Human Hair vs Synthetic Hair Extensions

hairukLeave a comment

As most of us know, it’s possible to get real human hair extensions or use synthetic substitutes instead. Either way, you can quickly transform your hair and achieve a look you never thought was possible, adding a lot more length and volume with minimal effort. If you do it yourself or get a professional application in a salon, however, you will need to choose between the two types.

For human hair extensions, the hair will be referred to be certain industry-specific terms, so it’s useful to recognise these. Remy hair means that all the hairs face the same way, which makes for a neat and straight finish. Strands that are natural with no permanent treatment or colour applied are known as virgin.

Stylists understandably recommend real hair for better results if you want to get your own extensions. It will always be a more realistic match for the person’s natural colour and texture compared to a synthetic alternative. Styling tools and products will also work with it just as easily as the person’s natural hair. All in all, the look and feel will be the best quality you can get.

People from all over the world donate their own hair for different reasons, which eventually can be made into extensions. However, demand is relatively high and there are some obvious limitations with producing human hair. It takes months or even years to grow long extensions, and they need to be top quality if they’re destined to be sold. As a result, the price of human hair can be high, so alternatives are needed.

For those who are on a tighter budget, synthetic substitutes for human hair are a valid alternative. The cheapest options are probably not suitable for a natural look, because they won’t have the same texture as real hair and they may be difficult to care for properly. However, the slightly more expensive synthetic extensions on the market will usually look good and be easy to maintain as long as you choose a matching colour.

It’s just important to remember that they cannot be exposed to hair dyes, chemicals or extreme heat without getting damaged, so you can’t treat them the same way you would real hair. As long as you’re happy with that, you might find that synthetic hair is a great solution for you, but we would recommend real human extensions if you have the budget for it.

Textured Quiff

Top Men’s Hairstyles This Year

hairukLeave a comment

At the moment, a lot of traditional men’s haircuts are pretty much dominating fashion, although there are also a few more interesting cuts you could try out if you want to stand out. Should you go for something straightforward that’s flattering on most guys, or show your personality a bit more with something creative and edgy? Take a look at the top hairstyles of 2016 for men and make your mind up.

Short & Textured Hair1) Short and textured

The default short-back-and-sides cut remains as popular as ever, although this year there have been some subtle changes in the most popular style. In 2015, the contrast between longer hair on top and the short sides was more prominent, compared to the softer line most guys are opting for now. The trend is also for a shorter overall length on the top, plus a bit less sharp and slick with more messy layers cut in. Continue reading “Top Men’s Hairstyles This Year” →

6 Ways to Get Healthy Hair

hairukLeave a comment

Most of us would love to experience the benefits of healthier hair, but with our everyday routines taking up our time and a lot of confusing products on the market, it can be hard to know what route to take. We would recommend a combination of different things to try, including some products you can get from a UK-registered pharmacy shop online, some that are available on the high street, and a few simple things you can try at home without spending a penny.

1) Vitamin tablets

It’s not always easy to keep up the right level of different vitamins and minerals your body needs, or even to know how well you’re doing. Supplements can be an effective solution, and you’ll find tablets which promote healthier hair growth as well as your nails and skin from most good pharmacists.

2) Natural oils

Oil is great for hair, contrary to what many people might think. To keep it in good condition, you might want to use natural castor oil or coconut oil on your hair. This helps compensate for what gets washed away when you clean or dye your hair too often.

Castor Oil Hair Benefits

3) Specialist shampoos

Another way to promote healthy hair may be to use a shampoo with more active ingredients. You can easily find special shampoos that are designed to help with various factors, including ones that add volume, stimulate growth and even protect against heat damage.

Continue reading “6 Ways to Get Healthy Hair” →

Hair Tapestry

How to Try Out Hair Tapestry

hairukLeave a comment

Craving something more creative you can do to add some sparkle and uniqueness to your hair? A really fun DIY trick you can try is hair tapestry, a fun summery trend that’s been around for a while but is still catching on. You can create your own unique designs in just a few simple steps, and if you want to you can make your designs completely removable and interchangeable.

