A few months ago, Tara, who has been a regular client of mine for over eight years decided that  after watching me for so long, she now possessed enough skill to performed her own hair cut!  Yeah, I was thinking the same thing… Needless to say – she shows up at my studio in tears, balling her eyes out because she couldn’t believe what she had just done. Unwilling to be caught dead sporting her home made master piece, she decided to get hair extensions  to camouflage her mistake until it grows out.  Tara, like so many women, has always wanted to have hair extensions applied, but felt self conscious, she thought it would  look artificial or be visible to others.

Tara’s biggest and most bothersome concern was that her new boy friend (who happens to love playing in her hair) would be turned off if she added hair extensions. (Hmm, probably should have thought about that before she turned into Edward Scissors Hands.)  I must have spent at least an hour  trying to reassure her that men really don’t mind hair extensions, especially if it looks natural, realistic and it’s not lumpy, stiff or ratty looking, most men really could care less.  Hair extensions are more versatile than hair weaves because they allow your scalp to be fully exposed, this way your man can still run his fingers through your hair, he’ll just have to get accustomed to feeling the tiny attachments at the scalp. Hair weaves are great too, just a little more restricting because of the braids. As a salon owner with over 20 years experience, I have been specializing in and applying  hair extensions for many, many  moons and not one of my clients has ever had a problem getting or keeping a man because she was wearing  hair extensions or a weave.

Hair weaves and hair extensions are merely and enhancement, an accessory of sorts for your hair. Women of ALL races and ages are adding hair because it allows them to experience subtle to extreme transformations by temporarily altering the density, length, texture and color of your natural hair without the long term commitment or damage. It’s also the best way to fix a botched haircut and camouflage damaged hair. The application should never cause discomfort or breakage and the outcome should compliment your facial structure. The maintenance and care should be conducive to your styling ability and life style. I  encourage my clients to have fun with it and not to be so insecure about wearing hair extensions or weaves.  I put in the necessary work to make it look like it’s theirs and I expect them to “own it” with confidence.

When deciding to strut down the hair extension cat walk, make sure you do your research,  seek a professional and reputable hair salon and hair stylist. Ask plenty of questions,  get several references and an in depth consultation should be performed prior to you receiving any services. You will definitely want to see pictures of “their” work – if a stylist does not have a portfolio, I would air on the side of caution, unless she came highly recommended by a really close,  finicky friend.  A truly professional stylist will have a website to showcase their work  and will welcome  your questions and ease your concerns.

Choosing the right hair texture and color will make all the difference, a perfect match will make it nearly impossible to decipher whether or not it’s yours; a seasoned professional should be able to create the perfect illusion for you. There are thousands of hair companies and twice as many hair stylist ready, willing and not so qualified to sell you the hair and attach it in the blink of an eye. Remember, you get what you pay for! If you’re looking for inexpensive hair and an even less expensive application, don’t be surprised when your hair looks cheap, tangles and doesn’t last beyond  a month. The cost of quality hair for weaving varies  greatly, but if you purchase high quality hair you should be able to utilize it for at least six months to a year. If you’re using it for extensions, you will have to purchase new hair with each application in most cases, but a quality application should last up-to 6 months, so it’s well worth the investment.

Styling products and tools make the difference!!! I can’t stress this enough. Don’t even bother buying high quality hair or paying top dollar to have it applied if you’re going to use cheap products and styling tools. Everything works in unison to help you achieve the perfect illusion – if you want people  to guess whether or not it’s your real hair, then it would behoove you to use professional grade products and tools, they cost significantly more but the results speak volumes.

Lot’s of women worry about what their man will think, but men are relatively easy for the most part, as long as you look beautiful and you’re happy with the way your hair looks that’s really all that matters to them. Believe me, their  main concern has very little to do with your hair… On more than a few occasions, I have even seen men, who were adamant about their wives not getting hair extensions, come in and pay for it to be redone – who would have thought!  As for Tara and her new man, he’s totally smitten with her hair extensions and wants her to get it longer the next time with highlights. Oh,  after the initial installation, when he reached to play in her hair,  she had to tell him that it wasn’t hers – he had no idea! If you have any hair extension or hair weave questions or concerns, Leave it in the “comment” section and I would be more than happy to lend you my expert assistance.

Do you wear hair weaves or hair extensions?  If so, does your man have a problem with it?  And, when it comes to your hair, how much does his opinion matter?   Post your comments, we want to know.

For the absolute best in professional hair management ” Luxury Hair Group”