The DO’s and DON’TS of Santa Beard Bleachings- Part 3

The DO’s and DON’TS of Santa Beard Bleachings- Part 3

by Susen Mesco, Master Santa Claus Trainer- 
Professional Santa Claus School, Denver, CO USA

May 11, 2011

Continuing Educations and Information

for serious New and Veteran Professional Santas 

based upon level 1 core curriculum from 

Professional Santa Claus School (PSCS) of Denver Colorado.

Founded in 1983

to support great men with great hearts (Real Santas!)

in maintaining the greatest of all holiday traditions.

Santas bleaching their beards for the holiday season is the most misunderstood, most talked about fears of being a professional Santa Claus. Bleaching your hair or beard can be a frightening, repulsively smelly and dangerous activity for any Santa who deems his beard as his crowning glory of his Santa brotherhood. I have seen some major disasters, blonde bearded Santas, purple bearded Santas, and have had to provide designer beards to and cried with many Santas who endeavored to do this at home without proper information, who apply products hastily without reading directions or have not the knowledge needed...

Santa Billy.... (PSCS Grad. 2011)  BEFORE and AFTER....

Here are some tips to help guide you through this scary process. It CAN be done properly! The DO’s of Santa Bleaching

1. Eat the proper diet and take the HNS supplements recommended and available through Pro Santa School of Denver, to work internally to stimulate quality hair growth. (Only .46 cents a day!) Drink lots of water… Remember? Your body weight divided by 2 = ounces per day.

2. Use the NHF topical liquid available at Santa Claus School 2-3 times a week to nourish the follicle and stimulate growth & wake up the dormant follicles. (2 minutes, $3.42 per treatment.)

3. Start shampooing your beard every other day with the NHF shampoo that cleans the pores and nourishes the follicles to stimulate growth & healthy hair & skin.

4. Use the RNHMask (also available at Pro Santa School) at least once weekly during the off season. More often before and after bleaching session(s). Apply and leave on for 20-30 minutes. Rinse out! It’s pure heavenly magic – just ask all the Santas now using it!

5. Trim hair 2-3 weeks before you plan to bleach. Continue deep conditioning with the hair mask!!

6. About a month before you schedule your bleaching, visit a local hair academy and speak with the instructor. Ask her/him about her/his experience with color & chemicals before taking any advice too seriously. They may offer to do your bleaching and tinting for you. Thank them very much, but you are just there to gather info on your hair type and suggested bleaching products.

7. Find a local SALLY BEAUTY SUPPLY or other professional supply store. Speak with the head manager. Have her/him look at your hair/beard for a second professional opinion. If this is different from the opinion you got at the beauty school, go ask another experienced professional. Get 2-4 opinions until YOU ARE COMFORTABLE with professional consensus for YOUR hair type!

8. Avoid products with ammonia if at all possible, for your hair type. Often, you can use an ASH or super white blonde "shampoo IN" hair color rather than bleaching. Putting color IN is ALWAYS better than trying to bleach color out! DO A PATCH TEST UNDER YOUR BEARD FIRST! My favorite is L'OREAL! Look for products with NO AMMONIA!

9. Ask about the tints for silver hair. (Bleaching is step 1, tinting is the necessary step 2, to close the cuticle, protect the hair strands and put white/silver pigment back into your hair. (Almost every Santa I’ve ever met, who bleaches his hair himself, has skipped this important step, because they didn’t know to put color & protection back on!)

10. OR Ask about Demi Permanent Brilliance Glossers (clear color) to use as your tint or after you bleach.

11. Ask about DEVELOPERS for sensitive skin (3%). This is also gentler on your hair! Adding a packet of articifial sweetener such as Sweet-N-Low will take some of the "burn" out of the bleaching.

12. Get a quality PH neutralizing shampoo.

13. If you are planning to bleach and tint yourself, buy enough developer and solution for your ONLY your test patch. Save the packaging so you can buy more of the EXACT same product that works, later if this is the right product for your hair.

14. Depending upon your current growth until the Trim your beard 2-3 weeks before you plan to bleach and tint.

15. ALWAYS do a test patch in a hidden area 2 days BEFORE you bleach your entire head or beard. Do NOT EVER RISK A DISASTER, by "testing" the product on your entire beard!

16. Use gloves, wear old clothing, have old towels handy, use shower cap- if noted in instructions, goggles and cotton nose plugs to protect yourself when you do the bleaching and tinting process.

