :)

After lunch it was Fingerwave and Pin curl time. A few weeks ago I watched a youtube video Fingerwave video and I believe in this video she said use just gel and not water. So I was determined to use just gel today and I did and although I struggled at first I got it. I watched Mrs C use her comb one more time and then I got it. I started raking and shoving those ridges and pinching and off I went. I asked if I did it right and she said almost but I needed my second row to be pulled out like an inch so that was like another Ah ha. and I happily combed out that work and started again and although they were more like 3 fingers wide instead of 2 I got some decent rows of waves and then she made 2 or 3 of the pin curls on the left side and then I carved out the rest of that row. And I felt great because its a part of my future now and not a part of my past. And I really did miss pin curls. I hadn't really done any since 2000 when I was in that junior class and I liked them. Just the look of them when you have the set done is pretty. I'll have a picture below.

After break Mrs L came in to talk about how we take mock State boards tests more than once to really prepare us and that's cool. Then Mrs C had us working on Building Your Future and we discussed our bad and good experiences in salons and how losing just one client can cost lots of money over a year when you think about losing him / her and anyone they would have referred and possibly the rep they give if they say negative things.

Edited to add: I forgot to mention in my journal entry that Mrs C at the end of the day told me once again how she thinks I've got talent and such. I forget her exact words but it was something about talent. I mentioned to her about missing doing the roller sets for my old clients. It was like she was telling me she knows I care. And I think she said the other instructors are seeing it too. There's some I haven't even had as teachers yet but I think my attitude with dancing on Friday and wearing my rah rah hair each day is showing. And then today with being the "Good sport" with the beard trim.

I guess what I'm feeling is that I'm no longer that rookie who was clumsy years ago. I just need to see my guide and I've got it. Whatever the guide is for whatever process. I just have to see it. My hands can do it and will.

After school I met up with someone from Craigslist and got 2 manikin heads and a hand and a good clamp for only $50 or the cost of one head.


Today's style is my ponytail fed through magnetic rollers and then curled around the last one with the shoe style clip holding it on. Yes that's right. I wore rollers in public.

 

Beard trim after (I am smiling, it just doesn't show well)

New clients: Ameri and Barbara

Day 17 ~ Rolling Pennies ~ 8/13/13

Cosmetology Journal ~ Day 17 ~ Rolling Pennies ~ 8/13/13

Today was a day I'd been looking forward to since 1. I had been enjoying practising them myself and 2. I was glad Mrs C showed her support of me practising on my own and helping me out.

Today was roller set / wet set day.

12 years ago 27 people sat in a chair in front of me and let me put plastic magnetic rollers in their hair. I met a lot of really nice people. My first was a very helpful regular at the school. I loved it. I was scared. The reality is that these days when you think of cosmetology school as an option you're probably thinking of the latest styles and cuts. You don't expect that your clients will all be regulars wanting roller sets and perms. But that was our school. And that was nice because it keeps you from working on manikins.
It wasn't the scary thing I thought it would be because those people sat in my chair and trusted me. They made me feel good. I stunk at back combing and I was slow at rolling. I'm still slow but improving.

I remember driving home from my old job before I started the first school and there was a small salon along the way. It seemed like everyday the same lady was sitting in the dryer chair by the front window. But it could have been regulars who just liked going to that salon. My hope is that I can have a place where people both older and younger will want to come by often. There's so much to the world of cosmetology that shouldn't be a lost art. I want a place where even the busiest of parents can come by and relax even if they bring the kids. I want the kids to want to come too. It won't be just a salon so I'll have something for everyone.

But anyway there's not a whole lot to today's entry because it was all roller setting. It really was a reflective day and a chance to relax. I said it before that I don't ever want to say that I'm tired of rollers. So many nice style options come from them. Let someone else be tired of something.
I know its not something for everyone but if you need a relaxing hobby all you need is a nice manikin with a decent cut unless you like a challenge. Its like working a jigsaw puzzle only you're filling a head with rollers of different lengths and sizes. There's a little more to it but for a hobby you can just have fun with it.

