Tress to Impress

Wig and extensions experts share the latest and most popular state-of-the-art products to give clients the confidence they’re looking for.

Each year, wigs and extensions gain popularity, and the array of products for the professional salon arena expands, making it easy to offer clients endless options for a whole new look, a hint of glam or a boost of volume or length.

Made of 100 percent remy human hair, HairUWear Professional Clip-ins feature the ultrathin Fineline weft for discreet attachment. The clips are pressed, not stitched, into the Fineline weft for durability, and come in nine colors developed to blend with a wide range of tones. For adding instant highlights or lowlights, opt for Hairdo’s 18-inch human hair highlight extensions, available in 12 multitone shades inspired by natural haircolors. An ultraglam wig option for clients is the Raquel Welch Glitterati. The wig features sleek, tapered layering throughout; a neo-romantic cut; a lace front; and a monofilament part for off-the-face styling. hairuwear.com

Applying accent colors to enhance or modify a hairstyle is made easy with GL Apps by Great Lengths USA. The double-sided, single-tab, tape-in extension system boasts a generous amount of virgin-quality hair in each tab. The attachment site is sandwiched between fine layers of the client’s natural hair to appear seamless. greatlengths.net

For a simplified extensions application, Tony Odisho offers Express Keratin Tape, which boasts polyflex technology for gentle nonheat adhesion, a seamless finish and comfortable wear. The pieces of tape are designed to adhere to each other rather than the client’s hair. tonyodisho.com

One of On Rite’s most popular extensions is UltraTress II. They feature medically graded, water-resistant, adhesive strips, and are applied with a sandwich method to last six to eight weeks. onrite.com

Ideal for clients looking for discreet solutions, Hotheads Ultimates is designed to appear as if it is growing directly from the scalp. The 100 percent remy human hair adhesive tab extensions are applied without heat or tools, and are available in 10 inches to 24 inches, with more than two dozen human haircolors, including six root shades. hotheadshairwear.com

Ideal for clients with thin, brittle, or over-processed hair, She by So.Cap.USA unveils its most innovative extension technology yet: Flat Ice. The cold fusion machine attaches keratin-tipped hair via ultrasound technology. Because of the cool temperature, the stylist is able to attach extensions close to the scalp. socapusa.com

Taking a technological leap, Hairdreams recently launched the patented Laserbeamer Nano System. Using Nano-bonds, which are ultrathin, flat-formed bondings, extensions can lay smooth and be applied quickly. Each pre-loaded NanoStick features Hairdreams premium real hair. hairdreamsusa.com
✂ —Kristen Heinzinger

  
Left to right: HairUWear, Tony Odisho, So.Cap.USA

Extending Options

Great Lengths USA National Program Director Brett Butcher shares tips for selling extensions in the salon.

1. Effective education is a must. The more stylists know, the more predictable the result.

2. Know what to use. Human-hair extensions have become a hot commodity in professional beauty, so deceptive business practices from suppliers are inevitable. Make sure to work with reputable companies that have ethical and traceable hair sourcing policies.

3. Understand clients’ needs and know the options. Think of extension methods the same as a stylist’s cutting tools. Shears, razors and clippers all cut hair; however, each accomplishes a specific result.

4. Cutting extensions requires a different approach from cutting natural hair. Always use soft-cutting techniques with extensions, otherwise a “broom” effect might happen.

5. Schedule a follow up with new extensions clients two weeks after their first application, to make sure they are practicing proper care at home. Correcting improper home care early on gives clients the appearance they want and makes removal easier. —K.H.