Understanding Weave Hair And Everything About It

For years now, hair weaves have provided stunning thick locks to women all around the world creating voluminous, ultra-glam hair. When done correctly, a weave can give off a lustrous, ultra-feminine vibrancy with the variety of textures and styles available. Weaves definitely add a new dimension to your look.

Initially weaves were mostly used by women in show business or in the fashion industry, but now have evolved into an essential fashion commodity for women from all walks of lives. Choosing and maintaining the right weave from the very beginning is important to creating the desired look.

Let's talk about how to choose and maintain a weave from the extensions, textures and styles.

      A weave is artificial or natural hair extension that’s fixed into human hair by sewing. It's one of the least expensive options for getting beautiful long locks that the average woman can wear. Weaves have become quite popular among black women in recent times. Weaves once installed can last for 3-4 months.

Weaves date back to the Egyptian era, where people dyed human hair or sheep wool and placed it onto their heads with resin or beeswax. Cleopatra was famous in the ancient world for sporting peacock blue weave in her hair.

Before we go straight into the depths of weave hair, let’s understand the different types of extension hair that are available in the market today.

These are exactly what they are called. These are synthetic hair strands made out of man-made fibers like nylon or acrylic. These fibers are put through numerous chemical procedures to make them look and feel like human hair.

They have texture, color and styling abilities similar to real human hair. Synthetic hair cannot withstand extreme heat while styling. One can easily notice the difference between synthetic and natural human hair just by touch.

This hair is from real human hair sourced from a single donor. The look and feel is very similar to your natural hair as is the maintenance and care. Human hair is of premium quality and therefore more expensive.

Virgin human hair is free from any chemical treatments whatsoever. This hair is sourced from a single donor whose hair has not been treated with any chemicals for styling or coloring purposes. Virgin human hair is easy to style. Good maintenance will ensure longevity of the hair.

Virgin remy hair is hair whose cuticles are intact and are in the same direction. This leads to less tangling and shedding. They are sourced from various donors. When maintained properly they can last for more than a year.

Depending on the natural texture of your hair, one can opt for a variety of textured hair weaves when choosing weave extensions. Choosing the right kind of texture for your hair extensions is important, because this will give you a neat and blended look.

If you have naturally straight hair you might want to choose a straight hair weave texture. This hair type has the most sheen and is very strong and difficult to damage. The hair is practically carefree and is super sleek. The weave will perfectly blend with your natural hair.

Wavy hair is neither too straight nor too curly. It has a thicker texture compared to straight hair and looks like a “S” - it's curlier but not quite as curly as coiled hair. This texture provides volume, body and fullness and also adds bounce to your hairstyle.

The curly hair weaves are made in two different ways - first chemically, where the hair is permed using different chemicals to create the curl and secondly where the hair is steamed and set with a hot iron to create the curls. These types of hair will require extra care as they are prone to frizz and may end up getting dry creating damaged cuticles.

Kinky hair, commonly referred to as Afro-textured or coily hair, is naturally very dry and spongy in texture and can be soft and fine or coarse and wiry. Strands form very tight, small curls of zig-zags right from the scalp and are prone to major shrinkage. This type of kinky hair weave is susceptible to tangling because it is often fragile with a very high density. Coily hair weaves shrinks when wet because it has fewer cuticle layers than other hair types.

• • A weave is a great way to add length to your natural hair. Even more important, weaves give your own hair a healthy window to rest and grow. The weaves add fullness and body to your hair!
  • A sew-in saves you the trouble of putting on and off your extensions time and time again and gives you a more permanent solution. The sewing process is a tad bit lengthy one, but then it gives you a very smooth finish.
  • Also the weaving process is found to be the best and safest process for your own hair, as no heat is applied to your hair for installation nor any kind of glue is used. The hair is simply sewed into your hair on cornrows with the help of a bent needle and sewing thread.
  • The weaves can last up to 2 months with proper care and maintenance.

The quality of a good hair weave is primarily determined by the type of hair that is used in making the weave. Virgin hair is the absolute best. This hair has never been treated, bleached or dyed so it can be installed as often as you want and also be colored if desired.

Virgin hair can be straightened, curled, or blown dry and flat ironed without damaging the hair in any way. Good quality virgin hair is sourced from India. Women of this country rarely color their hair or use any chemical treatments, thus making the hair very strong.

When used in hair extensions, this hair can be customized in various ways as per the requirements of the clients. Hair stylists all around the globe prefer to work with virgin hair because of its strength. One can also determine the quality of the hair by a series of tests. Let’s check them out below;

This is done by picking up a strand from the bundle that is large enough to see the color of the hair. Now hold the tip near the base, if the tips are not lighter by the base, then that means the hair has been completely processed and is not virgin hair.

Lower quality hair extensions do not draw out smaller strands resulting in products with severely tapered ends which result in uneven length of hair extensions.

For natural virgin weave hair, the hair will feel like your own hair, including having some split ends and a little dryness (if not washed). Whereas, when weave hair is chemically processed, it will have a very silky smooth feel; like your hair right after a deep conditioner is applied.

This smoothness is the result of a layer of silicone that is applied to the hair after processing. The chemical process for mass production of low quality weave hair strips the hair of its cuticles and effectively dries out the hair. This dryness is masked by the silicone that provides a short term soft and silky feeling.

