Before and After your Dream Hair application!
BEFORE YOUR APPOINTMENT:
Your hair much be CLEAN, DRY, and STRAIGHT for your install.
Do NOT use a heavy conditioner the last time you wash it before the install or if at all if you can avoid it so that the bonds stick nice and firm.
Do NOT use an oil treatment or any deep treatment within a week before your install or your hair might be too greasy for the bonds to want to stick properly.
Your hair must be dry for the bonds and also straight, just for the install.
After the install you can wear it straight, curly, up, down, whatever!
It's best to wash it once before applying heat.
HAIR CARE AFTERWARDS:
Everyone’s hair is different and everyone swears by different products. I have some clients who love Biosilk and others who prefer Moroccan oil. Your first set of Dream Hair you will be testing a lot of products and styles to see what best works for you and your hair. Everything in this note is my personal opinion and what I love and use.
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ALWAYS use SALON QUALITY products directly bought from a Salon, Trade Secrets, Online directly from brand, or Beauty Supplier (NOT Sally's/Winners/Homesense/Shoppers/Wal-Mart). Products from drugstores are not salon quality and can leave residue, cause bonds not to sticks and slip out and create a build up on the hair overtime. The WORST products lines are Tressemme, Pantene, Monet, Herbal Essences, etc. If you choose to use these product lines then I can't help you if you have issues. It is your responsibly to the good care of your extensions.
If you're still not sure about products then message me and I can personally recommend some.
There are four main things you’ll need that I personally recommended:
1. Loop Brush – I will GIVE you a FREE loop brush with your first set of Dream hair. After that I sell them for $10 each.
You can get one at some wig stores or from Sally’s Beauty Supply for about $5-10. It looks like a real brush but the bristles loop all the way around so they will not catch on your bonds. You can brush your scalp and between the bonds, which prevents knotting, and also from tugging at the bonds too hard making them slip out. Loop brushes are very gentle and once you’ve had you’re extensions in for a few weeks and they start growing out you’ll wish you had one!
Using the loop brush becomes more important once they start growing out to keep them from knotting, so don’t lose it!
2. High QualityConditioner - Pretty much anything that is salon quality will work well with extensions. I love Redken and Joico brands and switch mine up yearly. Moisturizing Conditioners are good to keep the hair soft and avoid becoming dry as they cannot produce their own oils. Never condition the top of your head by any means: the bonds will soak up the oils and they will slip out easily and start to shed! Also your hair absorbs the oils right up into the bonds so make sure you’re only conditioning the ends of the hair to avoid have greasy roots too soon. Hair masks are also great to use every once in a while in the ends. You can find my favourite Moroccan oil ones!
3. Serum/Oil Often – The extensions do not produce their own oils so you’ll have to apply some to keep them soft.
Only apply from the middle to the ends, never by your roots or bonds. You can use whatever you like best.
I only wash my hair once a week with the extensions in so I prefer serums that smell nice.
Moroccan oil or Argan oil are great. Biosilk or Redken Anti-Snap are awesome as well. It’s totally up to you and what you feel is keeping your extensions nice and smooth.
MAKE SURE IT IS ONLY THE ENDS! Again your hair can absorb it up into the bonds. If you put it on the top of your head or in your bangs your hair will get greasy and no be upset when the bonds start to come out around your face!
4. THERMAL PROTECTOR: You're suppose to already be using one of these to protect your hair from heat and damage. With the extensions you should be, hands down, using it every time. I love personally love RedKen's Thermal Resist and Moroccan oil Thermal protector.
COCONUT OIL: Although this is GREAT for your hair, it has a low burning point so beware using it to often and applying heat, it can and will burn the hair! Moroccan oil burns at a high temperature so its better to use if you like to style or blow dry your hair.
Aside from the main three things there are plenty of small tips on keeping your extensions feeling and looking great.
SHAMPOO – Use something that is sulfate-free if you can and oil-free. You should only wash your hair 1-2x a week but if you need to do more, that is okay, just make sure you're putting the nutrients back into the hair that you're striping out.
If you’re a blonde then your purple shampoo works great as well! I usually use that once a week.
