Welcome back to Behind the Chair — the ratchet, real, and raw podcast where two Atlanta stylists keep it all the way 100 about Black hair.

I’m Denise — 16 years behind the chair.

I’m Jada — 7 years in. We both specialize in natural hair + locs only.

This week: No preview. We teaching. Drugstore ain’t haircare.

We’re naming names — Shea Moisture, Carol’s Daughter, Cantu, Pantene, Suave — and breaking down why the drying alcohols, fake soft coatings, waxes, and buildup are the reason your twist-out don’t last, your silk press poofs up, and your locs won’t retwist.

We didn’t learn that number-letter hair chart in cosmetology school. We learned how to look at your hair and scalp. And we learned that salon brands work — Paul Mitchell, Redken, Wella, Design Essentials, KeraCare, Amika, Matrix, Mizani.

We talk:

• Drying alcohols vs good alcohols

• Why you need to wash your hair THREE times

• How often to wash: natural hair, locs, braids — once a month is too long

• Why locs need to be washed — going months without washing is NOT ok

• Clean scalp = styles that last

• Styling products that actually work and don’t leave white flakes

Product of the Week: Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate Shampoo — to get rid of drugstore buildup and help fix damaged hair.

Stop blaming your hair. Start checking your products. If it’s $6 for a big bottle at Walmart, it’s probably not for you.

Behind the Chair: Protect your crown. Pour up, press play, and don’t touch your roots till we talk.

Follow us: @BehindTheChairPod

Got a Chair Confession? behindthechairpod@gmail.com

Leave us a 5-star review — we might read yours next week.

Welcome back to Behind the Chair — the ratchet, real, and raw podcast where two Atlanta stylists keep it all the way 100 about Black hair.

I’m Denise — 16 years behind the chair.

I’m Jada — 7 years in, and we both specialize in natural hair + locs only.

We’re back from Premiere Orlando and we kept our promise. This week: The Big Chop Wasn’t A Choice.

When we say “big chop,” most people think of going natural. But we’re talking about when it’s NOT a choice. When it’s damage. Breakage. Health issues. Postpartum. Stress. Medication. When the hair is telling you it’s time, and it hurts.

We break down the science — what happens when elasticity is gone and bonds are broken. The culture — why cutting feels like failure when you’re taught long hair = healthy hair. And the truth — why holding onto damage stresses your scalp more than letting go.

We didn’t learn that number-letter hair chart in cosmetology school. We learned texture, density, porosity, and elasticity. That’s what tells us when it’s time.

This one is emotional. We’re holding space for the grief, the identity shift, and the reset. Because hair grows back. Scalp health is permanent. And sometimes the most caring thing you can do is cut it.

Missed our Premiere Orlando vlogs? Catch the behind-the-scenes on TikTok @behindthechairpod and IG behindthechair.pod.

Plus: Chair Confessions, Review Shoutouts, and Product of the Week: K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask — for clients dealing with damage who need bond repair, not just moisture.

Behind the Chair: Protect your crown. Pour up, press play, and don’t touch your roots till we talk.

Follow us: @BehindTheChairPod

Got a Chair Confession? behindthechairpod2@gmail.com

Leave us a 5-star review — we might read yours next week.

Welcome back to Behind the Chair — the ratchet, real, and raw podcast where two Atlanta stylists keep it all the way 100 about Black hair.

I’m Denise — 16 years behind the chair.

I’m Jada — 7 years in, and we both specialize in natural hair + locs

We were supposed to do “The Big Chop Wasn’t A Choice” this week, but your girls are driving to Premiere Orlando tomorrow — the biggest hair show for salon pros. So The Big Chop moves to Ep 4.

This week: We’re recording before we hit I-75. We’re talking what we hope to learn at Premiere for natural hair and locs, the tools + products we’re checking for, and the biggest struggle we still face in the chair: clients bringing inspo pics that don’t match their texture, density, or lifestyle.

