What’s the lifespan……

So this is the burning question most hair reseller will get before a customer commits to makes a purchase of hair extensions.

My answer to that is “well it depends on how you treat your hair”

No single person will have the same hair experience with hair extensions. I can give 2 people the same type of hair and their end results or overview of the hair will not be the same. There might be some similarities but the experience will be totally different.

The first point is that each bundle of hair is from a different donor and won’t react the same to daily styling and hair care.  Sometimes the texture might be a little different; curl wave pattern will be similar but not identical.

The second point is how you care for the hair varies from person to person. These are some of the factors but not limited:

·        Products used on the hair.

·        How often do you use products and how much of it do you use.

·        Do you wash the hair daily, or weekly?

·        Environmental factors can also make a big difference.

·        The type of brush or comb you use.

·        Do you play in your hair or do let it be free.

·        How much heat are you applying?

·        Do you wrap your hair at night?

·        Do you use something to tie your hair and what is it made of…… silk, polyester or cotton? 

·        How long is your hair tied down for? Only at night or all day.

·        Your install can also be a factor.  

Just like us, your hair can be moody. Today one thing will work perfectly and then next week it’s not that effective. Our own hair behaves the same way if you really think about it.

Start doing too much of one thing or too little of another to your own hair and what will be the outcome? Same thing applies to your extensions. So you have to learn to find a healthy medium for your extensions because that will determine how long they last.

So just too really answer this question and other question that my customers ask me I have put the hair extensions to the test. I experimented with hair care, products etc;

Now mind you this was the hardest challenge for me as I am use to doing things the same all the time. I like what I like and I do what only works for me. Most challenging was the length of time I had the hair in. I love changing my hair often. Every 3-4 weeks because I like “change” So this was definitely new for me.

So I installed some hair in November of last year and took a commitment to leave it in until the hair died. So now its end of February and I still have this hair in.  Now it’s killing me because I want to try something new but the hair won’t die lol :)

It’s been fried and dyed and taken to all extremes….. I’ve used products some week and no products other weeks. Wore it straight for a couple weeks then curled with a wand or curling iron. Then wore it in its natural state. Everything I threw at it… the hair manage to keep up pretty well.

So the conclusion of my little experience is as followed:

·        The hair is 4 months old and still has life to it, I’m just impatient however I could wear it for another 2 months. Lol

·        The hair bleaches well however it needs to be deep conditioned at least once a week.

·        Shedding is impossible to prevent totally however sealing wefts, brushing the hair out properly, limited heat. Conditioning the hair can also help with this.

·        Over use of products cause the hair to be weight down and totally change the appearance of the hair.

·        This hair likes natural products

·        Air drying is the best option however when trying to achieve a sleek straight look, a paddle brush and blow dryer is the best option instead of flat ironing form it natural wavy state. Blow dry section by sections with a little heat protector and light argon oil and you’ll achieve beautiful silky flowing straight hair.

·        Do not play with or brush the hair after it’s been washed and you want to wear it in its natural state.

·        Wear the hair wrapped up and under a bonnet isn’t really good. Let the hair out to get some hair time to time.

·        Sleeping on a cotton pillow case with no head tie means dry brittle hair in the morning.

·        The hair doesn’t like alcohol based products at all. Mousse, gels hair spray Nope Nope and double NOPE

·        Frizz is prevented when I didn’t use the paddle brush often. I used my finger to comb out the hair with a little argon oil and found the hair was less frizzy during the day.

·        Cover you hair in cold weather….. Tends to get dry when it’s really cold. Especially when going into a heated environments afterwards.

These are some of the things I have found out about the hair.

Let’s face it…… hair can take on a life of its own and there are steps on should take to manage that. I’ve seen hair review on cheap hair and expensive hair and there are always “Hair Issues” you just have to learn what works for you and your extensions.

So to answer the original question ….”What’s the lifespan?” I have proven that it really depends on you! Treat your hair well and it will in return act right and last long.

Even with how I treated my hair….. I always maintained proper care and as a result has been good to me!

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FRIZZ……….I want a divorce! :)

So how many of you ladies feel like you’re ready to divorce FRIZZ and embrace shiny, sleek and healthy hair into your new hair relationship!