Even if it your shampoo is sulfate-free make sure it is also OIL-FREE or not overly greasy: Oil will break up the bonds faster then anything! If you're natural hair is greasy than avoid the oil based shampoo'd.
I love Joico, REDKEN and MORACCAN OIL shampoo.
NEVER put OIL or direct HEAT on or around the bonds.
The bonds are more like a wax then a glue so they will absorb the oil, which doesn’t dry or harden fast, resulting in weaker bonds that can break apart and slip out.
You want to avoid heat from your straightener, blow dryer and curler on the bonds as well so they don’t reheat and the little hairs around them get attached to the bond, which will harden again causing you to have to break your hair off the bond. It can also cause knotting and tangles! You can blow dry your roots but put it on the “cool” setting. Heat from the sun or tanning beds or hot water will not do anything – its only direct heat.
If you’re going to curl or straighten or blow dry – use a THERMAL PROTECTOR on your hair BEFORE to keep it from drying out, getting split ends or breaking off, it is human hair after all! You can purchase it
SWIMMING
Yes you can go swimming as much as you like. I suggest if you go in chlorine or salt water that you rinse you’re hair with regular water after so it doesn’t absorb too much into your hair causing it todry out and feel coarse.
Yes you can swim with them! I have traveled many places and swam in many places with mine, I usually just let it air dry after. Before swimming I would put a leave-in conditioner on yourhair or a salt/chlorine protector spray on it first. (Sally’s sells one but I’mnot sure what it is called) Just don’t forget to put your oil/serum on it after either!
NEVER SLEEP WITH YOUR HAIR WET or LET IT DRY UP IN A BUN, that’s a great way to start some knots and tangles and matts
SLEEPING
If your hair naturally tangles easily or is wavy or curly on its own then I suggest you braid it or wear it up when you sleep.
Some girls like silk pillows and bandanas – this is not a weave and is much better quality hair, you do not need to be that extreme. Just NEVER sleep on it WET and put it up or back if it tangles easily.
Brush it in the mornings, especially once it starts to grow out because that is what is going to want to start knotting as it rubs together during the night.
Can I dye/colour my hair? What about my roots?
Of course you can go ahead and get your hair coloured. You'll most likely need to get your roots done at least once with them in since they last a few months!
If you'd like to colour your hair darker then the extensons the go ahead, it will not affect the bonds or hair as long as you're keeping oils/deep conditioners off the bonds.
If you're a blonde then getting your roots done is completely safe! The bleach won't affect the bonds.
I DO NOT recommened bleaching the hair lighter if your hair was a darker shade; so do so at your own risk.
REMOVAL
Here is how you remove them yourself! Its super easy but takes time and patience!
1. Dab or spray acetone (nail polish remover) on one or two of the bonds at a time.
2. Pinch the bonds with pliers. (Wiggle and repeat a few times until it breaks up into a powder like form and slips out!)
3. Comb out the rest of the residue or wash and condition it really well after!
Take your time, don’t pick or pull at the bonds, and NEVER remove with wet hair, always dry. This can be is when/why your real hair can break. You can even get a friend ti help you. Also, be careful with the pliers you use, as some have sharp "cutting" parts in the middle, avoid that area or try to use pliers specifically for hair extension removal. Your hair should be longer from you not touching as much with the extensions in, as the extensions take most of the brunt when styling.
(If you're not doing install right after the removal you can also use hand sanitizer instead of acetone)
Remember the bonds hold the hair in place that naturally is suppose to shed over a few months, so don’t be surprised if you see some hair attached to the bonds as you remove them. You probably forgot your own thick/thinness since you’re so use to the extensions now! Get a friend to help! We are usually a but more rough with our own hair.
YOU ONLY WASH YOUR HAIR ONCE A WEEK?!?!
Yes I do, maybe twice if I have something important to do that I need fresh hair for but yes, mostly 4-5 times a month!
