INSTRUCTIONS / HAIR CARE

First, let me say that if you have not been properly caring for your hair unit, then part of your problem may be your fault. There is no magic wand and no hair unit will always look its best if you do not do your part.

Why does your hair start to tangle and feel dry after a few shampoos?

Silicone Dip commonly used by Asian manufacturing Industry:

When buying a hair lace wigs from some companies, the hair isso smooth and silky when pulled out of the bag, but then after a few washes, the hair becomes a dry, tangled mess.”

A little manufacturing trick that has become very popular over the past several years is what is called “coating” or “dipping”. After the human hair has been hackled and sorted, it then moves onto the coloring process. After the hair has dried, most Asian wig companies will “dip” their hair in a silicone solution. What this does is put a slippery, shiny protective layer on the outside of each hair strand, making it look and feel very high quality. This is also done on hair that has been texture processed or colored. The hair gets a acid bath and some of the cuticles are lost. The hair has to be made soft again. Also, the manufacturers do not use the common professional hair coloring products or wave/curl products that we would think of. Many use Fabric dye to color hair. Their texture process is not the cold wave perms commonly used on Caucasian hair. So the silicone dip becomes important to make the hair feel soft and smooth again. (A good reason to opt for virgin hair and have it processionally texturized and/or colored for you by us. We use only professional products made for human hair.)

Unfortunately, this silicone solution doesn’t last very long. What happens is the client goes home extremely happy with a new beautiful look. After a few days of wear and a couple of washes, that silicone comes right off, conveying the true quality of hair.

This “dipping” process is very common for manufacturers to use especially with non-remy human hair. Non-remy human hair is a much lesser quality human hair because of the way it was collected. Non-remy human hair is collected from the floors of salons and homes after it was cut from the person’s head.

The problem with this is that once that hair hits the floors, it’s impossible to tell which direction the cuticle is facing. In other words, which end is the root or top and which end is the tail or bottom? The collector carelessly puts it all into a bag which is taken to market for resale. Remember a lot of the new lace wig companies popping up everywhere online in the States don’t even know why this is happening to the hair they sell.

The reason is, they have no participation in the manufacturing process. They just get online, locate a “hair manufacturer” and start buying. To us, the test of time is our best friend. This is how you, the seller or buyer, can determine the difference between our hair and our competition.

However, if your are purchasing a stock hair unit that is not virgin hair, here is a tip...

If you start to have problems with your system tangling, here are a few things that can be done to preserve the life of your unit. By detangling your hair the wrong way, you may inadvertently be diminishing the condition and life span of your unit. Always sleep with your hair tied up in a satin scarf, cap, or sleep on a satin pillow case to reduce friction on the hair caused be cotton pillow cases. This will greatly reduce tangles, and breakage. Before getting into the shower, wet your head and brush all the hair toward the same direction, using a wide tooth comb or vent brush, making sure to support your attachment when brushing or combing your hair. (NEVER SLEEP WITH YOUR HAIR WET!!!) Use a clarifing shampoo and conditioner made for dry hair. Gently shampoo the hair in one direction only and follow with conditioner in the same manner. If your unit is extremely matted, you may need to perform the bleach bath first. (we have listed instructions for doing a bleach bath.

Never over-work your hair unit. Too much handling and excessive combing and brushing can also start to cause tangles in the hair. The main thing to remember is that you cannot treat this hair like you would your own. Because the hair is no longer being fed from the natural oils that come from the scalp to keep the hair pliable and with that natural sheen, you must take extra care and do a little maintenance to preserve the hair. Hair sprays and other products with alcohol can dry out the hair. Oil on the hair can cause tangles, so leave the hair grease alone.

if you have purchased a hai unit that has textre added or color, th hair is not virgin hair and has had silicone coating added to it. This means that when the silicone coating starts to wear off, which happens over time nd with too much shampooing, the hair can begin to tangle. The bleach bath can really help at this time.

With Virgin hair, you will not have a lot of these problems. Sure the hair will start to get dry over time because, again, no natural oils are being distributed onto the hair from the scalp, but you still will get a long life out of your hair unit if it is virgin hair. The tangles and dryness will be a lot less and the hair will be easier to manage over a greater period of time.

