Saturday, May 5, 2012

Please HELP ME! HAIR EXTENSIONS?!!?

Ok last week I had hair down to the bottom of my back but the ends weren't really even and so I convinced myself that I should cut it to get all my hair evened out, so I cut it to my chin and it looks like poo! I'm tired of crying about it, so it's time to take action. If you could please tell me about the different kinds of hair extensions, how they are put in, how long they last, how much they cost, whether you can dye/style your hair with them in, and how damaging they are to your hair. But please don't tell me about clip-in extensions; I'm NOT interested in those. Also, today at school my friends were talking about iron-in extensions or something...? They said they are just ironed onto the tips of your hair and then you just treat them as normal hair and cut them when your hair grows too long! Is there such a thing?



Serious answers only please.



Thank you for your answers in advance :)



Please HELP ME! HAIR EXTENSIONS?!!?

You've got some good advice here so far... but if you're going to have your extensions done-- rather than try to "do it yourself" or have a friend do it, it's going to be serious money. Especially if you live in urban or big city area. I live in Los Angeles, and I have waist length extensions---- the "micro link" type. The results are beautiful, but it cost $2500.00, including the hair.



Serious money, but you don't want to have someone do it who is an amateur. When it comes to hair extensions, you GET what you pay for. Also, don't forget to factor in maintenance. Extensions aren't a one shot deal. Upkeep is VERY important and has to be done every 2-3 months, (I pay half the original cost for upkeep) and you have to buy new hair as the pieces wear out. Add to these costs the special tools you will need (I purchased a professional hair dryer, flat iron and curling iron) and also hair products. (you MUST use very high quality products) It really adds up quickly.



Micro link's a very simple process-- no glue, heat, or heavy sewn in wefts-- just a metal "crimp" on each small section of hair. It took the stylist 5 hours to accomplish and the look is extremely natural. Most people are surprised that I'm wearing extensions.



All in all, I think it's worth the cost, but to each his own.



I would suggest you do LOTS of internet research before you make a final decision-- you can find SO much info online. Then, make a few consultation appointments with different stylists who do extensions. Make sure they do them all the time... because there are plenty of people who just do them occasionally for the money, and they're not well-experienced.



Hope this was helpful... Best of luck to you!



Please HELP ME! HAIR EXTENSIONS?!!?

If your interested I would only do natural hair extensions that sew in ... they last about 6-8 until your hair starts to grow and then you need to get them re sew in again .... you wash them as normal but you need a leave in condiotioner (since the extensions dont get your hairs natural oils) if you wish to dye them your hair dresser can do that for you



as for cost im not sure exactly .. i think about 40 per strand and you may need about 4-5 strands



they are expensive



Please HELP ME! HAIR EXTENSIONS?!!?

Hello. So my Mother (believe it or not) went through the same thing. I was trying to convience her to do clip ons (like everyone is tellling you) but she went and got REAL hair extensions. long story short, they turned out beautiful. she said the problems were: uncomfortable to sleep in, and wierd to wash. these were the iron in kind. (if you are going to extensions, get the iron in ones!) what they do, is take a little loop and pull your real hair through it, they loop your hair into the metal peice on the extension. they with a basic flat iron, close the metal piece tight. So what I am getting at I guess, is that it is a great idea, non damaging, easy and of course fun. once you buy the stuff, u can almost do it your self or have a friend do it. Good luck!



Please HELP ME! HAIR EXTENSIONS?!!?

There's a few you could do.



Usually girls get it done to their bra line.



Theres ;



track weft



sewn in



fusion



microlink.



I suggest sewn in and track weft, they work the best and easy to handle.



Fusion is getting the extenions glued, and glue is horrible, it hurts to remove %26amp; is hard to take care of.



BUT extensions are pretty exspensive. So do your work on researching.



Please HELP ME! HAIR EXTENSIONS?!!?

Extentions are expensive and time consuming. The "iron on" stuff you are asking about, does exist. They take a bit of hair and glue it on at the ends with a hot iron and glue. It looks more natural then a sewn in or glued in weave. I wouldn't put anything but natural/human hair in my head. This will cost you about $50 a weft, plus the money you have to pay a good hairdresser. Bottom line, at least $600 and 8 hours. Let your hair grow out, unless you have the money and time.



Please HELP ME! HAIR EXTENSIONS?!!?

