Short hair today, long hair tomorrow: how do celebrities get long, sexy hairstyles so fast?
You no longer have to wait years for your hair to grow out to have a long style. You can go and get long hair right now using extensions. According to Julien Guyonnet, creative director of Antenna salon in London, hair extensions are perfect for transforming short hair into long hair, adding volume to thin hair, growing out layers, a bad haircut, and even adding highlights and streaks without any fuss. chemical processing.
Julien Guyonnet explains that most people want the best style available in the shortest amount of time. Everyone is in such a hurry that they have to be practical. Actually, hair extensions are the only way to have long and healthy hair. Achieving that kind of thickness isn’t available any other way.
What are hair extensions?
Extensions involve joining human or synthetic hair near the root to create a natural look as if it came from your head. Extensions can be placed in 2-4 hours and will last 3-6 months, at which time they should be removed and/or replaced depending on the method used.
There are many different extension methods to choose from these days. The hair can be attached strand by strand or in wefts (small curtains attached at the top). Some of the many fixing methods available today use keratin-based adhesives, glues, heat sealing, small locs, and even rope. And if you’re not ready to go permanent, you can always try clip-in hair extensions that can be easily removed.
The facts about Monofibre® hair extensions
Julien Guyonnet uses the Monofibre® hair extension method that was invented by Simon Forbes of Dome Cosmetics over 20 years ago. This method uses artificial Monofibre® instead of human hair. It’s so silky smooth that you can’t even tell it’s not real.
The Monofibre® is bonded near the root using gentle heat that creates a thermal seal between the hair extension and natural human hair. Natural hair must be at least 3 inches/~8 cm. long to join the extensions. It is suitable for all hair types as no glues or bonding materials are used in the application.
Julien Guyonnet has attached Monofibre® hair extensions to clients desiring a new look with longer and/or thicker hair and even clients suffering from all forms of hair loss due to cancer and certain treatments.
Clients with hair loss typically have fine or brittle hair that can be further damaged by heavy human hair extensions. The added weight of human hair can pull out natural hair causing severe damage and even permanent hair loss. Monofibre® weighs about 1/3 the weight of human hair and exerts less pressure on natural hair.
Extensions can take 2-3 hours to attach depending on clients’ requirements. A partial transformation would take approximately 1 hour and volumizing would take between 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Monofibre® comes in many different colors and 2 different textures, classic and wavy. The classic texture works on straight and semi-straight hair, while the wavy texture suits all curly hair types.
Monofibre® extensions can last up to 3 months, at which time the extensions are completely removed and replaced with new hair. Hair can be removed and reattached during the same appointment to maintain a continuous appearance. Most salons offer a grooming service to keep your hairstyle looking pristine between replacements. Extension costs can vary from salon to salon, but they are much cheaper than human hair extensions. At Antenna Salon, Monofibre® extensions are very affordable. Prices start from £195 / ~$347 US.
Advantages of Monofiber®
The Monofibre® extension method has many advantages over methods that use human hair, explains Julien Guyonnet. Monofiber is much lighter and has a shinier texture than human hair. And unlike human hair which has a mind of its own, the fiber maintains a style until you take it off. The fiber is also non-porous so it does not absorb any hair care products in any way. He adds, “Because of their versatility, Monofibre® extensions can be manipulated into edgy styles such as dreadlocks, braids, etc.”
Julien Guyonnet continues: “I tried using human hair for the extensions and found it to be a really horrible experience. I didn’t like using the glue and solvents. I actually felt pretty bad during the whole process.” He feels that Monofibre® extensions are the safest method for natural hair and the most interesting as one can mix the hair with a variety of colors. The sky is the limit when it comes to creativity.
Another great advantage of Monofibre® extensions is the training and education that a stylist must go through to be qualified to do hair extensions. Julien Guyonnet came to London over 9 years ago to learn all about Antenna Salon’s Monofibre® extensions.
He began his career training in France for 3 years at a Hairdressing Institute followed by 2 years of work experience in Parisian salons on the Champs-Elysées. He trained as an assistant using Monofibre® extensions for 6 months.
After completing the Dome Academy 4-day foundation course, he became a qualified stylist in Monofibre® extensions. A year after that, he became a senior stylist at Antenna doing 10 client extensions a week. Two years later he became the Creative Director of Antenna Salon in London.
