Hair Extensions 101 with Simone Thomas

Here at The Simone Thomas Salon & Crowning Glory, located in Westbourne, Bournemouth we have been transforming our clients’ hair with fantastic hair extensions for years.

We are often asked why there are companies and individuals out there offering hair extensions at a very low cost. The reason normally is that they are using very low grade and quality hair to keep their costs to a minimum. We have also seen many badly applied hair extensions that are doing lots of damage to your hair.

The first thing to think about when considering hair extensions is to choose the right hair quality. No matter what type of hair extensions you have, if you do not get a high quality hair you can end up with problems down the road. Problems such as shedding, tangling and matting will make you never want to wear hair extensions again. However, if you use high quality hair in the first place, you will be starting off on the right foot.

You also want to consider the hair extension application type, as there are so many different ways to apply hair extensions...

• Clip-in – these are hair extensions that are on a weft and are clipped in using small clips that are pre attached – these are great if you only want to wear extensions on a temporary basis, such as for nights out or special events and occasions.
• Sew-in – these are hair extensions that are on a weft and are sewn onto your braided hair. At Simone Thomas we do not offer this type of hair extension at the salon, as we believe the weight of the hair extensions can cause traction alopecia when sewn onto tight braids.
• Tape-in – these hair extensions are one of the newer types of hair extension on the market. They are about an inch or two wide and the hair is placed  onto the clients hair using special tape – it is great for people who have fine hair as the tape in’s are very fine and lie flat to the head. They are quick to put in reducing the cost of professional application. They are used to add volume and length. They generally last 2-3 months before you need to have them taken out and re applied. If you have looked after the hair between maintenance visits the hair extensions could last up to a year – again it is all about buying the right quality hair – if you buy cheap don’t expect them to last long before frizzing and matting! These type of hair extensions are great for people that have fine hair.
• Cold Fusion Bonding – this method is much kinder to the hair than the traditional glue in method. However, it is still attached to the hair but uses a keratin bond and needs to be professionally applied. We tend to not apply hair extensions with this method as we believe there are better methods on the market and we are all about looking after our clients’ hair. Hair cannot be reused after removal making it quite expensive to maintain this type of hair extension, as you will be buying new hair at every visit.
• Micro-Bead Weft – these weft hair extensions are micro-beaded onto the hair to make them permanent. You will be able to sleep in these. They are cheaper than individually applied hair extensions. Good quality weft hair extensions typically cost around £100-£150 for the hair depending on weight and length and then you usually pay a fitting fee on a per hour basis. There are limitations in how you can wear your hair as there is not as much movement because the hair is on a weft. However it is a popular way to wear hair extensions cost effectively.
• Transformation Connections – these extensions are our most popular hair extensions – the bead is seamlessly integrated to the hair. These real hair extensions, if looked after properly throughout the year and providing you have your maintenance visits, will last up to a year. Therefore all you need to pay for once you have had them initially fitted would be your maintenance charge making them an incredibly cost effective set of hair extensions.
• Micro-Bead Stick Tip – these are attached to the hair using a silicone bead. Your hair is threaded through a bead and the tip of the hair extension is also placed inside the bead and then the bead is clamped. If you buy good quality hair the hair could last up to a year. You would only need to pay for maintenance visits to reposition your hair extensions, which will move as your hair grows.

Pro’s and Con’s of Hair Extensions

Let's be real here ladies, here at The Simone Thomas salon and Crowning Glory Hair, we know everything there is to know about hair tricks to make your hair appear thicker. We believe that hair extensions are not just a fashion accessory, a lot of women wear them to complete their look, however there are lots of women who have incredibly thin hair and are desperate to have a solution to their daily hair dilemma.

It's our best kept secret. Whether you wear hair extensions for a special event, a solution for hair thinning, or to easily change your look you are not alone! A full head of hair always make styling easier too. Here at the salon we have tried all the hair extension methods on the market at some point over the years. From glue-in, sew-in, micro-beads, fusion and seamless tape-in, you name it we have tried it.

Many people do not even need hair extensions, but they like to have them to change their hair colour or create a new look. If you are someone that just wants a new look without damage to your own hair from hair dye, wants more volume, wants more length or has hair thinning, then hair extensions could be your solution. There are pro’s and con’s to wearing hair extensions, which you should be aware of before you make that financial commitment to wearing hair extensions:

Pros

• Adds length and volume to your own hair
• You can add colour without the use of chemicals – there is so much available on the market with regards to the colour – you can even get balayage hair extensions!
• You can drastically enhance your look – walk into the salon with a bob and walk out with flowing waves!
• You will have more hair to style and work with – great if you have thin hair or have a wedding style in mind but not the hair to pull it off
• With the right method it will not damage your hair – ALWAYS use professionals and stay away from glue-in hair extensions
• You can have the full head of hair you always dreamed of – just buy the best quality you can afford. Cheap hair may seem like a bargain at the time, but in the long run it ends up more costly as the hair extensions won’t last and you will have to fork out for more
• Blends naturally and seamlessly with your own hair – make sure you get them blended in before leaving the salon
• No one will know you are wearing hair extensions with the right application method for your hair type