This is going to be long, but I know you trust to get the answers and facts! Hopefully I don't come off as an amateur promising you great results and failing. Before doing all that i'm going to mention, I was really nervous because i've tried all kinds of extensions and i've been disappointed so many times.. not to mention my hair has been through so much damage. Everyone is different, everyone's hair is different. This is coming from my point of view. Hopefully this will help you out and give you a better feel on what to look for.



I am a professional hair extensionist and i've been doing them for almost a year now. I paid good money for my classes and i'm really excited when people come to me. I know what they are expecting for their money, which I don't charge much because results are more important. I got my first set of extensions done when I was 17 and i've been sold ever since. It's so easy to use them to cover up a bad haircut, or just to achieve some nice length and volume! I've had every type done and there's only one I recommend. The safest, easiest, best way.. and that's bonding. I've had microlinks/shrinkies/linkies and i've done them as well, but it's so time consuming and a very tricky process. I never have clients who request them, and I wouldn't recommend this process, but that's just me. There's a reason why the bonding type extensions are more expensive. Again, this is one persons opinion.



You're going to find a handful of people that will convince to to get sew in and glue in (or fusion) extensions and "swear that they are just the best things ever!!" No! No, no no. Stay far, far away from these!! There's only one kind of hair that those work for. The first kind of extensions I had in was the weave. Weave (sewn in/stitched in/tied in) is good for a week or 2.. sometimes 3. Any longer and you will be up all hours of the night you have them taken out pulling out clumps of your baby fine hair. It happened to me, it's happened to quite a few girls that I do extensions for now. It HAPPENS.. whether you have fantastic hair or not. Anything that is knotted and tied into your existing hair is not going to come out pretty. Just do the math. As for glue, no way. I would never do it, I would never suggest it. Glue and hair don't mix.. neither do glue and water (washing your hair)! People will disagree.. but speaking as a professional (who is not the type to come off as a mrs. know-it-all) I just know what's safe and what's not. All the different kinds of extensions look good going in, but a week later.. you don't want to know.



The problem with weave is, the first couple of days are horrible. It takes 2-3 hours to get the trac in, looks great.. but sleeping is a nightmare.. literally. There is no right way to sleep because your head throbs and pounds. When all of that goes away (3-4 days), it's time for the trac to slip. You'll pay anywhere from $50-100 to have them re-tightened/re-tied. Painful again.. and a waste of money. Some people can find better deals.. I could not. The trac is visible no matter what you do and when you're out in public and you see people who know very well what weave looks like, you will find yourself quite embarassed by being approached by them. I've had so many girls stop me in grocery stores and other places telling me that my trac was showing. Weave is just not good to be left in the hair for the 3-4 months people promise. Your baby fine hair turns into a rats nest when it come's out and people with short, thin hair will lose quite a bit of it.. and it's a scary thing. I was very serious about taking good care of them as my stylist promised me to. I washed when I was told, I trimmed when I was told, etc., etc. It's no use. Just don't do this!



I've shelled out $4000 for the Great Lengths hair extensions, and $2000 for the S.O.Cap extensions. A lot of pocket change, right? They lasted 6+ months and the quality was beyond amazing. These kinds of extension systems use a really high tech bonding machine to apply the individual hairs into your own hair. Amazing experience. Amazing results. But sometimes I didn't have a spare $4000 lying around, or half of that for the upkeep, so I panicked. I hate being without extensions. I find I save 30-40 minutes of getting ready time with them because they are so flexible. Flat iron, curl, crimp, scrunch, you name it.. extensions can do it. When you air dry them, some extensions even possess this amazing, beachy hair like quality. Natural waves. Gorgeous.



This last year, after going through hundreds of hair extensions, I figured it would be a cool thing to go to school for, so I did. I loved it. I learned the secrets that the big name brands (like Great Lengths) use and where the stylists shop for their hair and tools. It's not really top secret. I won't get into trouble for telling anyone anything. I'm from a small town in Texas where probably 80% of the town doesn't know, or have never had hair extensions. If they do, they drive 3+ hours to Fort Worth to have them done. It's hard to find good places in Texas to get extensions done. I'll be moving to California this spring and I know there's hundreds of options there.. luckily!



The best, number one kind of extensions to use are the pre-bonded individual hair extensions. Pre-bonded means pre-glued.. but don't panic!! The glue is wrapped with a protein known as Keratin. Although, with that said, it's hard to find suppliers who tell the truth when they say their tips are Keratin tips. Keratin is an EXCELLENT protein for the hair. Basically, the glue never touches your hair. Some will argue, but i've seen them made.. i've seen the Keratin.. that's just how it goes. It really is amazing. Something so amazing as hair extensions shouldn't damage the hair!! The damaging extensions you will find will sell for cheap, by cheap people. They will be made with cheap quality stuff and the people selling them to you will care less what happens to your regular hair. It's unfair and a waste.