17. Immediately after bleaching, use the PH neutralizing shampoo to STOP the oxidation process.

18. Immediately after rinsing out the PH neutralizing shampoo, apply RNHM, let sit for 60 minutes.

19. If you have to do a second bleaching, wait 7-10 days after your first attempt.If you bleach again any sooner, there is very good chance you will ruin your hair. Yellow often appears because you left the solution on your hair a bit too LONG. Thus bleaching again will only increase the yellow. It depends on your hair type.

20. Remember that some yellow may be natural. If you feel you need to bleach more than twice, after you have tried the bluing rinse, consult a professional for additional treatments. DO NOT CONTINUE ON YOUR OWN unless you want to risk your Santa season!
21. For "off season" gigs, like a 3 hour July appearance, try a super high quality whitening spray. The stuff you buy at Halloween for $1.99 is NOT good! It will flake all over your suit after an hour or so! This "quick fix" is not an everyday, permanent solution, but will work in a pinch and save your beard & wallet from a harsh and expensive, unnecessary treatment!

The DON’Ts

• Don’t buy your hair care or bleaching/coloring product from a department store. (DO buy the proper developer (3%?) and bleach product, in separate containers, from a professional supply store, under the guidance of an experienced professional.)
• Do not leave the store without proper written usage instructions from a qualified professional.


• Do not use any metal mixing bowls or spoons to mix your "bleaching" and "tinting" products.


• DO NOT SKIP DOING A TEST PATCH in a hidden area. The biggest mistake Santas make is mixing up a batch and applying to your entire beard! Pick a 1 inch section well hidden, underneath, near your neck/chin. If the test goes poorly, you haven't lost your entire beard!


• Do not apply product directly onto skin or scalp.


• Do not massage product into your skin or scalp.


• Do not save any unused product. It will not work and most likely will explode.


• DO NOT ever leave the product on longer than instructed, to try to save money, with the thoughts of only doing your bleaching once. Disaster!


• After you have bleached, NEVER COMB / BRUSH your hair when WET. The bleaching makes the hair strand more porous and delicate. Stretching it with comb or brush, when wet, will destroy the cuticle beyond repair. 
• Rather than using the "purple shampoo" which can be expensive, try this time tested trick your grandmother used to whiten grandpa's Sunday shirts... Mrs. Stewart's Liquid Bluing.  Wait a day or two after you bleach, and put 3-4 drops of Mrs. Stewart's in a quart of water and rinse your hair with this. You should see WHITE! NEVER APPLY DIRECTLY TO YOUR HAIR! Another trick is to put a few (3-4) drops into your conditioner and let this sit on your beard or hair for 5 minutes. RINSE WELL! Then rinse AGAIN! And AGAIN! (Mrs. Stewart's works well on your white dogs, horses or cats who will bathe!) One bottle of Mrs. Stewart's will last 4 lifetimes! A little DAWN dish soap or ammonia will take excess bluing off your fingers.
  
• Don’t skip the tinting step! At very least, put a demi permanent glosser on your bleached hair to give it shine, strength and protection! Wait 2-3 days after you bleach, to tint. Condition beard with deep mask conditioner (30 minutes NO HEAT!) on days between bleaching and tinting or glossing.
• Don’t play with your beard, touch it, pull it, etc. Constant handling will break your hairs whether it has been processed or not.
• Do not hesitate to interview hair care professionals until your find one you are comfortable with their expertise for guidance. Listen to them but listen to your gut feelings before taking any action with your Santa beard.
• Don’t panic! Losing your beard to chemicals can be tragic if done improperly. Children love Santa unconditionally. Many Santas have been wearing designer/embellished beards for 100 years… the children are so excited they won’t notice the details. The TEST PATCH is your key to not ruining your beard.  

Contact us for an informational sheet of wholesale professional grade hair and beard care products available to our Santa students who demand excellent results. These items are NOT available over the counter or at beauty supply stores.

Have yourself a SNOWY WHITE BEARDED CHRISTMAS!

Susen Mesco

Master Santa Claus Trainer since 1983

31st Annual Professional Santa Claus School Conference 2013

Denver, Colorado USA

Santa Claus Beard Bleaching Basics Part 2

Santa Claus Beard Bleaching Basics Part 2

by Susen Mesco of Professional Santa Claus School Conference, Denver, CO USA

on Friday, May 13, 2011 at 8:22pm

So you don’t scare easily and you are not currently raising a teenager?… Hmmm! You may be forced to bleach your hair or beard silver / white, until nature takes over.

Here are the basics of the salon science of bleaching your Santa Beard, followed soon by Part 3,  Santa Beard Bleaching DO’s and DON’TS….