Any time you have chemicals applied to hair, it increases dryness. The lighter the hair color, the more dry it can become more quickly. Here you will need to exercise your due-diligence to properly care for the hair. Very light hair colors can tend to shed faster because the hair is in a weaker state from lifting the natural color from the hair. Just like if you bleached your own hair. Too much heat used and lack of care will make your own hair brittle and break. The hair on lace wigs go through the same thing.

The best recommendation for having long life with your hair units is to have more than one so that you can alternate between them and not wearing one hair unit to excess.

and get answers to questions from vets and others who may have experienced situations you have or want to inquire about.

PLEASE, PROCEED WITH CAUTION, If this process is done incorrectly, it can damage your unit. This process is frequently used by professionals for detangling of human hair systems. Although it is a relatively simple process, if executed improperly, may result in permanent damage to your hair system.

Large sink with gallon of very hot water ( as hot as you can stand it) -
1/4 cup Clorox bleach ( brand only. DO NOT USE GENERIC) -
1/4 cup ammonia - and warm water
Wide tooth comb or vent brush
Shampoo
Conditioner
Instructions:

BLEACH TIP TO DETANGLE YOUR UNIT (This information is courtesy of Black Hair Media. Visit their website for additional information on issues that you may seek answers to.)
1. Mix one gallon of very hot water (As HOT as you can stand) with 1/4 cup of Clorox bleach. (Do not use old Clorox or a generic brand, it won’t work)

2. Totally submerge the human hair unit into the water for approximately 2 or 3 minutes.Do not leave longer than 3 minutes Small bubbles will normally appear durring the process. Comb or brush very gently when submerged.

3. Remove hair unit and submerge in a basin of luke warm water that has been pre mixed with shampoo. Gently lift in and out for about 3 minutes and also brush or comb the hair very gently when submerged. Remove and blot dry

4. Mix 1/4 cup of ammonia to 3 cups of HOT water. Dip hair unit in and out but not expose the hair longer than 3 minutes.

The bleach method not to be used that often because it will eventually change the hair color, also you can saturate the unit with nexxus or a deep conditioner and place the unit place in a plastic bag, nuke in the microwave for 20 seconds, take out, turnover and then put back in again for another 15 seconds. Remove and gently rinse and let air dry on manniquin.

baking soda bath for shine and body The baking soda bathe will keep your hair shinny and with bouncy body. Fill a large 3qt container with hot water. Pour 1/2 to 3/4 cups of baking soda into the water and mix until completely dissolved. After brushing out the unit, place it into the mixture making sure it is completely submerged. allow the unit to soak over night or a minimum of 4 hours. (The hair will begin to float to the top of the mixture.) Remove it and rinse with warm water. Wash with a clarifying shampoo thoroughly. Deep condition , rinse and allow to dry. Style as usual. Visit www.blackhairmedia.com for more suggestions and help with hair issues that you may be experiencing. This site offers help from women who are experts with lace hair units. Remember...no one knows all the answers but this is a place where you can go to get advise from many professionals.

Cleaning your hair unit requires some basic instructions: (I have found that this recommended cleaning instructions works quite well and cudos for the recommendation by BHM.

Also, Ladies, Never, Ever, apply your lace hair unit without first washing it. I know many ladies like to put it on right out of the plastic bag. I tell my buyers that it is always wise to first shampoo and deep condition. Two reasons...first, you do not now where the hands have been who handled your hair unit before shipping it. Second, you want to test how the hair responds to water and how it looks when dry after doing initial shampoo and conditioning treatment. Start you unit off right.

What You Need:

You will need the following Supplies: plastic 32 oz spray bottles, shampoo, conditioner for making your leave-in conditioner cocktail. Good shampoo, good deep conditioning product, large toothed comb, zip lock bag Manniquin head.

1. Take one of your plastic bottles and squeeze some shampoo in the bottle. You can use Cream of Nature Detangling and Conditioning shampoo. It is very gentle and most of all sulfate free since sulfate can cause hair to dry out. Squeeze the shampoo in the bottle so that it covers the bottom of the bottle (about an inch). Fill the bottle up with hot water to dissolve the shampoo up to the fill line. Put the top back on the spray bottle and shake well to dissolve the shampoo.