It's really hard to find beauty suppliers that will sell you amazing products, so when I recognized this I figured there had to be a better way to go about buying the products and hair. When I took classes, I found the answers.



The Great Lengths (and any other big name brand of hair extensions) salons and stylists have to get their hair and tools somewhere, right? That somewhere is overseas. I respect the Asian suppliers, but I found that sometimes we didn't quite understand eachother. I've been disappointed many times when ordering from them and their online shops so I had to find somewhere else. Meet your new best friend, the UK suppliers!! Going out and searching for a salon in the States is hard and hectic.. especially if it's your first time. People will tell you where to go and who to look for but it's a nightmare. Worst of all, the prices are just outrageous. There are too many different kinds of extensions that you start to get so confused, and it's difficult finding people who know what they're talking about. The UK people just put me at ease.



They are so warm and SO easy to work with. They answer any and every question you may have regarding hair extensions. They promise 100% great results and that's exactly what you get. One of the suppliers I met said that she sells products to the big name salons here in the States. The US has a bad reputation for being so expensive. The prices overseas are amazing. You can't get any better than them! Shipping is phenomenal. So quick and so easy. I promise you, they are the real deal. So, if you're comfortable with buying online.. I would strongly suggest doing so. Sally Beauty Supply, and any other supply store, just aren't going to have the good quality stuff you want. Actually, i've never been to a Sally Beauty that even HAD the extensions I like. I'm a lifetime buyer of super long, Barbie blonde locks and a lot of places just don't deliver. The UK stocks extensions as long as 30".. which goes past the rear! 18" falls just past the breasts, 20" right above the middle of the back, 22" at the middle of the back, 24" near the waist, 26" at the waist, etc.)



Most girls need anywhere between 100-150 strands of hair. Usually, the packs you buy will have 100. Some may have 50. It all depends on where you go. I have normally shoulder length, very thin hair, with lots of layers. I usually get around 200 strands (about 2 packs) because I like them really full. Some girls don't. The strands usually come in bundles of 20, meaning each strand is placed with 19 others, tied together, and placed in a group. I'm probably completely confusing you, but the sites will talk about this so just keep your eyes open. It's really pretty simple. Almost all of the sites have a picture gallery, so check those out too in case you see a girl with the exact hair you want. Email it in and say, " I want this hair! This length, this color.. how many is she using?" You get the idea.



Keratin-tipped, Pre-bonded hair extensions will last you 3-4 months.. longer if you use a certain type of them. I suggest European and Virgin hair. The texture is amazing. The silkiest I have ever felt. All of my girls use the European locks. Euro-premier hair is a new, special kind of hair selling in Europe for bundles. Euro-premier can last up to 6 months if properly taken care of. Asian and Indian hair tends to be very coarse and sheds very easily. They also take longer to maintain. European hair is of the finest quality.



Maintenance for hair extensions is the same as your hair. Take great pride in caring for your hair. Wash from root to tip, but don't scrub where the bonds are (usually about 1/4 of an inch, to an inch from your scalp). Don't wash their hair upside down under the sink. Air drying is GREAT for extensions.. or any kind of hair really! The less heat damage, the better. Extensions don't frizz up. They produce this instant sheen and smoothness when air drying. But, if you must blow dry, don't brush over the bonds. When brushing, brush from the bottom up avoiding the bonds. Anything you do, just avoid the bonds. Use a hair mask weekly if you can.. price doesn't matter.. whatever you can find. Sleep with the extensions pulled back in a braid or loose ponytail to avoid tangling, which usually won't happen. Better to be safe than sorry. That's about it! Piece of cake.



I will list you the top sites I use to get my supplies. I'm very proud of my work and I have many happy clients. The first time I purchased stuff, I can't tell you how excited I was. The extensions you see on girls such as Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, etc. are the pre-bonded extensions. When it comes to how they are applied, it's best to use a stylist you trust. If you purchase you're own hair, it really shouldn't cost a lot for a stylist to help you out. It's not rocket science.. no matter who you talk to. You just need someone with a good eye who can help section your hair, and apply the strands. People do it themselves, but I don't recommend this. It's straining on the body and eyes, and you never know if you're getting it even enough. It's kind of like putting on self-tanner.. !