Start by collecting up the necessary items:

  • A hair extension weft, if you want it to be removable
  • An embroidery hoop or tapestry loom
  • Coloured threads of your choice
  • A wool needle
  • A pair of scissors

Once you have all the required items and a suitable place to get started, you can begin following these steps to weave your own hair tapestry.

1) Section off the area of hair you’re using. This can be on your friend’s hair, but we would recommend using an extension weft, especially if it’s on yourself which would be almost impossible! A bit of hairspray will help hold the section in formation. Continue reading “How to Try Out Hair Tapestry” →

Flower Beards

Weird Beard Trends in 2016

hairukLeave a comment

The hipster beard has become even more popular in 2016 than it was last year, perhaps overtaking the infamous man-bun as the definitive male grooming trend of the year. Beards are well and truly in style, it seems, and the weirder the better. Many people have apparently not been satisfied with simply growing out their facial hair, and instead are choosing to incorporate some slightly more creative ideas into their beards. Here are just a few of the trends we’ve noticed recently.

1) Glitter beards

Glitter BeardsThese have taken off on Instagram, partly for comedy value and partly, it seems, because fashion. They may also have been promoted to the mainstream a little faster thanks to pioneers like Danny Beard, a popular contestant on Britain’s Got Talent this year who sported a glitter beard along with monochromatic drag queen makeup and sang opera (as one does).

 

Flower Beard2) Flower beards

Here’s a similarly ridiculous and impractical choice for your beard – fill it with delicate flowers! This hippie trend has also been taking off on Instagram this summer, mostly just to pose for photos. We’re not sure if you can really walk around with a beard full of flower power – we’re yet to try it. Continue reading “Weird Beard Trends in 2016” →

Glitter roots

Glitter Roots – A New Hairstyling Trend

hairukLeave a comment

We love DIY tricks that are quick and easy to do at home, so glitter roots are one of our favourite hairstyling obsessions at the moment. If you’re stuck in between appointments to have your hair cut or coloured and you’re not sure how to add some sparkle to your current look, this is an amazing way to instantly achieve just that. It’s also incredibly simple to do and there are no complicated methods or fancy products involved.

The first thing you need to do is decide what hairstyle you’re going for. Most people trying out glitter roots have opted for twisted buns on each side (either two or a lot more, it’s up to you!) because they really define your centre parting and give you plenty of room to work with the glitter. You could also try a glitter ponytail or even go for a sparkling Harley Quinn inspired look – this might be a favourite of ours for Halloween! Generally you need to pick something that exposes your roots so you can get the full effect.

The next step simply involves applying some kind of product along your parting or wherever you want your glitter roots to be showing. Generally it makes sense to use your centre parting and you can even go all the way from your hairline to the back of the neck. Any kind of hair gel is probably ideal for this, it just needs to be wet and sticky at first and reasonably dry later on. Continue reading “Glitter Roots – A New Hairstyling Trend” →

Should I Get A Lace Front Wig?

hairukLeave a comment

If you’ve ever shopped for wigs then you probably know of lace wigs and lace fronts, but you might not understand the benefits and differences compared to other types of wigs. In essence, lace wigs feature a delicate, hand-woven base which can create a more realistic look and feel than the thicker bases you would find on a cheaper style of wig. A lace front is a combination of two types of base, with a lighter lace section at the front to create a more realistic hairline and a stronger base toward the back. First we can take a look at some of the key benefits of opting for this style.

Realism

The main reason that lace wigs are popular is that they provide a more realistic look. If the wig is made to a high enough standard and attached to your head professionally with suitable glue, the sheer lace layer will be effectively invisible and the wig will look exactly like your real hair. You can even dye the lace to match your skin tone to ensure it’s completely invisible.