The extensions do not produce their own oils so they won’t get greasy, in fact they’ll absorb a bit of your grease. You are only suppose to be washing your hair once a week in the first place. Your hair only produces oils that seem to be too much from you washing your hair too often. It is stripped from its nutrients before they soak in so it starts to over produce. (Pregnancy, breastfeeding, stress and age can factor into over-producing oils as well)
I get away with it by using dry shampoos around my roots and baby powder. Being a blonde you can use as much baby powder as you like and it smells great, hides your roots and can’t see it. If you have darker hair then you’d have to find something that is a dark baby power or brown one. I know they exist but are harder to find. Jessica Simpson line called CAKE has a chocolate powder just for you!
You can also tie back your hair and only wash the very top of your head and bangs making it feel and look clean altogether. This way you do not have to wash and dry and restyle your entire head!
You can also wean yourself off of washing it too often by only washing the top of your hair or just washing your bangs in the sink - that’s really only the part that looks greasy and bugs you anyway!
Going on a trip soon? 🏝️
Here are some ways to help make sure your extensions, and your own hair, stays hydrated and well cared for:
☀️ Don’t forget your thermal protector - it not only helps against electrical heat, but also has been shown to drastically reduce harm from the sun’s UV rays. Especially for blondes!
A quick application in the morning before lounging poolside or catching ocean waves goes a long way!
☀️ Oils - putting a few drops of oil from the middle to the ends of your hair/extensions will help keep them hydrated. Oil will also help repel your hair extensions from absorbing too much salt or chlorine while you’re swimming. I like to pull some oil through my hair, and put it in a braid or two before heading to the beach.
☀️ Hair Masks - grabbing a travel sized hair, mask, or putting your own in a small container will help keep your extensions from frizzing too much in the the harsh temperatures. On vacation I use a hair mask every 2-3 days in the evenings instead of conditioner.
☀️ Take your loop brush, and use it. Make sure you still continue to brush your hair 2 to 3 times a day. It is really easy on vacation to lay around and let your hair rub while it’s damp, or throwing it up, without fully brushing it, because of the heat. This can lead to tangles, knots and breakage.
☀️ Wash your hair more often - even take a travel sized clarifying shampoo to use once or twice a week since your hair can have extra oils, dirt and build-up caused by the temperatures, sunscreens, dirt, sand and the sea. Clarifying shampoo can also help prevent blondes from getting brassiness due to the chemical reaction of sunscreen, mixed with chlorine or salt water.
☀️ Use a mineral based sunscreen on your skin - when sunscreen is absorbed in hair and exposed to UV light a Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) process occurs, in fewer words that means when hair is rinsed with water, either pool or shower water, electron particles in minerals (Iron, Copper, Magnesium, Calcium, and Silica) attach to hair, causing a chemical reaction that causes discoloration or change color at hair ends or in patches. This can change the hair extension’s colour to orange, pink, peachy, and brassy. (Clarifying shampoo will help rinse this out, followed by diluted purple shampoo)
☀️Never sleep on your hair wet! That’s when your hair is easiest to break. Give it a quick blow dry before bed if it’s still damp, and throw it in a couple braids so you wake up with unbothered beach waves.
The 411 on Fusion Extensions
Why are your prices so much lower then salons?
I custom order my hair in bulk right from a factory in India. That’s is how I offer prices a lot lower then the salons. It is also how I get my hair top quality. I have been with the same supplier since 2011 and I am their ONLY Canadian client. I custom order my hair and it made specifically from the hair to the colors to the bonds that I prefer. I only supply hair to those who have completed my workshop.
Everyone will advertise the "best hair". You really have to trial and error nowdays since so many (uncertified and unqualified) girls are claiming they are extensionists and found some cheap hair on eBay.
Since I work from home I do not have to pay for commercial leases or rent out chairs or have to pay the salon 50% of my profit.
Which brand do you use?
I do not use a brand in particular since I custom order my hair exactly how I like it bulk. I order it and then it is made for me to best suit my clients. I have had my specific hair branded as Dream Hair and you cannot buy it from stores.
How does your hair compare to Great Lengths?
My hair is a lot thicker then Great Lengths, I do not like that stringy look at all! Since my strands are one gram strands it also means you need less bonds in your head, which makes it more comfortable and easy to manage. Great Lengths is a great brand but for the price and amount of time it takes to put in it’s not worth it nor is it affordable for most of us. A lot of my first time clients have tried "brand" hair through their salon and I've had to fill it out more or replace them.