School day:
Theory first about rollers and curl types.
Then Mrs C started her demo. She was walking us through by section. First she showed the top and let us do ours. Then after break we started the sides and then she showed us the brick laying in the back to hide the part lines and avoid spaces. We all finished a set using the 2 biggest sized rollers and put our manikins under the dryers. Then we prepped another manikin to try something else. In my case I had longer Penelope / Penny under the dryer and I was going to use Ben for the next part. I combed out his waves that were still gelled and not dry and shampooed him out in the salon area. I got back to the room and saw what Mrs C was showing and realized Ben's hair was shorter than I thought it was. I could have used him since I have blue skinny roller experience but I didn't want to fall behind so I set him aside and wet down the other Penny with shorter hair. Mrs C showed us just a top set for giving a swoop type shape. Basically you do half pie shaped sections like this _\ | /_ so since it reminded me of a cut orange and her hair was shorter I decided to use the second smallest Orange rollers. I got it done and it was lunch time.

After break we took those out and restarted a new full set. Mrs C had us using a more diagonal shaped section going back from the front this time and using diagonal lines on the front sides too to try to not get the space lines.

Note: Our kits came with double pronged pin curl type clips. These are the kind that do not slide under the roller like my clips. So I brought my roller clips with the U shaped backs and as soon as I heard her mention that they gave us the wrong clips I said I had mine. So I got to use mine for all the sets I did. I've still never used those other clips for rollers. They just get in the way by sticking out and don't hold as well.
I got my last set done on the top and sides but we stopped to put them under the dryer and to comb out the first set that was now dry. So we moved on to learning comb outs and back combing and back brushing. And then Mrs C showed a French roll updo on someone else's Reese that hasn't been cut yet.

I think I'm finally starting to come around to liking back combing. I really like Back Brushing. I was having some fun with that. It was like I was running a twisty sprinkler on the top section.
I know its not for everyone and being a veteran of the long hair care forums I'd probably ask first if someone wanted either one. It would depend on what I'm trying to do for them also. You don't have to back comb or brush everything.

Today was a nice day. I learned things. I enjoyed things. There was no pressure because there is art involved. We're not supposed to do it all the same way. Sure we need to try to get the on or off base parts right but otherwise my puzzle isn't going to look like another. And it may not look the same on the same head each time.

So here are the pictures

Today's hair was also about today's nails.
Last night I decided to try painting my nails and I decided to try to match it to something for my hair. So I went with the pink & white striped pom pom bands and pink with white stripes on my nails. I had some really nice pink nails done and then I went to do the white and with trying to get to bed it didn't work so well. I went to bed with at least 2 nails that would have to be redone this morning. So while the picture may not show them well there are some smudges and holes and things I didn't like. But the main problem is the polish just doesn't want to dry. I tried the freezer, I tried my new hair dryer. So after school today I had to get a new hard rubber comb anyway so I got some Orly - spritz dry. Hopefully it will work at least with the Orly polish. I can't let this drying time ruin my enthusiasm for doing my nails. I like doing them. I need to practise them.
However while I was shampooing Ben, Mrs L asked me where I got my pom pom bands and then noticed my matching nails and she was enthused :)

So here's a hair and a nails picture

Day 16 ~ Today's Entry is brought to you by C for Classic and Curl and Carved ~ 8/12/13

Cosmetology Journal ~ Day 16 ~ Today's Entry is brought to you by C for Classic and Curl and Carved ~ 8/12/13

This week we start Classic Styling.
That means rollers, fingerwaves, pin curls, updos, and some others.

For the most part this is about making the hair into shapes such as S shaped waves using different tools or manipulative techniques.

Today's entry isn't going to be very long so I'll start by sharing what I have learned about styling from the old school. The way I describe it is simple. Hair has types of bonds in it that hold its shape. There are ways to break down these bonds in order to reshape hair. Some bonds are weak enough for water to weaken them and allow you to wrap the hair around objects or straighten it out and it will hold it shape if you dry it. Usually it will stay in that shape until moisture of some sort gets in the hair again or some other environmental factor. I describe it as like a spaghetti noodle. First you have a stick straight noodle. Then you get it wet and it becomes soft and bendy. If you let that noodle dry again it usually will dry in whatever shape it was when you left it out or in the fridge.

There are also other stronger bonds in the hair that need chemicals to break them down for more permanent curling or straightening. I'll save that for another day.

So today we started with Fingerwaves. This involves putting gel or lotion on the hair and trying to comb the hair into C shaped sections. Then you comb the other way to turn them into S shaped sections and with ridges they look like waves. When the hair dries it can look as though you put the hair on rollers or take a fancy shaped pattern.

