If you are a belly dancer and have always wanted to know more about hair pieces or extensions this blog by Adonia Belly Dance is the place for you. Today we are talking all about hair. As many of you know I recently got hair extensions but for years before I have played with hair pieces and styles to find exactly the look I am going for which is that classic American Cabaret belly dancer look but with a hint of a modern edge. Anyone who knows me knows that is the style I LOVE. So today I just want to share with you some of my experiences with this hairy situation.
When I was about 17 I had hair to my belt line and then I joined the United States Air Force (USAF) and decided to cut it all off and donate it to locks of love. Since then I have missed my long hair. I tried growing it out but I have a TON of hair and it was just impractical for my job in the USAF. So I left it be....After becoming a belly dancer I decided to grow my hair out but it takes some time.
In an effort to get that classic belly dancer look and the long hair I love I have tried hair pieces. For a long time, I used the clip-in track extensions which are basically a length of hair extensions on wig clips. Well, this was great until one day in the middle of a show my hair got stuck on my finger/zill and flung right off across the room! OMG! I was so embarrassed. So what to do? I found a way to attach them by creating tiny little ponytails and attaching them to that point. But this was time-consuming and when they were in to long they gave me a headache. Also, I was always a little worried they would come out.
When I went to Jewel of the Sierra 2012 I met a couple of dancers with beautiful hair! One of them told me that they use 3/4 wigs that clip in the same way as my old hair extensions but they were more secure because they were in a circle and you also attach them with the tiny pony tail method as before. I asked her how they worked and how they held up. She said that they were great and even held up thru her Ayoub section. WOW! Now that gives me hope! But I am still a little worried since I tend to flip my hair a lot.
So I did some research and happened to run across a posting from one of my friends on Facebook who was looking for a model for her hair extension class. So immediately I contacted her and went in for a consultation. We talked about the length and matched the color exactly. Then the big day came and I went in and spent about 7 hours getting SoCap extensions put in my hair. Wait! Don't get scared. It wasn't that bad and it normally doesn't take that long. It was a training day so she was just learning the process and I have about double the hair of most people aaaannnnddd.... I had three colors to be put in. So this was quite a challenge for someone just starting to learn the skill of applying hair extensions.
The process itself was painless. First, She washed and clarified my hair. Then she dried it and separated it. She attached about 160 bonds (tiny strands of hair) which is about three bundles in three or so rows. The hair is a long strand of clean human hair that is dyed with a textile dye so that it doesn't fade. It is fixed to the hair on your head by a tiny dot of keratin adhesive which is safe for the hair as your hair is made of keratin. It is placed near the scalp and the glue is heated by the world's tiniest flat iron. Then TaDa! You have a hair extension. Once they were all in it was time to cut and curl. All the sudden I had the hair that I had when I was a girl but better.
I LOVE my new hair extensions (see picture below). They do require some maintenance to keep them from becoming a mess but nothing too troubling. Keep them as tangle free as possible, don't apply direct heat to the bonds, and braid or put your hair up when you sleep. Pretty basic long hair upkeep. The only thing that has bothered me is just getting used to the bonds. For some reason they are a little itchy to me right now but I am sure that will calm down as they relax and adjust. I am just not used to feeling them in my hair yet. I am sure I will get used to how they feel. Other than that, they are FANTASTIC! I have swam with them and performed with them in three shows and they are just wonderful. They feel fine, they look amazing, and I feel beautiful. If you are looking to get hair extensions I would definitely suggest getting them.
If you have any questions or comments please message me below. I would love to hear your feedback. Visit www.vintagebellydance.com/hire to hire Adonia Belly Dance at your next Chicago wedding, birthday party, or special event. Update: I wore the extensions and continued to go in for upkeep on them. This basically consisted of replacing those sections that were falling or had fallen out. This did turn out to be a pricy venture but I enjoyed them when I had them. I wore them until my hair grew out to the point that I no longer needed them. They did help me have the patience to grow out my hair. Now, years later, I continue to grow my hair and it is now almost to my belt line.