Tag: behindthechair.com

This is what they, dont want YOU to know!

~ Joseph Kellner

Workers have a right to a safe workplace. The law requires employers to provide their employees with working conditions that are free of known dangers. OSHA provides information, training, and assistance to workers and employers. Be aware that in our industry manufacturers are deceptive. They want you to buy their products, and will customize class’s in order for you to be presented with their latest and greatest lotions, powders, soaps etc.  I was talking with a very very bright gentleman of the next film “Beautiful LieS”. He said a statement that really hit home to me. When a professional buys a ticket to a hair show such as “Premier, NAHA, Cosmoprof, etc” why should they buy the products there, if they can find the products in a commercial outlet. The major manufacturers have given up on LOYALTY TOO YOU and SELLING EXCLUSIVE products to the business professional in our industry. I would not even give a current hair show the time of day. I can see their products in a store. I thought our products supposed are supposed to be exclusive, and only sold in salons. Come on! And do you really know what ARE the ingredients you are using in your salon products? And most of you products you use in the salon for Hair coloring, Keratin treatments, Permanent waves can be purchased by the consumer. Where did our exclusive go???? The MAJOR manufacturers have sold us out. In this months edition of Brokenchair.com 90% of the products advertised in this magazine are found in the commercial sector or on the internet. Available to the consumer at their finger tips. Basically its the magazine of the “Brainwashed’. And the topics of literature in the magazine are the same ol, same ol! Be responsible everyone, and be the change The Real Beauty Industry needs. Change in this industry has to come from you! Then others will see you as a role model and you will set the standard for others.

Walk the Walk everyone!

Take back your industry!

You will see the latest in industry magazines everyone,”How To” of the layered haircut with a Ombre color or join Farouk’s Dream Team, Learn client consultation. But not touching on the politics of a industry broken by Major Manufacturers. 

They dont want you to know, what they know, that you dont need to know. See this is what they want you to know, “Keep the Young Dumb, and don’t worry were looking out for you”. “We are your legal representative of the Beauty Industry as the PBA.ORG would say, REALLY?”  Take it upon yourself to know your products, and all the ingredients in the products. Your customers health and yours is very important. And I would not like to see anyone gain an illness because the greed of a manufacturer cannot be controled. If you work in a salon go to the owner and ask for the MSDS sheets of the products you use for your salon services. Know what you are using. Its your body. And you get only one go around in this lifetime! You are all very, very special people. And you cannot be replaced.

OSHA will continue to conduct inspections in response to complaints and/or referrals. Workers may file a complaint to have OSHA inspect their workplace if they believe that their employer is not following OSHA standards or that there are serious hazards. Employees can file a complaint with OSHA by calling 1-800-321-OSHA (6742) or by printing out the complaint form and mailing or faxing to your local OSHA area office. Complaints that are signed by an employee are more likely to result in an inspection. 

OSHA can help answer questions or concerns from employers and workers. Contact your local OSHA office if you have any questions about a product that you are using or its material safety data sheet (MSDS). To reach your regional or area OSHA office, go to OSHA’s Regional & Area Offices web page. 

Hair salon owners and beauty schools can contact OSHA’s free and confidential on-site consultation service to help determine if there are hazards at their salon and work with OSHA on correcting any identified hazards. On-site consultations services are separate from enforcement activities and do not result in penalties or citations. To contact OSHA’s free consultation service, go to OSHA’s On-Site Consultationweb page or call 1-800-321-OSHA (6742) and press number 4. 

Salon owners and workers can also request the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, at no cost, to help identify and correct any health hazard in the workplace through its Health Hazard Evaluation Program. Contact NIOSH at 1-800-CDC-INFO [1-800-232-4636].

Brazilian Blowout You Really Screwed Up! Hair treatment ruled carcinogenic!

~ Joseph Kellner
 
The makers of the popular Brazilian Blowout line of hair-straightening products — which can cost up to $500 per salon treatment — have agreed to change their labeling to warn consumers that the treatments can release formaldehyde gas, which is considered a carcinogen and can cause irritation of the eyes and skin, according to a report from USA Today.
The move by GIB LLC comes following a lawsuit from the California state attorney general’s office. The products are labeled as formaldehyde-free, but last September the FDA warned that Brazilian Blowout contains “dangerously high levels” of the gas. According to a report from WebMD, the FDA found that Brazilian Blowout products contained between 8.7 percent and 10.4 percent formaldehyde. Levels about 0.1 percent required an occupational hazard alert under guidelines from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

At the time, GIB CEO Mike Brady denied that his company’s products contained formaldehyde.
The FDA and OSHA issued their first health hazard about Brazilian Blowout in April 2011 to let salon workers and owners know about the potential for formaldehyde exposure from these products.
The FDA issued a warning letter to GIB on Aug. 22, 2011, saying “Brazilian Blowout contains methylene glycol, the liquid form of formaldehyde, which, under the conditions of use prescribed in the labeling, releases formaldehyde when hair treated with the product is heated with a blow dryer and then with a hot flat iron.” The agency reported a wide range of health problems that had been reported by users of the products: “Adverse events have reported the following injuries associated with Brazilian Blowout: eye disorders (irritation, increased lacrimation, blurred vision, hyperaemia); nervous system disorders (headache, burning sensation, dizziness, syncope), and respiratory tract (dyspnea, cough, nasal discomfort, epistaxis, wheezing, rhinorrhea, throat irritation, nasopharyngitis). Other reported symptoms included nausea hypotrichosis, chest pain, chest discomfort, vomiting, and rash.”
The FDA has authority over product packaging, but has none over the operation of salons. OSHA, on the other hand, governs workplace safety, including air conditions.
 
