As recently as a few years ago, women of all ages were seeking out any cures they could find for gray hair. The belief that gray hair is a bad thing and should be eradicated at all costs is a concept that goes back many generations, perhaps to the invention of hair dye. But in the past year or so, trend-setters from all realms of celebrity have begun to not only embrace their ivory locks, but flaunt them with pride.

Perennial award winning actress Meryl Streep has been openly rocking her beautiful graying hair since 2006, when she said in an interview with Hollywood foreign press that she feels very confident and normal underneath gray locks. Just a few weeks ago she unleashed a new short-haired look at the 2012 Academy Awards, and once again all eyes in the building were glued to her.

Having the love of millions of adoring fans and the attention of the fast-moving fashion world, anything that super-celebs such as Streep do that can qualify as out of the ordinary is sure to become a trend, so salons all over the nation are stocking their shelves with products that can accentuate gray hair. Many salon owners expect women with gray hair to cease asking for it to be colored and those without it requesting it now that it is quickly becoming a national trend.

Indeed, the gray hair wave is building up to tsunami-grade, and a bevy of products have recently been released that are designed to allow you to get the most out of your lighter shade. When treated and conditioned correctly, gray hair can have a luster and a shine that is unrivaled by other hair tones, allowing it to draw a lion’s share of the attention in any social situation.

The current popularity of gray hair may sever a double purpose as it allows women that were once made to feel self-conscious and perhaps even inferior to feel comfortable in their own skin and underneath their natural hair colors.

Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com

It would be easy to make a case that braids never actually disappeared from the radar screen of hair trends over the past 50 years, but it is quite clear to see that they have recently made a resurgence. The variation of braids worn by public icons has run the gamut from neon weaves to naturally messy and wild creations, of which no two are alike.

After being spotted on the likes of Nicole Richie, Eva Longoria and Kim Kardashian, it is clear that the messy and wild side braid is currently the hottest trend in the North American fashion world. Here are a few reasons that a messy side braid might be the perfect new look for you.

Separate Yourself from the Pack

While it may seem silly to suggest that someone should follow the latest trend in order to separate themselves from the pack, the truth is that many women lack the gusto and confidence to rock this messy side braid look. Whether it is a result of a conservative approach or a job environment where co-workers would scoff, the vast majority of women choose to enjoy the latest trends by witnessing them on others as opposed to embracing it themselves. Go boldly in the direction of individuality in upcoming weeks with the messy side braid. Fortune favors the bold.

Get the Attention of Adventurous Peeps

Much like the male peacock spreads it wonderful array of feathers in an attempt at gaining the attention of the most coveted mate, side braids can be worn at bars and clubs in order to garner the attention of potential mates. Only those with an appetite for adventure and uniqueness will be drawn toward a woman rocking a side braid, and only the most confident and charismatic people will be comfortable approaching her. In short, you can scare off the riff-raff and lure in the Mr. Rights.

An In-Home Cosmetology Lesson

Creating a look such as the messy side braid involves a handful of steps, but you will become more familiar with your hair and how to manipulate it throughout the process. It begins with a light coat of spritzer or wax spray on a deep side part, which can be volume-ized with a quick blow dry while the hair is still damp with product. Next, divide the section of hair into three or four parts and simply weave them together, making sure not to be too delicate or consistent with your technique. A personal touch can be put on the entire braid and the loose hair below it by teasing or curling, which creates the signature look of messiness and confident disregard for detail.

If you are interested in a creative beauty career in which the possibilities for advancement are endless – a hair career may be perfect for you. And choosing one of the many reputable hair design schools to get your education is the first step!

What has science done for the beauty industry lately, you ask?

Well, for one, scientists in Australia have recently discovered a “curly hair gene,” AKA the trichohyalin gene. This gene, discovered by scientists at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research (QIMR), is the one responsible for creating straight or curly locks.

Based on research done in Europe by Professor Nick Martin and Dr. Sarah Medland of the QIMR, 45 percent of Europeans have straight hair, 40 percent have wavy hair and only 15 percent have curly hair. As a curly-haired guy, himself, Professor Martin wondered what genetic variations were responsible for hair texture.

To learn more about these genetic processes, the team analyzed data collected from a 30-year study of 5,000 twins in Australia. When the twins’ genome maps were compared, twins exhibited the same types of variations in the trichohyalin gene depending on if they shared either curly hair or straight hair.

What else has Professor Martin concluded? Because the trichohyalin gene creates an amino acid change, which in turn influences the hair’s texture, it may be possible to develop treatments to make hair straighter or curlier as an alternative to heated hair straighteners or chemical hair treatments like perms. Maybe someday soon, we’ll all be popping pills instead of ironing out those curls every day or heading to the salon for a perm. (Of course, you could always embrace your natural curl instead!)