Before I took classes, I went to my cousin who is a stylist in Lubbock to help me out with putting them in. She works with a girl at their salon who does Great Lengths so she knew how to section my hair and apply them, as she had seen it done a million times. It was comforting to have someone who could see first hand what they were doing. I could have easily had a friend or my sister do it, as scary as it sounds. My boyfriend even offered.. which is scarier!! Haha, no.. it's really not that difficult. It sounds like it is, but it's not. I know a lot of people who are good at trimming hair here and there, so I didn't think this would be a problem. If you have someone (stylist, friend, family member) that you can trust, ask them to help you out. You just need help sectioning and applying evenly. The hair is applied under the hair, skipping the top and bottoms of the scalp. It blends in so easily in your hair so it can't be done wrong. You just take a strand and apply the heat wand for a few seconds and bam, you're done.. move on to the next area. Some of the sites I will mention even have tutorials to show you exactly how it's done, and how to do it, pictures and detailed descriptions. If you want, you can even take pictures in to a stylist or purchase a DVD for $5 at the most off of one of the sites so anyone can get a better feel on what they're doing. It's really, honestly not that hard.



They are put in by using a heat connector. The heat connectors come in amazing colors over in the UK. I'm the biggest pink fanatic, so finding a pink heat connector was a dream! Using extreme care and attention, you simply bond the individual extension strand using the heat connector, also known as an extension wand, to your own hair (grab a piece of hair the same size as the extension strand). They are applied so safely and neatly, you will be amazed. Once they are in you can do anything to them! Cut, curl, straighten, dye, you name it. The UK suppliers offer any and every single color you could imagine, so it will match perfectly to your natural hair color.



Please, if you have any other questions email me. I will be so happy to answer any of them! I've helped a lot of girls online with finding the extensions they wanted and i've had no complaints! I enjoy helping anyone who is interested. I hate seeing people giving negative replies to these questions. Extensions can get a bad-rep, and it's only because some people don't know what to look for! It's called being smart and doing your homework. Hopefully, this is going to help you out. Best of luck!!



http://www.hairdoctoruk.co.uk



^ The first place I bought from, and a place I will always buy from! Payton and Melanie are amazing, and beyond helpful. Send them emails with any and every question you are needing to know and they will reply back within 24 hours. The first time I received their hair in the mail, I could not stop touching the strands. Their European hair is unbelievable. The colors are fantastic and 100% accurate to the pictures. Their cute little extension wands heat up so quickly and the rest of their products are top class. Extensions are so populr in Europe, so the prices they feature are amazingly different from here in the States. I highly recommend them!!



Also, to convert pounds to dollars, either double the price OR visit http://www.xe.com/ucc It's quick and easy!



http://www.hairextensionsnow.com



^ Amy is excellent and a great seller. The only problem is that her site is quite popular, so a lot of her hair lengths and colors will sell out quickly. I go to her for the Balmain Paris hair extension products. Balmain is the rolls-royce of extensions.



http://www.doctoredlocks.com/store/demo/...



^ They feature amazing products, as well as everything you need to know about extensions.



http://www.hairextensionguide.com



^ In case the other site gets a little confusing, try going there. They will tell you anything and everything you are wanting to know, and they also feature some product sites.



http://www.doctoredlocks.com/store/color...



^ A complete list of the colors hair extensions will come in. They have every shade of brown, blonde.. you name it. They even have crazy, wild colors in case the mood strikes you to throw in a few hot pink strands here and there! The numbers are the same as in site (example #613, platinum blonde.. you will see #613 featured on any and every hair extension supply site).



http://www.freewebs.com/hothedz/pretippe...



^ Wonderful European locks. Notice that they feature 'I-tip, U-tip'. This means the bonded tip of the strands is shaped as either an I (stick) or a U (like a nail). I use the U-tip, but either is fine.



I do not recommend Ebay!! You never know who you're buying from. I tried it once just to see, and I was right when I worried about the quality. Ebay sellers never produce a full description of their products.. so the hair you're buying may not be what you expected. Just a tip!



http://www.thefunkyhaircompany.com/index...



^ I've never bought from them, only because the longest they go is 22" (falling to about the middle of the back). But thefunkyhaircompany has great ratings and recommendations!



This is just a taste of the sites I am dedicated to. If you have any other questions at all, please let me know.. and again, best of luck! You will be a lifetime hair extension-ee yet! :)

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