Why does it only take you an hour and most other girls/salons 4-7 hours?
Its takes me so much less time because I’m well practiced and experienced! I do extensions all day everyday, sometimes to many in one day but I do love what I do! I’ve always been a fast paced person who can talk and get things done at the same time.
Salons take a lot longer because they don’t do extensions everyday or very often at all mostly because of their prices. I have friends who work in salons and I do their hair because even at their cost it’s too much. Even the ones trained on extensions are not booked up so they lack in the experience and it does take time to learn and a lot of practice! Their strands are usually a lot thinner as well so they really have to pack them in there to avoid that stringy look.
How many strands is a full head?
A full head is anywhere from 120-200 grams of hair usually. A lot of girls will say they are 200 strands but that just tells me that the strands they have used before are 0.5 grams usually so it only equals 100 grams. I keep a base price for everyone; I will not stop at a strand count just because you have more hair or thicker hair. If I feel you need more hair or you want that HUGE diva hair then we can discuss adding more at a cost but that’s rare in most cases.
What is the difference between a half head and a full head install?
A half head is for women who have super thin hair and its at least to their shoulders or they already have super long hair and just want to add thickness more so than length. I will know as soon as I see you if you can get away with a half head.
MOST girls get a full head install so it looks natural but others only need the half head.
I will not do a half head if I feel you need more hair in. I don't you to walk around with funny looking extensions making us both look "unfinished".
If you think you'll only need a half heads worth then come prepared for a full head install and we can put in a half head and see if that will be enough. No worries!
Can I go swimming?
Yes you can go swimming as much as you like. I suggest if you go in chlorine or salt water that you rinse you’re hair with regular water after so it doesn’t absorb too much into your hair causing it to dry out and feel coarse.
Before swimming I would put a leave-in conditioner on your hair or a salt/chlorine protector spray on it first. (Sally’s sells one but I’m not sure what it is called) Just don’t forget to put your oil/serum on it after either! I love REDKEN's Anti-Snap
Will it ruin my hair?
They only can ruin your hair if you do not care for them properly or try to remove them yourself. Some girls like to take theirs out themselves but it is the removal process that girls will claim, “Fusion ruined my hair!!!” When really they should’ve had a professional take them out. It takes time to do removal, even longer then the install sometimes so girls start to remove them and once the bonds start to break up the start to pull and pick them out which rips and breaks off their own hair.
They are easy to remove but it takes time and patience!
As long as you’re not brushing them too hard and always brushing from the ends up then you should be okay!
The small fee is worth having a professional take them out for you.
How long do they last?
I recommend girls get a new set every 3 to 4 months. But I have clients that leave with her hair in for 6 to 8 months or more and I have other girls who like fresh sets every 2 to 3 months on the dot. It really depends on how well you take care of your hair, how fast your hair grows, how short your real hair was to begin with, your lifestyle, etc.
Do they fall out?
They are meant to stay in there for months but it is normal to lose 1-2 bonds a week. Remember you have a good 150 bonds in there so its not noticeable and 1-2 bonds a week is exaggerating for most girls. Its more common once you’ve had them in for a while. Maybe you always hit that area with heat or if your hair was pretty short then it’s more common but remember every set your hair is a good 1-2 inches longer making them stronger and more durable. You might sleep on that side of your head and they keep rubbing together over time. Just make sure you use your loop brush and run your fingers through your hair.
If you are losing more then normal then you need to go over the hair care section and find the oils, heat or sulfates in your products and switch them up! Or message me and we can figure it out together the most common issue is low quality products.
Do you have wavy/curly extensions?
I only carry straight extensions because most girls style their hair straight anyway. The hair is Indian so it does have a natural wave when you let it air dry with a bit of product. If you have wavy or curly hair then it takes on your wave/curl a lot better! You’d be surprised! The extensions do not produce their own oils so they hold styles really well! I wash my hair once a week and curl and leave it like that all week. It falls into a big Hollywood wave after about 4 days when I start to brush it but I still love it! Just add some serum/oil to the ends and they bounce right back up.