Can You Dye Human Hair Extensions?

Human hair extensions can transform your look and allow you to change and try out new hairstyles. Virgin hair extensions are the longest lasting extensions, and can be worn for a year or longer. Some women who wear human hair weaves wonder whether it’s safe to dye their human hair extensions.
Yes, you can dye your human hair extensions!

You can do anything with human hair extensions that you can do to your natural hair. This includes dyeing, cutting, heat styling and chemically processing your human hair. Many weave wearers dye extensions to get an exact match to their natural hair color. Things to remember when dyeing your human hair extensions:

Do a strand test first. Even though you can dye your hair extensions, you should first test to see how they will handle the coloring process. Mix the dye as directed, then apply to one small strand or section of the hair. Take note of the end result before continuing to dye the rest of your hair.

Virgin hair extensions are the best type of weaves for dyeing. Because virgin hair extensions have not been chemically processed in any way, they can be dyed with minimal damage to the hair. While it’s best to avoid overly harsh chemicals, virgin hair extensions can be lightened or darkened as natural hair. Experts advise that you don’t attempt to dye non-virgin hair weaves. These hair extensions have been chemically treated, stripping the strand to its weakest. They are generally not strong enough to be dyed.

It may take multiple applications to lighten your hair extensions. To dye black extensions to blonde or light brown color, you must first strip the hair of its natural color. Then you must bleach the hair to the desired shade. This may take more than one try to get to the right color. As usual, do a strand test first to avoid ending up with a head full of orange locks.

Just as strong chemicals can strip and damage your natural hair, harsh chemicals can also damage your human hair extensions beyond repair. Empress Virgin human hair weaves have the cuticle layer intact. This outer layer of the strand gives the hair its natural shine and body. By using chemical dyes that are too strong for the hair you can strip the cuticle, making your extensions weak, dull and brittle.

Can the staff at Empress Luxury Hair dye my virgin hair extensions for me? SURE! Empress Luxury Virgin hair extensions can be dyed in a wide variety of colors with our Color Me Services. With a little help from our staff, you can go from dull to vibrant in an instant without worrying about dyeing the hair at home. Email us at empresshairco@gmail.com today!

Hot Hair Alert: Blac Chyna

Spotted this weekend was unlikely pair, Kim K and Blac Chyna. In casual attire the two ladies accompanied one another for some eyebrow grooming. The two hip hop girlfriends  seem to be building a close friendship. Kim Kardashian was also seen grabbing lunch with then blonde, Blac Chyna last week.

However, the real story here is Blac Chyna’s fire engine red hair. We love the bold pop of color. Is it a yay or nay for you?

Send us your favorite celebrity hair look and we will match the look for you. Email empresshairco@gmail.com today.

Blac Chyna and Kim Kardashian at Topanga Canyon Mall, near Kimye’s Calabasas mansion.

How to Safely Remove Your Hair Weave

Taking a weave out can be tedious, especially if you’ve gotten used to rocking that weave for some time. However, if you do not take them down properly you can cause breakage and lose a lot of hair and length.  Here are our tips for how to safely take down your weave.

Wash Your Locks and Condition Them Prior to Removal – Just like you would condition your locks prior to getting your hair colored, it’s important to wash and condition your hair to prep it for when you’ll be taking your weave out too. Cleaner hair is not only easier to work with, but hair that has enough moisture will be less dirty too.

Removing Bonded or Glued Hair Weave Extensions – To remove your bonded/glued hair weave you will need to coat the roots of your hair in oil. The oil will cause the hair to become slick, allowing the hair extensions to work their way off of your natural hair. Continue to massage the oil into your hair until your hair weaves have completely detached from your hair. Get in the shower or bath and thoroughly wet your hair. Once your hair is wet, begin applying a small amount of detangle shampoo. Massage the roots of your hair, but don’t be too rough as this could cause your hair to loosen and fall out.

Use a comb to work the glue out of your hair. Start at the tips of your hair and work towards your roots. This may seem a bit strange at first, but it will help prevent your hair from pulling out. Keep washing and combing your hair until you feel that the glue has been thoroughly removed from your hair and scalp. Finally, rinse your hair clean. If you feel that some glue is still clinging to your hair, than you may want to comb a few more times. Always comb from the tip of the hair to your scalp to prevent pulling out your hair.

Taking Down a Hair Weave Extensions Sew-In – Once you have removed the extensions from your braided base, lubricate your hair with an oil like grapeseed or olive. As you take down your cornrows, make sure you are pulling your fingers all the way through from the roots to the ends of your hair.  Leaving any of your hair intertwined is one of the biggest mistakes you can make when taking down your weave. Because your hair has been braided for several weeks, all of your natural shed hairs did not have an opportunity for removal.  As you unbraid, use your fingers to continually detangle and remove shed hair.