Sometimes I am going along just fine and others I can't even get the first bit done. Its really hard to get the hair distributed enough so that it doesn't look like a large cump in one area and a thin patch in another. I get how I'm supposed to put my fingers and I think I get how to comb them. But it just doesn't come out smooth. So After a few tries and not getting anywhere I saw something taking shape and I just kept going. And I made a row and another row and another row. I was probably not doing them right but I wasn't starting over. And I got all the way to the nape of Ben's head.
So I took him and put him on the other clamp and set up Penelope with shorter hair and gave her a try. And once again I was having trouble getting started.

By then it was lunch time.

It was raining today but I still went outside with new buddy A for all 3 breaks / lunch today. Its nice to have someone to blow off a bit of steam with and let her vent too. She also went to another school before so its kinda like we're in the same boat. So we're both learning new but additional ways.

I posted to FB on lunch "Fingerwaves — feeling determined."
However when we returned from lunch we moved on to pin curls. First we watched Linda's video and then we did some. Linda showed wrapping the curl around her finger so I was trying it. Not realizing that she was using a manikin with longer hair and mine only had a few inches. So Mrs C had to tell me not to do it Linda's way LOL. So I made a few and Mrs C made a few and I got the 3 rows of curls on the shorter haired Penny. But because I had all my Regency clients with me I prepped longer haired Penny really quick and Mrs c and I got through the 3 different rows of curls with one being flat and the other two being standing types. We finished the day by looking through magazines to try to describe how someone would have gotten a certain curl pattern either by using rollers or fingerwaves or irons or maybe any of them. Then we had the early Monday cleanup with the break room included.

So while I knew fingerwaves were going to be a challenge and they still are, I am satisfied knowing that I like doing them and once I get it I'm gonna have some fun. Because I want to be able to offer things like this to clients. I want to learn everything I can. Hard doesn't make it less fun. It doesn't make it less worth knowing. There's an art to it. Its an art I can and will do.

So here's the pics from school and today's hairstyle

 Fingerwaves on Ben

Pin Curls

Today's Style
Braided Bun 8/12/13
Yesterday when I went to meet Sarah I had my hair in a regular ponytail braid that I tried doing Dutch style with the center on top. I put my flower bands on it. It wasn't my best work because I got distracted while doing it. But I slept in it and this morning decided to just bun it up. I then slid my metal decor comb in the top. I slid the other underneath but the decor broke off so I took it out. Then I start shoving bobby pins in. That's how I roll when there's only a few minutes to get it done. I wore this with my white shirt.

Day 15 ~ Rollers & Round Rubrics ~ 8/9/13

Cosmetology Journal ~ Day 15 ~ Rollers & Round Rubrics ~ 8/9/13

Week 3 of School and week 2 of Haircutting has come to an end.

Today was an interesting day. I'm still trying to gather my feelings about it.

Its friday so the day started with the celebrations. We didn't have any graduates today. But I got another paper frog for 100% attendance last week. That's 2.
Then Mrs L and Mrs Sherri the Campus Mgr went over the upcoming Student Council Events and about the upcoming salon fair where the senior students get to do a hair show for visiting salon pros.
Then they skipped the dancing. That's ok I danced earlier this week at home. :)

The only thing on today's schedule was the second Haircutting Rubric test. So it was going to be relaxed for the most part except for then.

After we got back to the room Mrs C. replayed the linda videos a bit to let us refresh our memories on the procedures. I had taken all of my manikins from home to school with their rollers in, including Deborah who I was planning to use for the cutting if allowed. So I asked her when we were doing the test and she said after break and if I could use mine from home and she said yes. So I had to scramble to get those rollers out and then while the videos played I was combing her out a bit so I could get a picture before I had to soak her down and cut her hair.

At break time I went outside with A instead of staying in. :) Was nice out there.

After break Mrs L came in to talk to us about some procedures for when you have a client. Then because Workshop students are not on the student council and Mrs C was curious she asked Mrs L to explain to us how the council works and such. After that I went to get started prepping my work station and I put Deborah on the clamp to snap a few pictures real quick of my comb out. But Mrs C came over to check her out and she showed me how to back comb her and let me try it. She also pointed out to me some better ways to put the rollers in to hide the lines in front. So I was fairly happy because she wasn't mad at me for practising at home and she didn't say anything about me doing it wrong. And I'd say we were having a good time there. So at lunch I posted to FB I was Feeling Happy. I was trying to scroll and find something else but darn fingers kept hitting that so I went with it. I was feeling something positive. But I also posted that I had the rubric coming. And I had decided that I would do the round layered cut. But I wanted to do it the way Mrs C had showed because I wanted to keep Deborah's length for more cuts plus I didn't want to do it Linda's way and have that chunk missing by the ear that makes it look like Spock would want to wear it. But I was having some difficulty remembering the procedure. I know that Mrs C started in the back on the bottom to keep the length from getting shorter. I didn't want to do the Square Layers going upward because her length doesn't reach above her head. I'd basically only cut the top. And I didn't want to go with the same easy cut as yesterday. I didn't want to go with the graduated cut because that might have taken her too short in back. This is basically what was going through my mind at lunch. So I said to myself basically eh whatever. I'm gonna go in there and do what I think it is and roll with it.

