DIY Halo "Flip-in" Hair Extensions

 

I've seen "Halo" or "Flip-In" hair extensions on youtube and blogs for a while now. I was incredibly interested because I have thin fine hair that doesn't hold clip-in extensions well. I love the fullness and extra length of extensions especially for going out at night. The halo extensions I was seeing online retailed for over $300 a set, which is too much for me to invest in something that I am only going to wear occasionally. I watched several tutorials and decided to blend different techniques I had seen to create my own custom halo extensions.

I love the result. The are light and much more comfortable than any clip-in extensions I've used in the past. This method is cheap, easy, and fast to make. They fit secure to your head and are so easy to take out. You literally grab the ends of your extensions and pull them up over your head to remove. You are getting 100% custom measured extensions that you know will fit you perfectly. 

Here was my process:

1. I purchased one continuous weft of Sassy Silky Straight 18" Human Hair Extensions (mine are in dark brown) and Proclaim Super Bond Hair Glue (in dark, use white for blond hair) from Sally Beauty Supply. I picked up some clear monofilament jewelry cord from Wal-mart for a couple dollars. You will also need thread matching the colour of the hair, a needle, and a pair of scissors. The one package of hair plus all the supplies cost under $100 and made two sets of extensions. I keep one set in tight curls (pictured) and the other set in loose waves.

2. Measure the weft of hair slightly above the middle of your ear on both sides so the band of the extensions fits comfortably under the slope of your scull. Cut the weft to size. Use the length of the first weft to cut more wefts of hair to the same length. I used 3 wefts of hair for each set of extensions, but you can use more for a fuller look if you have thicker hair.

3. Face the thinner side of the band of the wefts of the hair extensions down. Run a thin line of the bonding glue along the thick side of the band. Place a second weft of extension on top of the first weft with the smaller band down. Let the glue dry, it will only take a few minutes. Still working on the same side, run a line of bonding glue just below the band of the double weft of extensions. Place the thick side of the band of the third weft just below the double weft band. Let glue dry.

4. Use the needle and thread to create a light running stitch along the top of the double weft to create a barrier to hold the halo wire in place in between the  two bands. 

5. Cut a long piece of the monofilament wire and use the needle to thread one of end of the wire through the stitching to the middle of the weft. Take the other side of the wire and do the same at the other side of the weft. You will end up with a drawstring in the middle of the back of the extensions. 

6. Fit the halo to your head holding the drawstrings in one hand. Make sure the extensions fit tight and comfortably on your head. When you're happy with the fit tie the drawstring. Use the scissors to cut off the excess wire. Overtime the wire will stretch but you can easily tighten it but tying a new knot.

7. Place the halo back on your head and make any adjustments. When it's comfortable, use the pointy end of a rattail comb to pull sections of hair over the weft and halo. Once you have pulled enough hair over the halo it will be hidden. Brush hair together to blend extensions.

I store and style the extensions on a pant hanger. For the tight curled extensions I used a small conical wand to curl hair away from my face, let the hair cool, and brushed it out with a tangle teaser.

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Before and After -  halo extensions are great for extra length and volume especially for curly hair

You can only barely make out the clear wire of the halo in direct sunlight. It is incredibly easy to blend in to your part and hide.

Elise xo

Mermaid Nails - Gel Ombre Nail Tutorial

This vintage box camera is one of my favourite decor pieces

I love the look of ombre nails and I always get a ton of compliments no matter what colour combinations I choose. Back in December, I started doing my own gel nails. It took a while to master what products worked and to find techniques that worked for me, but I love the option of being able to switch up my look whenever I want without having to worry about the chipping of regular nail polishes.

I haven't seen any ombre nail tutorials for gel polish, so I decided to try the typical sponging technique that is used with regular nail polish. I knew after curing the gel it would be a lot harder to clean up around the cuticles, but the end result was not disastrous considering it was my first time. 

1. First I used the Finger Paints gel polish base and two coats of the Finger Paints white polish in Stay True to the Art. I followed the regular gel procedure as if I was doing white gel nails.

2. I picked up white school glue, some paint brushes, and cosmetic wedge sponges from the dollar store. I painted the white glue around my cuticles and waited for it to dry. I see a lot of girls use this method with nail polish ombre to prevent the polish from getting on their fingers. It worked decently well with the gel.

3. I painted two strips of gel polish on the cosmetic wedge. I used Gelaze Swing  Baby on the bottom of the sponge and Finger Paints Aesthetically Teal-sing on the top. I then lightly dabbed the sponge across each nail and cured the polish.

4. I repeated step 3 again to give my nails a more vibrant colour.

5. I used the gold glitter Gelish Mini in Twinkle to add some extra sparkle. I started at the cuticle a brushed the polish lightly three quarters of the way to the tip of my nails and then cured it

6.I finished with the Gelaze top coat. I then went over all the nails with nail polish remover which removed the majority of the glue and extra polish. I was then able to scrub the rest off in the sink. This worked better for me than trying to peal the glue off.

   Elise xo