Cons

• Costs a few hundred pounds up to a thousand to get the hair, installation, cut, and maintenance – celebrity hair extensions can cost well over a thousand!
• You must take care of the hair if you want it to last - you cannot just throw your hair up and go. Use the products recommended by your hair extension technician, as the hair needs extra boost to keep it looking good, so your supermarket stuff just won’t cut it!
• More hair to style – so plan for extra time for drying and styling
• If you have never worn hair extensions it will take a few days to get used to – however before you know it you won’t notice
• If new to hair extensions, your head can feel heavier for 1-3 days. This goes away very quickly

Are Hair Extensions For Me?

If you ask any woman on the streets how important her hair is for her, you will be amazed to see how much women value, care and praise their hair. This can easily be depicted from the great palette of hair products on the market and the numerous hair salons up and down our high streets. Of course, a true lady never tells how much time she spends every day caring for her hair, combing, brushing and styling it before stepping out of the house. We tell you: hours!

We have managed to understand how important a woman’s hair is and how much it can help her conquer the world and be empowered. Why use hair extensions? For some women their hair grows too slow or it needs trimming often because of split ends and it never gets to grow as long as she would have it. Other women have too thin hair to work with, and even if it were waist long, it still wouldn’t look anything like Kim Kardashian’s hair.

If you see places offering full head hair extensions for £250 we say stay away! Cheap hair extensions may seem like quite the deal, but it will actually cost you more in the long run. Cheaper hair extensions mean that the quality of the hair is compromised in order for them to sell the extensions at a lower price. There are ways of making even human hair extensions cheaper, such as adding shorter cheaper filler hairs, using single drawn verses double drawn hair (full hair from top to bottom), and using really bad hair (non-Remy) and coating it with chemicals that only wash off quickly.

Even if you are dealing with 100% Remy hair, there are different grades of Remy and different manufacturing processes. Some manufacturing processes are quick and cheap, and strip the hair of its cuticles. They then coat the hair in silicone and mask this. You won’t know until after a few washes if you have good hair or not! It will feel soft and silky when you take it out of the packet, but the cheap hair extensions that are coated with silicone will turn into a coarse frizz after a few washes! Buyer beware! Your lovely flowing hair extensions could turn into a mass of tangled frizz after just a couple of washes! As they say you get what you pay for!

When considering extensions the two things that are the most important are:

• Choose the best hair quality
• Choose the best hair extension method for you

Why Do Hair Extensions Vary So Much In Cost?

In order to have a great hair extension experience you must first use the best quality hair available. This will not be cheap. You will invest £200-£400 for good quality hair, but it can last for up to a year if you follow the maintenance schedule your hair extension technician will advise you of, therefore you do get a good return for high quality hair. If you buy cheap hair it will not last very long before it has to go in the bin and you end up forking out again very quickly for the next set of hair extensions.

There are various types of hair quality available on the market these include:

• Synthetic hair: Fake, cheap, lowest quality. Made with plastic fibres and manufactured to look and feel like human hair. It is made from low-grade acrylic made into individual hair fibres. This is not hair you want, its doll hair. Some synthetic hair can have heat applied to it – however this heat must be controlled. This is a higher grade of synthetic but one you will want to avoid also if you are wearing permanent hair extensions. The cheaper the price the lower the quality – really cheap hair extensions are probably not real hair!
• Non-Remy Hair: Cheap human hair with cuticle not in tact. This type of hair is hair swept off floors in salons around the world, bagged up and sent to factories. It is also usually mixed with animal hair and will matt after the first wash. This hair is low quality and will not last more than a few weeks before it just ends up a mass of knots. Stay away from this hair!
• Low Quality Remy: Remy human hair with the cuticle not in tact. They appear soft, shiny and nice because they are coated with silicone to last for 1-3 washes. Again stay away from this type of hair for your hair extensions. You will be wasting your money and needing new hair extensions very quickly, which will end up costing you way more money in the long run!
• High Quality Remy: Remy human hair with cuticle in tact. This is a great grade of hair. Having the hair in tact is what keeps your hair extensions healthy and shiny after the ponytail has been collected. This hair should last 5-8 months depending on the care you take of it.
• Virgin Remy Hair: Highest quality human hair, cuticle in tact, hand selected, processed with different technology to keep quality high. This hair is more expensive because it takes more work to process this hair. It will last up to a year or more because it is hand selected and processed differently. This hair will last over a year with proper care, but expect to invest to get the quality!

For a free hair extension consultation, call The Simone Thomas Salon and Crowning Glory on 01202 760003, conveniently located in Westbourne, Bournemouth.