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A fully qualified hairdresser, Tokyo-trained Yui Endo still cuts, styles and colours hair, but she's also become renowned in the industry as one of the best chemical hair straighteners in Australia – some say the best.
“I do it all really but you become the best of what you do the most, I think, because it’s all about practising,” Endo says. “And apparently I’ve been doing hair straightening the most in the last couple of years!”
So just what is chemical hair straightening, how does it work and what should you look out for? We spoke to the source…
What is chemical hair straightening?
As the word says it’s about making hair straight. It’s also about making your life easier and your hair much easier for you to manage yourself. What I do is use a chemical to straighten the hair and also a hair straightening iron. But the important thing is that some chemicals are too strong and can make the hair look like straw. Some people like that look, but I don’t – I like hair to have great quality and not just ‘hang there’.
When I straighten hair it’s still bouncy, still healthy. You can still have your colour done and you can still go back to curly if you want – you don’t have to wait until it grows out. Okay, it’s not going to look fantastic ‘curly curly’ but you will still get curl if you want it.
Who is it for?
Chemical hair straightening works on anyone. Curly hair, long hair, straight hair, I even have a 21-year-old male client. It’s all about getting the style you want without too much fuss.
With GHDs everywhere, why go for chemical straightening?
In my opinion the temperature of GHDs is slightly too high and does damage the hair and, after a few months, you do get damaged, frizzy hair.
The straightener I use is from Japan. It’s like a GHD and it has the exact same system of negative ions. But the GHDs in Australia don’t have a heat control; it’s always 210 degrees. Now for some types of hair that's too high a temperature. The Japanese products are 180 degrees, which I think is high enough for human hair. They also allow me to control the temperature, depending on a customer’s quality and situation of hair.
How long does the ‘straight effect’ last?
That depends on the customer’s hair. If hair is wavy it can last for over a year. If hair is seriously curly, then about two to three months.
Is it damaging?
Because it comes out smoother, with the cuticle smoother and the surface shape of the hair all in one direction, it can actually feel like you’ve had a treatment. So, yes, it is damaging but it doesn’t look or feel damaged.
How much does it cost?
It depends on hair length and thickness, with short hair starting at $300.
Finally… it’s been around a while. Is straight still hot?
Straight is definitely still hot! And there are still so many totally different looks you can get with it: Jennifer Aniston ‘straight straight’ or straight but with a curve on the ends. For me, ‘straight straight’ is for the younger woman. It’s a little bit different and it’s definitely still hot.
Name: Yui Endo
Salon: May Leader, Double Bay, Sydney NSW
Ph: 0405 535 232 / 02 92381522
Email: takoiaki29@hotmail.com
WORDS: VICTORIA LEA 14 APRIL 2008
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