How Hairaisers gave me my confidence back
15/05/2016
I’ve already discussed in detail (maybe too much for some) that over the last year I hadn’t been feeling too great about myself, albeit people may think it's quite shallow but one of the reasons was a result of cutting my hair short again and regretting it almost instantly. With a few vocal outbursts; via social media, declaring my desire for long lustrous locks again one day in November I noticed a message enter my inbox asking me if I would be interested in wearing extensions. Now I know what you're thinking, that it has taken me a while to get round to writing this review however I made the decision that in order to write an honest and genuine review on a product which I had never used before such as fitted hair extensions, I wanted to experience the full process; from the initial fitting to the removal and subsequently another re-fit of the hair, before sitting down to write this. I'm completely aware that the experience we may have with with hair extensions can differ from each individual. I found that those with the money to buy the highest quality brands or with celebrity status always would have the hair that looked amazing, however I was also incredibly aware of how they can also be the polar opposite. Some horror stories I've heard from others of how they were left with bald patches, the hair looking unnatural or cheap-looking certainly left me with a feeling of slight hesitation to commit straight away.
The style of extension I was offered to review were the Hairaisers Blue Label Professional Weft. The usual association with a weave being one long strip of hair sewn in to the hair, this method may have the tendency to cause strain on the scalp due to the weight. In comparison the style of extension I was fitted with composes of three pieces of hair distributed evenly and then sewn throughout the hair. Using this process allows a more natural finish and blends the hair evenly. Online they have an amazing variety of different tones and shades of hair pieces with a variety of lengths and styles; straight, natural waved or even curled. And of course it is 100% remy human hair. I definitely recommend doing your own research with any beauty treatment that could potentially cause permanent damage in order to decide if it is right for you. After a week of deliberation and weighing up all the pros and cons I was ready to take the plunge.
Of all the varieties and methods extensions that can be fitted this seemed to be the most natural and less damaging to my own hair. Upon the initial meeting with Hairaisers educator Tom he could see I was feeling nervous at the concept of walking into the unknown but after some reassuring words those emotions of nervousness changed to that of excitement. With this method of application you are advised to have the hair re-fitted or removed every 8-10 weeks which meant that if I had decided it wasn't for me it would only be two months to wait and I could go back to my usual extension-free self. That being said as soon as the hair was fitted the first thing I noticed was how lightweight it felt on my scalp. I had gone in with the impression that by having hair sewn in to my scalp that it would feel like someone had a weight on my head pulling me down so that was a pleasant surprise. Not only that, I was amazed with how amazing of a colour match the hair was considering it had been matched by a photo sent over to Tom with no meeting prior to the fitting. It blended in so natural and felt quite literally just like my own hair. The extensions were 16 inches in length, however I chose to have them trimmed to my desired length. The reason I chose to do this was to make the whole process from my natural length of hair just above the collarbone to longer hair not as much a huge jump, and secondly once fitted to keep the overall look to be natural as possible.
The style of extension I was offered to review were the Hairaisers Blue Label Professional Weft. The usual association with a weave being one long strip of hair sewn in to the hair, this method may have the tendency to cause strain on the scalp due to the weight. In comparison the style of extension I was fitted with composes of three pieces of hair distributed evenly and then sewn throughout the hair. Using this process allows a more natural finish and blends the hair evenly. Online they have an amazing variety of different tones and shades of hair pieces with a variety of lengths and styles; straight, natural waved or even curled. And of course it is 100% remy human hair. I definitely recommend doing your own research with any beauty treatment that could potentially cause permanent damage in order to decide if it is right for you. After a week of deliberation and weighing up all the pros and cons I was ready to take the plunge.
First Impressions
Of all the varieties and methods extensions that can be fitted this seemed to be the most natural and less damaging to my own hair. Upon the initial meeting with Hairaisers educator Tom he could see I was feeling nervous at the concept of walking into the unknown but after some reassuring words those emotions of nervousness changed to that of excitement. With this method of application you are advised to have the hair re-fitted or removed every 8-10 weeks which meant that if I had decided it wasn't for me it would only be two months to wait and I could go back to my usual extension-free self. That being said as soon as the hair was fitted the first thing I noticed was how lightweight it felt on my scalp. I had gone in with the impression that by having hair sewn in to my scalp that it would feel like someone had a weight on my head pulling me down so that was a pleasant surprise. Not only that, I was amazed with how amazing of a colour match the hair was considering it had been matched by a photo sent over to Tom with no meeting prior to the fitting. It blended in so natural and felt quite literally just like my own hair. The extensions were 16 inches in length, however I chose to have them trimmed to my desired length. The reason I chose to do this was to make the whole process from my natural length of hair just above the collarbone to longer hair not as much a huge jump, and secondly once fitted to keep the overall look to be natural as possible.
The First Twelve Weeks
If you pride yourself as low-maintenance and spending a bit more time and money on your hair is not something you are interested in, then maybe extensions are not the product for you. One of the main reasons extensions can end up looking matted or of a poor quality is down to how you take care of them. My attitude was to treat them like it was my own hair. Perhaps with just a smidgen more TLC. Cleansing and conditioning is essential to keeping your hair clean, soft and shiny so of course I want to do the same for my hair extensions! I invested in some essential products that I believe are the secret to keeping the hair in tip-top condition.
