...continued from 'Investing 101'
Once you pull the trigger and invest in some bundles of pure cuticle goodness, you have to be aware of the ‘maintenance’ requirements associated with such acquisition .
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| Shady Weft |
For one, you’ll need to inspect your wefts. I always do this, because there have been times where I have received a badly sewn bundle, installed it, and lived in regret for the next 8 weeks. Inspect both sides, and if anything seems astray or not done properly, contact your vendor for an exchange. One thing I do not do is spend my hard earned money on hair that will morph into a rats nest. No no, not I.
After passing inspection, you need to wash your hair. I’ve only ever received a batch of good smelling hair ONCE in my weave acquisition history. Washing and air drying your bundles will allow you to see if the hair has been processed (steamed or dyed) and will also reveal its true curl pattern. I usually wash and condition with Herbal Essence’s Hello Hydration since I tend to purchase curly hair, and air dry by either laying my bundles on a towel or hanging them up with a pant hanger (the kind that has clips).
Now that your hair is completely dry, you will need to seal your wefts to minimize shedding and reinforce the track. If you’re splitting your wefts, make sure you seal both sides of the track TWICE and allow it to dry for a few hours. I learned to seal my wefts via the University of YouTube. The video I learned from was actually created by Rochelle Yanique - someone I went to college with, but it has since been taken down. This one is a great alternative; just make sure that you purchase the correct glue. I have used both Dritz Fray Check and Aleene’s Fabric Fusion and have no preference, they both do the trick.
Even after sealing, you'll experience some shedding. Nothing major, just a strand or two whenever you comb/ wash your unit.
If you’re planning on making a wig out of your purchase, now is when you’ll want to set up your wig cap and head. I purchased a generic wig head and increased the circumference to mimic the actual size of my head. This prevents you from creating a wig that doesn’t fit your head snuggly.
If you purchased a closure, you will need to bleach the knots. I once RUINED a closure by using honey, baking soda, and peroxide in lieu of powder and developer. Don't cut corners on this step. Here are a few tuts on how to properly bleach your knots. I honestly never attempted to do it again and prefer to leave that to my hairdresser at StudioTress.
Now it’s time to sew. There’s no rhyme or reason to the way I lay my tracks, I just make sure that I do not puncture the wefts.
NEVER cut or sew through the wefts.
I recommend folding the weft when you reach the end of one row to begin another. And sewing around the weft. Cutting is the main culprit of shedding.
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| 'Faux closure' with curly hair |
When creating a unit, I like to sew on the inside of the wig cap along my hairline and along the part, this creates a ‘faux’ closure for when I don’t have one. I only recommend this for curly hair. It doesn't have the same effect with straight hair.
If using a closure, like to pin it onto my weaving cap, then trace around it with white eyeliner. This way I have a general idea of where to finish laying my tracks. Or you can create a centered u shape and rotate it to which ever side you want your part on.
Once you're done sewing, you can either cut out the section intended for your closure, or sew your closure onto the cap with a layer of skin toned pantyhose in between to serve as your 'scalp'.
I'm actually in the process of creating a new 'illusion' so 'Investing 201' will be a pictorial of how I put it all together.
Stay tuned...