Bleaching scientific Salon Basics for Santa Claus’ White Beard:

o The condition of the hair makes a huge difference in the success of the bleaching process. Start NOW with the diet & supplements recommended in Part 1 of this blog series.

o Trim hair 2 weeks prior to bleaching and tinting.

o Spend several weeks, after trimming & before bleaching using a deep conditioning hair 2-3 times week, with a high quality hair mask. (We have an excellent brand that has been working miracles for our Santas for 2 years. Contact us 303-665-8280, for details and wholesale pricing.)

o The cuticle is the outer layer of scales which lay down in layers to protect the hair. The inner layer of the hair, contains melanin (your hair color.)

If you have sandy, or light brown hair, you may wish to FIRST try COLORING YOUR HAIR  (NOT BLEACHING IT!) Sounds strange but true...  Putting color IN rather than stripping the color out of your hair. Try a light / white "ASH" (platinum) blonde. You may have better, even great results! 

Follow coloring your hair by using a "GLOSSER"  about a week to 10 days later. A GLOSSER, is like the clear coat that protects the paint on your car or truck. It puts a layers of clear shine onto your hair. Sally beauty supply sells glosser... Around $10.

If this did not work as well because you have super black hair... then doing several bleachings may be in order. DO ONLY 1 BLEACHING in a 7-10 day period! DO NOT use the blue/purple shampoo between bleachings!

o The developer is the base chemical that opens the hair cuticle to allow the bleach to reach the pigment.

o Hydrogen Peroxide or Ammonium Persulfate are the standard “bleaching” agents that oxidize (render colorless) the melanin (pigment molecules) inside the hair strand. Most over the counter products / department store, consumer, hair coloring brands, contain the more damaging AMMONIA compound. 

USE DEVELOPER FOR SENSITIVE SKIN, as you may be doing more than 1 bleaching. 

o  Add a packet of artificial sweetener to your bleaching solution to cur down on the burn. 

 

o Be sure you breath through your mouth. Put cotton up your nose to avoid fumes.

o Numerous bleachings ruin the cuticle, making it unable to lay back down to protect the hair strand, thus hair breakage from this damage occurs. So... use a professional grade DEEP CONDITIONER (ReNu- available wholesale to all Santas via Pro Santa Claus School,) in the 10 days between bleachings.

o Hair may appear YELLOW after bleaching due to the keratin protein’s natural color not being completely oxidized. It is better to use a lower solution that is gentler on your hair. The yellow is NOT caused by the chemicals. This then, may require a second bleaching 7-10 days later. Try tint rinsing FIRST - BEFORE you bleach a second time! For most bleach users, tinting the hair a shade of blonde conceals the yellow. But Santa, needing his beard white/silver, often requires the second bleaching if the bluing tint rinse (not purple shampoo!) doesn't work!

PLEASE don't try covering the yellow with sprays or clown white sticks... they only flake off and look much too white. You are at the Pro level of your career, your beard needs to look 100% great!

o Due to the bleaching, the hair strand is now 500% more porous & delicate. Immediately after “bleaching,” use ONLY a neutralizing PH Shampoo to stop the oxidation process. Follow with numerous deep conditioning hair mask treatments, 2-3 times per week for 20-60 minutes to soothe the cuticle of the hair shaft.

o After the hair has been “bleached” a tint (color) should be put back into the hair, 7-10 days AFTER the final “bleaching.” You can use a CLEAR GLOSSER if your hair came out as white as you'd like it. if not, use the lightest "ASH" (Platinum) blonde. This will again lay the cuticle back down, to protect the hair strand. Don't buy the cheapest product available. Find the one with the least ammonia!

o Using a “bluing” shampoo immediately after bleaching is NOT recommended! Wait at least 2 weeks! The hair strand is too porous within the week after bleaching & may turn your hair / beard purple. Use Cowboy Magic's "Shine In Yellow Out" BLUE shampoo for white horses. It is a product for humans, too. Check with your local feed/tack store to order for you if they don't have it in stock!

o Every head of is different, thus there is not one set procedure that will work best for ALL hair colors or types.

Coming soon... SANTA BEARD BLEACHING DO’S and DON’TS!

Susen Mesco

Master Santa Claus Trainet Since 1983

31st Annual Professional Santa Claus School of Denver 2013

SantaClausSchool@comcast.net

303-665-8280

Santa Claus - Secrets for Faster Beard Growth- Part 1

Santa Claus - Secrets for Faster Beard Growth- Part 1

by Susen Mesco at Professional Santa Claus School Conference of Denver, CO
on Thursday, May 12, 2011 at 9:21pm

SECRETS to THIS BEFORE & AFTER BEARD SUCCESS STORY…

Santas!

Over the past few weeks there have been many, many discussions, postings, phone calls and serious questions about Santa Claus beards, as Santa Claus thinks about preparing his beard for the upcoming holiday season.

