Today we will discuss how to choose the right extension and what makes high-quality extensions different.
People must be careful when selecting hair extensions. These days, there are dozens of different companies that aren't even regulated, don't produce quality extensions, and often use synthetic hair.
A skilled professional should be able to identify high and low quality extensions, whereas a person without such knowledge almost cannot do it without any assistance. Cheaper products are so well designed to look like high-quality brands that it's sometimes hardly possible to tell the difference.
Color pigments will not adhere to low-quality synthetic fiber hair and will not accept a dye. As a result, you won't be able to shape and style a cheap hair extension.
It would also be impossible to use an iron on the hair, because it would start forming white spots as soon as you touched the hot iron to it. This issue tells you that the extension you are using is at least seventy percent made of synthetic fibers.
Another significant factor is the thickness of the hair strands from the top of the hair extension to the bottom. Hair extensions with the same thickness across the strands are most likely made of chemicals instead of natural hair. A fake hair extension could be sold for a very low price or very expensive. Do not buy these types of extensions since natural hair generally gets thinner as it approaches the end of the strand.
Another way to determine the quality of your hair extensions, even natural ones, is to shake them. Once you do that, the hair will break and bits of hair will fall out. The fewer the pieces falling out, the better the quality of the hair is.
Whenever you shake the hair and too many little strands fall out, this indicates that there are too many four-inch hair strands in the hair extension. It means that too many of these short strands were placed inside the extension while it was being packaged. This renders the majority of the hair useless while you work on the extension, causing you a great deal of frustration and loss of money. Keep in mind that the shorter strands are usually attached to the middle of the hair extension, so they aren't visible when you buy it, and you might not even notice until you unpack the hair and shake it to check the quality. This is another reason why a professional should purchase and check the quality of the hair.
Although hair extensions with consistent thickness throughout the length of the hair are available, they are prohibitively expensive. This means in order to obtain the required number of hair strands for the individual you will have to throw away two-thirds of the hair strands. Buying extensions like this will result in you having to pay more money for each strand of hair. The cost can vary depending on its length and color. Keep that in mind when you buy the hair extension.
In general, you do not get a lot of hair hanging from a good batch of hair. If you shake a standard batch, the majority of the hair will fall off at the six-inch point and then at the eight-inch and ten-inch points. If you purchase anything other than this, then you have purchased nonstandard hair.
Batched hair is available in a variety of forms on the market. Some of the hair is designed to be used with ring extensions, while others have a sewing point at the top (that is particularly designed to be used with sewed extensions) purchased by the meter. Those can be sewn to your braids or attached to the hair near the scalp.
Among the many types of extensions, there are ones that have Keratin tips and those that adhere to the hair with glue. I strongly advise against using glue for extensions. It's a very old method, and maybe it was OK to use it many years ago, but today, Keratin tips are the way to go. You should be aware, though, that Keratin glue is quite costly. If you come across extensions with Keratin tips for a low price, they are most likely just regular old glue. Hence, be aware of the price of the material you are looking to buy. Cheap products will not be made from quality materials.
The Keratin tips on the extensions come in a variety of shapes and sizes, including rectangular and spoon shapes. Instead of buying hair with Keratin tips already attached, I usually cut the tips with scissors and use my own Keratin glue, or simply avoid buying hair with Keratin tips already connected.
Other factors such as how extensions are attached to the hair, how the extension tip is attached, and the quality of Keratin itself may all have an impact on the performance of Keratin glue. Make sure you get the right hair type and quality, and above all else, the batch does not contain too many short hair strands. As a final recommendation, I suggest hiring a professional to help you choose the right hair extension whenever in doubt.
Problems caused by unhygienic extensions
Recently, unauthorized and nonstandard extensions have become more available, and with that, hygienic issues have become rampant. This is primarily due to the chemicals and organic materials used to preserve the extensions and keep them soft and shiny. When you attach those extensions to your hair, they will eventually come into contact with your face and scalp, possibly while you sleep. It could result in fungus, alopecia, or severe tissue damage.
Unfortunately no authority or organization actively oversees the quality and safety of extension products. These products are made and sold by many large companies, yet the quality of their production is virtually unregulated. Most of the produce is substandard, containing about 40 percent synthetic materials. They may appear attractive at first glance, and they may even respond well to dye, as well as come in a variety of fantasy colors, but they are made of synthetic materials, and if you look closely, from root to stem, their thickness is the same.
As I previously stated, a standard natural extension that is free of synthetic material is thicker at the root and thinner at the stem's end. Even with the most well-known brands, extensions that come in neat packages with hand-picked small strands are not standard extensions. It doesn't matter who is presenting them, whether it's an actor or a model.
How to know if i'm buying a good hair extension
The best method is to burn a strand of hair to see how quickly it will burn. Because natural hair is made of organic fiber, it burns quickly, whereas synthetic fiber is made of plastic and other chemicals that burn more slowly. This is the most effective method of determining whether the extension is made of natural fiber.
Furthermore, Some people recommend smelling the hair extension to see if it smells like plastic or any other non-organic material. These aren't very good methods because preservatives can easily mask such signs. Argan oil, for example, is an excellent substance for masking odors and is used in large quantities.
Choosing the right Keratin substance
Keratin can be purchased in the form of tape, sticks, and even powders. They come in a variety of colors, including yellow, black, brown, red, or colorless. Keratin substances are available in almost any color you desire. It is the material's quality, not its color, that is important. Likewise, the extensions available in a multitude of colors. You can buy a colored Keratin tip to match the dye color, or you can simply apply a dye a few shades darker than your hair color for about twenty to thirty minutes before adding your colorless Keratin substance to it.
In order to add Keratin to the tips, you need to separate your hair layers and add glue to them. Next, dye your hair the color you desire and then cut out the glue and apply your Keratin. The only problem with this method is that you will have to cut too much of the person's hair, so the hair becomes too short. If you have a good quality hair extension, you can sometimes do the whole layer of hair together. This is, however, something that only someone with extensive training can do. An extension done by a professional can guarantee the health and quality of your hair and extension.
It is essential that the Keratin that is applied to the tips of this hair layer be of standard composition. This means that there should be less glue and more Keratin in the mixture. A higher percentage of Keratin prevents the hair from being damaged. Because Keratin, by nature, is extremely soft and can protect the hair to some degree. Nevertheless, keep in mind that a small amount of glue will always be required to keep the extensions from slipping.
