Another essiwig - Milky Way Que Malaysian Body Wave 7 pcs

Hi honeys. Hope all is well in your neck of the woods. I wanted to share with you what I did with my latest find -- Milky Way's Que Malaysian Body Wave 7pcs.

I went to my local BSS in search of blended hair. As you should know by now, blended hair costs far less than human hair. I also wanted a body wave to mimic those virgin hair bundles -- again without  having to pay the high price. 

The sales girl at the BSS assured me that the hair sold so well and that buyers usually return to buy more, in different styles. 

This one-pack solution has different lengths -- two 16 inches, two 18 inches, two 20 inches and a circular closure. I chose the hair in the colour 4/30.

I wanted to make a wig that was suitable for work but with a little bit of glam. Twenty inches, for me was too ridiculously long for the office, that's just my opinion, and so I chose to put the shorter length at the back -- 16 inches and the 20 inches at the top.  

I was never really was a fan of circular closures, so I used one of my top closures -- with the part -- on this wig. The blend was seamless, given that the closure was human hair and the Que Malaysian was not.

I used a spandex dome cap to create this  wig and, any one who follows my blog and my Facebook page - Essi's Heads Up knows, the wig is completely sewn. 

A month after wearing this hair , I can say that I love the way it falls, the texture of the hair extensions and the blend of the 4/30. Tangling is minimum and can be addressed by just running your fingers through.

This hair is so close to human hair that I forgot that it was a mixed blend! The hair also falls like Malaysian  hair, so you might just fool a few people. 

On another note, this hair should be treated as exactly what it is -- non-human hair. That means to lay off of frequent product use and just let it be. I have seen videos of buyers flat ironing the hair, which can be done up to a certain temperature. The beauty for me, however is in the gorgeous thickness of the hair. Flat ironing , it seems,  take that away  for me. Still, to each his own. 

Here is a photo of me wearing my Que Malaysian Body Wave made into a wig. Would love to hear your take on it. 

Braided wigs -- my new hair fix

You know when I am not online blogging about hair extensions I am up to something else hair-related, right? With the launch of my hair extensions business Essi's Heads Up (on Facebook)  and my essiwigs (c) brand of wigs, I have been trying new things with wigs. Lately, braided wigs have been occupying my time.

These wigs, are time consuming , taking about 9 hours to create. I am well aware that there are pre-braided extensions out there that I can just crochet into a wig,  but there is something beautiful and soothing about working those hair extensions to the  end of the braid.  It's equally satisfying to see the plait count increase -- from a single one , to a patch of plaits then just one more to go.

I am usually my own guinea pig when I  design  a new wig. I created the wig that you see here using Supreme Super X in 1B 33 because I craved that wine colour. I created this in one sitting , which means that I didn't do it over three days as I tend to do with the wigs I make for clients . Honestly, I am usually too anxious to try on the wigs I make for myself, to go beyond a night.

I used three packs of hair  extensions to create this beauty and I have to tell you that it was very thick and heavy, unlike the ones found at the Beauty Supply Stores.  I didn't work with the full length of the braid, opting for an 18-inch length which made my wig corporate-suitable.  I tried the wig in different styles -- all down, top up , bottom down, to the side , in a low ponytail. I settled on this style with my the top tied in a knot loosely and the bottom down.

The best part of having my own go-to essiwig(c) is that I can take it off before bed and put it on again the next morning. Another plus? I don't have to take down my braids as I would have if I attached the extensions to my own hair AND my natural hair remains intact (no tight braids pulling on my hairline).

I also created a Senegalese twist essiwig (c) using the pre-braided two strand twists. I completed that wig in half the time I did my braided wig and I was so  pleased with the results.

The best part of making a wig for a client is witnessing their  transformation during try on. The best part of making a wig for myself is being able to produce the a hair piece that is exactly what I want!  Would appreciate your feedback. Don't forget to check out my page and some of my wigs at Essi's Heads Up on Facebook :)

Me, in my braided essiwig (c)

Senegalese Twist essiwig (c)

The Best and Worst in Hair Extensions 2016

Honeys, hi again. I hope you had an enjoyable Christmas and you are ready and roaring for 2017! As I do on the last day every year, or at least I try to be consistent (doesn't always happen) , I look back at celebrities with hair extensions that made an impression on me and these who, well, didn't.

Thebomb.com  (HOT)

Gabrielle Union - GabbyU's long micro-braids really made me feel to endure nine to twelve hours to get the style. (Well, not really lol). But who wouldn't entertain thoughts of wearing braids again after seeing the Being Mary Jane actress wear her braids in a bun one minute, up and down the next and elegantly to the left.


