Food for thought....

In an effort to prove myself capable of writing about more than just hair extensions (a comfortable, yet somewhat vacuous topic....) I decided a little while back to volunteer for a couple more freelance opportunities and luckily for me, the lovely people at 'quirkyrestaurantlover' didn't think I was too appalling! As a result of their charitable natures I am now a contributor on the site and will be writing about all sorts of weird and wonderful restaurants in the upcoming months.

You can find the website at www.quirkyrestaurantlover.co.uk, with upcoming articles on such gastronomic delights as The Modern Toilet, a restaurant in Tai Pei where the food is designed to be....crap! Other exciting venues include Ninja in New York where you can eat sushi in a ninja castle served by the warriors themselves and Moto, a Chicago restaurant taking molecular gastronomy and 'food science' to new levels of crazy deliciousness!

2010's Biggest Hair Trends using Extensions!

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Posted by Melanie Johnson on February 8, 2010

As we all know hair fashions change every season, let alone every year, but for 2010 there are certain styles that will stand out head and shoulders above the rest. For the most fashion forward hair this year, try using extensions to create these trendy styles and stay ahead of the fashion pack.

Braids:
Whether you choose schoolgirl style, milkmaid braids or even one long plait to the side as seen on Alexander Wang's models, simply attach your clip-in or permanent extensions and get twisting. Extensions are an absolute must to get the right volume and length for this Rapunzel-style look.

1970's chic:
This style involves long, one-length, well-conditioned hair and can be worn either straight or slightly wavy. It is most popular with a side parting, although a center part works too. If you choose to style your lengths straight, try curving the ends in with your straightening iron to get a more retro, softer look. For the wavy look try braiding the hair loosely before bed, then simply remove your hairbands and combs your fingers through in the morning!

Buns, Chignons and Twists:
The slightly tousled up-do is a big trend for this year, as well as being extremely practical! See our previous article on ‘Using Extensions to Create Stunning Up-do's' for tips on how to achieve this look with clip-ins or permanent extensions. Top-knots are another fashionable choice and can be created my making a high ponytail on the top of your head, twisting it until it coils around on itself and then pinning securely.

The most popular colours for long hair in 2010 look set to be golden blondes, reds and peroxide platinum (as seen everywhere in 2009!).

How to Blend and Feather Your Extensions

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Posted by Melanie Johnson on February 4, 2010

If you look at photos of short-haired celebrities who take the plunge with long, beautiful extensions, one thing you won't notice is that tell-tale ‘shelf' where their natural hair ends and the extensions begin. Even those with naturally short hair - Paris Hilton, Frankie Sandford of ‘The Saturdays' and Katie Holmes to name just a few- make sure the two are cleverly blended.

One great tip is to wait until your install is complete and then use a razor comb (gently) drawn downwards from just above the ‘join' area. This will graduate the ends of your hair as well as the top layer of the extensions. Go slowly at first- it's better to take too little than too much. You can also use this technique around the front of your hair to blend the long extensions into your natural layers, creating a ‘feathered' look to the front of your style.

Many girls love a layered look like that of Girls Aloud instead of a long, straight, blunt cut a la Lily Allen's extensions. If this is the case, try sectioning off horizontal layers of your hair and using either a razor comb or hairdressing scissors to chip into it (unevenly to avoid a ‘shelf) all the way along. Let down the next layer of hair (easy to find if you have used liquid gold and wefts or a weave!) and repeat, feathering the length slightly above the previous layer. By starting from the bottom up you can make sure not to go too short or thin.

It's always useful to have a picture of your style inspiration for reference and remember that the best tip of all for natural extensions is making sure you have added enough hair- if your own hair is particularly short and thick this may mean a full head and a half of extensions, or in rarer cases even two, in order to create that natural look! Though our full head hair extensions are suitable for 95% of users.

Using Extensions To Create Stunning Up-Do's

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Posted by Melanie Johnson on February 1, 2010

To create a cute pony-tail with clip-in extensions, try fitting the bottom rows upside-down. This enables you to sweep them upwards without creating any unsightly bumps or visible clips. You can fit the top rows as normal or, for a 60's sex kitten look as seen on Nicole Ritchie, try back combing the top of your own hair then smoothing a comb over it to create a volume ‘bump' over your top extension rows.

