June 1st, 2010
If you have ever had your hair dyed red, you know the upkeep it takes to keep that hue fresh and bright. Every 2 to 3 weeks, you’ll need a touch up. Red hair dye is among the hardest to maintain for a simple reason. When you artificially color your hair with red dye, you are introducing color molecules that expand with the aid of hydrogen peroxide and trap themselves under the cuticle layer in the cortex. Artificial reds are the smallest molecules and are the easiest to dislodge and wash out.
Here are some techniques we can use to extend the life of red hair:
1) Ionix Maintenance Spray contains anti-oxidants that can slow fading and act as a sunscreen to protect hair from sun damage.
2) Try to wash your hair as little as possible. Dry shampoo comes in handy to freshen up oily roots and maintain hair styles.
3) Use color enhancing shampoos and conditioners specifically for red shades. Most likely, they will contain less harsh substances that accelerate color loss.
4) Keep hair well moisturized with conditioners and treatments.
5) Get a Red Cellophane gloss treatment. It enhances the color, seals it and adds a glossy finish that lasts up to 6 weeks.
6) Use Cool water to wash your hair, especially when rinsing conditioner out.
7) Avoid using hair dryers and other heated styling tools.
8 ) Want a natural way to enhance color? Try beet juice, carrot juice or Henna; leave on for 1 hour, then rinse.
Tags: Hair extension, hair extensions, red hair, red hair dye, Red hair extensions
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May 24th, 2010
Speaking of indulging, Sex in the City comes out on May 27th and we are proud to announce our hair has a starring role! The movie follows the fabulous foursome 2 years from where the last movie left off, and this time, they take you to Abu Dhabi.
Our hair was used by wig maker Victoria Wood in the 80’s flashback scene on Kristen Davis, Kim Cattrall and Cynthia Nixon. The bright red hair on Cynthia and Kristen is premium virgin and the bleached Indian with added dark roots was on Kim. Our hair is usually used in hair extensions but can easily be used for any hair piece.
Stay tuned for our fabulous bulk hair sale, or email us for more information!
Tags: 80's hair, hair extensions, Sex in the City
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May 17th, 2010
Red Velvet is more than just a dessert, it can be a the perfect beauty accessory. Think rich luxurious flowing red hair, who wouldn’t want to indulge? Lighter Ivory skin-tones look great with cool red hues. Colors in the red family with a bit of brown are very flattering on yellow-based complexions and olive skin tones look best with darker reds such as burgundy.
Here at Hair & Compounds, we see red in 7 different shades. Ginger (Red 7), Copper (Red 6), Rust(Red 5), Bronze (Red 4), Crimson (Red 3) and Merlot (Red 2).
Red Hair Extensions
A great way to add life and dimension to hair is to add highlights. Instead of going with the usual highlights with dye, try hair extensions. Not only does it allow you to mix multiple colors, but it also adds volume. Some of the lighter shades are perfect as a highlighter. For example, the Ginger (Red 7) or even the Bleach 7 would accentuate a dirty blond hair color and add tons of life to dull drab hair.
Tags: coloring hair extensions, Hair extension, red hair color, Red hair extensions
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May 3rd, 2010
A great home remedy for shiny hair is a vinegar rinse. Each hair has an outer layer of hair called cuticles. The cuticle is made of overlapping layers of long scales that lie along the surface of each strand of hair. When we shampoo our hair, the shafts open and residual ingredients get trapped underneath it, resulting in ragged uneven hair. If using on hair extensions, try to only saturate the lower half of the hair.
How does vinegar help? The properties in vinegar removes shampoo and other product build up underneath that makes hair dull. Most shampoos and soaps are alkaline; vinegar has an acidic property which will control the PH balance in hair.
After shampooing, mix one cup of either white or apple cider vinegar with one cup water and pour over hair then rinse thoroughly. Once the vinegar rinses all the debris, the hairs cuticles close resulting in smooth and shiny hair. For an even bold effect rinse with a blast of cold water to seal those cuticles.
Tags: hair care, hair extensions, healthy hair, natural remedy, shiny hair, smooth hair, vinegar rinse
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April 26th, 2010
Copper rings (Shells or Tubes) are for the Cylinder Hair Extensions application method. Our rings are coated with a matte finish both on the inside and out to help camouflage the attachment areas.
Copper Rings for Hair Extensions
The copper rings are installed by clamping the rings with the clients hair and the extensions. The Strand Hook should be used to slide the rings onto strands of hair. The cylinder hair tip is then placed in the ring with the hair. The rings are then pressed flat with our Universal Pliers. Make sure to clamp snugly, leaving no spaces within the ring to avoid slipping. Also use the Universal Pliers for opening the copper shells during removal.
Universal Pliers for Hair Extensions
Copper rings come in various sizes and colors. It is preferable to use a color that matches best to the roots and a size that correlates with the size of the hair extensions strands. Copper rings costs $20 for a jar of 250.
Tags: copper rings, cylinder hair extensions, extension applications, hair extensions
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April 19th, 2010
As the weather changes from cold and dry to moist and warm, the humidity caused by this can make hair frizzy. Why exactly does hair frizz though? It boils down to how your hair absorbs the moisture in the air. Here are the main reasons:
1) The shape of your hair
If you have naturally curly or course hair, the proteins in your hair are distributed unevenly which results in your hair absorbing moisture in different places. This will cause swelling at random intervals of your hair and make it “bumpy”.