We didn’t learn that number-letter hair chart in cosmetology school — it’s not a professional system. We DID learn texture, density, porosity, and elasticity. That’s what we use to consult you. We break down what you see online vs what you get in real life, why “I want THIS exactly” isn’t always possible, and why “no” is sometimes the best service we can give.

We’re vlogging Premiere! Follow us on TikTok @behindthechairpod and IG behindthechair.pod for behind-the-scenes from Orlando.

How we use K18: This is for the clients with damage — from color, heat, or years of tension. It’s not a conditioner, it’s a bond builder. You use it on clean, damp hair, 4 pumps, no rinse. Wait 4 minutes before styling. It works at the molecular level to repair broken keratin chains. We keep it in the chair for color clients and anybody dealing with breakage from old styles. Going in the road trip bag because somebody’s gonna need a treatment at Premiere

Welcome back to Behind the Chair — the ratchet, real, and raw podcast where two Atlanta stylists keep it all the way 100 about Black hair.

I’m Denise — 16 years behind the chair.

I’m Jada — 7 years in, and we both specialize in natural hair + locs.

This week: tension, traction, and the truth. As stylists, we see what pulling does — to edges, to crowns, to whole hairlines. We’re talking about why “pain is beauty” is a lie, how tight ponytails, heavy extensions, and glued wigs can cause traction alopecia, and what we do behind the chair to protect your scalp.

No, we’re not here to shame anybody dealing with thinning. We’re here to educate and prevent, because once the damage is done, it’s hard to reverse.

Plus: Chair Confessions from the salon, Review Shoutouts, and Product of the Week.

Product of the Week: Mizani 25 Miracle Milk Leave-In

This is a stylist staple for a reason. It’s a lightweight leave-in that does 25 things — but the big ones: detangles, adds moisture, protects from heat up to 450°F, fights frizz, and strengthens without weighing hair down.

How we use it: Spray on damp hair before blow drying, silk presses, or just for daily moisture. It keeps the hair and scalp healthy so you’re not fighting breakage while you’re also avoiding tension. Great for natural hair, locs, and color-treated hair.

Tap in if you’ve ever:

• Been told “make it tighter so it lasts”

• Taken out a style and felt your whole scalp breathe

• Wondered why your bun gave you a headache

Behind the Chair: Protect your crown. Pour up, press play, and don’t touch your roots till we talk.

Follow us: @BehindTheChairPod

Got a Chair Confession? behindthechairpod2@gmail.com

Leave us a 5-star review — we might read yours next week.

Welcome to Behind the Chair — the ratchet, real, and raw podcast where two Atlanta stylists keep it all the way 100 about Black hair.

I’m Denise — 16 years behind the chair.

I’m Jada — 7 years in, and we both specialize in natural hair + locs.

And no, we don’t do relaxers. Never have, never will.

In this episode, we’re talking about the thing we used to sit in the chair for: creamy crack. We run it back to Garrett A. Morgan in 1909, Jim Crow, the “creamy crack” era of the 80s and 90s, and the health studies that dropped in 2021 and 2022 linking relaxers to fibroids, PCOS, and cancer.

We sharing our own relaxer horror stories, why we quit doing them as stylists, and what we DO instead — locs, two strand twists, flat twists, wash-n-gos, trims, color, braids, silk presses, coils, and treatments. Healthy hair only.

Plus: Chair Confessions, Product of the Week, and Review Shoutouts.

Tap in if you’ve ever:

• Felt that “tingle” turn into a full-on fire

• Had to start over after breakage

• Wanted the real about what’s in that bowl

Behind the Chair: Protect your crown. Pour up, press play, and don’t touch your roots till we talk.

Follow us: @BehindTheChairPod

Got a Chair Confession? behindthechairpod@gmail.com

Leave us a 5-star review — we might read yours next week.

To book with Denise https://www.vagaro.com/thelloclounge

Welcome to Behind the Chair — the podcast where we talk about what really happens when the cape goes on.