So I got her ready and got to work and I worked my way up both sides of the back at the same time. I worked center to right and then center to left and then dropped the next section. And I felt I was doing just fine. I measured her hair all over before I started and everywhere I measured I had enough hair to cut her down to 7 inches or a comb length. The problem came when I was wondering whether I go to the sides first or do the top. And she came over and I said so. Instead of just telling me to do the sides or start the top she decided to do the top Linda's way. And she cut the bangs for that guide and a few sections behind it. Ok so now we have a mixed haircut. No biggie I thought because I had already done near the ears so it wasn't going to hurt that. The problem is I finished it and started to cross check it and it looked like I had missed some. So I cut some off. She had already looked at some of the middle of the back and measured it and it was somehow down to 6 inches. I was cross checking and finding what seemed to be large bits to cut off I put the shears down and said come check me before I do anymore. She came over and everytime she picked up a section I was seeing like an inch of hair sticking out and she basically recut the whole thing. I just measured and her hair is down to 5 inches including my original bottom guide.

Ok this was not a test of doing a good haircut. This was about procedure. Did I follow sanitation. Did I use the right hand positions. Was I standing right. So I passed the rubric. I'm happy with that. But I've got a manikin sitting here that isn't showing my work. For better or worse.

I went on break with A again and then A went home.

Then I came back in and got the rest of my rolled ladies out and put them on the inner table by my books in case anyone wanted to look at my rolled work. And I went to work. Then I held up Julie and asked if anyone could guess how long her hair is since it was rolled on smaller rollers. And after Mrs C pointed about neck length as said its as long as mine. Then I brought her up to the desk and let Mrs C play with it. She unrolled a few curls and said something about how she's been telling Mrs Sherri about how I've got some talent and well I was feeling better :) She didn't pick at me for my roller setting. I don't know if she looked at the other ldaies because they were behind me and I went to work blow drying Deborah because I really want to get good at it. Its fun to use the round brush but it takes some technique.  However I will say that my arms aren't struggling yet as much as I thought they would. But its only one head worth and its not a full day of it like the pros do. So really the only thing I'm concerned with so far strain wise is bending over the shampoo bowls. There's not much I can do about that. But I'm not hurting with that yet. I've only shampooed two people so far. As far as the manikins go, I haven't been doing a full shampoo on them except for the first time with each one.

Next week is Classic Styling. Its also the last week with Mrs C in workshop. the rotation takes her away to another department and brings us a different teacher. And on the 19th we get the new students too.

I think I'm going to like having her help me with roller sets. I've had a taste of that. I don't think I'm going to mind it as much if she helps me with finger waves. I need help with that. But I do need to do them too. I can do the motions to makes waves but I need help making them look nice. I might take Deborah back in with me to do those since her hair is equal lengths now. Also for the rollers. I'd like to not cut her again until after perming.

So all things considered I am feeling awesome. It seemed longer than 2 weeks for those haircuts. I feel like I've learned a lifetime of stuff in those 2 weeks.

One thing I can say is I don't have to be afraid of not knowing. If I get a client that I am unsure of I will get help or I will say I haven't learned this well enough this time. I will let the instructors help me. Even if it gets to me. Because I have confidence that this school is not going to let me just squeak by. They will teach me until I get it. And I'll let them. Even if it irks me a bit like today did. Its still going to result in something positive.

I want this. I love this. Its not my talent. Its my heart and soul. I just picked up my comb and I'm going to start typing with it in my hand from now on. I'm typing this right now.

So here's the pictures.

Today's style
Its hard to see but I started by slpitting my hair in back into 2 tails with an elastic at the corner of the nape for each. Then I took them upward and arched them over trying to make a heart shape or a McDonald's M. Then when the tails came together in the center I twirled them together like a propeller and then slid the first bow barette in at the top. Then I put the lower one on. Then because I did'nt quite get my hair with the top one I put some bobby pines above and below it to keep it from sliding down. So basically I threw something together and put bows on it.