2) Damaged hair
Damaged hair can be the result of chemicals (perms, dying, chlorine) or just everyday styling that can cause the cuticles on the hairs to become dry and the shafts to lift up. This also results in abnormal absorption which can cause hairs to swell differently.
On days when there is an abundance of moisture in the air, the quality of your hair defines how much it will frizz. There are ways to help the fight with humidity and frizz. You can first try to restore the moisture your hair may have lost with deep conditioners and leave in conditioner sprays. High molecular weight dimethicones perform the best on human hair for eliminating frizz. When shopping for hair care products, read the ingredients and select conditioners containing dimethicones. The consistent use of these can help your hair grow stronger and leave hair shafts harder to penetrate with moisture.
A more immediate fix is to coat your hair and hair extensions with a protector that will not even let water penetrate the hair. A lot of anti-frizz products are designed to coat the shafts so that they provide a smooth barrier to immediately change the look as well as prevent moisture from being absorbed. The bottom line? Try to restore moisture and maintain quality and use glosses and protectors to help hair look sleek.
Have any tips about how you control frizz? Share them here!
Tags: Frizzy Hair, hair extensions, Humidity
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April 5th, 2010
Russian Virgin Hair: This hair type can be bleached, colored and permed but contains the same risks as chemically treating normal scalp hair. Since this is cut hair its moisture levels are lower than scalp hair and may react differently to chemicals. Your risk is that the hair extensions may tangle.
(Cylinder, Poly & Ready Wefts) Indian Hair: This hair type may be a mix of various hair that was bleached, dyed and/or blended to obtain a custom color and texture match (all textures are 100% natural). It is advisable not to highlight, tint, dye, perm or apply any other type of chemical process since it is likely the hair extensions have already been treated.
Custom European Hair: This hair type may be a mix of various hair that was bleached, dyed and/or blended to obtain a custom color and texture match (all textures are 100% natural). It is advisable not to highlight, tint, dye, perm or apply any other type of chemical process since it is likely the hair has already been treated.
“Bleach” colors do not have any dye deposits. Only this type of hair can be easily highlighted, tinted and dyed. We strongly advise against further chemical treatments on light blonds. Your risk is damaging the integrity of the hair beyond repair.
Tags: hair extensions, human hair, russian, styles, wefts
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March 30th, 2010
Moisture loss is the main cause of hair extensions to lose luster, resulting in dry frizzy hair. The best way to maintain the quality of hair extensions while still using styling tools is to use little to no heat. The occasional use of your flat iron on hair extensions is okay in most cases.
If you do decide to use a flat iron or curling iron, its ideal to follow these guidelines to prevent as much damage as possible to your hair extensions.
1) Always use a heat protector like the Ionix Maintenance Spray and only flat iron freshly shampooed dry hair. If your hair is dirty, the oils will adhere to the iron causing it to burn as it straightens.
2) Limit the frequency of use to reduce the amount of damage it can cause.
3) Make sure your hair is completely dry by letting it air dry, or blow dry sections before ironing.
4) Keep the temperature on low to medium heat and work with small sections. This allows you to achieve straight hair with less heat.
5) Be sure to use proper styling tools. Flat irons with tourmaline, ceramic and titanium metals tends to heat more evenly and are less likely to cause damage to processed hair.
Tags: Flat Iron, hair extensions, Heat, Protector, Straighten, Styling Tools
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March 22nd, 2010
Surface tension is a property of the surface of a liquid. It is what causes the surface portion of liquid to be attracted to a solid surface. Surface energy is the property of a solid. There must be a perfect balance of the two for maximum bonding.
Extensions are manufactured hair that goes through a rigorous chemical process that changes the amount of energy on the surface of the hair. Every surface has a measurement of energy and every liquid has a measurement of tension based on ions. Since the surface energy has changed, the surface tension in products needs to be changed to properly affect this specific type of hair. If the balance of the product is not right for the hair, the product will either slide off without affecting the hair or bond too strongly creating build up.
Because hair has a negative charge, manufacturers design their shampoos to have a negative charge, so that shampoo will not adhere and absorb into the hair. Conditioners are designed to have a positive charge so that it will adhere with the negatively charged surface of the hair without leaving deposits.
Surface Tension
Tags: Hair extension, hair moisture
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March 15th, 2010
Most hair weakens and becomes damaged by abrasion and stretching as a result of everyday grooming. If the hair is not protected during wet combing, blow drying with hot air and styling, hair will fracture, split and eventually lead to breakage. Hair must be thoroughly moisturized which will leave the hair full and shiny, keeping frizzy hair at bay.
With hair extensions, the usual problems are multiplied. Extensions need extra care that regular hair products are not equipped to handle. The Ionix Deep Conditioner is formulated with a sophisticated hydrating system that is scientifically proven to reduce the friction that causes breakage.
Every ingredient used is meticulously researched and laboratory tested. The dimethicone silicones selected were chosen because they have the highest percentage of active ingredients and are more effective on damaged and over-processed hair. Low molecular weight silicones are blended in to affect the hair faster and therefore increasing the moisture content causing the conditioning agents to bond with the surface and penetrate the fibers.
The special formula in the Deep Conditioner gives it the ability to reduce fly-aways and frizz, leaving hair silky and smooth. After just one use, hair is left fully hydrated, shiny and with increased strength and deters tangles. Ionix Deep Conditioner is a powerful moisturizer for light blonds, chemically treated hair and even dry scalp.
Tags: dry hair, extension maintenance, Frizzy Hair, hair extensions
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