Tami Roman - If you're a fan of Basketball Wives of LA, you are already familiar with Tami Roman's  hair extension game. With an official virgin hair collection that bears her name, Tami has no other choice but to bring it when it comes to her hair extensions. I am loving this kinky curly on her. How about you?


Taraji P Henson - As the Lyoness of The Empire,  Taraji P Henson never disappoints in her role as Cookie Lyon and always keeps it 100 with different hair extensions . She wears 'em long and straight, short and curly, big and kinky. When you're not watching the chemistry between Mrs Lyon and her beloved Lucious, check out her mane!

April Furman - You Tuber April Furman is well subscribed on the channel and  for good reason. Furman, who posts as Ms MuffinsIsMyLovers, not only reviews wigs sent to her by hair companies, she also makes them for her Gone With the Wind online wig store. Furman is mad talented with  her colour work and is the mistress of wig slaying ! Check out this red wig that she created.

Sanaa Lathan - I swear , apart from gaping the very yummy Michael Ealy during the movie Perfect Guy, my eyes were on Sanaa Lathan's  hair extensions. Big, bouncy and beautiful, that's the girl's mane game and I am a huge fan.

Bombed! (Not)

Reign Edwards -  Reign is a beautiful  young actress who stars on the Bold and the  Beautiful as Nicole Avant. It's a pity though that the stylists on the show can't get her hair extensions right. It doesn't help that they put on weighty extensions on her thin hair. The colour and texture of the extensions are also off and it is easy for those who don't know about hair extensions, to see where Reign's hair ends and the extensions begin. I wish they would just give her character  a full lace wig or a lace front wig, end of.

DJ Duffey - Another Basketball Wives of LA reality show actress, DJ Duffey really rocks those finger waves on the show. Her hair extensions , well that's another story.  Check out this wreck job. It's time grown women abort their baby hair plans, especially on hair extensions. Baby hair is for babies!!

Lil Kim - When BET honoured here for her contribution to rap, I didn't hear a word Diddy said in his tribute to her. That's because I was so distracted by Kim's greasy, tacky and stringy extensions. Someone needs to hook Kimmy up with Bey's hair person. Or better yet, give me the job!! :)

Essiwigs - the launch

Honeys!! I hope all is well with you guys. I have some good news to share with you -- I finally launched Essi's Heads Up, albeit low key and on Facebook and Twitter. You guys all know how busy I have been making wigs for my growing clients. I decided to take it a little further to offer my custom-made wigs to a wider market. I have also included BSS products and my custom-made clip-in- extensions.
I invite you to interact with me , ask any questions , order your wigs and clip-ins -- all  at my new digs https://www.facebook.com/essisheadsup/
Here's a sample of my clients, not the mannequin (lol),  wearing their Essiwigs.

Cheap hair ...good hair -- Sensationnel Ultimate Too Lovely WVG

Hey lovelies! It's been a while. Trust all is well. I have been so busy making wigs and things for my growing clients. I am grateful to God for this talent honestly because not only do I love making wigs , it has also become stress relieving !
I wanted to share my latest hair find with you if only to show you the possibilities you can achieve with .... how do I say it? Cheap or inexpensive hair .
I know that Remy and Virgin hair extensions are all the rage right now, and I love my Remy hair too, but what of those who can't afford high end hair -- like the student, the single mother  who wants wear a weave and still have money left over to feed her babies? Or how about that career woman who loves hair extensions but has other priorities like buying her own home or a car? I think you catch my drift.
I settled on this hair Sensationnel Ultimate Too Lovely WVG  a blended weave (which means human hair and synthetic) after walking around the hair store for a while. I was working with a tight budget and all the hair extensions that appealed to me were too expensive.
I was prepared to just walk out of the store empty-handed when my eyes fell on Lovely, not for the right reasons though.
I remember thinking that although I loved the way the hair looked on the model on the pack, I didn't like it for me. Something about the wave  never appealed to me.
My challenge was to make it pop. If you know me and my love for hair extensions, you would know that I never let cheap hair or the style bug me. Once the price is right, honey I make it work.
I chose the 1b 350 (black and copper red) because I have been feeling red and colours  in that family for a bit.
I bought a dome cap and it took me a week before I finally sat down to make this wig. Confession : I was dealing with buyers remorse !!!  Still,  I was determined to make this purchase count.
Since the pack of hair came with no closure, I had to make my own. I chose to do an invisible side part which i achieved by sewing the hair in a one  slanted direction at the top. It turned out surprisingly well considering that this was the first time I was trying this pattern.
The hair is sixteen inches and even though I wanted to cut it some at first, once I put it on I decided to keep the length. I razored the front though  -- really didn't want all that hair in my face!
I put it on with a little makeup and I have to tell you that I am in love with this hair. I love the colour on me and the hair is so light that I almost forget that I am wearing two packs of hair.
This hair retails for 17 US and 14 US in some places. It sheds a bit so do look out for that.
I hope that this blog entry drives home the point that whether your hair is cheap or expensive,  your goal should be to make the best of your purchase -- this include maintenance of the hair. For now the hair seems to love the World of Curls activator gel. You may have your own activator product in mind so give it a shot.
Let me know if you tried this hair and how it worked for you. Your feedback on what I did with this hair is also welcomed.  Cheap hair? What cheap hair?

