Hair Extensions
Once an embarrassing
necessity, then a mad craze, natural hair extensions and wigs have fast
become an essential part of the busy woman's and socialite wardrobe.
Convenient and economical
(with normal care a wig need not be dropped off at the hairstylists more
than once every four to six weeks for some, rarely or never for others),
they also abolish problem hair, make any hairstyle possible and cover a
multitude of hair styling mistakes.
Today, wigs and hair
extensions can be bought in any hair texture and can be designed to
duplicate any hairstyle on any magazine cover. They're ideal for wearing
over too bleached, over permed, under groomed or swim soaked hair.
Many women use wigs to hide
embarrassing dark roots between touch ups or hair coloring jobs which were a
mistake from the very beginning. You'd be surprised how many wigs are flying
airmail today.
With an increasing number of
women appreciating the value of more than one head, "the only way the wig
business can go is up," according to Max Miller, president of Joseph
Fleischer and Co., the oldest wig makers in America.
Of the 600,000 American wig
wearers, approximately three quarters wear them for chic and convenience;
the rest must disguise sparse hair or baldness. Fortunately, with more and
more women wearing wigs and hair extensions for fashion, women who must wear
them feel much more relaxed about their once hush - hush problem.
Almost anything a woman can do
with her own hair, she can do with a natural hair wig, wiglet or hair
extension. She can comb it, brush it, being careful to keep sharp bristles
away from the foundation, and shape it.
Style a wig or hair extension
as often as you would your own hair or go to your hairstylist for
re-styling.
For more mileage from your
hairpiece or wig, treat it carefully. Store in a dust free spot away from
bright sunlight or excessive heat.
When styles change, your wig
can follow suit, depending, of course, on its original hair length. For this
reason, medium length wigs are the most popular.
And just as you can add a hair
extension to your own hair you can add one to a wig, too, whenever you feel
the need to go longer.
Wiglets are ideal when you
want to create the illusion of more hair without the added responsibility;
when you must hide darker roots between touchups; or you feel like something
different.
Why can wigs be so expensive?
Four to ten experts devote as many as forty hours of concentrated work to
the fabrication of one fine wig. In France, Italy, Germany and some parts of
Hungary, wigmakers are as highly respected as the finest silversmiths.
Watch a wig in the making and
you'll come away thinking it's cheap at half the price.
But first, wigmakers must buy
and process virgin hair (unbleached, unpermed), which is becoming
increasingly difficult to find.
When matching your exact
color, skilled wigmakers mix and blend natural hairs as the artist would the
colors on a palette. These craftsmen assure they can reproduce any natural
color provided it has actually been grown.
Many women find as much
convenience and high style in partial wigs, (wiglets). These come in
countless shapes: chignons, wefts, clip in extensions, head bands, braids,
falls, hair enhancers, bangs, switches, top fullness and on and on.
They don’t cause damage to
your hair. In fact they allow your natural hair to grow longer and healthier
in the process, they’re fun and they’re versatile.
The versatility is
unbelievable. Just look at Brittany or Jessica. You don’t think their hair
grows that fast, do you?
Following is a complete guide
to hair extensions, wigs, and add on's, giving you the tools to make the
best and most informative decision about you and hair extensions.
Synthetic Hair
May be your best choice if you
have a short hairstyle, a limited budget or have little time for
maintenance.
Pro’s:
Con’s:
-
Tend to become stiff after
time
-
The cheapest brand will
often look like plastic instead of real hair
-
The base may be itchy or
irritating to sensitive skin
-
Can not be highlighted or
colored
Human Hair
May be your best choice for
longer hairstyles, a more flexible budget and the desire for a natural look
and feel.
Processed human hair is
generally of Chinese origin. It is processed in order to have a more natural
unprocessed Caucasian appearance.
Unprocessed human hair is the
best quality hair because it is not chemically processed. It is of European
origin. It is the most expensive hair because of its durability and
longevity.
Pro’s:
-
This type of hair has a
natural movement, feels soft to the touch and is the most natural
appearing.
-
It can also be premed and
colored.
-
It lasts longer than
synthetic hair when taken care of properly.
Con’s:
First Things First – "Rules of Hair Extensions (or wigs) to Live
By":
-
Synthetic hair often looks like plastic and rarely will look like you
grew it.
