I have wanted hair extensions for years but thought that I had missed the boat not having had them done when they first became popular, however no sooner had posh taken them out Cheryl Cole had put them in and the hair extension craze is far from finished.
So last week I succumbed and offered my services as a model when my Salon decided to take them on, we opted from Raccoon as they seemed to have a great training programme and I must say I am delighted with the results.
However I have lots to share with you on the subject; things I feel you must know in considering hair extensions are as follows;
It is an extremely time consuming procedure getting them put in and can take anything from three hours to eight depending on the thickness and cut of your natural hair and what you are trying to achieve, so be prepared to dedicate the day to it in the first instance and a further day every six weeks to eight for maintenance to be carried out to keep them looking good.
There is a range of hair to choose from with Euro Hair being the most expensive the direct cost of the hair is passed onto the customer with Raccoon but this is costed on weight and length and comes at a rather hefty price in its own right.
The salon would then charge upwards of £30 per hour for fitting the hair and on an average head you can expect to be spending between £100-£200 on hair thus the total cost of the extensions would be approximately upwards of £350. A consultation in the salon would be able to provide you with an exact cost. I know our prices start at £199
Raccoon hair should last for six months, so after six months you will need to re buy another bundle of hair.
The hair is loose and the technician will bond it to your hair with adhesive, I have approximately 150 bonds in my hair and while this has achieved fantastic results and a really natural finish it is like trying to sleep on 150 kirby grips and has taken some getting used to. The first couple of days was extremely uncomfortable but two weeks in my head has completely accepted the bonds to the point that I am now not even aware of them.
I was dreading having to wash my hair but this proved a pleasant surprise I used the special Raccoon Shampoo and Conditioner ( which you are required to use to guarantee the hair ) and followed the instructions in gently pushing the products into the hair but not rubbing or pulling the hair and avoiding the bonds and it was a very straightforward procedure. The hair combed through really easily (with the Raccoon Comb) and although I know not to wash it until I have half hour to spare to style it there is no reason to fear this part.
Styling however is another story, firstly you have to dry the roots of the hair - and I tend to use the medium heat for this to avoid damaging the bonds then turn the heat up to dry the rest of the hair and this takes me a good ten minutes as there is so much hair and I need it bone dry to put the irons on it. The first couple of times I did it I used no styling products and it did the hair no favours - I would say you have to have the Raccoon leave in Conditioner and Raccoon Serum ( both applied to wet hair before drying ) to keep it looking good and blending with your natural hair. The other important point is in my opinion to get it looking good you have to use a good curling tool or irons on the hair to groom it, loose curls or soft waves look fantastic as does it when it is fully straightened however leaving it alone does not do it justice, The Euro hair does have a soft wave in it and you can sort of scrunch it but this is not as good as an effect as putting the curl in with the irons. My head stylist also tried to blow dry it but it just pulled and our efforts at velcro rollers were equally unsuccessfully. Although heated rollers with Paul Mitchell soft spray worked amazingly well.
Thus it has take me a week to get round to working out how to style it and the answer is to put in soft waves with a GHD straightener, I have tried a curling wand but the curls were too small for my liking, I also tried the larger GHD salon straighteners and found this made the job much easier now having so much hair. All in all from shampoo to finish I can still do my hair in 30 minutes, without extension's I could do it in ten but had to do it every day with extensions my hair is so versatile that It only needs washing and blow drying few times a week and you can also get away with just washing the top section for a freshen up.
So to summarise LOVE IT but you need the following, Racoon tools, patience, money and skill with a straightening iron, (easily picked up from a You Tube Tutorial - If I can do it anyone can ! )
Raccoon Shampoo
Raccoon Conditioner
Raccoon Leave In Conditioner
Raccoon Serum
Raccoon Comb - for wet hair and damp hair
Raccoon Brush - only for use when hair is 90% dry
GHD Straightening Irons preferably salon ones
Hairspray
Dry Shampoo
There is also a Racoon Masque and Thermal Defence Spray which are also both great products
So last week I succumbed and offered my services as a model when my Salon decided to take them on, we opted from Raccoon as they seemed to have a great training programme and I must say I am delighted with the results.