If it becomes too difficult enlist help from a friend.  Dedicate a few hours to this task and do not even begin to take down your weave if you are in a rush. It may take time and you may find yourself getting frustrated, but you need to treat your tresses with love. You don’t want them damaged, you want them in excellent condition! So think of the results and not the current situation.

No Sweat: How to Gym-Proof Your Hair Extensions

If you’re anything like us – you’ll be breaking all of your diet rules this Thanksgiving holiday. But after we chow down on those three plates of food.. Everyone is ready to exercise! And yet, with treadmills and metabolisms firing up, the heat is also rising on scalps and hair – and this can be disastrous for your virgin Empress Luxury Hair extensions. No sweat, though; you can still have it all by simply using a little inside knowledge about how to preserve and save your hair weave while exercising.

First and foremost, keep hair extensions as dry as possible by sweeping them away from your neck and forehead. Salty sweat is acidic and can dry out and damage your virgin Indian hair extensions. So pull tresses into topknots, buns, or ponytails – not low ones, to keep hair off the neck – or clip or wrap hair away. If wrapping your locks to keep them dry, keep hair in place with two separate wraps or scarves: one made of breathable mesh or satin (to secure hair in the wrap), topped by a simple cotton bandanna that absorbs and wicks away sweat. This tip will especially keep your head warm in winter!

However, when styling hair extensions for the gym, don’t pull too hard. Severe ponytails will slowly but surely pull out your hair extensions, and too much tugging on sewn-in tracks is a surefire way to loosen your braids or weaving base, frizzing up your look and cutting your style short. Aim for loose, sexy gym styles that let hair breathe and sweat evaporate.

Furthermore, avoid or shorten trips to the sauna or steam room, and try to wear a swimming or bathing cap to stop frizz before it starts. Moisture will poof out any hairstyle over time.

If you have them, make sure to remove clip-on hair extensions before working out. It sounds simple, but many ladies just refuse to do it. Fight this urge! Removing clip-on hair pieces is the easiest way to keep the hair from getting sweaty, dirty, or matted, and cuts down on the amount of washing and handling you need to do on your tracks.

Also avoid bonding or gluing in hair when you plan to be active. Chemical bonding glues can react badly with sweat and under heat, so you don’t want to chance it; save these types of weaves for weekends or other short-term applications when you won’t be exercising.

On the other hand, though, fusion applications can be fine for active women, so long as you are especially careful when pulling fusion hair into ponytails. The edges of your hair are the first to loosen, and you don’t want to speed up this process, so be gentle!

Of course, these are the same tips you should follow for any kind of hair extensions, whether sewn-in wefts, individual braids, or a wig. Your Empress Luxury Hair extensions are an investment in your beauty, just like your hours in the gym or on the track. Don’t let your weave keep you from working out. Keep your whole look together by protecting your hair weaves and pieces, and you’ll get through this year’s holiday season on the right foot (and strand).

Hair Trend: Mid-Length Hairstyles

While we love rocking our booty-length extensions, sometimes we go for a little shorter. Mid-length hairstyles have been one of our favorite trends this year. From Mrs. “FLOTUS” Michelle Obama to Kerry Washington as Olivia Pope on the hit show Scandal, shorter lengths are definitely all the rage right now!

So tell us, whose medium length ‘do is your favorite?

Winter Hair Care: Keep Winning this Winter

“At last!” you think to yourself – the humidity of summer that causes your hair to become frizzy and unmanageable is coming to an end. Unfortunately, however, winter can be an equally brutal season on your locks and your hair requires the proper treatment to remain healthy. Winter months mean cold air, and cold air is often dry which can dry out your scalp, produce dandruff, redness and irritation, and cause your hair to become dull and brittle. Keep your hair healthy and start a new beauty routine based on the tips for winter hair care below!

Taking Care of Your Hair When the Temperature Drops:

• One of the best things you can do for your hair in winter is to increase the frequency in which you deep condition your hair to keep dry air from causing your strands to break.
• Don’t shampoo your hair too often; in winter it’s better to accumulate product build-up in your hair rather than try to remove it.
• Although clarifying shampoos are excellent for removing product build-up, they can remove the protective oils from your scalp leaving your hair even more exposed to the elements.
• You should avoid chemicals as much as possible; winter is not the time to get a perm or bleach your hair with peroxide.
• Because the dry air can make your hair brittle and cause it to break easily, also avoid over-brushing. Instead, use a wide-tooth comb when your hair is wet and dry.
• To prevent breakage from spreading from ends to roots, make sure to trim your hair often. If your goal is maintain the length of your hair, you should trim about a half an inch a month; if you want your hair to grow longer, trim your hair half an inch every other month.
• It may sound like common sense or like a “last ditch” effort, but cover up your hair with a scarf or hat if you’re going to be outside; extreme temperatures, wind, and even the sun can do a number on your hair in the winter.