I was there before and vowed never to go back to undependable, unforgiving, embarrassing emotional hair killer called FRIZZ.

Ok, so where did this blog idea come from. Well it was sparked by one of my customers that asked me "how do you prevent the extensions from looking dry and frizzy"?. What do I use, what should I do? 

Now I’ve been a die heart “curly/wavy” hair wearer for many years. I love the look, the feel and the confidence that it gives me so I’ve had my battles with this type of hair. Especially because when I started out wearing this hair I didn’t even know about, nor had access to virgin hair extensions. So I had to deal with the curls and the poor quality of hair and it always seemed like a losing battle.

However after many years I found what worked best based on trial and error and I have a good method that works for me.  So after I was asked this question by a customer it got me thinking? We all know about frizz and we have an idea of the products that we should use to prevent it but what really causes frizz?

 So if we all went back to science and chemistry 101 and understand from that point of view maybe, just maybe we can learn how to combat the dredged FRIZZ monster.

We can all agree that just like any Natural Hair, even Human Hair Extensions tend to become frizzy. This is because in principal Natural hair extensions do not have the advantage of being supplied with the natural oils from the scalp like your own hair, and are therefore more vulnerable to drying out аnԁ becoming frizzy.

This is not because of the quality of the Hair or the process it undergoes that is responsible for it. 50% of the time Frizzy hair means that your hair needs moisture and the other 50% of the time some people experience frizz due to moisture.

Frizz happens when dry, porous hair sucks up moisture in the air, causing the shaft to swell. A dose of conditioner coats the hair shaft, making it harder for moisture to sink in.

Dryness due to lack of moisture and also heat damage can also cause hair to look frizzy and frayed – whether they its natural hair or extensions.

Humidity is another thing that causes frizz for some people. Hence the use of a Leave-in Conditioner is among the first things that must be done. Fact is conditioner should be regularly used on the Hair Extensions to avoid it getting too dry or tangled.

Ok so now we know what causes FRIZZ, what solutions can I give you to prevent it from happening or tame it?

I like to use a moisture-enriched shampoo as opposed to a clarifying shampoo. A great affordable shampoo is made by Herbal Essence, Hello Hydration. Perfect product to bring your dry brittle hair back to life. Another shampoo is made by Dove, Damage Therapy intensive repair. Both shampoo have sulfates however the level on moisture that it provides the hair is worth the use. I wouldn’t recommend it for daily use as its recommended that you use sulfate free shampoos on your hair extensions. But to combat frizz these shampoos have worked for me.

P.S ladies Do not use shampoos which contain alcohol. Alcohol dries your hair, leading to more frizzies.

Shampoo your hair, and then rinse with very cold water. After shampooing hair rinse your hair in the coldest water that you can to help lock in the moisture. Cold water helps close the cuticles and keep your color in so it last longer and will be shiner as well.

Be sure to rinse for several minutes before applying conditioner. After using conditioner, again rinse your hair with cold water for at least 3 minutes.

My preference in Conditions is Dove Intensive Repair daily treatment conditioner. The reason this is my favorite is that I co-wash everyday with this conditioner and wash the hair (shampoo & conditioner) once a week.  Washing everyday isn’t really recommended but this is what works for me and my last very long.

Apply an anti-frizz serum to your damp hair. I like to use argon oil or Bio Silk to give it a bit of shine or to act as a sealer to prevent frizz of fly-away.

My preference is to allow the hair to air dye.

After a wash, let the hair air dry with as little touching as possible. Never pull or stretch the hair, especially when it is wet. Don’t play with it, don’t brush it or dry it with a towel. A wide-toothed comb is best. This will also prevent the frizz. Use a t-shirt to soak up the water from the hair. Not sure what it is but using a towel …… makes my hair frizzy when it dries however when I use a t-shirt to take out most of the water…. No frizz.

Air dry your hair. Avoid using a blow dryer if at all possible. Blow drying your hair often can lead to damaged ends and more frizz. If you must blow dry your hair, use a diffuser only for a couple minutes after your hair is almost dry.

Well ladies that my secrets to preventing frizz and caring for my wavy/curly hair. So this was a 2 in 1 blog…… hope it helps!