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Lace Front Newbie Information Thread

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sexibeach View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sexibeach Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 18 2008 at 7:12am
HAIR TYPES AND TEXTURES:
 
Lighty Yaki - Freshly Permed AA hair
 
Yaki - Kinky straight or appears like you might need a perm
 
Virgin Unprocessed - Hair in its natural state, no chemical processes
 
Curly - Kinky Curls, Smooth Silky Curls, all done by chemical process
 
Wavy - loose wave, water wave, deep wave done by chemical process
 
Chinese Virgin - Thicker coarse hair shaft not as shiny as indian
 
Indian Virgin - more shiny and thinner hair shaft
 
Malaysian Virgin - in between the thickness of chinese and indian, some natural unprocessed malaysian is wavy, curly and even straight more expensive hair
 
Please refer to page one on the other different types of virgin unprocessed hair..
 
 
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sexibeach View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sexibeach Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 23 2008 at 6:26pm
Curlygirl11's tip:
 
Custom Colored Lace & Wig Caps Tutorial
 
 
Countessim tips on Hiding Grids:
 
which can also refresh the steri strips and Johnson & Johnson bandage tip while applied and when it needs a refreshing.
 
Trick to Hide Grids in Parts
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hairmad Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 29 2008 at 6:36am
no one has ever made me shut up so easily! respect girl....i am going to take my time read this and get intelligent about lace hair!

with knowledge and research like this...girl you gotta be rich!
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sexibeach View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sexibeach Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 09 2008 at 2:29pm
Jacksun's website:
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote reggie54 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 18 2008 at 1:53pm
Cry  i am having a problem this site is great but i am lost i want to ask a question and possibly get a answer i am a new member. my name is regina i apologize because i put this message on two foroums. well hopely this is the right one.
 
  i am 54 yrs. old i was given a new lace front wig but i find it is to thick. i would like to know what would be an apporiate density for me the one i have is 100% or medium density i find that very full. i want it to look as natural as possible.
 
  i also have transparent lace, even though i lost most of my hair to lupus i still feel its to light. my skin tone is close to toni braxton what color lace do you recommend. i plan on buying another one for my birthday next month
 and i need help i dont kknow much about vendors also i can't afford to waste the money
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sexibeach Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 30 2008 at 5:15am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote keedielove Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 17 2008 at 8:35pm
i just used GOO GONE to get some invisibond glue off my skin and i swear it works so well!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sexibeach Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 19 2008 at 5:04pm

CUTICLE ALIGNED AND NON CUTICLED ALIGNED HUMAN HAIR

 

"The cuticle: The outermost surface of the hair shaft and is composed of a very hard keratin. It consists of flattened platelets of amphorous keratin, wrapped around the hair shaft in several layers, each layer overlapping the adjacent one progressing from the root of the hair to its tip. The cuticle scale is sub-divided into three further layers, the endocuticle (third layer), exocuticle (middle layer) and epicuticle (the outermost layer) respectively.

The cuticle is the outermost part of the hair structure and its function is to reduce nutrition loss and block the invasion of foreign matter. It is the most important part to keep your hair looking healthy."

Most commercially processed hair is from China and has been processed with a type of acid to remove the cuticles. One of the reasons cuticles are removed has to do with how the hair is collected. Another reason acid is used is to thin out each hair strand. At this time Caucasian hair is the most popular in extensions, and wigs. By removing cuticle the hair strand becomes finer resembling Caucasian hair.

The hair is then sorted into lengths, colored, and usually permed. In the factory it will pass through a lot of hands from start to finish. When hair is passed on from one person to the next without strict quality control some of the hair can easily become inverted. It's extremely easy to turn the hair, even for professional wig makers, there is always that possibility. When working with hair you cannot tell which way the direction is by looking, all the hairs look the same. This is where strict quality control, and continually testing the hair with each step, from start to finish comes in.

 

In the long run it takes more time for quality work, but is well worth it. The amount of companies who are offering custom hand tied wefts are diminishing quickly. Assembly line hair is made on industrial sewing machines and will always be less expensive, sacrificing quality for profit. Some companies claim their hair is the same cuticle direction but they strip the hair anyway. This doesn't make sense, and is counterproductive. If the hair is truly all in one direction why strip it? The only reason is poor quality control. Removing cuticle will make the hair useable for a few weeks although the process to remove cuticle makes the hair lose its luster, and compromises the hairs natural beauty.

Once the hair has been processed it will need a silicone layer to bring back shine, and keep the hair from feeling scratchy. This silicone layer does wash off in time, meaning generally you must buy all new hair every 8 to 12 weeks. Human hair growing from the scalp is always roots to ends in the same direction. The type of hand tieing we do is from roots to ends, and only done on the best quality unprocessed human hair.

