Thanks ylibierthal, would you know of a store closer to Beverly Hills. Ill be arriving late at night and departing the next day at 1,00 am, so Im afraid the store in Howard Hughes center might be closed.

Have a nice trip.

Bea,
Here are 3 in the BH area:
La Peer Beauty
310-859-8899
8950 W Olympic Blvd No 113
Beverly Hills CA 90211
Bill's Beauty Supply
310-275-0519
311 N Robertson Blvd
Beverly Hills CA 90211-1705
Parvaneh Beauty Supply
310-271-2565
9617 Brighton Way
Beverly Hills CA 90210-5109

Thanks!!! Thanks!! ylieberthal, you are a darling. Ill post pictures of my straight hair when I get back.

Enjoy your trip!!

I've got curly hair that likes to get frizzy. I have found that the longer it is, the more frizz issues I have, so now I keep it fairly short - it just brushes my shoulders. It curls up more than when it is longer, but as long as I have a good cut, it is very manageable. When it is longer, the length pulls out the curl and all that is left is frizz. If I have it much shorter though, it curls up too much and is hard to deal with.

Having a good cut is the key though - by someone who really knows how to cut curly hair. I have been going to the same hairdresser for 20 years. When you've got curly hair and you find someone you like, you stick with them :)

I blow dry my hair - regardless of the cut, it gets flat on top and a bit bushy on the sides, and then more frizzy.

I use Pantene products on my hair - either the smoothing balm or the curl serum - along with a bit of curl lock hair spray. Also, my hair is less frizzy if I don't wash it everyday.

Japanese thermal straightening. I went from frizzy corkscrew curls to straight hair that never frizzes, no matter what. Truly a life transforming experience.

what is thermal straightening and where do you get It?
I think we should all post pics of our frizzy hair when we get home!

Larger asian beauty salons offer japanese style thermal straightening, google it to see if you find one near where you live...... and I have wanted curly wavy hair all my life!

the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence!

Oh, how we gals with straight hair wish we had curls. Instead we have to take perms that make our hair like hay as we get older!

What's the deal with Japanese Thermal Straightening. Does it last a day, a week, or (be still my heart) a lifetime?? I've got to find someone who can do this for me while we're in Thailand! Any ideas in Phuket would be fantastic : )

Thanks!!!

Watergirl, here is a great article with before and after pictures of Japanese Thermal straightening. It is VERY expensive ($600-700) and is a long procedure (4-5 hours).

This should tell you everything you need. It lasts a long time, although not, unfortunately, a lifetime due to those pesky roots that keep growing.

Laurico, how often do you have to do it? Is there a "touch up" like with color or do you have to do the full straightening each time?

http://home.comcast.net/~gaelen/yuko.htm

Fodors system doesn't like the tilde (~) in an URL, so you will have to copy and paste the link in the message above.

Sadly, especially since the "touch up" is almost certainly not available in my neck of the woods, such a treat will be a little steep for my budget and long for my time there...bummer.

For now, will stick to gel, round brush blow out and flat iron. Sigh...

What a great idea. Unfortunatley i can't use it either because I color my hair.

Japanese thermal straightening is a process that has become more popular and many salons now offer it. The price has also come down a lot. I used to pay over $600 for it, I now pay $200 (+tip). It's not harsh on your hair the way old straighteners were as no lye is used. It takes about 3 hours for my hair although on occasion it has taken 5 hours.

I have it done between every four to eight months, depending on what time of year it is (not needed as much in the winter since it's less humid here in NY so if I have a few inches of roots, when I dry my hair, they will stay straight) and I also try and time having it done before a vacation.

The amount of time

Opps, hit post too soon...

The amount of time between straightening depends on how fast your hair grows. Once your hair has been straightened, it will stay that way forever. You only need to have the new growth done. In fact, they never redo what has already been straightened. For me, even when I paid over $600, it was worth every cent. I no longer care how humid it gets or if it rains since my hair will stay stick straight. I can either let it air or "finger" dry it and it will be stick straight or I can use my blow dryer for about 5 minutes with a round brush and give it some volume and more style, which is what I usually do. I hope this answers all the questions but if you have more, post 'em!

ylieberthal, you can still have it done itf you color your hair. If you have your hair highlighted, you need to let the hairdresser know since they have to do some extra step. Not necessary with a one process color though. Also, the "touch ups" cost the same as having your whole head done. My cousin sometimes has just the front done so her bangs don't curl and they do charge her significantly less for that.

I have long hair that I straighten with a flat iron every day. Last year on my month-long honeymoon to Thailand, HK, Tokyo I straightened my hair the first day in Bangkok and then never touched my hair dryer or flat iron the rest of the trip. It took too long and then I would go outside and it would frizz and curl so my time spent straightening would be in vain. I consider my vacation a vacation away from all the wasted time I spend primping myself. This time when we go to Asia over the Christmas holidays I am considering not even bringing my hair dryer or flat iron. The decision is personal.

When I'm traveling, there are some days when I shampoo in the shower and go "au natural" with all the curls. But, I also find time to visit salons along the way, where I have a shampoo and blow dry that I can wear down or pull back into a clip or ponytail.

Being able to pull my hair back is hard to think about giving up, should I opt for a short but very curly style.

UGH... decisions, decisions... It's especially hard since, as I've said before, I've just been curly for about the last four years and have not cut my hair very short during that time. It has always been at least shoulder length.

Now that I've been here for three days I have the definitive answer on what to do with frizzy hair. Either cut it short and let it frizz or wear it in a pontail. It is so humid here that I don't understand how how one would be comfortable with hair on their neck!