However I have lots to share with you on the subject; things I feel you must know in considering hair extensions are as follows;
It is an extremely time consuming procedure getting them put in and can take anything from three hours to eight depending on the thickness and cut of your natural hair and what you are trying to achieve, so be prepared to dedicate the day to it in the first instance and a further day every six weeks to eight for maintenance to be carried out to keep them looking good.
There is a range of hair to choose from with Euro Hair being the most expensive the direct cost of the hair is passed onto the customer with Raccoon but this is costed on weight and length and comes at a rather hefty price in its own right.
The salon would then charge upwards of £30 per hour for fitting the hair and on an average head you can expect to be spending between £100-£200 on hair thus the total cost of the extensions would be approximately upwards of £350. A consultation in the salon would be able to provide you with an exact cost. I know our prices start at £199
Raccoon hair should last for six months, so after six months you will need to re buy another bundle of hair.
The hair is loose and the technician will bond it to your hair with adhesive, I have approximately 150 bonds in my hair and while this has achieved fantastic results and a really natural finish it is like trying to sleep on 150 kirby grips and has taken some getting used to. The first couple of days was extremely uncomfortable but two weeks in my head has completely accepted the bonds to the point that I am now not even aware of them.
I was dreading having to wash my hair but this proved a pleasant surprise I used the special Raccoon Shampoo and Conditioner ( which you are required to use to guarantee the hair ) and followed the instructions in gently pushing the products into the hair but not rubbing or pulling the hair and avoiding the bonds and it was a very straightforward procedure. The hair combed through really easily (with the Raccoon Comb) and although I know not to wash it until I have half hour to spare to style it there is no reason to fear this part.
Styling however is another story, firstly you have to dry the roots of the hair - and I tend to use the medium heat for this to avoid damaging the bonds then turn the heat up to dry the rest of the hair and this takes me a good ten minutes as there is so much hair and I need it bone dry to put the irons on it. The first couple of times I did it I used no styling products and it did the hair no favours - I would say you have to have the Raccoon leave in Conditioner and Raccoon Serum ( both applied to wet hair before drying ) to keep it looking good and blending with your natural hair. The other important point is in my opinion to get it looking good you have to use a good curling tool or irons on the hair to groom it, loose curls or soft waves look fantastic as does it when it is fully straightened however leaving it alone does not do it justice, The Euro hair does have a soft wave in it and you can sort of scrunch it but this is not as good as an effect as putting the curl in with the irons. My head stylist also tried to blow dry it but it just pulled and our efforts at velcro rollers were equally unsuccessfully. Although heated rollers with Paul Mitchell soft spray worked amazingly well.
Thus it has take me a week to get round to working out how to style it and the answer is to put in soft waves with a GHD straightener, I have tried a curling wand but the curls were too small for my liking, I also tried the larger GHD salon straighteners and found this made the job much easier now having so much hair. All in all from shampoo to finish I can still do my hair in 30 minutes, without extension's I could do it in ten but had to do it every day with extensions my hair is so versatile that It only needs washing and blow drying few times a week and you can also get away with just washing the top section for a freshen up.