In processed hair the silicone layer wears off, and you will notice the hair becomes dull and tangles easily. At approximately 1 to 2 months time the tangles form into mats at the top of the weft. You will never see processed hair in actual custom made hand tied wefts. There's far too much work, and time involved to custom make wefts with a lesser quality of hair.

 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sexibeach Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 19 2008 at 5:07pm

Human Hair

Human hair extensions are made from genuine human hair that is paid for and harvested from people, usually young women, all over the world. Human hair extensions can vary broadly in quality.

On the low-medium end of the scale, hair is chemically stripped of its cuticle so that it can be machine processed without regard for direction or root-tip alignment. If the cuticle were left in but the root-tip alignment mixed up, the microscopic scales that form the cuticle would be opposed and snag on each other causing tangling.

The negative effects of stripping the cuticle are brittleness, reduced protection from sunlight, dryness, salt, chlorine and pollution as well as a tendency to absorb liquids and swell or matt. It is not advisable to colour or heat-style this hair.

Remi [AKA Remy] hair refers to hair that has not had its cuticle stripped and has at least been partially hand-processed to maintain root-tip alignment. This hair is more expensive but will remain in good condition for much longer than stripped hair. It can also be heat styled and coloured.

The other main scale of measurement of hair quality is the ‘percentage full length’ Hanks or Wefts of hair are often made of differing lengths of hair strands. Average quality hair that is 18 inches [45cm] long may have 20% of the strands measuring 18 inches [45cm] a further 40% measuring from 14-16 inches [35-40cm] and the other 40% measuring 6-12 inches [15-30cm] A few of the superior grades [e.g. Bohyme Remi] are in fact full length, meaning each strand is exactly the stated length.

Colours of human hair are usually described by a colour scale which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer but they are available in a very wide range of natural and psychedelic colours.

Outside of these, there is a third type of hair. Virgin hair is hair that has not been chemically treated. It is harvested, sanitised and sold as bulk hair in hanks. The colour remains the same and the quality is completely dependant on the donor. Having said that, hair that is in poor condition [Split ends, chlorine/salt/UV damage etc.] rarely finds it way into this market as the buyers are quite discriminating.

Texture & Style

Human hair is generally processed and sold in two textures; Silky, also called European and Yaki sometimes spelt Yaky. Silky (European) hair is pretty much exactly as it sounds, straight and silky.

Yaki (Yaky) hair has more volume, it feels coarser to touch than Silky (European) hair. This effect is created by imparting a very slight crimp to the hair strands during processing. Under a microscope, one can see a wave in each strand even though they appear straight to the naked eye. Yaki (Yaky) textured hair is a good match for relaxed African hair. It is also used by people who want a fuller style. Yaki (Yaky) textured hair tends to be sold only in straight styles but Silky (European) textured hair is curled and waved into a myriad of styles of hair extensions.

These are named according to their curl/wave and include styles such as: French Wave, French Refined, Italian Wave, Body Wave, Spanish Wave, Brazilian wave, French Curl, Spring Curl, Corkscrew, Afro-Kinky, Tight Curl, Deep Wave, Deep Curl, Wet Look, Natural Wave and Body Wave.

To test human hair for quality, perform the following;

Scrunch Test: Holding the hair by the top [tied] part, place your other hand under the tips and push the tips up until your hands meet. Rub briefly and release. Run your fingers through the hair, your fingers should slide freely through the hair. The more it snags, the lower the quality.

Grip Test (AKA Length Test) Grip the hair at the top, near the weft or band securing the hair if it is bulk hair. Slide your hand down and grip it about a quarter of the way down, repeat it for halfway and three quarters and finally grip it just before the tips. . Poor quality hair will be significantly thinner at each step of this test. Most good quality hair will be the same thickness for the first three steps only thinning in the final quarter of its length. Great quality hair is made from hair strands that are all approximately the same length so the thickness of the hair should be the same all the way down its length. This is rare and expensive, such hair is called ‘full length’.

Dye Test Dye a sample of the hair. If it is 100% cuticle-intact human hair it will change colour uniformly. If it develops streaks, highlights or lowlights, it has probably been mixed with low-grade human hair or even synthetic hair (usually high temperature fibre, see Synthetic hair section)

 

The type of hair you use for your extensions will be the most important factor in your final look. If you buy cheaper hair it will look good for the first month or so but after that it will start to deteriorate and shed. Shedding is one of the most embarrassing things about low quality weaves. Leaving a trail of hair behind you is the last thing you want.