Science. What will they think of next?

One whiff of hair dye and you know that the stuff you are breathing in cannot be good for you.  That nasty smell is most likely ammonia: a chemical that preps hair strands to receive color.  Ammonia used in hair color can cause a variety of side effects including:
• Coughing
• Nose and throat irritation
• Skin and eye irritation
• Destruction of hair cuticle
• Damage of Tyrosine in the hair shaft

But don’t worry! Starting in 2010, hair coloring fanatics can opt for hair color sans ammonia without sacrificing results.  L’Oreal will be introducing “Inoa”, their professional ammonia-free hair color line.  Inoa, (Innovation no ammonia), replaces ammonia with a combination of monoethanolamine, oil-based gel and a cream developer.  And after years of research, L’Oreal claims this formula to be as effective as traditional ammonia hair color.

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My diet is crappy, but it helps my girlfriend’s hair look sassy.

Being a guy bound to a beauty merchandiser at a local high-end salon means that I am constantly serving as resident guinea pig. My life is a tumultuous parade of trial sizes, courtesy of my buy-curious girlfriend who’s obsessed with beauty products.

So when she brought home some news along with her over-stuffed goodie bag from a day’s work, my interest was piqued (mainly because my bad habits would actually help for once). “Digame Por qué?” says I, in broken Spanish.

My girlfriend answered that Kayla Fioravanti RA, Chief Formulator and co-founder of Essential Wholesale had shared some insight with her about everyday items in our kitchens that may be used for adding softness, control and shine to our hair.

Even better news is the fact that I am a normal slob of a man who over-consumes all of these hairstylist helpers on a regular basis. And now I have an excuse to over-indulge even more in the interest of keeping the sassy do of my domestic goddess shiny and sheer.

What are the top three tasty kitchen items that can help work wonders on your head and shoulders?

1. Real Mayonnaise. It’s a conditioner that’s not just for sloppy sandwiches. All you do is dampen your hair, apply a thick layer of mayonnaise from your scalp to the ends of your hair. Comb it until you have lots of creamy coverage and then sit back and let it dry for 20 minutes. Be sure to keep your hungry domestic partner at bay until you’re ready to wash it out. All you have to do after that is rinse and shampoo.

2. Salt. It’s the favorite non-liquid flavor of sports fans everywhere. It’s also a great ingredient to giving your hair amazing volume and control. You can boost the body in your hair by adding a tablespoon of salt to 4 oz of water in an empty spray bottle. After washing and conditioning, spray this mixture over your hair and allow some time for it to air dry.

3. Beer. Obviously the thought of having more beer in the house just so my girlfriend could retain some shine made me extremely happy. The fact that the best conditions to use it are when it’s warm and flat (meaning, my leftovers) is glorious news indeed. So I started donating my leftovers of flat, warm beer into her shower container. It worked amazingly. Now that’s what I call synergy.

When Chris Rock’s daughter, Lola, came to him crying and asked, “Daddy, how come I don’t have good hair?” the bewildered comic committed himself to figuring out the complex answer to his daughter’s simple, but profound question.

In the documentary film, Good Hair, Rock takes us on a fascinating journey through the international business trade of hair weaves, the science behind relaxers and the surprising question of how much black women spend on their hair.

During a press junket for a film festival in Salt Lake City, Rock discussed with Salon Magazine journalist Andrew O’Hehir how the initial idea for the film expanded the further he investigated.

“It kind of blew my mind, the idea that in an African-American household you got this Porsche that nobody can see, these working-class and middle-class black women spending thousands of dollars… buying a Porsche that nobody sees.” He adds, “There is a whole economic realm to this that I didn’t know about at all.”

One unexpected turn in the economic story comes when Rock learns that much of the hair used for creating extensions for black women comes from India. Human hair is India’s single largest export. He also sees how the culture has adapted to make harvesting the hair easy and profitable for the industry. Many Hindu temples conduct “hair sacrifices” during religious ceremonies that allow members of the temple a few moments of cultural distinction (and no money) in exchange for hair that can later be worth thousands of dollars. This “sacrificed” hair is processed and sold to hair dealers around the world who, in turn, sell it to local dealers who, in turn, sell it to salons and hair vendors at a huge profit.

How does Rock view this suspicious economic angle? He tells O’Hehir a different cut of the movie exists where Rock treats the hair trade as a problem for black females. He later calls on women to reject this international cartel of exploitation. But, he says, in the end that version simply wasn’t as fun to watch. He said he would rather inform and entertain rather than divide and mobilize.

