The lengths we go to when suffering with a mop of fine, limp hair has now come to an end. A very good friend of mine suffers with this and wants no more of it. Having tried every product with promise to no avail and way too much hairspray she asked me to help her work through all the info about hair extensions.
Going through a consultation before making the ultimate decision helped her to decide what type was the best for her needs. One of the most important steps was finding out whether her hair could sustain the extensions.
The good news on that was yes, her hair could handle the extensions that she was looking for to create the volume she wanted. Learning that there were great synthetic or fiber extensions, but that natural hair blends more easily and can be treated like your own hair with very little change to your maintenance routines, the decision was easy.
Her goal was to completely hide the fact that she was using extensions and with that in mind she had pre-chosen natural hair from the Bellami Extensions Line.
The Process
With hair was washed twice using a clarifying shampoo to eliminate any buildup that would weaken the keratin bonds of the extensions, her hair was blown dry beyond dry. There can’t be any moisture present or it’s possible to weaken the hold onto your natural hair.
Extension Stylist, Nicole Ritchie, of Chatters Hair Salon, started carefully mapping out the hair and pinning it in place. Deftly one after another of the extensions were attached by layering them on top of her natural hair and binding the keratin bond to the underside, rolling it tightly using her fingers. Understanding, that the tighter the bond, the less product or water is able to seep in and loosen it up. Having this done correctly is the most determining factor on how long your extensions will last.
Over 100 separate extensions were painstakingly attached by Nicole working from the base of the neck to the crown like the artist she is. Each row was evenly spaced and staggered one above another. This leaves no gaps, holes or dreaded ‘bald’ spots to be found. Nicole also explained that she wasn’t placing the extensions too close to the scalp or they would stick out at unusual angles. Goodness…at this point my friend resembled Cousin It
Incredible Changes
However, that all changed quickly with a cut and style. The difference was amazing. Even under the bright lights you couldn’t tell that extensions were in place, and the new volume was incredible.
Learning the Good Stuff
On to learning the important stuff; hair care from now on. We learned that products that contain silicone and/or sulphate can weaken the bond and may cause the extensions to fall out – so none of that. Electing to use instead, Matrix Total Results Length Goals Shampoo and Conditioner, a product that is great for improving manageability and nourishing your hair. We also purchased Leave-In, a great detangler and heat protector (up to 450 degrees).
Having taught about our own hair health led to a few more questions that Nicole easily answered for us to understand. The extensions actually absorb the majority of the heat from styling tools so that your real hair holds the style without the damage.
Next we would need a specific style of brush as well; not wanting to dislodge any of that hard work.
Chatters Hair Salon
This salon that we chose, Chatters Hair Salon, was a total eye opener for us in many ways. Not only do they have incredible hair care, but body and skin care as well. Nicole walked us through some of the lines they carry. Realizing that these lines are high end products at very affordable prices made the time well worth spending.
Being introduced to Dermalogica, I was quite impressed with all they offer. With lines for every skin type, the company is constantly bettering their formulas to offering extraordinary moisturizer, cleansers and more.
Their Philosophy line is very cool too. They have a great solution for teenage acne and offer an ALL IN ONE FACIAL CLEANSER. How great is that? Actually the product is so gentle that many of their male clients use it for shaving.
All in all, our trip to Chatters Hair Salon was successful in every way. We’ll be going back to see Nicole with other friends shortly. In the meantime, we still can’t get over the amazing product lines!!
If you’ve enjoyed learning a bit about Chatters, you might want to read this…
Written By: Jane Laker
Photo Credits: Veronika Kovecses
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