How long have you been wearing a hair system?
A little over a year now
What type of hair system do you wear? Hair type, length, light/dark color?
I started with a 12” Dark brown Indian system, now I wear dark brown, 12” European hair, all lace with a silk top.
How experienced were you when you started wearing/caring for a hair system, and how experienced do you feel now?
I knew a little about wigs from my mother wearing one most of my life, but I had no experience whatsoever in wearing or caring for a hair system myself. After a few months of bonding every week, I starting getting the hang of things rather quickly, and now after a year, although I still may have some questions here and there, I feel pretty experienced and confident wearing hair.
How many systems do you plan for each year?
At least two. I try to get as much life out of the hair as possible, but just in case anything may happen (I mean anything), I like to always have a back up on hand.
What’s the longest period of time you’ve worn one system until you feel like it needed to be replaced?
I’ve just switched to my third system, but have worn the past two systems about 7 months each. I feel that I still could have gotten a few more months out of each system, but was starting to get a few split ends so I decided to move on to the next.
What type of climate/weather do you live in? What effects does that have on your system, if any?
I live in Tampa, FL so most of the year is hot and humid. I also work outside in the heat and humidity, rain, wind, sand, salt, etc. forcing me to wear my hair up. Because of the weather elements, and being outside in it almost everyday, I have to wash my hair everyday, forcing me to be quite hard on my hair.
Do you use heat on your hair? What kinds?
Yes, I use both hairdryer and flat iron almost everyday. On occasion I’ll use a curling iron as well after flat ironing.
What are your top 3 MUST DOS when caring for your hair? Tips, tricks, etc?
1. Always use a diffuser when wet to dry the top of the hair. It gives the roots more volume leaving it to look fuller.
2. Always use a leave-in conditioner and heat protector
3. Always use moisture-rich conditioner
What are your top 3 NEVER DOS?
1. Never flat-iron wet or damp
2. Never color it
3. Never rip tangles out
Do you use any products specifically for hair systems? Knot sealers, shampoos, hair products, etc, that you feel contribute to the long life of your hair systems?
No. I do however use Paul Mitchell products that I feel contribute to the long life of the hair.
What products do you use? Shampoo, Conditioner, Leave-Ins, Deep conditioners, gels, sprays, thermal protect?
I use Paul Mitchell Moisture shampoo and conditioner regularly, as well as Paul Mitchell Clarifying Conditioner when I feel that there is some build up of products (mainly when my hair feels heavy). When it gets real dry, I will deep condition with Gold Well conditioner for dry, damaged hair. I use “It’s a 10” leave-in conditioner with keratin after the shampoo to keep it soft, Paul Mitchell “Hot Off the Press” as a heat protector, also, Paul Mitchell “Quick Slip” to tame the ends and any fly-aways that may occur.
Do you have a favorite product?
Yes. Paul Mitchell Quick Slip is my hands down favorite. It smells yummy, and it really helps with fly-aways.
Do you use a special brush?
Not really, but when it is wet, I will use a wide-tooth comb. When flat ironing, I will use a small-tooth comb to grab the small pieces to be straighted, and once styled, I will use either a paddle brush, or a vented brush to keep the tangles out
If you had to pick just ONE thing to make your system last the longest, what would it be?
A moisture-rich conditioner
