A few years ago I started going very blonde and my naturally long, full hair began breaking and thinning. Hair extensions were becoming a thing but the time and cost involved in keeping them up kept me from looking into getting them
When my daughter, Sunny, who graduated from Aveda institute last spring asked if I’d be interested in getting hair extensions if all I had to pay for was the hair at cost, I said heck yes.
With the guidance of Liz, the owner of Ivy & Thistle where Sunny works, we color matched at my regular highlight appointment after my hair was freshly done. She recommended 2 rows of 16” hair – highlights and low lights. I must confess I didn’t want lowlights, I wanted darker roots with blonde ends all the same. But Liz told me I would “look like I worked at a gas station” if I did that 😂 and asked me to trust her – so of course I did – and she was ultimately right.
The install was lengthy because it was Sunny’s first time but she’s a quick study and we’ll schedule half the time when I have them moved up in October. Depending on how fast your hair grows, move ups typically happen every 8-12 weeks.
For some reason a lot of people have asked if it hurt and for me it didn’t at all, but if you do have a tender head, they suggest taking ibuprofen before and after install.
Because the blow drying and curling process can be a bit lengthy, women with extensions normally wash their hair every 5-7 days. I’m an evening bather so after 5 days, I washed it and slept on wet hair. It was mostly dry by morning when I curled it with a 1.5” curling iron. I have a comfy stool to sit at my vanity so I didn’t mind the curling process at all while I happily watched Grays Anatomy trying to mimic Sunny’s long hair curling technique. It took about 30 minutes. She also recommended Davines medium hold hairspray to make the curls last.
When I bathe in between washing it, I twist it using a large clip and pile it on my head to keep it out of the water. I do wash my bangs and the hair framing my face so all that needs re-curled are those 2 areas every morning. The new hair surprisingly stays curled until the next wash. (I leave it clipped up while I sleep and that seems to help preserve the curls 🤷🏼♀️)
So that’s all the hair extensions news except it was a strange feeling at first thinking that the hair used to be on someone’s else’s head – Jamey said probably a stripper. 😂 Now I’m used to it and loving having long, full hair again. It feels like me again.
To schedule an extension consultation, you can Schedule Online or text Sunny at 970-518-3429