This style will work just as well on bonded weft extensions, just be careful to brush your own hair back over the bonded areas (this may be easier if you make the pony-tail at mid-head level) and secure with hairspray.

If you want to create a complete up-do, try making a ponytail, then coil and pin strands of your hair around and over the band. This can be as sexily ‘mussed-up' or as neat as you like. You can even try attaching clip-ins along vertical partings down the sides of your head instead of horizontally, sweeping them back to create smooth-sided styles such as chignons without having to worry about visible attachment points. Get creative, use your imagination and with a little bit of practice you can create practically any style using extensions!

Many women love the look of long, straight or curly hair, but worry that extensions are impractical or lack versatility. Luckily this is a complete myth, as extensions can be used to create practical ponytails and stunning up-do's provided you have a few tricks up your sleeve.

Celebrity Colour Without Damaging Your Hair

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Posted by Melanie Johnson on January 21, 2010

Do you change your mind about your hair colour every five minutes? Worry about damaging your locks beyond all repair in the name of highlights, lowlights or ‘peekaboo' colour flashes? Hair extensions may be the answer to a hair-colour addict's prayers.

If it's natural highlights you are looking for, simply adding a few strategically placed sections of our weft human hair can add depth and tone to an otherwise bland base colour. For a ‘sunkissed' look, select extensions one or two shades lighter than your current colour, or go even lighter for a more rock chick look with highlights in pale gold or bleach blonde.

For gorgeous classic lowlights like Jennifer Aniston, pick a colour a shade or two darker than your current hair colour. Lowlights look gorgeous installed through the bottom layers of your hair (where it is naturally darkest) for a naturally graduated look. Alternatively you could place them nearer to the crown to give the impression of a darker shade all over.

If you're going for a funky look, try placing some ‘flashes' of colour in your hair. To do this, pick a colour that will stand out whilst still complimenting your natural hair shade. Pale blonde is a popular choice for brunettes, whereas blondes look great with chocolate sections peeking out underneath their hair, or try some of our gorgeous wild-coloured hair in pinks, purples or even jade green for a flash of individuality. Simply use ‘liquid gold' to glue inch-wide sections into the lower layers of your hair for a fashionable new look, or if you want something more temporary, attach an extension clip to the section and remove whenever you feel like a change!

How To Avoid Hair Extension 'Exposure'

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Posted by Melanie Johnson on January 18, 2010

Once you've installed your new hair, are looking after it properly and enjoying having a beautiful, long style, the one worry can be making sure that your tracks are never 'on display', especially in this windy winter weather. Well stress not because there are several ways you can 'winter-proof' your extensions and make sure that nobody knows they aren't as natural as they undoubtedly look!

Firstly make sure your colour match is just right. Before ordering your hair, make sure to check the colour chart handily provided on our site, taking into account whether your hair is a ‘warm' or a ‘cool' shade.

If you are gluing the wefts in, try pulling down a FINE layer of your own hair over the weft and securing using liquid gold glue. This will disguise the weft even if your own hair blows up!

If you have fly-away, fine hair like Pamela Anderson, try using a light mist of hairspray before leaving the house or, for extra volume as well as hold. Lightly backcomb the top layer of your hair before brushing smooth and misting with spray to secure. Backcombing and spraying your hair before applying clip-in extensions also prevents slipping.

By following these tips you can keep the truth about your extensions between yourself and us (and we won't tell!).

Hair Extensions On Short Hair

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Posted by Melanie Johnson on December 29, 2009

Hair extensions aren't just for those of us with mid-length locks looking to boost length, they can be used to funk up even short do's. Rihanna is a great example of this. To achieve her thick, sweeping ‘faux hawk' effect, extensions could be added amongst the top layers of a crop (or even a bob if you prefer, just pin the sides back and secure using hair spray). For Rihanna's cool colour just mix up your shades, adding a light bleach- or honey-blonde along with a dark base colour.

If you have gone for a Danni Minogue style chorus girl bob this season, try adding extensions in a colour to match your own at around ear length, then trim to the same length as your own hair. This will create a thicker effect, making the symmetrical lines of your cut even sharper and allowing extra ‘swing' and volume.

If you've opted for a pixie crop but fancy a change for a xmas party, try adding small amounts of extensions in a highlight-shade to your fringe just as Marley Shelton did at a recent premiere. Once attached, just brush your own hair forwards over the attachment area, before feathering the ends of the extensions to suit your own style!