YES! How hair extensions bolstered a whole host of lanky-haired gals

Dec 13, 2016

You'd almost feel a great big whack of empathy for the celebrities of yesteryear: after all, they did NOT have all the advantages of nifty hair gadgets, advanced hair products, and – most significantly – hair extensions that famous faces today can rely on.

Case in point: L'Oreal ambassador and all-round totally gorgeous gal Cheryl Cole – who once sported cornrows (hello, 2002) in a bid to jazz up her tresses.

Nuff said.

However, and while extensions have certainly in more recent times been championed by a host of red-carpet connoisseurs, small and big screen stars, and catwalk queens, adding to your own strands is now increasingly commonplace for us normal folk too.

In fact, one recent survey in the UK revealed that an astonishing one in three women – from all walks of life – currently wears extensions.

A video posted by Gold Fever Italia (@goldfeveritalia) on Oct 26, 2016 at 12:49pm PDT

Yes, Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, and Katie Price once gave them a seriously bad name, but there's no doubt that the hair extensions available right now are a practically flawless addition to what nature already bestowed on you.

A whack of celebrities opt for Gold Fever – mainly because it's seemingly as close to your own real hair as extensions come. That and it's ethically-sourced and fans of the brand swear that it doesn't cause any damage to their own precious tresses.

A photo posted by Georgia Penna (@georgiapenna) on Jul 7, 2016 at 1:05pm PDT

The current crop of fans include the likes of models Georgia Salpa and Rosanna Davison; actress Michelle Keegan; Cocoa Brown's Marissa Carter, Made In Chelsea's Lucy Watson and Nicola Hughes; Celebrity Big Brother's Danielle Lloyd; and singers Una Healy, Tallia Storm, and Louisa Johnson.

But with prices for a set – which should last six months – ranging from a couple of hundred euro up to €1,000 for more complex transformations, is it money well spent?

A photo posted by Gold Fever Ireland & UK (@goldfeverhair) on Nov 30, 2016 at 4:58am PST

Well, if the before-and-after snaps of Average Josephines in salon chairs up and down the country are anything to go by, the answer is a resounding 'yes!'.

Online reviews from bloggers and influencers are suitably gushing too.

"I have the flattest, straightest, most lank hair you can imagine, so I just love the volume and fullness the Gold Fever Hair Extensions give me," writes The Style Fairy, aka Naomi Clarke.

A photo posted by Rosanna Davison (@rosanna_davison) on Dec 12, 2016 at 2:19pm PST

"Even though I have a serious amount of hair, styling is very easy. It takes me about 10 minutes to curl my hair and about 15 to dry it," highlights The Beautiful Truth – Sinead Kavanagh.

"The results as you can see are nothing short of beautiful," states Kellie B Beautiful, aka Kellie Billings, adding: "It has definitely given me a little confident boost."

Yup, clearly things have come a LONG way since Paris and Nicole first rocked super-long and lanky locks on The Simple Life – and there's no doubt that (unlike Cheryl's cornrows) hair extensions is one trend that's here to stay.

‘People feel REALLY weird’: Rita Ora’s hair extensions confessions

Jul 5, 2016

by Amber Saunders

So many celebrities deny going on crash diets, having a little botox, or even admitting to hair extensions.

We get it. They're in the public eye and want to present their best possible selves; but we don't understand why they try so hard to hide the little bit of help they've received (especially when it's super obvious).

However, one gal that isn't afraid to hide her help is Rita Ora, and she even thinks it's "weird" that some people find it so hard to talk about.

“Some people feel really weird talking about hair extensions, but the reality is your hair can’t grow overnight, so why not get creative,” she told InStyle.

The 26-year-old is happy to admit that after years of damaging her locks with bleach and bad dye-jobs, she needs a little bit of a lift with her tresses now.

“The trick is, you have to completely own it, and that’s a confidence thing.

“I was only 14 (when I started dyeing my hair), which is why my hair is so short and damaged now," she added.

Being a natural brunette, Rita constantly has to dye her roots, but even with all the up-keep, the Hot Right Now singer says that blonde has "always been my thing," and she's not going to change anytime soon.

Pale girls, this is ALL the proof you need that darker locks are for you

Mar 23, 2016

by Amber Saunders

If you have skin that’s any way fair, you’ve probably grown up with a whole set of “rules” to live by.

No pastels, no white clothes and most DEFINITELY no darker hair colours. They’ll just wash you out… at least that’s what your mam’s always drilled into you, right?

Well, you can throw those beliefs out the window because lately we’ve been getting serious hair lust for celebs rocking darker, deeper shades – everything from intense black like Suzanne Jackson to coffee brown like MIC‘s Lucy Watson.

