Was the ‘Do Part of Her Undoing?

It was the ultimate bad hair day, resulting in a big loss on the job.

Tennis player Venus Williams lost some of her hair beads, not once but twice during a match at the Australian Open earlier this week. The second time the beads hit the court, the umpire penalized her. Williams lost one point, her composure and the match.

David Humphries has one piece of off-the-court advice: “She should have gone through a road test.” Humphries is owner of Detroit-based Hair Wars, a showcase company that teaches stylists how to do exotic ‘dos.

Many of his students go on to design hairstyles for recording artists in music videos in which “people are dancing and moving.” And always, before the shoot, the hairstyles are tested, he says. He blames Williams’ bead loss on her stylist.

“It’s the technique of the hairstylist, knowing that she’s moving a lot,” Humphries says.

But not too many people know how to bead properly, undoubtedly because beading hair isn’t that common anymore, Humphries says.

“They’re not really that popular,” he says. “It’s maybe her thing.”

Williams recovered her composure and perspective after the match.

“I didn’t lose that match because my beads fell off,” she says. “I lost it because I didn’t play very well.”

Fortunately, bad hair days come and go.

Daring Hair: Southern California, with its glorious diversity of hair and hairstyles, attracts some of the elite bioscience companies in the beauty industry.

Germany-based Wella, maker of Wella Balsam products and parent company of Sebastian International, has opened a research and development lab in Woodland Hills.

Now Wella scientists are putting out a call. They need hair--specifically, from the heads of adventurous people who want to be part of product testing.

Anyone wishing to be a guinea pig for various products can make an appointment with the Wella lab and, for a $1 “towel fee,” get any sort of salon service, from a permanent to a simple blow-dry.

Neither the client nor stylist will know what brand is being tested.

Wella’s offer is a little different from the free services offered by beauty schools: Wella uses five established stylists who won’t be practicing haircuts on you and with whom you can develop that all-important hairdresser relationship.

The only drawback is that the salon is open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and is closed for lunch. For more information, call the lab salon at (818) 676-1500. You must be 18 or have permission from a parent to volunteer.