Leave-In Daily Conditioner Cocktail:

2. Next, take your other empty spray bottle and get your conditioners. Recommended products for conditioners are: Silicon Mix Leave-In Conditioner, Cream Of Nature Leave In conditioner, Biolage Leave In Conditioner, or your favorite quality leave in conditioner. Add 6 drops of virgin Olive Oil to spray bottle, 1/4 cup Infusium leave in conditioner, and 1/4 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar. Add conditioner into the empty spray bottle to cover the bottom of the bottle (about an inch to an inch and a half). Fill the bottle with distilled (bottled water) to dilute the conditioner to just before the fill line ). Shake very well. You will have to shake for a long time to make sure all of the conditioner is dissolved. Now put aside until you are finished shampooing your hair unit.

Now proceed to washing your unit.

1. Take your shampoo spray bottle and spray the hair down with shampoo. Spray the hair only, not the knots. Work into a lather making sure not to manipulate the hair in all kinds of directions. Rinse very well. Turn your hair unit inside out and rinse off the lace very well. Rinse until the water runs clear. Shampoo again depending on how dirty the hair is.

Conditioning Treatment: Products recommended: Thermasilk Moisture IntenseThermasilk Moisture Intense, Silicone Mix Deep Conditioning Treatment, Cholesterol Conditioner, Biolage Conditioning Treatment.

Apply your conditioner treatment product on the hair and work through keeping the hair in one direction. You can use your wide-toothed comb to distribute the conditioner. Place hair unit in ziplock bag and let sit for 20 minutes. Remove and rinse thoroughly. Turn the unit inside out and rinse the lace to make sure you remove all of the conditioner off of the lace.

Roll unit in a clean towel and press to remove the excess water. Now place hair unit on your manniquin head.

3. Take conditioner bottle and spray the hair with the conditoner mixture, spray onto the hair. Spray the hair only, not the knots. The mixture should be about the same consistency as milk, maybe a little thicker. Take a wide tooth comb and comb the hair from the tips to the roots to distribute the conditioner. Place your unit in a plastic bag and then proceed with deep conditioning.

Diluting the conditioner does not decrease how the conditioner works and it also reduces the amount of build up that is left on the hair. We all know that certain conditioners leave lots of build up on the hair even after you have rinsed forever, and build up can lead to tangles.

Air-dry your hair unit on the manniquin head. Once your hair unit is dry, turn your unit inside out and place back on manniquin head. Use your knot sealer and proceed to seal your knots.

(sealing your knots will aid in preventing shedding.)

You have completed your prep work and now you are ready to apply your hair unit.

Once I have applied my hair unit, I always use just a quarter-size drop of Chi Silk on the hair. Gives a lovely natural looking sheen without that oily feel.

First note that there is no right or wrong liquid adhesive. Regarding the adhesives, it depends on one's preference. It just takes practice to use it. This is how I recommend applying adhesive, as this is how I apply mine and my clients when I apply theirs.

It is important that your scalp stay clean and free of oily buildup while you're wearing a hair system. This way, your scalp stays healthy and there is less chance of an oder problem, caused by perspiration, while you are wearing the unit. Before you put your hair system on, cleanse your scalp using an astringent of approximately 70%-75% isopropyl alcohol. This should cleanse the pores and eliminate oil and perspiration. If you use tape or a liquid adhesive to atach your unit, it can irritate your scalp over a prolonged period of time. I recommend using a product by Smith + Nephew called Skin Prep which will protect your skin from irritation caused by the adhesives. By applying it to your skin first, it forms an invisible barrier between your skin and the tape or adhesive. This way all of the pull stress is on the barrier, and not your scalp. If you experience any irritation or prolonged redness even while using Skin Prep, you should try using a different adhesive or attachment method to prevent infection

When using tape to attach your hair system, the foundation material has to absorb a lot of stress each time you pull the tape off and reapply it. Over time, this can cause the material to tear and the knots of the hair to unravel. By using foundation tape you can protect the foundation materiel from excessive stress. Here's how it works: You start by cleaning your tape patch areas with isopropyl alcohol to remove any oil or residue. Then you apply a strip of foundation tape to the patch area. This foundation tape stays on the unit for a month or more of constant wear. Your regular double-sided tape is applied on top of the layer of foundation tape. This way, each time you change your tape through the normal course of wear, the stress of changing it is put on the foundation tape and not the foundation material or tape patch. It also prevents tape residue from building up in the knots of the hair. TIP: To keep the foundation attached through shampooing and longer wear, apply a smal piece of lace front support tape under it. This will keep the foundation tape secure even longer.

