Posh is a well-known master cosmetologist and proud owner of Posh Hair District, an Atlanta-based salon specializing in color, extensions and natural hair care. With over 10 years in the game, Posh has solidified herself as a go-to stylist and her salon offers an array of diversified services
Rolling out caught up with Posh recently to discuss new hair trends, summer hair care tips and hair loss prevention. Check out a recap of her interview below.
When did you know this was going to be your career?
Well, I’ve always been a business owner and doing things that brought me the kind of money that I wanted to make, but there still was no fulfillment. Every time things would get slow I would always end up back in a hair salon. The last time that I went back to a salon to work under another master cosmetologist was when I realized that this was my purpose and that I got the most enjoyment from doing hair.
What kind of hair do you specialize in?
The majority of my clients have natural hair but they do like to wear their hair straight. I do [mostly] presses. I’m really good at installs and I have a method that not a lot of hair stylists in Atlanta are using, and if they are, they are not doing it properly. I do micro link extensions.
What is the best method for maintaining and caring for color-treated hair?
Well, color-treated hair is extremely fragile. You have to maintain it with in-salon services. Color-treated hair is not really something that I would suggest to a client that likes to do her hair at home by herself. One, because she doesn’t have the proper products and because she is not able to give herself the type of treatments that you can receive in a salon environment. Hydration is always key. The number one important factor with colored hair is to keep it moisturized and looking healthy at all times.
What are your thoughts on drugstore hair care products that claim to provide the hydration that you need?
A lot of times with products they use keywords that are going to stand out to clients that they hear a hair stylist use to sell the product. [There] might be some properties in the products that kind of assist with keeping the hair moisturized but it’s not going to do the 100 percent [job] that’s necessary to hydrate the hair. Honestly, color-treated hair really needs a hydration therapy treatment where you sit under a hydration machine, which gives the hair a hot moisturizer to open up the cuticles so that any product put on the hair can penetrate to the deepest core of the hair.
What are some other trends that you’ve noticed happening in the hair industry?
One of the popular extensions is micro links. It’s a really high-maintenance hairstyle. You get a lot of the people in film and on stage wearing them. They get these extensions because they are highly versatile, but it’s definitely a high-maintenance extension because it’s not something you can upkeep on your own. The hair is actually attached to the micro link bead so there is no braid and no thread for that extension.
Do you have any projects coming up that you are working on?
I am about to start working with a doctor on a hair replacement procedure that I can offer in a salon and then some I can refer out to her for clients who have more intense hair loss. That is my focus at this point. I really want to help the women that are having problems losing hair due to traction alopecia, improper installs, improper maintenance and hair care. That is just something I really feel would be fulfilling to help women start to grow their hair again.
What age group is suffering from hair loss the most?
A lot of these young girls are getting these hair weaves installed by non-professionals that are not taking the proper measures and precautions to assure that thy’re not losing their edges or the hair around their hairline because of the braids being too tight or too much hair being installed. These girls want the kind of hair that they see Beyoncé wearing on stage just to walk around wearing every day. They don’t realize that a lot of these people that wear this full hair during their performances are wearing wigs. It’s not something that is long term so they are not losing their hair to have that look. [There are] a lot of the girls wanting to get what they see on TV or in magazines that are suffering from hair loss.
What are some good ways to upkeep hair for Black women in the summer?
Most important is to keep your hair moisturized when it’s braided down. It’s always good at night to tie your hair down, oil your parts and keep it moisturized. What happens with these braids is that you’re not shampooing your hair as often and then when you do, you usually let it air dry. Water is only moisture when it’s wet. As your hair air dries, the water is going to cause your hair to become drier and brittle. Even if you’re not washing it every week make sure that you clean your scalp. They have dry washes that are really good for that braided style. Also, a lot of people don’t realize that hair grows from the inside out so what you do with your diet also assists nature with your hair staying moisturized.
Why are summer and winter the harshest times for hair?
The air is dry and hot and then in the winter, it has a cold-dry air. Those, especially on color-treated hair, will cause the hair to get drier, quicker. During those seasons, I tell my clients after three or four days of clean hair leaving the salon that fourth or fifth night take a pea-sized drop of oil and run in through your hair before you wrap it to infuse that moisture back into the hair. When hair is dry and clean, you don’t want to add a lot of product to it because that is how you get a build-up. Always put product in the hair when it’s wet but during those seasons, you might want to add just a little bit at the halfway point before you wash it again.
What kind of oils would you recommend to keep the hair from being weighed down?
Lightweight oils are always the best. You can tell a lightweight oil by rubbing it into your hands and if five minutes later your hands are too oily, then you will know that’s exactly what it’s going to do to your hair. A natural oil is coconut oil. Coconut oil isn’t real heavy. Also, people think that they need a lot of product to moisturize their hair but really when it comes to oils, less is more.
If you would like to learn more healthy hair tips follow Posh on Instagram @Posh_P (add link https://www.instagram.