Top 5 Oils for Hair That We Love

Nourishing your hair, skin, and scalp with natural oils doesn’t have to mean breaking the bank with fancy, specialty products from online shops or health-food stores. Some of the best moisturizers on the market can be found on your grocer’s shelves. Here are just a few of the top, reasonably-priced beauty oils:

Olive oil: A great all-purpose moisturizer. Use to give hair great strength, sheen, and suppleness, especially as a hot oil treatment for dry hair. Just make sure to rinse it out, as olive oil is one of the heavier products out there. For skin, simply smooth in a small amount and let it do its magic!
Coconut oil: One of the best lubricants for thirsty locks. This cheap and abundant cooking oil comes in liquid and solid form, and has extra-tiny molecules of fat—which means it breaks down and absorbs quickly, providing your hair with the nutrients it needs without leaving greasy residue. Use as a styling product, leave-in hair treatment, or in addition to your regular conditioner or shampoo, for glowing results. Sunbathers and those in tropical or humid climates will love this oil for the way it softens skin without clogging pores or trapping heat.
Carrot oil: A better hair oil than skin product, in most cases, carrot oil is also made of very fine particles, and leaves a healthy sheen, not a shine. While not always available in pure form, many beauty supply stores carry small bottles of carrot oil, mixed with other natural emollients. And a little can do quite a lot, so just make sure there are no synthetics or petroleum products, and go for it! Use as a detangling, conditioning, or finishing product.
Sunflower oil: Superb for lubricating all skin types, even oily faces, sunflower oil tends to be too delicate and lightweight for use as a hair oil. It naturally contains Vitamin E, though, which helps heal skin and restore old cells. Usually available in liquid form, and in a BIG bottle, which should last quite a while when left on as a quick night or day moisturizer.
Almond oil: Another natural product best suited for skin, although many women with not-so-dry locks find it useful, too. The almond proteins help build up skin and bring back elasticity, although it may be best to mix with other products in a mask or facial treatment, and then rinse off. Excellent for hands, though.

Any and all of these products are available in grocery stores, discount beauty supplies, or even farmer’s markets. So who says looking good has to be expensive? You can be healthy, happy, and gorgeous on a budget!

What other natural oils do you like to use in your hair?

Hair Color Trends We Love for Winter 2013

We love learning new hairstyles every year, and the hair colors for Autumn/Winter 2013 have especially got us excited, ladies! Styles such as dipped dyed ends, bold hair colors, and low highlights are still very strong looks from last year, and for 2013 ombre tresses are being updated with a flip flop motion called the reverse ombre. This trend features blonde or lighter hues on the top, with darker being featured on the bottom. There are so many coloring trends this year – The possibilities are endless. The winter months offer the perfect opportunity to refresh our hair and go for a new look without the stress of humidity. Many hair colors for Autumn/Winter 2013 are actually quite alluring, feminine and really pretty when done right. When in doubt, always let a licensed professional color your tresses. Empress Luxury Hair also provides coloring services for a fee with purchase. Contact us for more information at empresshairco@gmail.com.

If you’re on board with trying a new hue this year, be sure to check out these new colors for this year’s Autumn/Winter season.

Benefits of Wearing a Weave Closure

If you’re a frequent weave wearer you know blending your hair makes all the difference between a flawless install and a weave that looks just like that, a weave. If you normally get a partial sew-in but may have concerns over the stress and breakage you may be putting your hair through when blending usually top and sides of your natural hair with your weave, then a lace closure would be perfect for you.

What’s a Lace Closure? Lace Closures are specialized hair pieces in which the strands are hand-tied to a lace.  The result is a piece that is sewn down to your braided hair that may be parted freely in any direction for a natural appearance without having to leave ANY of your natural hair exposed.

And did we mention it comes with its share of benefits?! There are many advantages of wearing a closure with your weave including:

True protective hairstyle.  None of your hair is exposed allowing it to rest and grow.  Your hair is braided and protected underneath your weave and closure allowing optimum protective styling. This works particularly well for ladies who are balding or thinning or suffer from various forms of alopecia.

No Blending, No Worries!  Making sure your tracks are covered that your hair is properly laid over the wefts of your weave will be a thing of the past.

Texture Isn’t an Issue.  Natural haired ladies won’t have to constantly use heat to match the straight texture of their extensions, relaxed girls won’t have to braid, twist and curl their hair to match wavy and curly textures.  You can just purchase a closure with the same texture as your extensions and not have to worry about any of that.

Color To-Go  You dye your weave any color your heart desires without having to color your real hair to match.  You no longer have to worry about damaging your real strands trying to color match your weave to your leave out.

 

[VIDEO] Empress Hair Photoshoot (OhBoom Prod.)

Empress hair models get glammed up for The Empress Luxury Hair Photoshoot. Their Empress Hair is styled to perfection. Straight, Curly, and Pin-curled Virgin Hair Extensions. Shop today @ http://www.empressluxuryhair.com
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