There are several different types of double-sided tape on the market today, but they really boil down to three types. 1) Standard double-sided transparent 2) Red Liner (used for bonding and extended situations) 3) Blue Liner (Lace Front Support tape) The following are a few tips on how to use each type of tape. The applicaton for each is more or less the same, but each type has its advantages and disadvantages, so think carefully about which type of tape is best for your lifestyle.

To use the standard transparent tape, always start by first using foundation tape as mentioned earlier. Standard transparent tape only lasts about three days, so it will be changed often. This will put a lot of stress on the foundation material if you don't use foundation tape. Once you have the foundation tape in place, now you can appiet he double-sided tape and position the unit on your head. Special tips: Once you press the tape down onto your scalp it will be difficult to reposition the unit. To alleviate this problem, just slightly dampen your scalp with water wherever the tape will make contact. This will give you a few seconds to adjust the position of the unit on your head before the tape starts to stick. After putting the foundation tape o the base material apply the double-sided tape to the patch areas. It will be easier to apply if you remove only one side of the tape backing until after the tape is in place.

Red Liner tape is most commonly used for bonding a unit ffor extended wear. It is applied around the perimeter of the unit and a liquid bonding adhesive is then applied on top of the tape to bond the unit to your head. There are many types of bonding adhesives out there, and most of them are better left to the professionals. You should only bond your unit if yourself if you completely understand the process and have worn a bonded hair replacement system before. Red Liner Tape can also be used by itself to attach your unit. It is stronger than standard transparent tape, and will usually last about one week before it needs to be changed.

Lace front support tape is the strongest double-sided tape available for wigs and hair pieces. It can easily be recognized by the blue backing and the words "lace front support tape" printed on the opposite side. The tape itself is transparent like the others. This tape will generally last about two weeks before it needs to be replaced, and it will stick to any type of foundation material. Lace front support tape can be used on all lace foundations but should only be used in specific areas where, such as the temples and the hairline. These are the areas where it is most important that the lace lay perfectly flat against your skin. Small pieces of tape the size of a postage stamp are all that is needed. Position the tape around the front and back hairline and on the temples. Special Tips: To remove the hair system when using lace front support tape, dab 99% alcohol at the hairline while slowly peeliong back the lace. As the lace begins to lift, dab the alcohol under the tape so that it releases from your scvalp but stays attached to the lace. If you use alcohol, you will notice that once the alcohol evaporates, the lace front support tape will reactive and be sticky again. When positioning your hairsystem wet your fingertips to prevent the tape from sticking to them as you lay down the front lace.

Before shampooing your hair system, you should remove all of the tape and residue from the lace of your hair system. This is expecially important when you use lace front support tape. Start by applying Adhesive Release or 99% isopropyl alcohol to all areas of the unit where the tape is applied. The best way to do this is by using a sponge tip swab, swabbing through the top of the lace onto the tape. It should only tape a minute or two for the tape to release its grip so that you can pull it away. At the hairline, you should be extra careful, so the best method is to soak the front portion of the hair system in a shallow dish of adhesive release for 15 minutes. After that the tape should come right off. If using an adhesive release other than alcohol be sure to flush out the lace with alcohol once you've removed the unit. This will eliminate the oily residue left by the release liquid. If you don't flush it out the tape won't stick when it is time to put your unit back on.

If you only have partial hair loss or if your hair has begun to grow back, tape may not be a practical method of attachment for you. In such cases, comb (wig) clips are an option. These are small clips that clip into your existing hair and snap shut to hold the wig in place. Once you have clipped in your hair system, you should not feel the clip pulling your hair. If you feel it pulling, open the clip and snap it shut again. The clip is meant to bite the hair, not pull it tight. Special Tip: 1) Every three months you should have your clips repositioned slightly so that they are not constantly putting stress on the same areas.

