If you feel like you've seen an uptick in beaded extensions lately, you aren't mistaken. Tony Odisho, hair extension expert and education, has also seen a growing trend toward beaded-weft hair extensions in recent month and shares why.
“The look started on the West Coast and quickly became an Instagram sensation,” says Odisho, who introduced his beaded weft technique at the Tony Odisho Academy in Chicago a few months ago (he also offers in-salon education all over the country). The look is catching on for a number of reasons, one of which is that this method is healthier for hair because there are less points of contact between the scalp and the weft than with traditional extension methods.
“Instead of using tape to anchor the wefts to the hair, you’re using copper beads lined with silicone, so the weft actually becomes suspended on the beads, which is a much healthier alternative because it doesn’t put so much stress on the scalp,” says Odisho, who suggests selling a look to clients that includes a root shadow. “You can actually color and apply the extensions on the same day. It’s a complete package.”
The master stylist created his own line of high-quality hair extensions in 2009 based on feedback from his clients at Salon Exsalonce in Roscoe Village, Chicago. Today, Tony Odisho Extensions are available in wefts that are 20-inches long and 40-inches wide and come in 15 colors. When clients began demanding low-maintenance looks that they could wash and wear, Odisho discovered Russian hair, which actually dries straighter. “We looked for a very specific type of hair that was easier to style,” he says, “and because Russian hair has a smaller cuticle than hair sourced from India or other parts of the world, it works better for anyone who desires a smoother look.”
Odisho created a very specific curriculum to teach beaded-weft hair extensions and has come up with a proprietary technique that is gentler and safer. “We’re constantly updating our methods and perfecting them,” he says. “It took a lot of trial and error to get it right, but there’s been such demand for this look that we worked very hard to bring the technique to market in six months.”
For more information, please visit www.tonyodisho.com.