Beginner's Guide to Hair Extensions

So you're interested in hair extensions, but don't know where to start. Below are a few Do's and Dont's for newbies.

Do- Buy premium human hair extensions, if you want your hair extensions to last. It may be more expensive, but it is well worth the cost. Remy is the best of the best in regards to hair extensions. This grade of human hair will maintain its quality well under everyday styling. The reason for this has everything to do with cuticle alignment. Remy hair has all of its cuticles aligned in the same direction from root to end. This makes the hair less prone to tangling and matting and is much more durable.

Don't- Expect inexpensive hair extensions not to tangle, mat, or shed. Cheaper human hair extensions are simply placed on the weft with no regard to the cuticle placement.

Do- Choose hair extensions and application techniques based on how long you want to wear the hair extensions.

Don't- Purchase synthetic hair.

Do- Use salon quality products on your hair extensions. We recommend a sulfate free moisturizing shampoo, with PH no higher than 7, as well a moisturizing conditioner.

Don't- Use styling products contain alcohol, as it can cause the hair to dry.

Do- Use heat styling tools in moderation. Heat is your hair extensions’ biggest enemy. The more you use on it, the shorter the life span of your hair. We cannot guarantee that the hair will remain silky if you use the blow dry, flat iron, or curling iron frequently.

Don't- Sleep with your hair wet, as it will create matting and tangling.

Do- Use a super looper brush. It works great at detangling hair extensions, hairpieces, and wigs.

Don't- Apply conditioner directly to the bonded area.

Do- Use a deep conditioning treatment every two weeks, more or less, depending on what styling methods you apply to your hair.

Don't- Hesitate to contact us with with any questions or concerns. We sell the finest 100% Human Hair extensions contact us to place your order. Our email address is info@sultryhair.com and our toll free number is (877) 278-5879.

Best and Worse Cities for Your Hair

Where you live impacts your hair. Totalbeauty.com has compiled a list of which cities have the best and worst conditions for hair, based on several factors such as: humidity, pollution, rainfall, average wind speeds, sun, water hardness, and hair salons per capita. Check out the list below, to see where your city falls.

Best Hair Cities:

1. Santa Barbara, California

2. Honolulu, Hawaii

3. San Diego, California

4. Anchorage, Alaska

5. San Francisco, California

6. NYC, New York

7. Miami, Florida

8. Los Angeles, California

9. Denver, Colorado

10. Boston, Massachusetts

11. Chicago, Illinois

Worst Hair Cities:

1. Corpus Christi, Texas

2. Olympia, Washington

3. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

4. Las Vegas, Nevada

5. Phoenix, Arizona

6. Pensacola, Florida

7. Fresno, California

8. Houston, Texas

9. Tucson, Arizona

10. New Orleans, Louisiana

11. Cincinnati, Ohio

12. Albuquerque, New Mexico

13. Eugene, Oregon

Miss Sultry Hair July

We would like to thank everyone for their entries and encourage you to re-enter if you were not selected. After an overwhelming response, we are excited to introduce our Miss Sultry Hair July. To read her story and see her before and after pictures, click here. You too can enter for a chance to win a $50 Sultry Hair gift certificate. One winner is chosen per month.  Tara is wearing our 10" Indian curly hair.

Video Beauty Contest

Sultry Hair is offering Sultry Hair gift certificates to the top three video entries per month. For a chance to win, submit a short video of yourself applying, and/or wearing, and reviewing the hair extensions. Click here for contest details. The prices are:

Grand Prize- $100 gift certificate

Second Place- $75 gift certificate

Third Place- $50 gift certificate

Remy Hair Versus Non-Remy Hair Extensions

If you want your hair extensions to last, you must buy premium human hair extensions. It may be more expensive, but it is well worth the cost. Remy is the best of best in regards to hair extensions. This grade of human hair will maintain well under everyday styling. The reason for this has everything to do with cuticle alignment. Cheaper human hair extensions are simply placed on the weft with no regard to the cuticle placement. On the other hand, remy hair has all it's cuticles aligned in the same direction from root to end. This makes the hair less prone to tangling and matting and is more durable.

Hand Tied Weft Versus Machine Weft

A hair weft is the horizontal attachment base that the strands of hair are sewn into. There are two types of hair wefts available on the market, machine and hand tied. The difference between hand tied weft and machine weft is that hand tied wefts are done by hand and are much thinner than machine wefts. Hand tied wefts lay flat against your scalp to give you a more natural look and significantly reduce bulkiness. Hand tied wefts come in pieces of about 24" long; you get about five pieces per pack more or less, depending on the length of the hair. The hand tied wefts must be reinforced before cutting and must be sewn around the weft, not through the weft. You can do this either with a glue (nail or fabric glue works great) or by sewing the weft down before cutting. Machine wefts are done by machine and have a thicker weft. They do not need to be reinforced or secured before cutting and you can sew through the weft.