Celebrities wearing Monofibre® extensions
Monofibre® extensions have become even more popular with many celebrities including Vanessa Feltz, Peaches Geldof and Tara Palmer-Tomkinson wearing them. Julien Guyonnet attached 12 in./30 cm. extensions to medium length bright blonde hair from Peaches Geldof. He also added some lowlights for a more subtle effect. She has been wearing Monofibre® extensions for about a year.
When asked why she wanted to get extensions, she said: “I wanted extensions because I thought it was such a fun and sexy look. I was doing a documentary at the time and working on television so I wanted to look glamorous! I’ve always liked the long hair, so it seemed like the perfect way to do it, since my hair wasn’t growing fast enough.”
When she first got the extensions in, Peaches Geldof was bleaching her shoulder-length hair a bright blonde. Due to all of her bleaching, her hair was not in very good condition and she was worried that her extensions would damage it further.
Peaches Geldof made the decision to use Monofibre® extensions for several reasons. First, they are more ethical than human hair. She didn’t like the idea of having someone else’s locks stuck to hers. Second, the extensions are much lighter and are attached in a way that would not cause further damage to her already damaged hair. And third, she could continue to dye her hair and not worry about damaging the extensions since they are non-porous and won’t absorb anything.
Peaches Geldof mentions that one downside of getting extensions is maintenance. Return to Antenna Salon for a cleaning every month. Extensions last about three months before they need to be removed and replaced. She adds: “No matter how you look at it, having long hair is expensive and time consuming. Whether you’re getting extensions, regular hairstyles, color or highlights, you’ll need to invest time and money to get the best results. I feel like The extensions are well worth the time and money. I was able to get a glamorous look in just a few hours instead of a few years.”
The daily hair styling routine is quite simple. Peaches Geldof walks us through a typical day: “When I get my extensions in, I usually wash my hair with products designed for extensions, like Antenna aftercare products from Dome Cosmetics. I then follow up with a deep conditioning serum or mask. As my hair gets quite dry, I spray my hair with a heat protection spray and dry my real hair and extensions that are already straight.”
Many other antenna extension customers have only good things to say about Monofibre® extensions. Charmaine Rose, 2005 Extreme Makeover contestant says, “My hair has never looked better than when I started wearing Monofibre® hair extensions. They are so much easier to maintain than I imagined. I feel and look so much more feminine and I love it.” I highly recommend, when in London, booking an appointment at Antenna!”
More about Dome Cosmetics
Founder Simon Forbes invented Monofibre® extensions over 20 years ago by putting two things together. He collected old implements and introduced new technologies and knowledge into these instruments to discover that they can be amazing things.
Simon Forbes says, “If you’re going to be a hairdresser, you’re lumped in with the human head. You’re stuck as an artist with the very medium that is hair. That was the starting point for Monofibre®. It’s so versatile and doesn’t have a mind of its own.” “.
The Monofibre® is designed in England and manufactured in China. It has a patented element that results in the highest quality acrylic fiber. The hair provides a soft, silky feel that is unmatched by other lesser quality fibers on the market today. Monofibre® adds length and volume, as well as color and texture, thus transcending fashion itself. Extensions are for anyone, including those experiencing hair loss. There are no short or long term side effects.
Simon Forbes adds: “What I’ve never been able to understand is how someone can wear a second (human) hair on their head. I mean the last thing I would want to do is use someone else’s hair. If the hair comes from people who they’ve had some terrible misfortune in their lives,…then sticking it to a woman’s head with glue (who probably has a £2000 Chanel Hand bag slung over her shoulder)…there’s something very immoral about that.”
Simon Forbes recommends the use of the Dome Aftercare range of products to keep your extensions in tip-top condition. The range consists of Frequent Use Shampoo, Intense Conditioning Treatment, Daily Care Mist and a Soft Bristle Dome Brush. An aftercare booklet is also included to give you the best advice on how to maintain your Monofibre® extensions.
Simon Forbes sees continued growth in extensions as a service. It is a source of income for salons that potentially exceeds any other service within the industry. Dome Cosmetics continues to train and certify hundreds of stylists each year in Monofibre® extensions.