After a few washes the silicon on the weave hair will be washed off and the resulting dryness will lead to the hair tangling and matting. When selecting high quality natural virgin weave hair make sure you don’t fall for that silky smooth feeling.

It is a very subtle test for feeling and requires practice to find the difference. In doing this, you will need to pick a strand or two from the bundle and you are going to run your fingers up and down to the tip and then hold it with one hand and then run the other hand up in the opposite direction.

So if you get resistance when you go up the strand, you are actually feeling the cuticle. If it feels the same in both directions, its cuticles are not present. Thus, it’s not virgin hair.

Snip away a strand or two away from the bundle and then light them on fire. On burning it will either get charred or it will light up and become molten. After burning, it will smell like burnt plastic. This happens in the case of synthetic hair. For virgin hair, on burning, you will need to blow it out and it will stink and smell like sulfur.

• • The sewing method of the hair weave is more secure, compared to the other methods. The materials for this type of extension include a sewing needle, thread, and your hair which should be braided.
  • You can either go with one of two braid patterns - circular or straight back. It all depends on which hairstyle you want to create., Please remember that it’s always best to consult with the professional who sews your hair, because that person will be able to direct you depending on your needs.
  • In order to keep the extensions from getting loose, it’s best to wait until you are ready before you remove them. In order to secure your braids, you will need a needle and thread. Thread the needle first, tying a knot at the end of the thread next which will lock it into place.
  • Now start off at either side of the nape of your hair, sewing it in a stitching motion through the braids and out again, repeating this action until you reach your ends.
  • Then simply cut off excess string from the top and you’re ready to go!
  • To undo it, clip or snip around with scissors where you started and then simply un-tie your braid once it‘s unwound completely.

Weaving hair is a very intricate process. It takes a lot of practice and precision from a trained professional. The weave is literally woven onto the natural hair with the help of braids. Horizontal cornrows are created from ear to ear and the weaves are sewed using the help of a needle and a thread. There are pros and cons to each process, let’s have a look at them.

• • • • There is no need for glue or any heat in the installation process.
      • The hair on your head doesn’t get damaged.
      • Your hair gets time to grow underneath the extensions.
      • Once installed you can carry on with your daily routine effortlessly. The weave holds onto the hair firmly.
      • Less number of trips to the salons for upkeep.
      • You can wash your hair with the weave on.
      • The weave blends with your natural hair easily.
      • You can oil, deep condition and style your hair even with the weave on.
      • You can try different hairstyles, even putting your hair up or in a bun won’t reveal the extensions, as they are sewn right at the scalp.
      • It is more like a permanent solution to your hair challenges.

• • • • It is a long process.
      • It requires the help of a trained professional.
      • It is not suitable for people with very thin hair.
      • If the braids are too tight, the weaves can cause headaches.
      • The care and maintenance of the weave will require time.
      • The installation process can be quite expensive.

There are always pros and cons to each process, but use your judgment based on acquired information and see what choice outweighs the other. Despite the disadvantages, many people prefer to use weave hair because it doesn’t harm your natural hair in any way. And, the time taken for installation is just one time which doesn’t result in time taken on a daily basis.

Even though your hair weave didn’t actually grow from your scalp, it is still important to look after your weave hair. The best way to maintain your investment is to treat weave hair exactly like the hair that grows naturally from your scalp — wash, condition and style on a regular basis. Treating these extensions just like any other part of your hairstyle will greatly increase their longevity. Now let’s look at some care tips to help increase longevity.

• • The first and foremost thing is to take care of your scalp. Before going for the installation of the weave on your scalp, wash and deep condition your hair.
  • Like you would wash your hair, do the same for weave hair extensions. They require deep conditioning to retain their moisture and keep frizz away.
  • Use a sulfate-free shampoo and a leave-in conditioner.
  • After washing you should dry both your extensions and natural hair properly under a hooded dryer.
  • Brush your hair daily to keep knots and tangles at bay. Use a detangler brush that will glide easily through the weave extensions.
  • Do not use too many products. Less is the key here.
  • If you can, sleep on a satin pillowcase. This will prevent dryness and control the frizz next morning.
  • Installing weave hair correctly is extremely important. And, it can be achieved with the help of a trained professional who has complete knowledge of the process.
  • Visiting the hair professional regularly to tighten the weaves will increase the life of your install.
  • Also when you decide to remove your weave, it must also be done by a professional.

Let’s understand hair extensions better, by looking at the differences between the three major methods of installation in the hair extensions which are Clip-in extensions, Tape-in extensions and Machine Wefted hair extensions.

They offer a temporary change to your hairstyle as by the end of the day, it is advisable to take them off. The extensions have clips attached to them which can be easily put on and removed without the help of a professional. Clip in extensions can last up to a year depending upon how you take care of them.

These extensions are suggested if you want a more semi-permanent solution. Once installed these tape in extensions can last upto 6-8 weeks, or even longer depending on the maintenance. These extensions have industrial grade tape that is double sided and is placed between the natural hair for seamless installation.

They are installed by first braiding cornrows in your natural hair , then sewing the machine wefts into your hair with the help of a needle and thread. It generally takes a longer time to install these extensions, but they offer a more permanent solution. The installation needs to be done by an experienced professional. Machine wefted hair extensions can usually last for 8-9 weeks, or even longer depending on the care given to them.