The first of these products had to be a Tangle Teezer. The teeth flex and flick as they glide through the hair making it the perfect brush for detangling the hair without getting caught in the threads which can loosen the weft quicker than expected. Not only this I had to make myself a new conditioning and moisturizing routine. I think it goes without saying that you shouldn’t neglect your hair underneath the sew-in just because it is less visible than your extensions. I decided to purchase the Kérastase Elixir Ultime shampoo and conditioner duo to make sure I was giving my hair the best care. The shampoo left my hair full of body, revived and beautifully soft and I cannot recommend it enough. Pairing this with a quality hair oil and heat protecting spray before styling ensured that at no point I was compromising the quality of the hair due to neglecting the hair. I tried to only wash my extensions only once a week as they don't need cleaning as much as your own hair. Let's just say I've went through quite a few bottles of dry shampoo... Hey! I'm not complaining. Alternatively I would tie my extensions back and wash my own hair in-between washes so you are still able to look as good it does when you wash your full head. Although advised to only wear the hair for 8-10 weeks at a time, I had to wait two weeks longer before scheduling another appointment with Tom due to conflicting schedules. Over this period as the weft was completely loose (not detached don't worry!) I did notice that the extension becomes more visible, which is understandable as it has no control of the threads keeping it in place securely as it once did. That being said with a little bit of extra time concealing the parts that were visible with hair grips and hairspray you would be none the wiser.
Now I'm sure you're wondering what feedback did I receive? Thankfully all comments were nothing but positive comments regarding my hair. Some of my friends didn't even realise they were extensions. The only way they believed me was when I lifted up my hair to show them! The best possible reaction right? For months I went without without even wanting to look at myself in the mirror and now I'm positing selfies left, right and centre on all my channels (mainly snapchat @charissarae17). I feel like the best version of myself when my hair has been freshly coloured and styled and I feel like I am ready for the day brings me no matter what.
The first of these products had to be a Tangle Teezer. The teeth flex and flick as they glide through the hair making it the perfect brush for detangling the hair without getting caught in the threads which can loosen the weft quicker than expected. Not only this I had to make myself a new conditioning and moisturizing routine. I think it goes without saying that you shouldn’t neglect your hair underneath the sew-in just because it is less visible than your extensions. I decided to purchase the Kérastase Elixir Ultime shampoo and conditioner duo to make sure I was giving my hair the best care. The shampoo left my hair full of body, revived and beautifully soft and I cannot recommend it enough. Pairing this with a quality hair oil and heat protecting spray before styling ensured that at no point I was compromising the quality of the hair due to neglecting the hair. I tried to only wash my extensions only once a week as they don't need cleaning as much as your own hair. Let's just say I've went through quite a few bottles of dry shampoo... Hey! I'm not complaining. Alternatively I would tie my extensions back and wash my own hair in-between washes so you are still able to look as good it does when you wash your full head. Although advised to only wear the hair for 8-10 weeks at a time, I had to wait two weeks longer before scheduling another appointment with Tom due to conflicting schedules. Over this period as the weft was completely loose (not detached don't worry!) I did notice that the extension becomes more visible, which is understandable as it has no control of the threads keeping it in place securely as it once did. That being said with a little bit of extra time concealing the parts that were visible with hair grips and hairspray you would be none the wiser.
Now I'm sure you're wondering what feedback did I receive? Thankfully all comments were nothing but positive comments regarding my hair. Some of my friends didn't even realise they were extensions. The only way they believed me was when I lifted up my hair to show them! The best possible reaction right? For months I went without without even wanting to look at myself in the mirror and now I'm positing selfies left, right and centre on all my channels (mainly snapchat @charissarae17). I feel like the best version of myself when my hair has been freshly coloured and styled and I feel like I am ready for the day brings me no matter what.
Lasting Impressions: To Remove Or Re-Fit?
Overall, I love how my hair looks and Hairaisers extensions really have gave me my confidence back. My hair is the best it has ever looked regardless of whether I've styled it at that moment or three days later. It still looks amazing. I have the flexibility to tie it up or wear it down without feeling restricted. However, that being said this confidence comes at a cost. I promised to be honest about my experience and there have been moments of frustration. It was annoying to me that there was some hairstyles I was unable to wear because it would have made the hair visible or as a result of where the hair was fitted made it impossible to move and position it to how I would have liked. But then on the flip-side if I didn't have my extensions fitted in the first place I wouldn't have been able to create such a hairstyle anyway. As my hair would be too short. These emotions were more from the realisation that this hair wasn't really my own. After 25 weeks of wear I am now at the second stage of the process where I am due a new set to be fitted. With my birthday not far away, in 5 weeks and travelling to Copenhagen in close succession at only 7 weeks away, I was incredibly excited to go through the emotions again of having a brand new set of locks as I did in December. However after discussions myself and Hairaisers may not be able to work with this timescale. Which means there is a high possibility I may have to get the extensions removed and go back to my natural hair, which is quite upsetting. I've become reliant on a product to make me feel good and until my hair grows back I know my approach is not going to change. I could be placed in a position where I am essentially being given an involuntary haircut at the time when I want to look and feel at my best. What am I going to do? Who knows. But I know that I can't thank Hairaisers enough for giving me my confidence back and that I have loved every minute of having the hair in and I'm hoping for a miracle so it doesn't have to go.
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