Of course, the spectrum of darker colours ranges far and wide, and it’s all about choosing a shade that suits your skintone and your own personal style. Here are some of the celebs giving us serious dark hair #goals of late.

Suzanne Jackson

Blogger and beauty guru Suzanne, the woman at the helm of SoSueMe and SOSU cosmetics, has always gone for darker tones – but with a hint of warm brunette to ensure her paler skin is complemented.

That length and volume comes courtesy of Gold Fever hair extensions (the brainchild of fellow Irish woman Katie-Jane Goldin), of which Suzanne’s been a long-time fan. With a blend of different colours used to create the perfect shade, there’s no fear of looking washed out.

Shauna Lindsay

Another Gold Fever fan, model Shauna Lindsay is the perfect example of how to work darker tones without risking looking like Wednesday Addams the second you take your make-up off.

Her darker roots are complemented perfectly by lighter blonde-brown ends, courtesy of 20′ Gold Fever extensions, which gave some much-needed volume and an all over healthy look.

“My hair was so damaged, generally from doing fashion shows and having heat on it all the time,” Shauna says.

“I love being a model don’t get me wrong but your hair goes through a lot! My hair was NOWHERE NEAR as thick as it used to be and I longed for an extra bit of length. The extensions I got put in are 20′ and they are SO FULL,” she explains.

Lucy Watson

Granted, Made In Chelsea alum Lucy usually sets off her deep brown wavy tresses with a tan, but that doesn’t mean we can’t follow her for some hair inspiration.

Lucy keeps her hair relatively short, using extensions to add volume rather than heaps of length. The warm brown hue is perfect with her paler skin – though we reckon it would be a winner with any skin tone.

Considering changing up your style á la Lucy, Suzanne and Shauna? Check out Gold Fever‘s Instagram page for some hair #inspo. Thank us later!

Oops! Cheryl’s hair extensions are as DODGE as ever in new snaps

Dec 8, 2015

by Amber Saunders

She may be one of the most glamorous celebs on TV at the moment, but that didn't stop the cameras spotting Cheryl's dodgy hair extensions.

The X Factor judge was in high spirits as she joined her act Reggie N Bollie in their hometown of Farnborough today, dancing along the streets and swooshing her hair up in the air.

But one unfortunate swoosh saw clip-in extensions hanging on to the sides of her head. Oops!

We can all admit we've been there, especially if you wore extensions back in the teen disco days. #BadChoices.

But apart for her hair blunder, the singer was looking as chic as ever, kitted out in a grey belted jacket and suede thigh-high boots.

Cheryl's duo were back in their hometown to celebrate being voted into the final of The X Factor, and they clearly couldn't be happier.

The grateful pair told ITV: 'If we make the final, I think the two of us will aim to be motivational speakers because it’s like a one in a million chance for artists like us to make it to the final.

Pump up the volume: your guide to finding the best hair extensions

Sep 3, 2015

by Amber Saunders

In the past ten years, hair extensions have become a big business.

Especially in the aftermath of the 'lob' when so many of us took the chop, extensions have boomed all over the world.

Most celebrities, including Blake Lively and Elle Macpherson are admittedly well acquainted with them and most have relied on clip-ins to add volume and length for red carpet events.

Also many Irish celebrities such as Rosanna Davison, Georgia Salpa and Roz Purcell rely on extensions to give their hair more bounce and flare. Ceira Lambert and Zero One salon are huge in Ireland for giving the elite the best extensions on the market – and the demand is growing more and more every year.

Despite all of this, hair extensions can still have a reputation for looking fake and obvious, as well as being hard to look after.

Just look at Britney circa early 2005!

Ew!

Extension professional Louise Bailey tells Harper's Bazaar about all the ins and outs of hair extensions – from which ones are best, to which last longer and which are easier to look after.

What type is best?

"The quality of natural extensions is better and they offer a more natural finish," explains Louise. "Synthetic hair is more obvious and burns when you use heat on it.

"Remy quality human hair extensions are best as these are less irritating and easier to work with."

Temporary Vs permanent

Permanent hair extensions are amazing as you'll never be without gorgeous locks. However, they are also harder to look after and they need a lot of maintenance – as well as being way more expensive. Clip-ins are a good alternative – and they can last for six months if you look after them properly.

Plus the beauty of clip ins is you can take them out: so they're good for experimenting with different colours and lengths.

How should you care for clip ins?

"Wash the ends before each use to give them volume and apply a heat protect product before using heated tools, like you would your natural hair," Louise tells the magazine.

How to find the right shade

Extensions are already dyed and come in tonal hair shades. Louise says that most hair extension specialists will use about three or more shades in any given hair to achieve a natural looking finish.

However if you're matching the colours yourself, try to get a tester swatch and compare the shades in natural light for the best outcome.

