By Helene Ravlich
Whether you’re obsessing over the possibility of waist-length waves or just want a half-decent ponytail for once in your life, hair extensions can be the solution to many a hair woe.
Instant gratification and then some, they can literally transform and deliver a major mood boost – but like anything beauty-related, it’s essential that you do your research first. Many of the most sought-after heads of hair get help from extensions, and current international trends seem to point to using your hair extensions for volume, as opposed to crazy length.
The goal is to look really natural and really effortless, using undetectable methods to enhance and emphasise your existing style. If you’ve got a bob, you might want to add thickness to the baseline, if you’ve got long hair you might want extra volume and texture.
Guidance from the experts is essential, first to assess your scalp health and then discuss what you want to get out of extensions and if that is achievable. Auckland hair extensions guru Kate Jarrett founded the Loxy’s Hair Boutique brand in a cabin on her front lawn over ten years ago, and now has two super busy salons offering what many believe to be the country’s best extension services, as well as a wholesale business. With one salon in Ponsonby and one in Commercial Bay, it’s safe to say she and her team work with a lot of different hair types and can offer the right advice if and when it’s needed.
Loxy’s Hair Boutique Commercial Bay
WHAT METHOD IS RIGHTÂ FOR ME?
Finding the right extension method for you will depend on budget, preference, and hair type, and like most things, you pay for what you get. Jarrett explains the most popular methods found in New Zealand are:
The traditional weave:Â Whereby your natural hair is braided in rows from ear to ear and wefts of hair are woven (with thread) onto the braids.
Bonds:Â When individual strands are fused to your natural hair using a micro-ring or in the case of Fusion Bonds, heat.
Tape-in:Â Whereby wefts of hair are attached to small sections of your natural hair using double-sided tape.
Micro wefts: This is what Loxy’s have made popular in New Zealand, and is a combination of parts of the traditional weave method and sewing a small amount of the client’s natural hair through the weft, and securing it with a micro-ring.
Image: Mathilde Langevin
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