An in person consultation with one of our QALI specialists is the beginning of every extensions journey - we know it can be a big step and we want to make sure you feel 100% confident and prepared before you book in! We’re all about transparency when it comes to your hair - we’re not shy about our pricing and we’ll be honest if we don’t think they’ll be a good fit.
Assessing Your Hair
Your extensions are completely customized to match your hair so an in person assessment allows us to determine the length, amount and shade you’ll be. We do this ahead of time so we can prepare the extensions and accurately quote your amount - we aim to use the least amount of hair possible to achieve your goal so you don’t pay for hair that you don’t need.
Our method is designed to be as gentle as possible on your natural hair and with proper maintenance and aftercare there is very little risk of damage - that being said, there is a minimum length and density of your natural hair required in order to safely secure the extensions. For the best results, we recommend having hair that reaches the shoulders. It’s possible to wear extensions on hair slightly shorter than the shoulders but it requires more styling so the layers of your natural hair blend well. For clients with thinner hair, we will assess the density in the areas where the extensions will be attached - we never apply extensions on finer baby hairs or areas where it’s too thin, as it could result in sections of your hair being pulled out over time.
Colour Matching & Colour Maintenance
Our extensions are 100% human hair, which means all of the things that would happen to your natural hair will also happen to the extensions - blondes will fade warm, brunettes will lighten and toners will wash out over time. For blonde extensions, there are chemical reactions that can occur from hard water, products and sunscreen which can discolour the extensions. If you’re starting to see orange or pinky hues in your extensions we can do a detox treatment that will help remove any product or hard water build up. We don’t recommend lightening the extensions, as they don’t lift predictably and can be damaged during the lightening process.
To keep your colour feeling fresh we recommend toning them every few months. Purple shampoo and custom colour conditioners are also a great way to maintain your colour at home in between salon visits. Keep in mind that the extensions will grab more of the pigment in those products, so leave them on for less time than you usually would the first time you use them.
The types of products you use, how often you blowdry and style your hair, the temperature of your hot tools, swimming and even the water from your shower at home can all cause colour changes in your extensions. High maintenance colours like platinum blonde will be harder to maintain and may mean that you need to replace your extensions more frequently.
Maintenance
Your hair will continue to grow while the extensions are in, so we recommend coming in for your maintenance every 5-7 weeks. During your maintenance your extensions are removed so we can brush out your natural hair and re-install them on a slightly different section of hair - this helps prevent any tension or irritation on your hair and scalp.
It’s normal to see strands of your natural hair being brushed out during your maintenance - it might look like a lot of hair, but remember that the average person sheds 50 - 100 hairs a day. While your extensions are in, these hairs can’t always be brushed out so instead of seeing a few strands shedding every day you’ll see a build up of hair shed after 5 - 7 weeks. We always check your hair and scalp during your maintenance and will flag anything that looks unusual.
Daily brushing is also important to prevent tangling inbetween your rows - if there is tangling or matting when you come in for your maintenance it will take longer to do and has a higher risk of breakage when brushing them out. Using a tangle free brush and making sure to brush over your wefts every day will allow for a tangle-free, healthy growout.
Troubleshooting
We love what extensions can do for your hair, but like all healthy relationships there has to be a little give and take - when you show your extensions some love, they’ll love you back! It can take a bit of adjusting to get used to your new extensions, and since they’re with you 24/7 they’re getting exposed to alot. These are a few common issues we see - most of the time it just takes a quick fix or change in aftercare to get you back on track
Beads slipping
It’s normal to have a bead slip down here and there - there are lots of beads holding your extensions in place so the rest of the row is still secure. We offer quick, complimentary fixes for any small adjustments so it’s always best to pop in if you have any issues. Bead slipping can be caused by conditioner or product getting too close to the beads, brushing too hard or the beads not being clamped tight enough during your maintenance. We recommend washing your hair the night before your maintenance and avoiding any deep conditioning treatments a few days before your appointment so the hair isn’t super “slippery”.
Dryness
Over time your extensions will start to feel dry - they don’t get the natural oils from your scalp to keep them hydrated so it’s important to use salon quality products and moisture masks. We recommend washing your hair 2 - 3 times a week for a healthy balance - too much washing causes more wear and tear and not washing them enough can dry them out because they’re not being conditioned enough.
Just like your natural hair, extensions will also need regular trims to keep the ends healthy. There will always be dryness and breakage, especially with blonde hair, so small clean ups on the ends will keep your extensions healthy and prevent further splitting.
Excessive Shedding
Excessive shedding or thinning on your extensions is usually caused from leaving the wefts wet for long periods of time, like sleeping with wet hair or heavy sweating. We always recommend blowdrying your extensions after washing them and giving the wefts a quick dry after a big sweat sesh or swimming. Avoid saturating the tops of the extensions with conditioning treatment or oils, as they can also break down the wefts faster which will lead to shedding and losing density.
Visible Wefts
If you’re having a hard time hiding the tops of your extensions we can adjust their placement to be lower or further back. If your hair is naturally quite fine or thin it’s important to style your hair so it will cover the extensions - blowdrying and using a texture spray will help add volume to your roots which will help hide the wefts. Certain hairstyles like high, tight ponytails are harder to hide the wefts if your hair is fine - lower buns and ponytails will be the easiest to wear.
Ready to book in?
Consultations usually take about 30 mins, depending on how many questions you might have. It’s best to have your hair washed within 2 days with minimal styling/products so we can accurately assess your length and density. You can still book a consultation if you have extensions in, but we may not be able to give an accurate quote for the amount you’ll require until they’re removed. To make sure we can provide the best recommendations, there’s a couple things to know before you book in:- Colour: if you’re planning on any bigger colour changes in the next few months we recommend getting your natural hair to the colour you want first. If you’re looking to book in a colour service as well, bring some inspo pics!
- Length & thickness: Once the extensions are cut they won’t grow back, so it’s important to know how long you want them before your appointment. We recommend keeping them a bit longer at first - it can take a bit to get used to if you’ve never had long hair before and you can always come back in for a small trim.
- Upcoming events or holidays: If you’re looking to get extensions before a big event or going out of town it’s best to book your extensions at least 2 weeks before the big day - this gives you time to get used to them and come back in for any adjustments without having them too grown out. If you’re heading on a 3 week vacation to Mexico we might recommend waiting until you’re back to get them installed - you don’t want to expose your new investment to excess heat, swimming and hard water that can be present in resorts and hotels.
Follow us on Instagram for more info on our extensions and to see the amazing work our talented team is doing! Consultations can be booked online here https://phorest.com/book/salons/qalihairextensionstudio or you can give us a call at 604-423-4088. If you’re not sure if you would be a good candidate, you can email us some photos of your hair ahead of time before booking in - we’re always happy to answer any questions!
- Alyssa xo
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