Hair Raising!

Posted: Thursday 24 March 2011 07:19am

Joan Collins reputedly travels with 50 wigs, all housed in individual boxes. Like most Hollywood actresses over 40, the ageless beauty knows that nothing destroys a youthful look faster than dry, lacklustre or thinning hair.

It’s a legitimate fear, too. Numerous studies have shown that people can accurately gauge your age from the condition of your hair even if your face is nearly wrinkle-free.

But there’s no need to book an extra hotel room as Ms Collins does, or even hide your hair under a wig to have great-looking hair says Rob Aubin, General Manager of Great Lengths Australia.

“Women over 35 are our fastest growing market for extensions. Hair starts to fade around the mid-30s and hormonal changes produce thinner strands, especially following childbirth.

“Years of sun and styling damage and colouring your hair takes a massive toll, too. Many women over 40 also start to develop a receding hairline and there’s nothing more ageing than too much scalp showing through”.

Great Lengths have been offering hair extensions in Australia since the 1980s. Back then the biggest seller was 50cm lengths, says Rob.

“Unfortunately the `stripper look’ remains very front-of-mind when many women think of hair extensions. Today, though,  more and more older women are using hair extensions to make their hair look fuller, healthier and more youtful and the preferred lengths are now 30cm and 20cm.

“Many women even have extensions put in when  they decide to grow their hair because it looks good from the start and they don’t have to go through an in-between ratty stage”.

The old wisdom that women over 40 should lop off their hair soon after reaching that significant birthday is ancient history. “When hair is full and healthy-looking, longer, softer hair styles help to disguise lines and wrinkles” says Rob. ” Just look at Elle Macpherson and Julianne Moore. What does give women the witchy look is long, thin and wispy hair”.

The best way to rejuvenate the look of your hair is to use hair extensions judiciously, rather than go all out with the Lady Godiva look says Rob. “Many businesswomen in the US and Australia now consider hair extensions as part of their grooming routine, like Botox, dermal fillers and anti-ageing skincare”.

Women are amazed that applying extensions only takes a couple of hours and yet they wipe years off their appearance, says Rob.

“You don’t need to hide under dark glasses afterwards or wait a week to achieve a rejuvenating effect like you do with some anti-ageing procedures. There’s no injections and the change is visible without being radical.

“I always use my aunt as an example. She has bob-length hair and has been using hair extensions for 10 years to add youthful fullness and shine”.

Even if your hair is greying and not thinning, hair extensions are a go-to choice says Rob. “Grey hair has a coarse texture and a dry, rough look which is why it is ageing even when the hair is plentiful.

“When you add shiny, heathier hair in the form of extensions to the mix, you rejuvenate the look of the entire head of hair. You don’t have to be too old, either. Many women are starting to go grey at a much younger age because of stress and no one wants to look older before their time.

“Hair extensions are the easiest and fastest way for women of all ages to look younger. Longer, thicker hair helps to disguise greying roots for longer too, reducing the need to colour the hair so often”.

One of the main reasons that older women cut their hair is that the ends looks thin and straggly which can lead to the ageing hippie look or worse. “Hair extensions add weight to the ends of the hair” says Rob. “And because they are thicker they are easier to style. ”

Most of us have read horror stories about hair extensions or seen fright photos of celebrities like Britney Spears and Naomi Campbell sporting large bald patches attributed to wearing hair extensions.

“Most of the bad publicity comes from cheap hair extensions or lack of maintenance” says Rob. “If top quality hair like Great Lengths is used, hair extensions last for up to six months. Taking care of them is no big deal, either. All you have to do is brush your hair thoroughly on a daily basis – just as you would your own hair – and they will stay tangle-free.

“In fact, hair extensions help to protect your own hair because it is less exposed to pollution and the environment and over-processing.

It’s possible to look glamourous in a Target t-shirt but hair extensions are a different ball game. Teenagers might be able to achieve a cute look wearing clip-on extensions, but older women risk the drag queen look. Investing in good quality hair extensions which can cost around $1000 or more is the key to groomed, natural-looking hair.

Great Lengths has become the market leader in quality hair extensions in Australia for several important reasons. Firstly, they are processed in Italy from 100 percent remy ( virgin) human hair. They also look more natural because they are not made from Chinese hair, as many of the cheap extensions are,  which is straighter and stronger than European hair. Indian hair is used which is finer and has more of kink for a softer, face-framing appearance.

The green movement has made great inroads in the beauty industry, but the most important debate when the subject is hair extensions is – Has the hair been ethically sourced? The hair used in Great Lengths is guaranteed by the company’s Setting Fair Standards Stamp. It is 100 percent traceable, ethical, high quality hair sourced friom Indian temples, where people voluntarily shave their heads on a daily basis in a religious ritual known as Tonsuring. Only women’s hair is used and Great Lengths works exclusively with SDTC Exports, who donate money back to the temples to find hospitals, schools and orphanages.

In fact, Great Lengths is the only hair extension company that controls all aspects of its business from the source to the factory. There’s no problems with colour matching, either. There are over 40 colours to choose from which is why the company’s products are popular in 45 countries, including Australia.

There’s no need to worry about damage during the application process says Rob. “We use Ultrasonic 5000 machines which attach the strands using a cold fusion method that relies on ultrasound “vibrations”. No heat is used which could damage the hair. The flat or round bonds, unlike the beads used in many cheap extensions, produce a sleek look which looks great even on thin or fine hair”.

If you love your shiny, high volume hair there’s no need to go “cold turkey” after a few months says Rob. “Great Lengths extensions last for up to six months. There’s no need for “rest periods”. Older extensions that have grown out or ones that have moved too much are removed and replaced during maintenance treatments every five to six weeks. Most women time these sessions when their hair needs to be trimmed or they need to cover their roots”.

Hair extensions are the perfect answer for women who don’t want to go under the knife or who don’t like injections says Rob. “They help you look like you used to – or even better”.

For more information, call 1300 138 452

by Elisabeth King

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