Mizz Cheveux Salon. Photo by Brett Rieger.
Hair extensions have a reputation of being a bit difficult. Whether it’s horror stories of a weave gone wrong, the stereotype that women who get hair extensions are high-maintenance, or the difficulty of finding a salon that can maintain them probably, many women dismiss them as being not worth the hassle. I’ve always wanted thicker, longer hair, but never considered extensions. Now, after a trip to see local hair extension artist Brittany Thompson, I can say I’m a definite convert.
Mizz Cheveux, Brittany’s extension studio, opened on July 14th just off of 17th avenue (Thompson also offers home visits as well). The intimate salon space is gorgeous, and extremely comfortable. At the opening party, I had a chance to chat with Brittany, who showed me the hair extensions they offer and allayed my fears about the process.
A few weeks later, I was back at Mizz Cheveux to have my extensions done. As a disclaimer, the extensions and services reviewed in this story were provided by Mizz Cheveux. First, Brittany confirmed that my hair was a colour match (#2 shade), and then held it up to confirm that I was happy with it. She selected three wefts of hair, and began braiding.
Yes, that is a mimosa on the side of the frame. Photo by Brett Rieger.
The braiding process was incredibly comfortable, and didn’t take long. It gave me a lovely chance to chat with her about the process and how she got started doing extensions. Brittany is born and raised in Calgary, and used to work in the oil and gas industry — but has always been a fan of hair extensions and the beauty industry. After a downturn, Brittany recognized that there was a gap in the high-end extensions industry in Calgary and decided it was time to make the switch. Now, she offers multiple methods of extension installation at her studio, as well as home visits, and training classes on how to apply extensions. Brittany said that she loves the chance to help people feel beautiful — extensions are great for boosting self-esteem.
After finishing my braids, Brittany sewed on my extensions. The Empress Collection extensions (manufactured by Skull Sugar International) are unprocessed hair, ethically retrieved, and are incredibly soft and natural in appearance. She sewed them on quite tightly, but the process was very comfortable and not very painful at all. The extensions felt heavy at first, but I quickly adjusted. After a quick styling and flat-iron, I was good to go.
Before, during, and after. Photos courtesy of Mizz Cheveux.
In terms of care, extensions do require slightly different upkeep than your usual hair. Extensions should be washed infrequently (close to once per week) and can be maintained with dry shampoo in the meantime. All products used must be sulfate-free. And, at night, extensions need to be dry and either tied up or braided. Brittany showed me a pair of extensions that had been cared for improperly — they resembled a rat’s nest. That being said, I found that caring for extensions is in some ways much easier than carrying for my regular hair. It was lovely to be able to style or blow out my hair and have it last for days, a totally worthwhile trade off for taking the time to tie it up each night.
After leaving Brittany’s salon, she sent me to Vanity Vault to have them blended. Blending refers to the process where extensions and your regular hair are cut to look more “blended” and natural. Vanity Vault is another newly opened, Calgary-based beauty boutique. I had my hair cut done by Ce’lon Boutique owner, Pearl, who did an incredible job. Pearl has been running Ce’lon in Calgary for 14 years, but just recently moved into the Vanity Vault space.
After a cut to blend in the extensions at Vanity Vault. Photo by Brett Rieger.
The first night sleeping with the extensions is was a bit uncomfortable, but by the next day I found that I had fully adjusted to their presence and really loved how they looked. While I don’t think that extensions will become an everyday part of my beauty routine, I will definitely consider breaking them out for special occasions in the future. While the prices of extensions vary (you’ll have to go in for a free consultation to establish what you need), the installation cost is approximately the price of a high-end haircut ($100-200), and the extensions themselves can be kept for years and reused.
If you’d like to try out extensions, Mizz Cheveux has provided us with 2 $50 gift cards, 2 $75 gift cards, and 2 $100 gift cards to give away to our readers! You can enter via Rafflecopter below. Contest closes September 8th.