One of the greatest blessings of my career in working with and training Professional Santas over the past 31 years, has been that I get talk to the most wonderful Santas every single day! Beards have been a source of major concern and discussion. There is so much to say that this will be a three part article. Be sure to check back for the additional information on bleachings, avoiding the yellow, proper use of purple bluing, better shampoos, food stains, stopping breakage, growing your beard faster & fuller and maintaining the best Santa Claus beard ever!

Understanding your hair is the first key…THE BASIC SCIENCE OF YOUR HAIR:

Blondes have the most hairs on their heads, then black/brown hair colors. Redheads have the least number of hair on their head. Blondes usually have finer/ thinner hair strands. Brown/black hair is usually the thickest hair strands, containing a medula. Thick hair is harder to bleach and tends to be more brittle and break more often.

A single strand of hair has 3 layers: The medula is the inner core of thick hair, covered by the cortex which hold the color, creates the texture and gives the hair strength. The outer layer, the cuticle, is thin & colorless, but provides protection for the hair. Bleaching your Santa beard can seriously compromise the structure of your hair.

Hair grows from the follicle, using the blood circulation to supply nutrients to the base of the follicle (dermal Papilla). Poor nutrition or digestion, lack of hydration and/or poor circulation can quickly lead to poor follicle performance, loss of hair, slow growth and production of weak hair that breaks easily.

Every healthy head has between 100,000 and 150,000 hairs on it. Each hair follicle “cycle” lasts 2-7 years. When the hair follicle goes into the ”resting phase,” your hair strand will fall out, giving the follicle time to rest. This is natural and healthy. Most people lose 50-100 hairs a day. 10% of our hair follicles are in the resting period while 90% remain actively growing hair. After the rest period, a new hair strand is generated. Average hair grows at the rate of approximately 1/2 inch per month.

Diet & a specific balance of absorb-able vitamins provide our system with the nutrients the hair follicles need to grow healthy, strong hair at the average or faster rate. Protein, (3 servings a day, portion size should be equal to the palm of your hand), iron, Vitamins C & E, silica (found in; skin from potatos and cucumbers, peppers (red and green), bean sprouts, brown rice, onions, cabbage, oats, asparagus, lettuce, strawberry, cauliflower), Omega Fatty Acids (fish, flax…), iodine (as found in kelp), calcium from dairy, minerals like copper and zinc, as well as drinking lots of pure, room temperature water are the critical ingested nutrients for hair growth.

Caffeine in coffee, teas, sodas will quickly dehydrate your system. Divide your body weight by two. This is the number of ounces of pure water that a healthy, normal body needs daily. If you work out, you need to add 16- 24 more ounces! Check with your doctor before making any serious changes to your current diet.

Krill Oil with Omega 3-6-9 Mega Marine is the best fatty acid you can take. I gave up giving my horses expensive hoof feed supplements ($80 per month) and switched over to Omega 3-6-9, for people. ($35 per month.) I get healthier horses with great shiny coats, long manes & tails and hoof growth that amazes my farrier. Omega Fatty Acids have multiple health benefits beyond great hair.

Cheap vitamins have a molecular structure that is too large to be absorb-able into your system or usable by your cells. You will want to use a more effective & efficient nano supplement. About 2 years ago, I started taking a special patented vitamin complex that is 100% absorb-able, and designed solely for follicle nutrition. Within 3 months, after taking 2 pills daily, my hair was growing almost 1 inch a month! My eyelashes were longer and nails were stronger. I was constantly clipping my toenails. (TMI, I know, sorry! But that’s how I KNOW the supplement really works!) My cost: less than $ 15 a month. It worked so well that many of my Santas are now using the supplement with great success.

The best meats and vegetables are organic, as they do not include the chemicals, they are not irradiated for years of shelf life, and are not GMO’s (genetically modified organism). Organic fruits & vegetables are labeled with stickers that start with “9″. They may cost a bit more but they still have ALL their nutrients in them. Why pay for food with no nutrients? You’ll just be paying medical bills with few pennies you saved! 

If you are attending this year’s Professional Santa Claus School, you will automatically receive information on beard growth, health and maintenance products. OR Contact our Santa Claus School offices (303) 665-8280, for more info on the wholesale, exclusive supplements we make available to our Santas.

Stayed tuned as we cover how to wake up dormant follicles to start growing again, preparing your Santa beard for bleaching, secrets of successful beard bleaching, and year round maintenance for the best Santa beard ever!

Susen Mesco

Master Santa Claus Trainer Since 1983

31st Professional Santa Claus School Conference 2013

Denver, Colorado USA