On that tip, Rock succeeds. The movie is a serious, yet non-confrontational look at how cultural norms can make us do and believe some crazy things. It’s entertaining, but not angry. Celebrities such as Ice-T, Nia Long, Paul Mooney, Raven Symoné, Maya Angelou, and Reverend Al Sharpton all candidly offer their stories and observations that add much more entertainment to what could have become a sobering, but impersonal look into the culture of beauty in the world.

For anyone involved in cosmetology, hairstyling or ethnic beauty marketing, this film is a must. Good Hair is playing in select cities right now. It opens nationally on October 23.

There are countless reasons cosmetology professionals attend beauty school to learn their trade – cutting, coloring and styling hair isn’t something that everyone can do. Well, at least … isn’t something that everyone should do. So here are five more great reasons to see a professional.

My own experience with self-styling started early. When I was little, my mom used to trim my bangs, and got the blunt, straight-across look by pulling a piece of Scotch tape across my fringe and then cutting under that. Seemed easy enough. Until I tried it myself, and ended up with at least an inch difference in length from the left to right side of my forehead. I remember my mom hiding a laugh behind her hand when I begged her not to tell Dad, and she replied, “Oh honey, I don’t think we’re going to have to!”

I also used to cut my own hair in college, when I was broke. I tried to fool myself into thinking it looked halfway decent, but I’m pretty sure that was the reason why every day of the week was a bad hair day and I wore ponytails for four years straight.

Thankfully, I’m not the only one. Some other misguided wannabe amateur hairstylists have provided their own hair horror stories here:

“Oh my, I am the hair disaster queen! I let my dad cut my hair in the 8th grade. He cut it way too short and uneven. I cried. The very next day was our holiday play and there was not enough time to go somewhere to get it fixed so I looked like an idiot! I also tried to touch up my roots once with a drugstore hair color kit and they turned bright orange. I called around and found a salon that could fix it the next afternoon, but I had to come to work in the morning with orange hair. I wore a hat. I had only worked here for a few months at the time and even with the hat I was super embarrassed. It has been a long road, but I have finally learned to leave my hair in the hands of professionals!” -Angie

“Sometimes, when I am between haircuts, I’ll do a little styling to delay paying the 15 bucks on a haircut for another week or so. Using what scissors happen to be in the kitchen junk drawer, I stand on my tippy-toes – like it helps – in the bathroom mirror and cut around my ears, thin out my sideburns, trim the bangs, and try my best to angle the blades to fade my hair on the sides. This means I do nothing to the back, which results in a strange effect in which I look relatively well-groomed straight on … for a few seconds. But if you spend any time looking at me, you can see the back come hulking around. I would compare this look to a batting helmet I wore in little league – minimalistic in front with excessive padding in the back.” -Kevin

“When I was probably 13 or 14 I used that Sun-In stuff when I was at the lake. I didn’t think it was doing anything, so I kept spraying on more and more. I had used the whole bottle before I realized that my hair wasn’t turning platinum – it was turning orange.” -Lacey

“I tried to color my hair once with one of those box dyes. I went ahead and got the premium kind that included do-your-own highlights. Yeah, that was a bad idea. I freaked out halfway through letting the highlights sit and washed it all out. So first off, the color turned out dark red instead of light brown and I had these blonde patches were the color took. I looked like a sunburned leopard… or something like that. Red hair plus blonde spots equals not good.” -Chris

So what about you? Have you ever tried to color or cut your hair and ended up horrified by the results? Share your stories below – we’ll commiserate. And next time? Make sure to go to a licensed hairstylist who has legit training from a cosmetology school, eh?

Professional cosmetologists use a wide array of equipment to achieve desired looks – equipment they begin to acquire the very first week of beauty school.

After you begin your cosmetology training, it’s time to start investing in everything from shears, clippers and brushes to mannequin heads and more. Many of the professional items included in your student kit can stay strapped to your tool belt years into your professional cosmetology career.

Most cosmetology schools provide student kits and simply include the cost in your tuition. Other schools give you contact information for trusted beauty vendors so you can make your purchase directly. In either case, you will occasionally need to purchase miscellaneous items that are not already included in your kit.

Here is a handy list of sites you can count on to supplement your beauty supplies throughout your training. You can find everything from extensive student kits to smocks and bottles of hair dye.

•    Burmax
•    Jazz-z
•    Universal
•    Sally Beauty Supply
•    My Cosmetology Kit
•    Beauty Kit Solutions
•    Professional Beauty Network
•    Makeupart.net
•    Universal Techniques
•    Marlo Beauty Supply

Unveiling the contents of your student kit is really exciting – it’s kind of like unwrapping your future. It also means that you’ll have at least one mannequin head of your very own!

So what’s in your cosmetology kit? What did you need to purchase that wasn’t in the original package? And if you’re already a professional licensed cosmetologist practicing in the field, what did you get in your original cosmetology student kit that you still use today?