Human Hair Extensions
Almost every question people bring to a first consultation comes down to one thing: will anyone be able to tell? The honest answer is that it depends far less on the brand of hair than on three things — whether the hair is human, whether the cuticle is intact, and whether the attachment method suits your own hair.
Human hair versus synthetic
Synthetic fibre is made from plastic. It holds the shape it was manufactured with, cannot be coloured, and does not tolerate a hot tool — a flat iron will melt it. It also reflects light differently from real hair, which is usually what gives a set away in daylight or in photographs.
Human hair behaves like your own hair because it is hair. It can be washed, conditioned, blow-dried and heat-styled. It can be toned or coloured by a stylist who knows how to work on extension hair. It moves and catches light the way the hair growing from your head does, which is the whole point.
What “Remy” actually means
Not all human hair is equal, and the word that matters is Remy.
In Remy hair, every strand is kept facing the same way it grew — root at the root end, tip at the tip end — so the cuticles all lie in one direction. That is why Remy hair stays smooth, resists matting at the weft or bond, and keeps its condition through repeated washing.
Non-Remy hair is collected without regard to direction. The cuticles end up facing each other, which causes friction, tangling and that characteristic dullness after a few weeks. Manufacturers often strip the cuticle off entirely and coat the hair in silicone to compensate. It looks excellent in the packet and for roughly two washes.
We use 100% Remy human hair. It is the single decision that does most of the work.
How the hair is attached
There is no best method, only the right method for a particular head of hair. Density, condition, how much heat the hair has already taken, how you wear it and how often you are willing to come back all change the answer.
- Tape-in — flat wefts bonded either side of a section of your own hair. Quickest to fit, and gentle on finer hair.
- K-tip / keratin bond — individual strands bonded one at a time. The most natural movement, and the most labour.
- I-tip / micro-link — strands secured with small beads. No heat and no adhesive at all.
- Hand-tied weft — very thin wefts sewn onto a row of beads. Best option where real volume is the goal.
- Halo — sits on an invisible wire. Nothing is attached to your hair; you put it on and take it off yourself.
- Clip-in — the same idea in sections, for occasions rather than everyday wear.
Looking after them
Extensions are not being fed by your scalp, so everything they get, they get from you.
- Use a sulfate-free shampoo and keep conditioner away from the bonds or the weft row.
- Brush from the ends upwards, holding the hair above the attachment point so you are not pulling on it.
- Never sleep on hair that is still wet, and tie it loosely or plait it before bed.
- Use heat protection, and use a hot tool on a lower setting than you think you need.
- Come back for maintenance when it is due. Your own hair grows, and the attachment point travels down with it.
Kept properly, a set of Remy hair can often be taken out, re-prepared and refitted rather than replaced, which changes the real cost considerably over a year.
Start with a consultation
Every new client begins with a free consultation. We look at your hair in person, tell you what it will realistically hold, show you the hair we would use and quote the work before anything is ordered. If extensions are not the right answer for your hair at the moment, we will tell you that instead.
See pricing, browse the full range of hair extension services, or call 212-737-7441. We are at 61 East 66th Street, on the Upper East Side.