Keeping your unit properly positioned on your head each day is key. Here is a way to make sure the unit is positioned correctly on your head each time you put it on: In order to determin how far back or forward it should be positioned on your head, always use the first four fingers of your hand as a guide. Place them against your forehead with your little finger right at your brow line. The hairline of the wig should touch the edge of your index finger. For wilgs, it will be easy to tell if the wig needs to be adjusted to the right or left by placing one finger at the bottom of the sideburns of the wig once you've put it on. When you look in a mirror your fingers should be directly across from one another. If not, adjust the wig accordingly. As a final check, place the first three fingers of your hand on your temples with your little finger at the corner of your eye. The hairline of the wig should be equal distance from the corner of your eye on both sides, and your three fingers will should whether to adjust it further.

If your wig has a lace front hairline, you can use a liquid adhesive to attach the lace to the skin. Liquid adhesives work better than tape n a lace front, because they make the lace lay completely flat against your scalp. Different adhesives react differently when applied to a person's skin and you should never continue to use a liquid adhesive that causes prolonged irritation to your scalp. To properly apply a liquid adhesive to your lace front, first make sure that the wig or hair system is properly positioned on your head. Starting in the center of your hairline, gently lift the lace and apply a thin coating of the adhesive to your scalp front the front of the hairline to about an inch back. WOrk your way along the hairline in both directions until the entire hairline has a thin layer of glue under it. Never press the lace down into the glue with your fingers. This will cause the hair to get matted up in the adhesive and it will look unnatural. Instead use the teeth of a wide toothed comb and press the lace flat against your scalp. Make sure that there are no ripples or edges of the lace sticking up when you're finished, and dab a little adhesive on those areas where neccessary.

Using a cotton pad or sponge tip, dab 99% alcohol (or Adhesive Release) at the hairline while slowly peeling back the lace. As the lace begins to lift dab the alcohol under the lace so that it releases from your scalp.

Always remember that the best way to clean your hair system is while it is off your head. When you wear a bonded hair system you will have to shower with it on but you should be extremely gentle, as this is not the ideal way to clean the unit. The irst thing you need to do is remove all the tape or glue residue from the foundation. After a period of time it gets embedded in the lace and must be removed before you can shampoo the hair. Simply soak the lace areas where there is residue in a shallow dish filled with Adhesive Release or 99% alcohol for approximately 15 minutes. If you use adhesive release be sure to flush the lace with alcohol after soaking it.

1) Using a rinse sprayer like you might have in your shower or at your kitchen sink, rinse the hair from about an inch away from the knot in the direction of the hair towards the ends and in the same direction the hair falls. Do this with cold water to avoid getting the foundation of the wig or the knots wet, which causes them to unravel and the hair to fall out more quickly. 2) Pin the wig to a wig head, pinning it all the way around the base so that it will keep its shape while drying. Taking 1/2" thick sections about 3" wide between your fingers apply shampoo to the hair working from 1" above the knot and work the shampoo towards the ends of the hair. Do this until all the hair is shampoo. ONLY USE A SHAMPOO DESIGNED FOR COLOR-TREATED HAIR AND DILUTE IT WITH WATER. 3) Let the shampoo sit for no more than 60 seconds and repeat the rinse process being careful to remove all the shampoo. 4) Once all the shampoo is rinsed out, blot the excess water away from the hair with a towel. 5) Lightly wipe the inside of the base of the wig with a towel and then again with a sponge or cloth soaked in 99% alcohol. The alcohol will draw out any excess water or shampoo that has reached the knots, allowing them to dry quickly. 6) Put the wig on your head while it is still wet, making sure that the hairline is the width of the four fingers from the top of your eyebrows and that the temples are approximately three fingers' width from the corner of your eyes. Then slowly comb through the hair starting at tha ends and working towards the roots. Comb and style as you normally would. These steps will insure your wig will come out as you desire without any surprises. It is easiest to part the hair while it is wet to get the desired look.

Always keep teh wig or hair system pinned to a canvas block when not in use in order to maintain its shape. Make sure the block is the same size as the wig. If too small or too large it can cause the foundation material to stretch and the unit will start to fit improperly on your own head over time. STYLING TIP: To get the hair at the hairline to lay back, use a 1/2" strip of cardboard pinned on top of the back front while the hair is wet and allow the hair system to dry overnight. When the cardboard is removed you will see that it is much easier to style the hair back away from your hair line.