-
Only
buy Asian hair that has been colored / permed if you don't expect to
wear the extensions for a long time and you can't afford anything else.
-
European Quality Hair, don't expect it to last.
-
European Hair is what most people use for extensions. It is durable and
looks good and it will last up to a year if cared for properly.
Hair Extensions Via Weaving (Usually done at a salon)…
Wefts are pieces of hair that
look like a little curtain of hair attached together at the top and free
flowing at the bottom. Wefts can be made by machine, but the best wefts are
handmade.
How are they attached?
Wefts are attached to your head by
sewing them to a tiny braid, also known as a track, made out of your own
hair. The track runs horizontally around the back of your head. The
tracks are done in the middle of your scalp underneath your hairline so
you can't see them.
The crown area of your own hair
covers the top track making the hair extensions seem invisible. The
number and size of tracks matches the number and size of wefts. The
wefts and tracks ideally should be made in different sizes in order to
match exactly the way your hair would look if you had grown it that way
yourself.
Depending upon how much hair you
need depends on how many tracks you have. For example: If I had hair to
my chin and I wanted hair to my bra line (about 18" long) I might need 5
or 6 tracks/wefts depending upon my current haircut. If I had hair to my
shoulder that was thin and stringy and I wanted it thicker and more
luscious but the same length I might need 2 or 3 (or more) tracks/wefts.
Once the tracks are done, the
wefts are sewn to them and then your own crown area hair is blended with
and combed over the hair extensions. From now on you have to think of
the hair extensions as your hair.
What Happens Next?
Every 6-8 weeks (average) your own
hair will have grown about 1 to 1 1/2 inches. The braids will still be
intact and the wefts will still be attached to the braids. At this time
you will need to return to your Extensions Artist and have the wefts
removed from the braids and checked for any product build up, damage
etc. The braids are then undone and redone back against your scalp and
the same wefts sewn back on to the new braids.
FAQ...Weaved Hair
Extensions
Will hair extensions work with real
thin hair?
Yes, depending on the severity of
the thinning. You will need enough hair to lie over the top of the weft
and clip to cover it. Backcombing the hair above the weft can help hide
the weft and clip. Backcombing and hairspray where you will attach the
clip helps make the clip even more secure.
What products should I
use on my hair extensions?
Use products for dry hair. Avoid
products for oily or normal hair or clarifiers. Use a mild shampoo,
conditioner and leave in detangler. Use detanglers and glossifers
lightly.
How do I care for my
new extensions?
Easy! Each brand comes with care
instructions. You will shampoo and condition with a mild shampoo for dry
hair. You do not have to do this often. Hair extensions do not get as
dirty as your regular hair. The less you wash them the longer they will
last. Use a leave in detangler or glossifier.
Use only low settings on curling
irons and blow dryers. *Let hair dry naturally if you can. Caruso
steamrollers are great for extensions because they add moisture to the
hair.
Types of Add-On's (Easily done at home)
Add on hair is simple, secure and fun!
And it looks nicer than a ball cap on a bad hair day. You can add a
ponytail, braid, and a little extra hair, instant length - the possibilities
are practically endless. Change your hair to match your mood.
Basically, add on hair is a fashion
accessory!
Imagine a soft burst of instant curls!
A ponytail wrap of braided hair, a crimped hair wrap that turns an everyday
ponytail into a playful look. Instant long hair only when you want it. Add
on hair is a favorite for Brides and occasions where you want to impress.
And of course the celebrities!
Following you’ll find all types of Add
On hair in which attach to your own hair in many ways.
Clip-In Extension…
Clip-On hairpieces are by far the
easiest and quickest way to go. They are great for women who enjoy the
ease of changing from short to long hair quickly and painlessly, without
using messy glues or sitting in a chair for hours.
Virtually undetectable and made
from the finest quality, protein rich 100% human hair (or synthetic, for
those women on a budget), extensions are available in a variety of
colors that can blend with your natural hair.
Pro’s:
Con’s:
Headband Wigs
A headband wig is really not a wig
but a 3/4 hairpiece with a soft or hard headband for ease of attachment.
They can be in place and looking good in less than 10 seconds, and they
provide wonderful face and neck framing without crowding the face.
Pro’s:
Con’s:
Falls
Falls do not have combs to attach
themselves to your hair, but instead have teeth that sink into your
existing hair to secure them.
