Hair Extensions: Getting the Best Value

Ever watch someone buy a 160z bottle of something that costs a dime less than a 64oz bottle of the same thing? Best price is almost never best value. It’s that way with your hair style, too. Take hair extensions – the least expensive process lasts weeks, not months, and the price difference is almost the same as the next highest level of service. Sewn extensions, for example, cost around $50 more but last 8-16 times longer. Go with locking extensions, and you pay more, but you can just about double how long it lasts, and you can actually re-use the extensions as your hair grows. Your stylist unlocks them and moves them up. In other words, far greater value, even though the price is more.

Know your types of extensions:

• TRACK EXTENSIONS: (glue): least expensive, last the least amount of time (e.g. 1-2weeks) – lowest value – available locally
• SEWN EXTENSIONS: only slightly more expensive, can last approximately 2months with proper care – available locally
• LOCK-IN EXTENSIONS: moderate expense, but can last approximately 3-4months with proper care (most bang for the buck) – adjustable, re-usable (highest value in the long run), must be ordered
• FUSION EXTENSIONS: expensive, can last 5-6months with proper care, must be ordered

Watch out for fruits: If you’re interested in getting hair extensions, be careful about comparing apples to oranges. Don’t jump at the lowest cost only to have your money evaporate after a short time.

Do not skip the free consultation: An experienced stylist who starts with a free consultation is the norm. Just walking in off the street and getting extensions is bad news – get the free consultation. It’ll also give you a chance to meet your stylist in person, which is everything. No matter how they sound on the phone, you’ll be able to tell what you’re getting when you evaluate how they handle things in person.

Keep Your Hair

It’s easy to ignore the possibility of thinning or lost hair until it’s already gone. But hair health is part of overall health, and you can do some basic things to take care of your hair and reduce the potential for hair loss. This applies to both women and men, younger and more mature.

You lose about 80-100 hairs per day, but if you’re losing several times that, it may be time to see your doctor, consider improvements in your diet, reduction of stress, and possibly products that help with the appearance of thinning hair, like Nioxin (available in our salon).

Protecting your hair from excessive hair loss requires some common sense hair health techniques:

• Don’t band it with rubber bands, or tie it too tightly into pony tails. The tension on your hairline increases hair loss.
• Use a wide-toothed comb, not a fine one or brush, especially when hair is wet.
• Switch shampoos every 8-10 months.
• Avoid shampooing daily. That can strip your hair of oils and proteins, and increase hair loss during washing, drying, and styling.
• Use an essence or essential oil on your hair (again, available in our salon). This will increase circulation to hair roots and replentish hair.
• If you’re losing hair, you probably shouldn’t be straightening, perming, coloring, or blow drying. But if you are going to do those, then do it less often, and choose processes that last longer (we use color with less fade, straightening and extensions that last much longer than normal, etc).
• Drink lots of water. Eat healthy. Get enough sleep and routine, adequate exercise. Again, hair health is part of overall health and there are direct connections.
• Stop stressing. Stress will leave you looking like a scalped lawn. Yoga can help, or other destressing measures.

It Takes Time to Properly Place Extensions

Your stylist shouldn’t rush through a hair extensions process. Using smaller extension braids, and sewing the extensions more tightly, takes more time, but you get more natural looking hair extensions, more freedom to wear your hair in a pony tail, and you can wash your hair with less worry. Extensions are labor intensive, so the cost can be surprising, but don’t skimp to save a few dollars – you want to look like a star, not a porcupine. Your stylist should be meticulous about extensions, not rushed.

Your stylist should also use natural human hair extensions, where possible. These not only look better but are easier to care for and last longer. High quality human hair extensions come from India or the Far East. They can be styled like your own hair with heat or rollers unlike synthetic extensions which will be damaged by heat and some styling products. So if you are supplying your own extensions look for all natural human hair from a reputable supplier. Don’t think that you are getting a bargain by purchasing cheap low quality extensions, you’ll only be disappointed and end up spending more in the long run replacing them in a few weeks.

The first thing your stylist will do is section out your hair. Starting at the back, she will take small sections and braid them horizontally across your head very tightly to give her a base to sew the extensions onto. Small tight braids are essential for proper placement and durability. If the braids are too loose, the extensions may come out in just a few days. A skilled and experienced stylist won’t make this mistake.

Your stylist will use a curved needle and thick thread to sew your extensions into your hair. This will take time, so be prepared to stay in the salon half of the day. Working her way around your head, she will continue to braid and sew until the proper number of extensions are in, to create the look you want. Once the extensions are placed, she may cut your hair and then style it. Now you are ready to enjoy your new look.

Anastasia is a salon hair stylist in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Out of town appointments welcome.

Jessica Simpson Style

You either love her or you don’t know her. She’s the all-American blonde princess who grew up in Texas, and brought that rich and sassy Texas attitude to Hollywood. You’ve got to give it to this bombshell beauty, she’s got a lot of staying power. She started to get noticed in 1999, and today, 11 years after, she’s got star power.

Her beautiful long hair has become a signature look for her, and somehow even with her experiments with other hair styles and hair lengths, nothing looks as great. It’s a young and vibrant hair style with lots of waves and texture. You can probably have this look, too. It’s very simple and won’t even require you to purchase major hair products just to get it right.

First of all, you need to have long hair (or get extensions), at least below the shoulders. Anything shorter than this won’t look as good. You need a superb hair cut. For this style, you need to get your long hair layered.

