Over the past three years my hair was growing unevenly. I had it cut up to the same length numerous times, slept on the opposite side, bought a silk pillowcase ( apparently it’s softer on the hair fibres?), slept with hair masks in, tried to highlight my hair for a number of weeks. The works! A lot of people didn’t know about it, I just wore a clip in hair extension on one side for shows and TV jobs. Or you would often see me just where my hair to one side, I still even do it now out of habit. I had also been contacted by various companies telling me about their semi permanent extension brands, but I was really hesitant as I had heard so many horror stories.
As a model you’re hair can’t look fake, it has to be in great condition but most importantly you have to be a blank canvas meaning your hair has to be easy to style to whichever way the client wants it to be. Hair extensions I felt at the time would inhibit this especially for blondes. It’s much harder to get something that looks natural as the bonds are oftentimes different colours – so it’s the biggest giveaway. It wasn’t until I worked with a model on set one day and she showed me the style of extension she uses, Great Lengths, that were so natural that I started to seriously think about it.
What to expect
At The Beauty Parlour with Pamela Laird
About three months ago I took the plunge, I tried Great Lengths and I was quite nervous as I didn’t know how it would turn out. I was sent to The Beauty Parlour in Terenure where I was greeted by the lovely Pamela Laird. There were a number of awards scattered around the salon so I knew I was in safe hands. She matched up my hair colour first so she could order the exact variations of blonde that was needed.
A week later I went back to have them applied which took under an hour to do. The hair on the right hand side is all my own so Pamela just filled in the gaps and concentrated on one side. I had 25 small strands applied which houses a bundle of hair per every bond which she blended incredibly well. When each strand is matched up, a heated wand which is specifically designed by Great Lengths is applied to heat the bond and seal it around the hair.
What I didn’t expect:
I had heard horror stories in the past from girls who had hair extensions, but different brands give different results. With this particular hair extension brand the bond is extremely kind and gentle on the hair roots as it contains keratin. Once they were applied I was expecting to feel weighed down in some way but really I forget they are even in my hair half the time.
As the extensions take the brunt of heated products such as hair straighteners or hair dryers it actually helped any damaged strands grow down which I could see immediately when I got a new set in for London Fashion Week.
What products can you use:
You are warned off anything that contains Sulphate as it can damage the bonds which are made up of Keratin. So look towards either the Great Lengths shampoos or brands like Kevin Murphy which I love. Mane and Tail are a lower end budget alternative and certain John Frieda conditioners. While not all companies specifically say Sulphate free, look out for ingredients such as : Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLS for short) or SLES.
For hairbrushes you do need to be cautious, so you will need to invest in Great Lengths hair brush as their bristles can get to the bond area without damage which helps to prevent knots. For the ends of your hair or the midsection you can still use an ordinary brush with ease.
How long do they last:
I know people who have had them in for nine months. It all depends on how well you look after them. I find those who have darker hair or hair which doesn’t need to be coloured a lighter shades will get the nine months easily. For highlighted and coloured blondes it’s slightly different as you can’t have the roots highlighted where the bonds are applied.
If this is the case for you, the day before you are due to have your Great Lengths applied ensure your colour is freshly done, while ensuring the colour palette hasn’t changed for your hair extensions. Adding lowlights helps to keep the hair look more natural as your hair grows.
What to do when you get them taken out
The Beauty Parlour told me about The Little Princess Trust where you can donate your old extensions in order to make a wig for children with Cancer or alopecia because the hair is of a high quality. It’s currently the only hair extension company that collaborates in this way which was a beautiful idea.
Prices:
As Great Lengths is real hair you are going to pay for the quality and how long it lasts but it really depends on how many strands you need and the colour combinations. They start at €250 and go up to €800.
Lou. xx
