Hair Extensions Questions & Answers
-
Q. How long will it take to add extensions to my own hair?
- A - This will depend on the look you are going
for and consequently how many extensions it will take to achieve that
look. On average a thickening process could take 1-3 hours and a lengthening
process 4-5 hrs. We will fully advise you of timings and costs when
you have your initial consultation at Lucinda Ellery.
- Q.
Will people be able to tell that I’m wearing extensions?
- A - Provided you choose a style and colour
that matches your own hair, the extensions will look totally natural
and no one need ever know except you and perhaps that special someone
who is allowed to run their hands through your hair. On the other
hand, if you're going for an obviously fun, funky look for a party
or for just to enjoy a different buzz, then of course people will
be able to tell - but only because you want them to.
- Q.
How much will it cost?
- Please visit our Pricing
page
- Q.
Will my hair look natural?
- A - All our extensions are custom-made for
you. For Real hair, we keep detailed records of your colour and order
the hair in for each individual client. For fake hair we blend all
of our hair in front of our clients for a truly natural effect, we
take great care to blend in a range of both highlights and lowlights
into each head of hair we work with, so that your extensions have
exactly the same depth and reflectiveness of any natural head of human
hair. All this makes your extensions truly undetectable from the real
thing
- Q
– Will Extensions damage my hair?
- A - This is a commonly asked question. When
extensions are applied properly there is virtually no reason why they
would damage your hair, and to this end thousands of women have used
extensions to grow their own hair to a desired length with no adverse
effects whatsoever. However, that is not to say everybody's hair is
suitable for extensions. At Lucinda Ellery we take the safety of your
hair very seriously and take every reasonable precaution to ascertain
the suitability of your hair before commencing with the extensions.
This includes a free consultation and free test extensions as well
as complimentary check up appointments while you are wearing the extensions.
Everybody experiences normal hair shedding, don't worry, this is entirely
natural. You will notice on your hairbrush, whether you wear extensions
or not, that you shed between 70 to 100 hairs a day - adding up to
around 3,000 hairs a month or 36,000 a year. It seems a lot but on
average we have at least 100,000 to 150,000 hairs on our heads alone,
so this rate of growth and renewal is entirely normal.
- Q
- How long will my extensions last?
- A - Both Real Hair extensions and fake hair
extensions are designed to last three months.
- Q
- Can I just add highlights?
- A - Yes. This is a very effective way of enjoying
extensions and you can choose instant colour that your hairdresser
might otherwise feel would be too damaging to chemically apply to
your own hair. With extensions no harmful dyes or solutions are used
and you can either opt for subtle highlights and lowlights or even
bold neon's, reds, blacks, blues, yellows, pinks, and greens - whatever
you want, really. Hair extensions are a great way of achieving a bold
new or natural colour
- Q
- Should I give my hair a rest between extensions?
- A - There is no need if they are properly applied
and removed, so your own hair remains undamaged. Most people prefer
to have their extensions removed and replaced on the same day, so
their hair continues looking as good as ever.
- Q
- Can I bath, shower, swim, go out in the wind and rain, and play
sport in my new extensions?
- A - Your new hair will look as fabulous wet
as it does dry, and the extension joins will not show in water. You
can shower, swim and go out in the wind and rain without having to
worry. Our hair extensions perform as well on the sports field or
in a gale as the thickest head of rooted hair. They are so well connected
to your own hair that they are indistinguishable from natural hair
and just as tough.
- Q
- What about sun and salt-water damage?
- A - Treat your extensions exactly as well
as would your own hair and they should not suffer during daily wear.
- Q
- What happens if I don't like my new extensions?
- A - This very rarely happens, but if you are
unhappy it is strongly advisable you let qualified staff at Lucinda
Ellery remove your hair extensions without damage or residue, leaving
your hair just as it was when you started.
- Q
- What happens when extensions are removed?
- A - There are two different techniques. For
fake hair, the seal protecting where the extensions are braided to
your own hair is gently heated to soften it and the extension easily
comes away. For real hair where a bonding resin is used, we apply
a releaser solution that allows us to remove the individual extensions
safely and efficiently.