  • Machine Weft: The machine weft is a very sturdy weft put together by state of the art specially-made looms in our factory. You will find little to no shedding with a machine weft. Your hairdresser is likely to run her needle around the weft and not just through it due to the sturdiness of the weft itself. It is thicker than a hand-tied weft.
  • Hand-Tied Weft: As the name suggests, a weave that is attached to a hand-tied weft has been sewn on by hand. The hand-tied weft is a lot thinner than the machine weft and leaves your weave lying really flat against your scalp. The hand-tied weft barely sheds and because of the thin layer of hair on the weft, your weave should last for ages!

 

Different Types of Human Hair

The quality and type of human hair used will dictate how natural wefts look and feel.

  • European Cuticle Hair: This is the silkiest type of hair. The strands have a fine to medium thickness. European hair is usually bone-straight but sometimes comes with a very slight wave in the tresses. Many believe that European hair is the highest quality of hair available, but that is not necessarily true. European hair is great but it is not suited to everybody. Our advice to you is to buy the texture of hair that would be most similar to your own if your own hair was long, also bearing in mind how your own hair looks when it is pressed or permed.
  • Asian Cuticle Hair: This hair has a slightly more coarse texture than Indian hair and often needs more conditioning. This is the most processed hair and the most likely to tangle. Asian (usually Chinese) hair is rather thicker than European hair, so to prepare this type of hair for suitable use it must be made thinner. This is done by the method we mentioned previously: dipping the hair into a vat of acid to strip the cuticle and then applying silicone as a false layer. The hair takes on an impressive sheen, but not for long. After a couple of washes it is dry and brittle and ready to be thrown away.
  • Indian Cuticle Hair: This is the most popular hair at the moment. It comes straight, wavy or curly; these effects are obtained by careful processing methods which do not strip or damage the cuticle, leaving the hair very soft and easy to manage. DNA human hair is 100% human hair, cuticle (root to tip), with no silicone on it, which means that the hair has no artificial shine and is matt and tangle free. If we need to dye the hair it is gently processed and de-coloured. The gentle process of removing the hair colour makes the hair more tolerant of added colours. New colour molecules are then put back into the hair. The cuticle layers are still left intact, which ensures that the hair is less prone to be dull. The hair can be permed and coloured, and treated just like your own hair.

 

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sexibeach Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 26 2008 at 4:12pm

DIVAVOCALS TIP ON BLEACHING:

 
This is very true.. It's a common mistake that newbies to bleaching make.. They see the hair going through the color transition, panic and rinse the bleach out too soon.. When bleaching dark hair, the color transformation goes through a few color transformation stages.. Orange is ONE level on the way to the blonde end of the color spectrum (which is what you want to achieve when you bleach knots)

Bleaching hair effectively strips what appears to be our "natural" hair color, exposing the underlying pigment lurking beneath the surface.

Depending on how dark your hair is naturally, your underlying pigment could range from rusty orange to pale yellow.


Hair Coloring Formula


Virgin Hair

Underlying Pigment
+ Artificial Pigments
______________________
Final Result
Previously Colored Hair

Underlying Pigment of Regrowth
+ Existing Artificial Pigments
+ Artificial Pigments in New Color
_______________________
Final Result


Step One - Identify Natural Haircolor Level

An international system is used to identify the level of darkness of your hair, 1 being the darkest (black) and 10 being the lightest (blonde). Match your hair (just the regrowth if it's previously colored) to the hair color swatch below that most closely resembles the darkness of your haircolor...not necessarily the tone, which could be warm(red), cool(ash), or neutral, but the degree of lightness or darkness.


Step Two - Identify Your Underlying Pigment

Click to enlarge
Hair%20color%20chart.

A hair coloring process that involves any amount of hydrogen peroxide (which can include some semi-permanent formulas) will bring out the natural underlying pigment of your hair.

The "natural looking" tone that's visible as your hair color is not the true tone when it comes to the chemistry of hair coloring. Think of it as a surface layer that's stripped away, and laying in wait underneath are the bold and brassy tones of your underlying pigment.

The chart above clearly illustrates which color of underlying pigment corresponds with the natural level you identified in step one. So now you know what you're dealing with.