The weave package 

My wig made with the Sensationnel Lovely weave

The year of the wigs ... a look back

I didn't blog as often as I would have liked to; but 2015 will go down as the year when I switched from hair weaves to wigs.
Now hear me hunnies, I didn't go to my local BSS (Beauty Supply Store)  to buy these wigs, I actually started making  my own. This turned out to be such a win win for me -- I got to create and wear wigs that reflected my own personal style and my own hair got to breathe again.
I experimented a lot with my wigs and even transformed one of my old store-bought ones from straight to wavy - hey hair must never be boring!
I also made wigs for a few women who were drawn to mine. It's a different feeling to make wigs and see them enhance the beauty of other women. I have to tell you that it felt really good to put the completed wig in its clear plastic pouch and present it to customers in a stylish bag.  Women appreciate things like that.
One customer, who requested one of my custom wigs for her Christmas dinner , said she looked in the mirror and was in awe of the woman she saw staring back at her.
"I don't usually look this glamorous," she told me via WhatsApp. My friends were so surprised."
Two other customers were pleased to report that their  husbands were pleased with their new look with one joking that her husband didn't even realise it was a wig until she took it off.
From my own collection of wigs -- a modest five, I get to have different looks to match my many moods and evolving dress style.  The hair I use for my own wigs range from remi to blends (human and synthetic fibres) and human hair. You'd be surprised at the difference a wig makes to your appearance --whether the look you're going for is exotic, sophisticated, girlish, businesslike -- as the photos of my wigs show. And it really doesn't matter if the hair is synthetic or human - just maintain it as you would your own.
My latest wig , as in two days ago, was made using  the colour 4/27  (brown and strawberry blonde) in  Outre's First Lady hair extensions. I absolutely fell in love with this hair and its movement after a client bought it to have her wig done. Hers was a mix of  1b and 99j (black and dark wine).
The hair is light - even with two packs -  and is pre-bumped, giving the most gorgeous swoop bang.
It would be nice to tell me what you think of the First Lady hair extensions if you have tried it before.  Feedback is always welcome.
Have a happy and hair extension filled 2016 hunnies. Rock that hair like your own.

The latest addition to my wig collection - made using Outre First Lady hair extension 

I made this wig using Freetress Attrak hair . I really wanted some red hair . This didn't disappoint. 

I created this wig using Freetress Equal Jamaican Bundle Wave 

For this wig I used Beverly Johnson's Spanish Wave weave 

For this wig I used Sensationnel's LIVE Brazilian Keratin Remi Ombre. 

Vivica Fox Hair Collection's Cornrow Cap

A weave /wig cap with cornrows attached and called the Cornrow Cap  is what the Vivica Fox Hair Collection is teasing as a coming soon product. And hair weave wearers are understandably excited about it.
The cap, which was originally designed for Cancer patients,  is expected to also find favour among  weave-wearers with  alopecia (hair loss) and those with  very short hair

who still want a sew-in and I guess even those with a braiding challenge.
As a hair weave wearer I can tell you that I started doing my own sew-ins because of the too-tight cornrows put in by my former hairdresser for the tracks. The  last time she did my sew in ,  I left her salon with a massive headache (caused by the tight cornrows).
At least with this cap , wearers wouldn't have to worry about that! Best of all, the cap can either be sewn to a perimeter braid or taken off if the wearer only wants something temporary.
I am just a wee bit concerned about the spacing between each track; which some may find too close or not close enough! We will see.  I am also thinking about how secure this cap will be for the wearer who has no hair. No one wants to wear a cap that can slip off easily.
The Cornrow Cap also features braid patterns like the horseshoe and straight back which will make it easy to incorporate lace closures. The caps come in small, medium and large sizes for comfortable fit and should also impress those who are into interlocking and the popular crochet braids.
The Cornrow Cap is expected to be in stores in the next two months according to the Vivica Fox Hair Collection's Facebook page.  I can't wait to see how it will be received.