- Q
- How experienced is your salon in extensions work?
- A - Lucinda Ellery was one of the first people
in Britain to train as an extensions specialist in the mid 1980s,
when the technique was still virtually unknown outside Hollywood.
Hair extensions are different from ordinary hairdressing, and that
is why many salons cannot apply good hair extensions. It is always
best to entrust extensions work to a studio specialising in them,
such as Lucinda Ellery. Lucinda's original inspiration was Daryl Hannah's
beautiful long hair as a mermaid in the movie Splash, and since then
she has been determined to make beautiful extensions affordable and
attainable for every woman who has ever longed for the hair of her
dreams. Best of all, it can be achieved within hours, not years. The
Lucinda Ellery Studio began 20 years ago. Lucinda's work is regularly
featured in national newspapers like the Daily Mail and The Telegraph,
in magazines that include Vogue, Hair, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Marie-Claire,
Heat, and New Woman. She has appeared on Richard and Judy, with Gloria
Hunniford, GMTV, as well as on Woman's Hour. Visit our Media section,
our Celebrity section and our Testimonials for further information.
- Q
- Why is real hair more expensive then handmade hair?
- A - When the desired length is around 10 inches
there isn't a great deal of difference between the two costs but as
you start to think about long lengths, real hair can cost around double
the price of fake hair. The main reason for this is that fake hair
can be produced in a relatively short period, whereas real hair has
to be grown for years thus making it an expensive commodity.
- Q
- Can I style handmade hair and real hair in the same way?
- A - When it comes to curling, fake hair is
extremely easy to style and when curled, holds a curl for days on
end, but it is good to remember that when your technician applies
curly fake extensions they will not remain that way unaided indefinitely.
They will need to be regularly washed and re-curled. As for real hair,
it is even easier when left to dry naturally because it dries with
a natural wave. Should you want a structured wave/curl, you can use
Ghd's or curling tongs which can last unbelievably well. When it comes
to blow drying there are differences too. The fake hair has to be
handled with care so as to avoid over heating or burning it; this
is not difficult but does have to be taught in the aftercare session.
As for the real hair, you can blow dry it however you like with no
risk of ruining it. Another advantage of the real hair is that you
can use straightening irons and curling tongs on the hair, which is
a definite no no with fake hair.
- Q
- Won't all those extensions be too heavy for my own hair underneath?
- A - If they are applied correctly there should
be no problem whatsoever. A good technician will balance the weight
perfectly, taking a section of your hair and adding an extension of
equal weight, resulting in a completely balanced natural look. It
is surprising how quickly you get used to having a gloriously full
head of hair.
- Q.
Will my scalp still be able to breathe naturally with extensions?
- A - Our extensions are fitted close to the
hair roots and scalp but do not block them, so you will be able to
feel and touch your scalp as normal.
- Q.
Do I need to buy expensive shampoos and conditioners?
- A - On Fake hair you can use any shampoo and
conditioner but it is advised you buy a conditioning spray that is
specifically designed for fake hair and helps keep it in great condition.
For real hair most shampoos and conditioners are fine to use, however,
those that contain proteins should be avoided and should avoid extension
shampoos that have not been designed for the Lucinda Ellery system.
- Q.
Can I use a hairdryer, hot rollers and other styling equipment?
- A - Yes, you can use all of the above with
real hair however with fake hair straightening irons and curling tongs
cannot be used. We will explain and if you would prefer show you exactly
how to achieve the styles you want.
- Q.
Is it safe to leave my hair to dry naturally?
- A - Yes, once again, you can treat your extensions
just like your own hair.
- Q
- If I fancy a new hair colour, how will that match up with my extensions?
- A - Any extension hair we use is perfectly
matched in colour to your own. If your roots need doing before extensions
are added, or you fancy a complete change of colour, we can colour
your own head of hair ahead of any extensions work. We then add extensions
that will have been carefully blended in front of your very eyes to
exactly match whichever colour you have chosen.