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Raquek View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Raquek Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 04 2008 at 12:35pm

I been buying my lace wig from Styling Wigs - http://www.stylingwigs.com

Their prices seem reasonable to me plus the hair they use seems pretty good. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote nbrooks Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 04 2008 at 7:38am
hello my name is nikki.  i was reading a thread and i was wondering if you could help me.  i purchased a lace front wig and it is too big. i think i cut the lace too short becase it won't stay down and its extreemly loose in the back which i also think messed up the fit.  is their anything i could do

Edited by nbrooks - November 04 2008 at 7:41am
nikki
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sheeya Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 14 2008 at 1:25pm
for those who need a visual on how to measure your hairline to customize your wig go to this link for the diagram
 
love conquers all
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Msplaygurl Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November 28 2008 at 5:31pm
I've searched for reviews but cannot find anything, but has anyone purchased a custom unit from Hairaffairs on ebay??? If so, how did it turn out?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lacewignewbee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March 26 2009 at 8:27pm
im a 16 year old. and i had gotten my first lace wig on tuesday. and the lady that did it had sewed it to my braids. so far i do like it. But problems im having is the parting & the grid. where can i buy the strips(sallys?) tips? cause its indian remy curly hair. maybe next time ill go ahead and do the tape instead cause the sewed in isnt really looking natural.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote sexibeach Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 15 2009 at 5:26am
UP GRADED VERSION OF THE BLEACH BATH, ITS MORE AFFECTIVE B/C WE ARE NOW DEALING WITH HAIR THAT IS UNRULY..
 
COMB THAT UNIT OUT COMPLETELY B4 IT TOUCHES THE WATER..Ok mircowave the hot tap water only for 2 min. YOU ADD THE BLEACH TO THE WATER AFTER YOU HEATED THE WATER NOT BEFORE. you should fix a big mixing bowl with shampoo and conditioner b/c you will dip the unit in that shampoo/conditoner solution in between the 2 parts.. the bleach a little MORE THAN THE 1/4TH A CUP BUT less than 1/2 cup + one gallon of water, put in the bleach and water for 3 minutes lift it up every now DURING THAT 3 MIN., and then with a wide tooth comb attempt to comb thru starting at the ends.. its not necessary to get it detangled in this part, just start it and let it soak in that bleach for the full 3 min.s use a timer..

 

dip in the shampoo/conditioner, while you prepare A NEW BATCH OF WATER FOR THE AMMONIA SOLUTION (NEVER MIX AMMONIA AND BLEACH TOGETHER)(mircowave the water 2 mins) (AGAIN NEVER HEAT THE WATER WITH THE AMMONIA IN IT, ADD IT AFTER THE WATER IS HEATED NOT BEFORE) for the ammonia a little MORE THAN THE 1/4TH A CUP but a little less than 1/2 cup + 3 CUPS OF WATER (not a gallon) the extra percentage of bleach and ammonia amounts are for a unit that has already matted b4 ONLY, not one that's trying to prevent matting. You need to stick with the 1/4 th cup measurement for prevention..

 

when you put it in the ammonia mix, put it all the way down in there for 3 min's use a timer. lift it up and being the combing again, and comb it all the way thru then lay it back down in the solution to soak, do a comb thru a couple of times during the 3 min process.. you'll see the tangles come out completely easy in the ammonia.. the ammonia part is the truth for detangle.

 

then put back in the shampoo/conditioner solution.. then squeeze the excess water out, and begin to saturate it completely with conditioner comb it thru again, it should be silky smooth and tangle free now. and put it in a zip lock baggie UNLOCKED, just fold it over, and nuke it for 30 SECONDS ONLY.. and then just let it sit in the conditioner a little bit.. then remove from the baggie, (don't rinse yet) and place it back on the wig head and pin it down.. then begin the rinse of the conditioner out of the hair running your finger thru the hair in a downward direction.. and finish the rinse and let it air dry..

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote natural hair Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 20 2009 at 1:19am

Hi sexi,I read all the info you posted in one breath, so useful they are! Thanks! To tell the truth,I am a lf wigs manufacturer from China,but I do not want to advertise here,I want to become another “sexi” to show useful info to let more users know more.

 

For lace front wigs,cap is very important,so I want to provide some cap styles for all your choice.

Material: french lace,swiss lace,mono,thin skin(PU)

Styles:stretch from ear to ear,stretch only at crown,perimeter 3cm thin skin,silk top hidden knots,glueless cap,etc,I don’t know how to post pictures,so please find the pics there: http://www.qdwigs.com/newsshow.asp?id=286

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ilnaij Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 07 2009 at 11:10pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hottipsfashion Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 28 2009 at 6:29pm
Girl,you are right!But some american vendors do ventilate their wigs,even their cheap full lace wigs,


Edited by Administrator - September 28 2009 at 8:16pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hottipsfashion Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 28 2009 at 6:35pm

This is a big mistake to sew a full lace wig,because you damage the lace,and the parting of the hir doesn't look natural. You should use adhesives to attach your full lace wigs.

Hope this will help you,Girl!


Edited by Administrator - September 28 2009 at 8:15pm
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