Feather Hair Extensions

– March 8, 2011Posted in: Hair


Fly high with this season’s latest hair craze.

By Ilona French

It seems like everyone’s wearing feather hair extensions, from celebrities—Hilary Duff, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and even Steven Tyler have been spotted wearing them—to your next-door neighbor. And it’s no surprise that they’re all the rage. Feather extensions offer an easy way to energize your everyday look, without the commitment involved with the usual chemical processes.

Feather extensions are available in bold colors, natural-looking lowlights, and everything in between, adding pizazz to any style. “They are easily installed (in less than 10 minutes), easily removed (less than five minutes), and can add any color to your hair without bleaching/coloring or damaging the hair,” says Danielle Wade, owner/stylist, Asteria Salon, Denver, Colorado.

Environment-conscious fashionistas interested in natural alternatives for their hair have found that feather extensions are a gorgeous “green” solution. “Women are thinking a bit more organically about their hair,” says Trina Marr, creative director, feather extension expert from Hair Flairs, with locations in West Melbourne, Florida, and Calgary, Alberta, Canada. “Ornamentation is nothing new to the hair industry, but natural feathers are the organic alternative to manmade products and are proving to be the breakthrough hit this season.”

You can create a very conservative look by adding just one or two natural-looking feathers or add as many different flashy colors as your heart desires. “We have put in as many as 20 feather extensions in one person’s head for a costume,” says Wade. “She kept them in even after her costume was worn because she loved them so much. The opportunities are truly endless.”

“The feather is the stylist’s new color brush for 2011,” says Marr, adding that extensions add a multidimensional layer to hair. Because feathers are naturally beautiful, stylists are left only to their imaginations, as looks can range from fire-engine reds to hot pinks to olive greens. “It ends flat hair color by adding a layer of texture and dimension. It only amplifies a great hair color and great haircut.”

“The feather is the stylist’s new color brush for 2011.”

Inspiration

Feather earrings and other jewelry are thought to be the original inspiration for feather hair extensions. “Then someone clipped their earring into their hair—and now we have blended the art of feather jewelry and the expertise of hair extensions to make the amazing feather extension,” says Wade. “Ysabel Blu began providing them as a service in December 2009 in Boulder, Colorado, at a clothing store called Umba Imports. That was the very place that the first feathers were installed into a client’s hair.”

The trend, of course, has expanded beyond Colorado. “Salons in other states call to ask where we get the feathers all the time,” says Wade. “The trend is becoming so big that they can’t keep up with the demand. Feathers are backordered.”

Wade started offering feather extensions a year ago, and Asteria Salon currently maintains a comprehensive inventory, with a wide selection of colors and sizes. “The feathers have dramatically increased our business,” she says. “We have around three to five new clients for feathers every day.”

Dare to Wear

Feather extensions are attached into the hair using a small copper clamp, similar to traditional hair extensions. The clamp holds the feathers in your hair for approximately four to six weeks. “You can curl, straighten, and blow dry your hair as usual,” says Wade, “but be careful when combing not to catch the clamp.”

Various types of feathers can be used to obtain your desired look. For instance, they can come from roosters, as well as peacock eyes and pheasant tails. Hair Flairs Feather Extensions, on the other hand, come from several ornamental breeds of cockerel. “Ornamental cockerel birds have been raised for years and have been well known for their show quality at show competitions,” says Marr. “They are so beautiful because of their unique ornamental feathers and brilliant colors.”

If you’ve researched feather extensions, you’ve probably seen “do-it-yourself” kits to apply extensions at home. Wade recommends you ditch the DIY version and, instead, opt for having a pro put them in. “It’s hard to tell how much hair you are grabbing on your own hair, and it is important to have a uniform section so you don’t pull hair out from other parts of your head,” she explains. “Also, the extensions tend to last longer and look better when put in by a professional.”

Bang for Your Buck

Feather extensions can vary in price depending on the salon and its application methods. Asteria Salon sells extensions for $16 per bundle, which includes installation. Each bundle has three to seven feathers in it. “I have seen them priced as much as $50 per bundle,” says Wade. “The feathers are getting much more popular and so the price for feathers has gone up.”

Because of an increasing price tag for this service, Wade encourages recycling and reusing the feathers as much as possible. “If you bring in your old feathers for us to put back in, then it is only a $5 maintenance fee,” she says. “It is also just $5 for us to move them to a different spot on your head or just to move them up at the same spot if they have grown out.”

For the less committed, not-so-daring feather enthusiast, Wade has recently started making feather hair clips, which are easily clipped in at home and removed when you are done wearing them. The clips cost from $20–$50, depending on the length, colors, and density of the feathers. “This is a great option for someone with a more conservative job who has a wild side when away from work,” says Wade.

Spread Your Wings

Feather extensions are this season’s E ticket hair adventure, offering a fun or funky style for virtually any occasion. “I have nicknamed the feathers ‘instant gratification’ because that’s just what they are—a new color that can add to, or totally change, your look,” says Wade. “But no matter how you choose to wear them, you don’t have to sit with foils on your head or wait for your color to process. With one quick squeeze, you have a new look instantly.”

Editor’s note: What do you think about feather extensions? Please comment below.




Learn How the Pros Install Feathers…

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