Styling

A lace front is easy to style in different ways because of the versatile parting you can create from having a clean and realistic hairline at the front. If you want to wear your hair up and expose the back you’ll need to use a full lace wig to get the same effect all over, but that way you really can style your wig exactly as you would your real hair. Continue reading “Should I Get A Lace Front Wig?” →

Unicorn hair

How To Create A Unicorn Hairstyle

hairukLeave a comment

Colouring your hair may be a nerve-wracking experience if you’re not that experienced, but really it should be fun too. The more creative you can be with your methods, the more exciting and rewarding it is. There’s a lot to be said for creating a truly unique look that will impress even professional hair stylists when they see what you’ve managed to achieve with a DIY approach. “Unicorn hair” is a great example, especially since pastel colours are so popular right now and there are loads of different products around that are suitable to help you.

Checklist:

  • Toned and conditioned platinum blonde hair
  • A few small amounts of different pastel coloured dyes
  • White or colourless conditioner
  • Brush and mixing bowl for application
  • Hair band and clips to separate your hair
  • Foil to protect parts you don’t want to colour

Step 1: Start with the lightest possible hair colour

Firstly you need to crack the secret of achieving perfect bleach blonde hair. Once you know how to get the perfect platinum tone without any unwanted red or yellow, you’re able to start using different pastel colours to achieve your finished look. People find different methods and products work best for their hair, and even with the perfect dye and toner you might need a few attempts before you get this right. Normally using grey toner will help you get the right white shade for unicorn hair. Continue reading “How To Create A Unicorn Hairstyle” →

Drakes of London

Male Grooming & Barber Shops in London

hairukLeave a comment

London is home to some of the best traditional barber shops in the UK, many of which have been operating for as long as anyone can remember. Some newer businesses are also going back to the traditional methods when it comes to male grooming, so men’s salons offering classic services like wet shaves and expert beard grooming are becoming more fashionable. Looking perfectly groomed and presentable is of great importance to a lot of men, whether it’s to stay professional for work or simply to maintain a stylish look at all times. Here are some of the best locations in London to get your haircut, facial hair styling and every other barber shop service you could ask for.

Drakes of London

Home of the best barbers in London, offering a full male grooming service.

Areas Covered: London, Fulham

Services: Male grooming, men’s hair removal including men’s waxing, traditional shave, wet shave, men’s facial and other skincare, massage services, groom and best man packages.

Address: 19 Jerdan Place, Fulham, SW6 1BE

Phone: 020 7386 3900

Murdock London

Gift packages offering “The Murdock Experience” are popular at this quirky barber’s shop.

Areas Covered: London, Paris

Services: Traditional shave, wet shave, beard reshaping, haircut and styling, gift certificates and experience packages.

Address: 83 Brewer Street, Soho, London, W1F 9ZN

Phone: 0203 3937946 Continue reading “Male Grooming & Barber Shops in London” →

Weaves

Hair Weaves and Extensions

hairukLeave a comment

If you’re experiencing hair loss and don’t want to go down the surgical route, or you simply want to change your style, hair weaves are the perfect solution.

Many African women you see with amazing hair, well they’ve been keeping this hair treatment a secret and looking absolutely fabulous but now their secret is out!

How does it work?

Basically, as the name suggests, the hairdresser weaves artificial (or in some cases human) hair into your existing hair.

They start by creating cornrows (plaits) across the head to keep the weave as flat as possible, then they take a length of hair attached to a strip of fabric (a weft) and sew it into the plaits. A weave can be used for either a few rows (for example if you wanted hair extensions) or for a complete head (great for thinning hair) giving the impression of a full, thick head of hair.

Weaves are difficult to identify unless you know what to look for (don’t be surprised if your Caucasian friends compliment your new hair style but black ladies compliment your gorgeous weave!).

Weaves are easy to care for, you treat them much the same as your regular hair, washing them, styling them and using the same products. Continue reading “Hair Weaves and Extensions” →