Touchups are highly recommended at least every 2 months if you intend to keep it that long.
Tipping for excellent service is customary. But it's entirely up to you.
When I first started in this field, I was in the mind frame that OMG that is sooooo expensive. I thought I would do better by charging less than the competition. Little did I know, it was a huge mistake.
Consults, hair preparation, ordering, trimming the bonds, giving countless amount of education, post care visits, pitfalls, rent, electric, advertising, etc..., etc... - ALL THAT ADDS UP so the profit is NOT entirely based on the ACTUAL DAY-OF-SERVICE.
Now, I found a really great accountant who helps me determine my costs {he said to stay in the 80% tile of my areas}. I'm in this business to profit and grow- never lose. And if it's a project that's not worth it for me to stay in business or if I have to use my own money then I will reject that project.
Getting back to charging below my competition, well, over a year ago, I charge a lady $495 for a custom wig. In my areas they start at $2500+. Well now this a**h*** is taking me to court even though she said I can use her pics online. She is even smiling in the after shot!!!
fusion extensions should never stay in 6 months.Thats just crazy.I think its cool if you want to get them,but I wouldnt feel right not giving you these links first.Many people have had horror stories with great lengths.I realize that great lengths can be done right.But there are too many stylists out there who are ruining people's hair.
The Great Lengths people lie to you and tell you that you can keep the extensions in for 6 months so you can justify paying them so much. Due to the shedding of your natural hair, and also that the farther away from the head the extensions are the more likely they will tangle at the root, you should not keep extensions in for more than 12 weeks without taking them all out, removing all the shed hair or potential tangles, and putting them back at the root area.
By the way, did they tell you you can't reuse the hair? You pay a lot of money for it and must throw it away after 3 months. There's many other extension method out there where you can reuse the hair.
If it sounds like I have an attitude toward Great Lengths, sorry, but I do! Great Lengths trains their people to lie and swindle uneducated clients out of a lot of money!
I don't believe that 'you get what you pay for' crap. I am a very good extensionist servicing many clients over the years, and I charge between $300-1200 for extensions, and that includes the hair. I'm not getting rich or anything, but if I go home with $400-500 at the end of my day I'm happy!
Charlene (Cybermane) , you know I have much love and respect for you girl! I think in New York City people are willing to pay more for extensions. I definitely would not get those prices in Shingle Springs, CA!
I have to say I dont get the whole touch up thing . All the strands grow out at the same time where the sides may need redoing sooner because the hair is finer there they all will need redone well before 6 months. I would rather charge less and have them come when they really need to and redo the whole set then allways have some that have been in to long.I can't stand when they grown out one inch let alone 3.
Julzz
Members Profile
Send Private Message
Find Members Posts
Add to Buddy List
Newbie
Joined: August 10 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 66
Im just torn.. lol I have no idea what I should do I really want to get the great lengths because alot of the girls at the salon have them & they look great.. but, I understand you having attitude about it MetalGirl.... it is pretty expensive & I've read alot of horror stories...
I looked at CaliforniaKristens website OMG I LOVE her before & afters... & shes pretty cheap... has anyone had their hair done by her??? I just dont want to fly to Cali... who knows though...
I've gotten clients, who yes, have left their extensions on forever. I recommend keeping any extensions in for 8 weeks- the most 12 weeks. Although, I never force a person to remove their extensions- just like I never force them on which method they should get for their hair.
So Julzz, I'm sooooo curious, after all this, which method are you going to put in your hair?
Metalgirl {Lisa} who is really great . She's very helpful too! Btw- Shrink Links are come in Indian too.
GL procedures vary from stylist to stylist. NOT ALL STYLISTS ARE CREATED WITH EQUAL TALENTS. I'm convince that those horror stories are either:
A- the person's maintenance AND/OR B- the sylist's install.
Im just torn.. lol I have no idea what I should do I really want to get the great lengths because alot of the girls at the salon have them & they look great
This is what you should do-
Get a sample strand of GL, and a strand of Kristen, and a strand of this, and a strand of that B4 JUMPING IN! Then you can play with them for whatever length of time you need!!!
I had GL done in MA and paid $800 for 1/2 my head. If it wasn't for GL I wouldn't have found this board! So I'm grateful to them for that. I liked the method and it worked well for me. I have very thin fine slippery hair and they weren't even sure if they would stay in my head! I would not pay that much again though. EVER! I have been getting hair extensions of various kinds for around 20 years give or take (wig,hair system,cornrow,glue etc) I'd even try gum if it stayed and was easy to remove.
Thanks to everyone on this board I have learned so much. The best thing I learned that each different method is good for some people and bad for others. Choices are great as Charlene mentioned.
Another thing that I learned is research,research,research! Who knows, mabey someone on this board lives near you and can help you out.
Good luck and keep reading!
Julzz
Members Profile
Send Private Message
Find Members Posts
Add to Buddy List
Newbie
Joined: August 10 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 66
Okay... LOL this is funny but I have been looking thru kristens website & I LOVE it wow.. so pretty- Im almost thinking about flying me and a girlfriend there... just to see if i like it.. its cheap... I could fly me and my friend there for cheaper then the great lengths.... how rediculous lol.... Oh well I will contact Kristen & find out details! I do know that I would much rather have her do my hair just because of all the fun colors she has!! ;)
The question is not how long hers will last but how long you should wear them before reinstalling them. Each client is diferent, some with baby fine hair matting is an isue so they should be reset sometimes in a month. Fast growing clients may allso need it by 2 months because it just has grown out so far. And then there are the princess! I call some of my clients who go three months with out a mat or getting them stuck in a brush that because they are the ones who take such good care of ther hair like little a princess. I swear they must sleep sitting up! She dose fusion and with proper care that stuff will stay in for quite some time but that dosent meen you leave them in till they fall out LOL
Julzz
Members Profile
Send Private Message
Find Members Posts
Add to Buddy List
Newbie
Joined: August 10 2005
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 66
LOL... I did all the reasearch & stuff on how much it will cost me... her extensions run from like 5- 600 dollars....(I found this on her website) & Im going to pay for my friend to go with me... so for 2 tickets and 2 nights in a hotel...(and the extensions of course) its like alittle over 1500... LOL and the great lengths are 2000 plus of course the tip...
It makes perfect sense to fly out there- airfare these days is like
$200 round-trip, so even if there's no one in your area, you can fly
out to New York or LA or Chicago and spend all that money that a GL
stylist would charge (by marking up the cost, not for installation) on
a mini-vacation!
And as far as the GL debate goes- I don't like fusion myself, but even
if I did, I wouldn't go to GL. There are so many unaffiliated fusion
artists that do just as good work and charge way less because they
don't have a company telling them "buy the hair for $300 and mark it up
to $600!"
not to knock calikristin (her work looks great), last time i looked she had mostly straight and i am more of a wavy hair girl.
i am more a boogiemama.com or angelemma.com browser for inspiration. I am east coast usa and of course one is in Washington state and the other in the UK. not. a chance. in hell. (also both use synth hair which i love)
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum