Creating texture in the hair using electrical products.

Creating texture in the hair using electrical products.

For this lesson, we learnt how to add texture to the hair using a variety of different techniques. We used a variety of hair tools to create different textures and experimented with heated appliances. 

Rick-racking. 

 

Rick-racking is a technique used to create an afro style crimp in the hair. Although it does take longer than crimping the hair with crimpers, the effects that it creates are unique, creates big volume, will last a longer period of time and can also be styled into a high fashion look.

Tools used: 

-hair pins 

-hair straighteners 

-setting spray
-brushes
 

Health and Safety
-Ensure the work space is clean and tidy.
-Ensure all equipment is clean.
-Ensure there are no trailing wires from the electrical items.
-Ensure all electrical items are in good working order.
-Place all equipment on a clean towel.
 

Step by step: 

-Grab a small section of hair, spray with setting lotion.

 -Place a pin over the top facing downwards. (Fig one)

-Position the pin at the root of the hair and weave the hair over one side of the pin and bring it under the other side and over the other side of the pin creating a figue of eight. (Fig two and three)

-Continue to weave the hair under and over the sides of the pin.

-Push the hair up as you go until there is no hair left. (Fig four)

-Take your straighteners, hold the bottom of the hair as close to the pin as possible and hold the straighteners on the pin of hair for 20 seconds. 

-Take the pin out of the hair and notice the wave created. 

-Use a comb to brush it out to the desired texture. 

Experimenting with rick-racking on myself.

 

Evaluation: 

 

As I had already used crimpers before, I decided to try a new technique for the majority of the lesson. I chose to look at the rick-racking technique on my doll head as I really found it interesting and versatile.

 

 I found the technique of rick-racking very simple to do although it does take a much longer time than crimping with a heated crimper and can be quite fiddly. One of the things I enjoyed about the technique was that it isn't regimented and I could start from any area of the head. As well as this, I found it a lot of fun because it was a technique I had never come across before.

 

 I found that many factors affected how the crimp would turn out. Pulling the hair at different tensions influenced how tight the crimp would be. If the hair was pulled tight around the pin, the crimp would be more defined and have smaller, tighter waves whereas if the hair was loosely weaved, the crimp would be a lot softer.

 

When brushing out the crimp, I experimented with how different brushes would affect the crimp. Using a large paddle brush on the crimped area would make the hair become more volumized and added great texture whereas just using a tail comb to gently comb over the crimp would only make it slightly textured.

 

After experimenting on the dolls head, I wanted to see what the technique would look like on real hair. Because the style is so striking, no one in my class would volunteer to have their hair styled like it so I decided to experiment on myself. I think that it went rather well although it was very difficult to get the pin close to the root on myself which is easily noticeable in the pictures. Overall, I really enjoyed creating this look and think that the technique is very imaginative and creative.

 

 

Further research:

As I really enjoyed this look, I decided to research further into how this technique could be incorporated into a fashion look. I found that in New York fashion week SS2011, Marc by Marc Jacob's models had sported a similar hairstyle that had been rick-racked. British hairdresser Guido Palau used the rick-rack technique to create a 1970's inspired volumized hairstyle which looked beautiful and matched the fun fashion pieced displayed by the models on the catwalk.

 

Marc by Marc Jacobs, Spring 2011 Ready-to-wear
Model: Chloe Memisevic

 

 

 

 

 

References

style.com, (2014). [image] Available at: http://www.style.com/slideshows/fashion-shows/spring-2011-ready-to-wear/marc-jacobs/collection/19 [Accessed 1 Dec. 2014].