Length and volume

"For length, attach the clip-ins lower down," says Louise. "If your hair is short or you want to want extra volume, go further up to toward your crown."

The clip-in hair extension secrets you NEED to know

Jul 3, 2015

by Amber Saunders

Who hasn’t had the delightful experience of attempting a DIY hair extension job and just not getting it. It happens.

We’ve all seen it happen, and unfortunately some of us have been the ones left with the dodgy uneven looking hair right before the next big occasion. Nobody wants this to happen to them:

So, the good people at Hairspray are here to help us all out. Hurrah! It just takes a few easy steps and you’re good to go.

The dreaded wandering hair piece will never be making a surprise appearance ever again. YAY!

So just follow these five easy steps to achieve serious red carpet ready hair:

Step 1 – Firstly you have to section out your hair, separating it so you
have clear places to apply the clip.

Step 2 – Backcomb around the area that you will apply the clip in, to
volumise your own hair.

Step 3 – Apply the clip securely to the chosen area.

Step 4 – Apply some hairspray to further secure the clip in.

Step 5 – Backcomb your own hair over and with the clip in to blend them
together. Then style as you wish!

You can also see the tricks in action in the video above.

And if your hair might need a little more help, Hairspray Cork are hosting their opening day tomorrow from 10am.

To celebrate the day they’re offering €30 vouchers to the first 40 people in the door along with cakes, cocktails and canapés all day long for everyone. Sounds amazing!

RED FM will also be on hand to provide live music for the day and Hairspray’s sister company, Hair Club, will also be opening at the same time.

Hair Club, previously only in Dublin, provide high-grade hair pieces for clients with medical issues. Women from all over Ireland have previously travelled to the Dublin location for their specialised service, but Munster ladies will now have the benefit of Hair Club a little closer to home.

How THAT glossy mane divided opinion

May 5, 2015

by Amber Saunders

She wowed the world by looking almost impossibly well-groomed and fresh-faced less than 12hours after giving birth to her second child.

At 6 o’clock in the evening standing on the steps of the Lindo Wing at St Mary’s Hospital in London on Saturday following the 8.30am birth of Princess Charlotte, Kate Middleton was perfectly radiant. And despite her slim figure, bespoke Jenny Packham dress, and, of course, her gorgeous newborn daughter, the Duchess Of Cambridge’s magnificent hair certainly didn’t go unnoticed.

Kate and Williams with baby Charlotte on Saturday

Rumours have long been abound that the royal relies on strategically-placed hair extensions to give her own natural locks a boost; this weekend will certainly do little to placate the conversation. Before emerging into public, she was looked after by well-to-do hairdresser Amanda Cook Tucker, who was apparently spotted entering the maternity hospital at lunchtime on Saturday, armed with appliances and products.

But speculation is now mounting that even even the best professionals in the business would struggle to create a similarly full, glossy mane without a little helping hand.

Speculation as to whether the Duchess’s hair is entirely her own has circulated since her November 2010 engagement, but understandably neither she nor Kensington Palace has ever commented on the matter and she continues to ignite a serious dose of hair-envy in millions of women globally.

“It’s impossible to say for certain unless you’re actually handling her hair,” Gold Fever’s Katie Jane Goldin, whose clients include Rosanna Davison, Georgia Salpa, and Roz Purcell, explains to SHEmazing! “But to have a such an incredible, gorgeous mane without some help from well-positioned extensions would be extremely rare.”

Rosanna Davison uses Gold Fever hair extensions

She adds: “So either she’s struck the hair-lottery – or she’s been quite clever in how she uses enhancements.

“These days, the best hair extensions look and feel exactly like your own natural strands do. You’d actually be surprised at how many people from all walks of life wear them.”

What you need to know about hair extensions

May 27, 2014

by Amber Saunders

Extensions are great if you have thin hair or just can’t seem to grow it longer than your shoulder – seriously, what is with that?!

However, there are a few things you need to know before you invest (a lot) of money into your hair.

Fine hair? Avoid glue-ins
If you have fine hair, you need to avoid glue-in hair extensions. The glue can actually be thicker than your hair making it harder to remove – eek, sounds painful!

Getting used to it
It will take a bit of getting used to, and not like the getting-used-to-a-new-cut kind of used to. Styling will be awkward for a while but it will get easier – we promise.

Don’t just go to anyone
Seriously, when it comes to your hair, professionalism goes a long, long way! Don’t just pop into any ole hairdressers – you want to be sure they’ve done this before, even if it means paying a little more.

Taking care of them
If you have synthetic extensions avoid using any hot styling tools. If you want to continue to rock GHD curls or have poker straight hair, you may want to consider going for human hair. You also can’t wash synthetic ones like you would normal hair.