The stylist will create the look for you, but if you’re not prepared, it’s only going to last until your next shampoo. Don’t delay the shampoo because you can’t bear to lose the “look.” This would make your hair look oily. Instead follow these simple instructions:

After you shampoo your hair, air dry or blow dry until just damp, but not yet dry. Then, put some mousse, being careful not to overdo it. If you put too much of anything on your hair, it will make your hair look heavier, and it may even get itchy. At any rate, after the mousse application, allow you hair to dry.

It is best to keep your dry hair a few hours before going to the next step. This means you can shampoo the night before, then go to sleep. When you wake, you can begin to work magic on your hair.

Start by putting on a little shine serum (your stylist will have the right product or can fast order it for you, if you pay in advance), but only at the ends. This will help your hair against fly-aways. Then, with a hot curler or curling iron and using the biggest size, twirl your hair up to 2 inches from the roots. Jessica Simpson’s curls do not start from the top.

Once the curling iron has cooled a bit, gently pull it away from the hair but maintaining the curls. In other words, don’t drag down the curls or yank out the curling iron. Do this throughout.

When you’re done, spray your hair a bit then flip it over, and run your fingers through the curls gently. Your goal here is to shake the curls a bit so it gets that “Just woke up now” look that Jessica Simpson is famous for.
Bring your hair into position and tame the curls with a wide toothed comb or brush. Jessica likes to part her hair on one side, so why don’t you try it and, if you have her light baby bangs, just drape them sexily over one eye.
Finally, apply some hair spray to keep the curls in place. Hello, Jessica!

As always, consult your stylist to find the right recommendations for your hair texture, face shape, etc.

Anastasia is a salon hair stylist in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Out of town appointments welcome.

Managing Hair Extensions

Managing hair extensions presents even more responsibilities than your natural hair. You need to be a little more gentle with your extensions to extend the life and to keep them looking their best.

Your natural hair goes through a ton of abuse every day of the year and it can really withstand a good amount of damage over time. But extensions do not gain nutrients from your scalp so they are at least three times more susceptible to irreparable damage. While this may not seem like a big deal, because hair extensions are not with you forever, it does mean that they could fall out prematurely or need to be replaced.

Be sure to always wash your hair every day if you have hair extensions. Unwashed hair accumulates your body oils and it could compromise your extensions. All too often extensions fall out because of oily hair, and it’s a shame to have to have all new ones put back in because of a little negligence.

If you are considering human hair extensions, be sure to ask your stylist if it is possible to safely dye the brand they will be using. It is not possible to dye synthetics, but it is possible to dye human hair extensions. Some brands are pre-dyed, so if you happen to dye them it could severely damage the hair. If you forget to ask before having the extensions put it, it might be a good idea just to stick with your natural color for the time being.

It is completely possible to use heated styling tools on human extensions, but most synthetics will melt if subjected to high levels of heat. There are brands available these days that are safe to get hot, but their heat resistance is usually reflected in the price. A simple curling iron twist on zero resistance synthetic hair can melt a whole area of your extensions, and force you to get them completely redone.

It’s important to know both what kind of extensions you have and what brand they are. Brands can mean as much as the material, so get the full scoop on your extensions before having them attached and possibly making a mistake.

Anastasia is a salon hair stylist in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Out of town appointments welcome.

Hair Extensions End the Waiting

Hair extensions are a great way to add extra length and volume to your natural hair without the waiting time of growing it out.

There are two main types of extensions: synthetic and human hair, and both have their own pros and cons.

Human hair extensions are always more expensive than synthetic extensions, but they last longer and can take a little more wear and tear. You can also use hot tools on your human hair extensions, such as blow dryers, curlers, and straighteners, making them easy to style on a day to day basis. Human hair extensions can last anywhere from one to six months, if properly taken care of. Human hair extensions, of course, always look like natural hair and come in just about every color and texture imaginable.

Synthetic hair extensions are good for those who are on a budget, as they are much cheaper than real hair extensions. The biggest downside to synthetic extensions is that you absolutely can not use any hot hairstyling tools on them, so you’re left with minimal customization. It’s recommended you get the extensions in the style you want to avoid the temptation to style them yourself and damage both your extensions and your real hair. Synthetics last between one week and four months on average, making them a more temporary extension solution than real hair.

With either human or synthetic hair extensions, you should have at least 3 or 4 inches of real hair to start off with. Most hair extensions are either sewn/plaited in or glued into your natural hair. Sewn extensions do not damage your hair in any way as there are no special chemicals used, but they should be used for thick hair. If done in thin hair, there is a chance the braids will be visible under your natural hair — no one wants that. Glued in hair extensions can damage your hair, but hold for longer than sewn extensions. If you take careful care of your glued extensions you can keep the damage to a minimum, but you should still be careful.

If hair extensions sound like they might be for you, or if you want a new, full hairstyle, Anastasia can give you just the right look. Anastasia has extensive experience putting in hair extensions, and there are so many options available, there is almost no reason not to look into getting extensions to give yourself a fuller hair style. Call for a consultation and we can work out a time that’s convenient for you to come by, and we can discuss which type of extension and technique will work best for your hair.

Oklahoma City OK

If you’re in OKC, you can end your search for a salon hair dresser: contact Anastasia in Oklahoma City, OK. Salon services include men’s and women’s hair, children’s hair, hair extensions, hair straightening, hair treatments, hair color, hair cuts, and hair style.

See Anastasia’s list of services [here]. [Salon Map]. Contact Anastasia [directly].