So to summarise LOVE IT but you need the following, Racoon tools, patience, money and skill with a straightening iron, (easily picked up from a You Tube Tutorial - If I can do it anyone can ! )
Raccoon Shampoo
Raccoon Conditioner
Raccoon Leave In Conditioner
Raccoon Serum
Raccoon Comb - for wet hair and damp hair
Raccoon Brush - only for use when hair is 90% dry
GHD Straightening Irons preferably salon ones
Hairspray
Dry Shampoo
There is also a Racoon Masque and Thermal Defence Spray which are also both great products
http://www.shoptobenefit.co.uk/racoon-m-152.html?osCsid=d0mr5lo7nc5qn365iu72oc4j37
Guidline Prices you can expect to pay for Racoon Euro* Hair
Raccoon recommend the following amounts (in grammes) for a full head of hair:
Dark hair:
10inch (dark hair) 75g - £74.18
12inch (dark hair) 100g - £103.50
14 inch (dark hair) 125g - £158 (this is what I have had in mine)
16inch (dark hair) 150g - £219.08
18inch (dark hair) 175g - £91.81
20inch (dark Hair) 200g - £368.00
Light Hair:
10inch (light hair) 75g - £118.16
12inch (light hair) 100g - £164.45
14inch (light hair) 125g - £242.94
16inch (light hair) 150g - £322.58
18inch (light hair) 175g - £392.44
20inch (light hair) 200g - £487.60
*What Racoon says about their hair -
"We use the term 'Euro' to best describe our fabulous, premium quality product. We do not use the term European because this clearly defines the geographical limitations for collection, yet it is well known that human hair from contries beyond Europe befit the description in terms of finesse , texture and movement. In our selection process we are extremely careful to ensure that the hair is 'root point correct' i.e. that the cuticles are all alligned the same way. This is only possible if the hair has originated from raw cuttings. It is a scarce commodity. Fortunately for our customers we have a long number of standing loyal suppliers throughout the world who supply us exclusively. They in turn have vast networks of long established collecters who reject anything that does not meet our standards"
Guidline Prices you can expect to pay for Racoon Euro* Hair
Raccoon recommend the following amounts (in grammes) for a full head of hair:
Dark hair:
10inch (dark hair) 75g - £74.18
12inch (dark hair) 100g - £103.50
14 inch (dark hair) 125g - £158 (this is what I have had in mine)
16inch (dark hair) 150g - £219.08
18inch (dark hair) 175g - £91.81
20inch (dark Hair) 200g - £368.00
Light Hair:
10inch (light hair) 75g - £118.16
12inch (light hair) 100g - £164.45
14inch (light hair) 125g - £242.94
16inch (light hair) 150g - £322.58
18inch (light hair) 175g - £392.44
20inch (light hair) 200g - £487.60
*What Racoon says about their hair -
"We use the term 'Euro' to best describe our fabulous, premium quality product. We do not use the term European because this clearly defines the geographical limitations for collection, yet it is well known that human hair from contries beyond Europe befit the description in terms of finesse , texture and movement. In our selection process we are extremely careful to ensure that the hair is 'root point correct' i.e. that the cuticles are all alligned the same way. This is only possible if the hair has originated from raw cuttings. It is a scarce commodity. Fortunately for our customers we have a long number of standing loyal suppliers throughout the world who supply us exclusively. They in turn have vast networks of long established collecters who reject anything that does not meet our standards"
Am I suitable for hair extensions? there are alot of factors that need to be considered before you choose to have hair extension. These are the main contra- indications:
Your hair is:
Very porous
Has severe breakage
Very dry/damaged
Has some baldness (patches)
Is bleached over 30% or permed
Is Less than 2.5 inches long all over
You suffer from a medical condition that affect the hair (e.g. alopecia, anaemia, chemotherapy)
You spend little or no time on my hair, seldom visit the salon and would not return regularly for maintenance.
Also I am glad to report I have not lost any hair at all to date and the boys are not pulling at it, however I did not account for how much hair I would have when choosing the colour in hindsight due to the amount of it I am too dark and should be a shade lighter.
The only other things I can tell you about it is that it is only gaurenteed when you follow the salons advise on correct product useage and maintenance etc and your technician should be able to cut it for you for a completely finished look.
If you have had professional hair extensions done and can share any more tips please do mail me
Your hair is:
Very porous
Has severe breakage
Very dry/damaged
Has some baldness (patches)
Is bleached over 30% or permed
Is Less than 2.5 inches long all over
You suffer from a medical condition that affect the hair (e.g. alopecia, anaemia, chemotherapy)
You spend little or no time on my hair, seldom visit the salon and would not return regularly for maintenance.
Also I am glad to report I have not lost any hair at all to date and the boys are not pulling at it, however I did not account for how much hair I would have when choosing the colour in hindsight due to the amount of it I am too dark and should be a shade lighter.
The only other things I can tell you about it is that it is only gaurenteed when you follow the salons advise on correct product useage and maintenance etc and your technician should be able to cut it for you for a completely finished look.
If you have had professional hair extensions done and can share any more tips please do mail me
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