The trick is to position the fall
perfectly. This does take some experimentation, but the accepted best
way for most people is to start the piece in the front lined up with an
imaginary line drawn from the front of one ear to the front of the other
and over the top of the head of course.
So first, brush all the hair that
would lay in front of this imaginary line to the front as bangs! Then,
if you can, create a small ponytail as an anchor, but this should be low
near the neck. Then sink the teeth of the fall into part line that you
have created in the front, and stretch the rest of the piece over the
anchor near the neck. If you have lined things up right, there should be
just a bit of tension, not too tight, but certainly not too loose
either.
Then brush up or lift with your
fingers, your bang hair in the front, and sort of integrate your hair
with the hairpiece. With a fall you should select a color that matches
or is slightly darker than your own hair, because you are going to layer
your hair on top, and hair looks more natural when it is darker
underneath, at the roots.
You can use a wig spray, bobby
pins, or a fancy clip to attach your bang hair to the top of the
hairpiece as a final touch. With a fall you can wear the hair back, or
move it semi-forward, even in front of the shoulders if it a long enough
fall. The effect is fullness without an obvious ponytail or combs. They
are a little more work to do up than a clip-on, but they offer a
versatility that a clip-on can not duplicate.
Pro’s:
Con’s:
Hair Enhancers
Revlon's Magic Hair Enhancers are
truly a revolutionary newer product. They look like wigs, but they are
full of holes. They are light as a feather, and are called "hair
enhancers" because they are made to do just that: enhance the hair you
already have. They are especially effective for hair that is thinning
and lacking volume.
Once your own hair is evenly
distributed with the Hair Enhancer, simply blend in with your fingertips
or use the comb to create style and volume.
Once you've practices a few times,
the entire job should take no longer than 5-10 minutes.
You do not have to match your
own hair color with hair enhancers. You can create tone-on-tone
effects, highlights or even a great frosted effect without
chemicals! If you've chosen a color similar to your own you will get
a tone-on-tone effect with slight color variations that look
natural. If you've chosen a color slightly lighter or darker than
your own hair, the finished look will have a beautiful highlighted
effect. And if you've chosen a color opposite to your own hair, you
will achieve a dramatic frosted effect.
Pro’s:
Con’s:
FAQ...All
Hair Extensions:
Will clip on
extensions damage my hair?
No, they will not damage your own
hair. Hair extensions are a great alternative to weaving, braiding and
adhesive hair extensions, which can damage your own hair. Hair
extensions can give your head a rest and help healthy hair grow.
How do I care for my
new extensions?
Easy! Each brand comes with care
instructions. You will shampoo and condition with a mild shampoo for dry
hair. You do not have to do this often. Extension hair does not get as
dirty as your regular hair. The less you wash them the longer they will
last. Use a leave in detangler or glossifier. Use only low settings on
curling irons and blow dryers. *Let hair dry naturally if you can.
Caruso steamrollers are great for extensions because they add moisture
to the hair.
Can I color my
extensions?
Hair extensions have already been
processed so we do not recommend processing them again.
Can I brush my hair
with my extensions in?
Yes, brush them lightly and
carefully so they are not pulled out of place once you have applied
them.
Can I wear my
extensions to bed?
We recommend taking them out
before your go to bed. This keeps the hair from tangling while sleeping
and they are easy to put back in. The great advantage to Hair extensions
is being able to take them off at night.
Can I cut my
extensions?
Yes, you can cut the extensions.
The hair tends to be a bit thinner towards the end of the extensions
just like real hair grows. We recommend giving them a trim or cut to get
the style you are looking for and to clean up the ends.
What products should I
use on my hair extensions?
Use products for dry hair. Avoid
products for oily or normal hair or clarifiers. Use a mild shampoo,
conditioner and leave in detangler. Use detanglers and glossifers
lightly.
Will hair extensions
work with curly hair?
Hair extensions come in straight
and a slight wave and do not work with curly hair unless your hair is
straightened.
Can I make highlights
and lowlights with Clip In extensions?
Yes, this is also a great way to
save your hair from the damage coloring can do. Choose 1 set of Clip Ins
to match your base color and choose 1 set in a shade lighter for
highlights or darker for low lights. Clip them in alternating the
colors.
The HSM subscription
contains even more information:
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