Human Hair Versus Synthetic Hair Extensions

There are two types of hair extensions: synthetic and human hair. The pros and cons are listed below.

Synthetic Hair Pros and Cons:

Pros

• It is cheaper than human hair.
• It comes in many colors and textures.
• It can be attached several different ways: with glue, tape, or it can be sewn in.
  

Cons

• It looks and feels fake. Artificial or fake hair cannot match the silky shine or luster of human hair.
• It is limited in styling- Synthetic hair will melt when exposed to high temperatures of styling products, such as a curling iron or flat iron.
• It cannot be colored.
• It cannot be reused. You wear it once and threw it away.

Human Hair Pros and Cons:

Pros

• It looks and feels real, because it's made from the real thing.
• It can be colored.
• You can use hot styling products, such as a curling iron or flat iron, to achieve any hair style desired.
• It does not tangle and matt excessively.
  
• It comes in many colors and textures.
• It is reusable. It can be reused for several installs, making it a worthwhile investment.
• It can be attached several different ways: with glue, tape, or it can be sewn in.

Cons

• The hair costs more, but it lasts longer.

And the winner is...
Let's face it, most of us do not want anyone to know we are wearing hair extensions. So for the most natural looking hair extensions, the real choice is human hair extensions.

Summer maintenance for your hair extensions

The warm weather activities are fun in the sun, but swimming in the ocean or pool, can wreck havoc on your hair extensions. To help keep your hair in great shape and ward off frizz and dryness, try these recommendations below:

1. If you're not already using one, we hightly recommend that you switch to a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. Even if your hair isn't dry right now, sun, salt water, and chlorine sap moisture and make your hair dry and frizzy. Condition your hair extensions each time you shampoo and/or wet your hair.

2. Treat your hair extensions to a leave-in-conditioner. A leave-in-conditioner moisturizes your hair extensions continuously throughout the day. The bonus: These products usually contain sunscreen, which helps protect color-treated hair from the sun -- which can turn color brassy.

3. Use a deep conditioner, hot oil treatment or hair mask regularly. Once a week, give your hair extensions intensive repair time by applying a deep conditioning treatment. An even better idea is to apply your deep conditioning treatment before heading out into the sun. The sun's heat will allow the conditioner to better penetrate your hair.

• When swimming, it is recommended that you take the following precautions:
• Never wear a swimming cap. The friction may cause matting.
• Dry hair soaks up more salt water and chlorine than does already-wet hair; which, means dry hair incurs more damage after swimming. Use plain tap water to soak hair before you take the plunge.
• It is always good to brush your hair and put it into braids before swimming.This will avoid any unwanted tangles and matting.
• Immediately after showering undo braid, comb hair and let air-dry.
• Follow with shampooing and deep conditioning because sun, chlorine, and salt water can sap the moisture out of your hair extensions and make them dry.
• For more tips, see our hair extensions guide.

How Much Hair Will I Need?

How much hair will I need? We get asked this question a lot.  So we created a hair quantity guide. The amount of hair you need depends on a few things things: (1) the length of the hair, (2) the hair extension method used, and (3) the fullness you desire.

Full sew in weave:

1-1.5 pks= 10"-12"

1.5-2pks= 14"-16"

2-2.5 pks=18"-20"

2.5-3 pks-22"-26"

Bonding (with glue or tape):

1 pk- a full head application

1.5 packs- a fuller look with lots of body

Braiding: 

1-1.5 pks= 10"-16"

1.5-2 pks=18"-20"

2-2.5 pks=22"-26"

Strand by Strand:

2 pks (200 strands)- A natural look

3 pks (300 strands)- A full look

4 pks (400 strands)- A full look with lots of body

Customer Pictures

Click here to check out our customer pictures. Send us quality headshots (front or back) of you wearing our hair extensions. If your picture is selected, you will receive $10 off your next purchase. Email your original (large) picture to info@sultryhair.com.

Super Looper Hair Extension Brush

A super looper brush works great at brushing and detangling hair extensions, hairpieces, and wigs.

Sultry Hair in the press

A quote from the article about our clip on bangs, "Now bangs are back in full swing...clip on bang hair extensions...a great thing. You get to experiment with a different look." Click here to read the entire article. 

Sultry Hair Reviewed by Killer Start Ups

A quote from the article about our website, "the company is a well-established online retailer which specializes in high-quality products." Click here to read the entire article.