What's it like to have celebrity hair?
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Granted, I don’t exactly look up to Jessica Simpson as some sort of style icon. She’s a little too bombshell for my taste, and I sure as hell would not be able to work her kind of cleavage. What I do love about the singer-gone-actress, is her long, voluptuous, curly hair. Jessica never appears anywhere without being groomed to perfection, whether she’s rocking a casual and flirty or a stylish and sophisticated look. This is all thanks to her best friend, Ken Paves, who is at this point the most famous celebrity hair dresser in Hollywood.
Of course I was excited when I learned Ken Paves and Jessica had created a line of hair extensions, called HairDo. “So this is her secret!” I thought to myself, always pleased to bits when I think I have figured out why someone looks spectacular. This reaction is frequently, if not always, followed by an immediate urge to try out the same trick. How would I look with those extensions? Would my hair suddenly seem shampoo-commercial-ready? Would I turn heads on the streets thanks to my fabulous star-do? There was no question about it: I needed to try this out!
So off I went to my favorite hairsalon, De Cliènt, where the infamous extensions are available to the Antwerp public. Michel was kind enough to explain to me step by step how I could use the ultra long, brown, curly extentions to create a fabulously glam look.
Seeing as I had chosen curly extensions, but I don’t have those luscious curls myself, Michel went ahead and faked them for me. In went the curling iron, before the extensions were put in. This is important, because the extensions are synthetic and would glue right to the iron.
When my natural hair looked just right, Michel parted my hair. You need to separate the top layer of your hair, so you can put in the extensions right beneath, and then cover them up with that layer.
The HairDo pieces are really easy to put in, but it’s tricky to do it yourself, as all the action takes place at the back of your head. The hair pieces have seven hairclips attached to them, which you have to clip on to your natural hair. Michel started with the one in the middle on top, so that the piece would be put in symmetrically. Then clip on the rest of them, each time making sure you use enough of your own hair so as to put it nice and tight.
When the piece is put in, all that’s left to do is to unclip the top layer of your natural hair and spread it evenly over the HairDo piece. Make sure the layer is thick enough to cover up the fake hair.
And there I was, suddenly looking slightly like Belgian celebrity Véronique De Cock, hairwise anyway. I have to admit, the hair did give me some kind of confidence boost. When I walked out of the hair salon, I decided to take a stroll in the city to test reactions from passersby. The score: two men turned around for a second take, three women shot me a weird look and one woman actually stared at me. I felt kind of uncomfortable with all this attention, and decided to get a pro’s opinion. I dropped by my boyfriend’s place.
When he finally stopped laughing, the boyfriend kindly explained to me that he preferred a more natural look. On to the best friend then, who’s not afraid of a little glamour herself. She’s a notorious party animal and loved the extensions as the perfect finishing touch to a festive outfit. She was pretty clear though about the possibilities for everyday use: there weren’t any. The synthetic hair looks real from a little distance, but when you take a closer look, there’s no denying of its fakeness. Also, because of the length of this particular piece, it was far from subtle.
HairDo also exists in a natural hair version, and if you’re planning on wearing the extensions on a daily basis, I would strongly suggest investing in the real stuff, which you can also style with curling or straightening irons. It’s a more natural and convincing look. However, if you’re out to get some attention and don’t mind being in the spotlight for a night, the synthetic pieces are perfect for you. There's endless possibilities when it comes to colors, kinds of highlights and hairstyles. The pieces exist in different lengths as well. If you have long hair but would like to try out a bob, you can do so with the shorter hairpieces. You just tuck in the bottom layers of your own hair, put your hairpiece over them and top it of with one layer of your own hair (which will have to be cut at the same length as your hairpiece, obviously).
Mine was the longest curly version of the synthetic hair, and costs €125. Shoulder length versions are €115, and if you want the short version, it's €105. Not a lot if you think how many times you can re-use the pieces. They're also pretty low-maintenance. If they are getting a little dirty, you just put them in the washing machine! No combing necessary afterwards, whether it's the curls or straight version, the hair will return to its shape after washing it. If you have opted for the natural hair, you can treat it exactly like your own hair. This version is more expensive though, at €495 a piece.
In Antwerp, the HairDo pieces are available at the De Cliènt salon, where you'll be treated like the superstar you'll look like! If you want a specific version, it's best to go by the salon two days in advance, so that they can order the right 'Do for you if they don't have it in stock. Good luck, and show us the pictures if you're going for it!
xx Steph
