Hair Extension info

In the hair extension world, there's 'strand' applications and 'weft' applications.  By far the most popular, are the strand applications.

Of the strand applications there are:

• fusion (hot glue method)
• shrink tubes
• microrings (metal crimping tubes)
• pinchbraiding

I've done all the above methods and like the shrink tubes and microrings the best.  I also like pinchbraiding, but  it takes me a very long time to do a full head, so I don't use that method often.

You should get yourself one of those doll heads and start practicing.  You can buy your supplies at shrinkies.net.

Look at tutorials on this site and also at shrinkies.net and yourhairshop.com.  Also hairpiece.com has come good ones too.

Read all the info you can about proper extension placement and removal.  After you practiced a lot of the doll head, it's time to recruit a good friend as your first human guinea pig.

Good luck!

Hi,

I have not taken the Hairlocs course, but I have taken the Eurolocs course and that is quite similar. 

I like Hairlocs except the fact that they used to tell you  (I don't know if they still do tell their students this) that for mantenence, all you have to do is just 'push up' the loc that has grown out, instead of the correct way, which is to remove completely and than reinstall.

I have probably spent close to $10,000 on classes if you include traveling to classes and all the associated expenses.  I have gone to several, and they were well worth it, even if I didn't end up using that method, I still learned something.

Not trying to be a 'know it all', but because I have such passion for doing extensions and have studied ,researched , and have been doing them for 15 years, I pretty much know about all the methods out there, and of course I picked my favorites to use in my business.

Hi,

I did get that flyer that you sent from the Connections people, and they sure do a good job at hyping up their seminar.  It sounds intriguing, but I wouldn't spend the $1577 that they want for the seminar.  First off, I think they just offer fusion (hot glue) for their method. 

 Secondly, I have a bachelor's degree in marketing, so I am very familiar with how to market a business.  It would be more cost effective and you can find all you need to know about how to market your business by going to your local bookstore and buying a few books on marketing a small business.  There are many good titles.  I like the book called "Guerilla Marketing".  That guy wrote a whole series on clever and inexpensive ways to market your business.

Now since you asked....

I don't like Great Lengths at all.  I don't like fusion extensions because they can shed a lot and sometimes are hard to get out of the hair.  I really don't like Great Lengths because they try to dictate what their stylists should (over) charge the client.  I'm self employed, and I want to set my own prices, thank you...

Also, because GL makes you charge so much (they will suspend your account if they find you are charging less than what they tell you to charge) they unfortunately instruct their extensionists to tell their clients that they can safely keep the extensions in for 6 months or more, in order to get the client to spend the $2K on the extensions.  In reality, no extension should stay in the hair longer than 12 weeks.  It is just not safe and healthy for the natural hair. 

Ultratress is produced by the hair piece company called  Gemtress.  I went their training in Florida a few years ago.  I liked it a lot.  I learned the Ultratress extensions ( the skin weft and the strands) and also women's hair replacement.

I don''t think their hair is top quality, but I just received a memo from them indicating that they will soon be offering European hair.

The Ultratress skin wefts are good, I use them on some people, but most clients want strands, not wefts.  The Ultrastrands are ok, but again, they are only fusion.

I think Hairlocs is ok, as long as you don't buy into their way of doing maintenance.  (I mentioned that in the previous post).  I have heard that they have recently had problems getting quality hair, meaning you may get a 'good' batch from them, and then a bad one on the next order.  I also heard that since they are having supply problems, it is taking them a long time to fufill orders.  Most extension clients want the hair like 'yesterday', they don't want to wait 2-3 weeks.

I do the shrink links: www.markbarrington.com

I have also been doing a lot of the new silicone lined microrings.

Good luck!

Thanks so much for all your help, both of you.

I am like a sponge right now, I am very eager to do this.

And metalgirl, you are a God send, thank-you for taking your time with me, and giving your honest opinion saving me thousands of $$$.

Your word has almost become gospel to me.  I have contacted the site you told me about.  And I've heard of that book before.

I looked at Dr (whatever) site he has some starter kits too, on shrinkies,  thought I might purchase and start practicing,  what do you all think? 

Thank. lillybug

Thanks Tangles, I guess I will be running off to hairlocs or Ultratress.

I was wanting to help men and women both with real thin crowns.  What do you do for that?  Maybe Ultratress would be more beneficial.

what do you think you are clearing an hour?  I'm clearing about $30 an right now. 

Hello Lillybug, I am to like you and just starting to offer extensions in my salon. I have been certified as an extensionist through Marcella Ellis in Dallas. Extension (strand by strand method) is not widely recognized in this area. Maybe in Houston, Austin and Dallas, but the surrounding areas have to go to those big towns and have extensions performed. I did my first fusion after I returned from my class. It was easier said than done. The flyer on the stylist (hairconnections) is true in one since, we have to market our business in order to succeed. I have just began marketing and I have also become quite intrigued by this board. They have been so knowledgeable. I hate the fact that I found out about this board after I spent $1000 on that class in Dallas. I learned four methods, and all were in Hair Extensions FAQ 101.

I am still undecided as to whether I want to offer just cold fusion or both, but the more you know the more marketable you are. Good luck in your studies and continue to research.

Shiry

Well Metalgirl,

 I have decided to go to Gemtress,  they offer  a 4 day class, Hands on training on strand by strand, weft, and hair pieces, for $1800.  My goal is to help men and with thinning hair problems, and I don't think I can do that without getting hair piece knowledge.

  Maybe some day I'll have some knowledge to help out others on the chat line.

  Oh by the way, have anyone heard of Invisible Hair they are in San
Diego?  They do hair pieces.

  Lillybug

Metalgirl,

You're too good,  I did order on of the starter kits of shrinkies off one of the sites you told me about.   Thanks for the heads up about invisible hair.

You're a money saver,  Thanks a million, lillybug

I've been on the cindycut website and have received their brochure.  They are simply a reseller, not a manufacturer, so they do not have the best prices on things.

For hair pieces, go to the manufacturer- www.onrite.com or www.newconceptshairgoods.com  or www.internationalhairgoods.com