 
The FDA’s warning letter presented CEO Brady with an ultimatum: “You should take prompt action to correct the violations cited in this letter. Failure to do so may result in enforcement action without further notice, including, but not limited to, seizure and/or injunction.”
 
The state of California, where GIB is located, followed the FDA’s letter with its lawsuit, charging deceptive practices.
 
Health concerns over Brazilian Blowout had been voiced for some time before the FDA letter was sent. Oregon Health & Science University issued a report about the products in September 2010 after complaints from stylists at one of that state’s salons.
 According to a March 2011 report from Fox News, Brazilian Blowout treatments can cost between $200 and $500 and last several months. Despite the growing health concerns, the products have been popular in Hollywood, where celebrities such as Nicole Kidman and Halle Berry have used the treatment.
GIB has agreed to pay $600,000 in penalties and fines and provide salons with a product safety brochure. The company has already changed the labeling of its products. The saddest thing about this whole situation it took a organization outside of our industry to do something about the proble. Way to go pba.org it’s all about manufacturer dollars in my industry. You all suck!

WELCOME TO THE REAL HAIR TRUTH — L’OREAL

~ Joseph Kellner

A week or so ago I was sent a email that really startled me. Hearing and reading the truth from an individual who has a very respected Haircolor Certification within our industry, I knew this was something from a David And Goliath Movie. Below is an email sent to me from Andre Nizetich The President of American Board of Certified Haircolorist detailing the action of a large haircolor, and product manufacturers behavior on not getting their way.

ABCH 6N Comparison Completed!!!

We have completed our study of the 56 haircolor formulations and they are ready for release.  I think you will enjoy viewing and reading the results.  The very best way of studying the results is to view the boards in person.  That is an impossibly, so we are going to give you the opportunity to purchase 11×17 copies of the 4 boards and the 6 pages of statistics of the entire study.  We will make this information available to you for $30.00.  This includes a DVD showing exactly how the study was conducted.  To help you decide we have placed the entire study on our website at haircolorist.com  Click on “news”. Our goal in conducting this study is to dispel some of the falsehoods that exist regarding haircolor products and the ludicrous claims made.  We will never be able to progress as an industry if we place our successes on a product rather than our ability as professionals.
           Several years ago I conducted a similar comparison on red haircolors.  We did not have the Internet at the time so the study was known to very few people.  It did however catch the attention of some executives of the L’Oreal company.  One executive in particular approached me and indicated he would like to speak to me privately.  I recall at the time I was very excited.  At the time I was soliciting funds to help grow ABCH and surely they would look upon my efforts with favor.  As I was herded into a room with 4 executives surrounding me with stern looks on their faces, one said to me, “You can’t do these kind of things if you expect us (L’Oreal) to support you”. he was speaking of the red comparison. I told him that I showed the comparison to several haircolorists and they loved it!  To which he replied, “Andre, that is more information than haircolorists would ever need”. In other words his message to me was he would rather have haircolorist ignorant.  This was a complete contradiction to what the ABCH is all about.  As a result of that meeting I never published the results of that comparison.  None the less L’Oreal never supported us and continue their non support.   So to L’Oreal This 6N comparison is for you!more beautiful place.  HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF YOU!

 To all of the hard-working haircolorists who toil in the trenches each day to make America

 It is all of you who make the beauty industry what it is.  NOT the manufacturers, NOT the schools, NOT the distributors.  Without the hard-working hairdressers and haircolorists there would be no need for the aforementioned.

It was amazing speaking to Mr Nizetich and knowing that there are professionals within our profession who have a level of standard that is simply remarkable. You see I am sure Mr Nizetich has no reason to make up such a story. If you really read between the lines this man has character, and values. And it is quite refreshing to see someone stand up to the Manufacture’s.

Thank You Mr Nizetich, and welcome to the Real Hair Truth!

And L’oreal Pleasure to meet you and I will expose you soon!

Cosmetology License Renewal Online Is A Joke!

~ Joseph Kellner

  

 

Several Years ago the state decided to have requirements for the Cosmetologist, Mainly because of the outbreak of AIDS. And I am also sure to fill their pockets more. But the online requirements for License renewal for the Cosmetologist is a joke. This program can be picked up at Sallys Beauty Supply and the test can be taken and mailed in.  And results can be made online or the tests can be also be certified online.  But the test is given to individuals who use their hands and create daily. By all means I feel advanced education should be implemented in the yearly state requirements. But this certification is merely not helping the hairdresser, Or the full Cosmetologist it is an insult to their intelligence.  Advanced education should be required every year in my profession and I am talking about  a good five-day course at your choice advanced academy. State requirements are often vague and to simplified for the ongoing educational requirements of the Cosmetologist.  And these courses that can be done withing a few hours, and sometimes one hour should be changed. We need to improve our skills yearly and adding a training class as a requirement for yearly renewal should be required.

The laws need to be changed to allow growth within the professional and also challenge the Cosmetologist yearly on keeping a professional responsibility to upgrading their skills. The advanced academy’s should be able to certify all the licenced professionals yearly by taking a five-day course on hair coloring and also hairdressing. Along with the state test.
  
An artist should not take a written test nor should a beauty school graduate, HANDS ON SHOULD BE GIVEN. Yes a short written test should also be given on requirements, but the laws should be changed to implement a hands on approach to licensure for the graduate.
 
National  licensure should be installed to all cosmetologists, and that way it is easier for the individual to move from state to state and receive reciprocity. A lot of students completing the qualifications at their school. Would like to relocate to a different market, also the licensed Cosmetologist would like to see easier movement from state to state.