I’ve been doing hair extensions in NYC since 1999.  My career in hair extensions began 10 years before that.  It’s interesting that I never really aspired to do hair extensions since it wasn’t mainstream in the 80’s except for African American hair and in California.  African American women had invented hair weaving decades before.

However, I had a close friend who owned a hair salon.  She was usually ahead of the curve with most things and had the first salon in town that did hair extensions, hairpieces, and men’s hair replacement.

I was still trying to “find my way” and was always attracted to anything involving hair, beauty, and fashion.  I’ve always said “hair extensions found me”.  My own hair was dark, curly, frizzy “poodle” hair and I was always trying to manage it.  Of course, I admired long, silky blond hair. It took me about 13 years to get that – but that’s a another story.

This is what made me so conscientious about hair integrity.  I was always testing every new product to achieve my goal without ruining my hair in the process.  I found the best keratin treatments, Olaplex, color lines, and styling products.

So I went to school, apprenticed with my friend and got a hair license.  By that time I was pretty good but always researching, learning, and inventing new techniques. A year later, my friend decided to move to Los Angeles and open another salon while I ran the current one.  I was also traveling back and forth between salons with the idea of ending up in Los Angeles myself.

The year I was planning to move to Los Angeles the North Ridge earthquake happened.  Many people left and Los Angeles went into a bit of a depression. There wouldn’t be enough business for me to move now so within the year I ended up moving to Miami on South Beach and went out on my own.

In South Beach, I rented a room in an existing salon to do hair extensions.  I also started doing hair and make up for photo shoots and TV commercials.  While Miami was beautiful and fun for 4 years, it is a vacation/party town and very transient.

I realized I wanted more stability so I moved to do hair extensions in NYC.  I had friends here and it was a relatively easy transition after the first few years.  I’ve been here for 18 years now and have a wonderful clientele.   The boutique salon I rent space from is warm, inviting, and stress free.

The methods of extensions I offer include tape in, Invisi-Link sew in, halo, and clip in.  All of the hair extensions in NYC I offer are customized to your specific hair needs.  For more information you can contact me by email or phone at 917.482.6493.

Custom Hair by Catherine offers Sew in Hair Extensions|Invisi-Link.   This method uses hand-tied fine wefts of top quality hair that are blended to match your hair color and texture.  This is very important to achieve a perfectly integrated, undetectable result.  The wefts are attached using small flat rings that are attached to your own hair.  Then the wefts are sewn on top so the attachment is hidden which also insures a flat, undetectable result.

Sew in hair extensions|Invisi-Link are non damaging depending on the clients own hair condition and maintenance. Catherine will monitor every client’s hair condition and adjust the method used so the clients own hair is not damaged.  Most people find this method comfortable to wear and not “tight” compared to a traditional weave.

Custom Hair by Catherine is also focused on top quality – providing the hair, attachment, and cut so the client has only one stop to make.  This also insures the client does not have to deal with the many issues that can occur with poor quality hair extensions purchased online or from a beauty supply store.  They are guaranteed as long as the client follows the maintenance care instructions which are given when the hair is attached and cut in.  Catherine can also do color and/or highlights at your maintenance appointment which also makes it convenient for you, the client.

Sew in Hair Extensions|Invisi-Link are one of Custom Hair by Catherine’s specialties.  She’s been in the business over 25 years innovating and/or improving new and old techniques.  The hair used is imported directly to insure the utmost in quality because established relationships have been developed with high quality suppliers.

Call 917.482.6493 or email Customhairbycatherine@yahoo.com today to make an appointment for a complimentary consultation to see for yourself!

Buying the Right Hair Extensions in NYC

Here is information regarding buying the right Hair Extensions in NYC.  There is a direct relationship between quality hair extensions and hair extension prices. While no one wants to overpay for hair extensions and your personal budget is a major factor (sometimes you can only pay what you have). It is important to ask what am I really getting and is it really a value?

If the hair doesn’t match your hair or dries out every month or two so you have to replace it, how much are you really saving? You can save more in the long run by buying better quality hair extensions that don’t need to be replaced every month. You also benefit from hair extensions that look and feel real because you’re receiving a customized service from a Hair Extension Specialist. Buying hair online and finding a hairdresser to install is not the same as a professional application from a knowledgeable Specialist with Custom quality hair.

Quality of Hair When Buying Hair Extensions

Quality of hair is one of the most important factors as to how real your hair extensions will look and feel. Color and texture match is also very important. Most hair extensions today are Indian Remi hair. Many websites and salons selling hair extensions claim this is the best quality hair today. While it is the most used, it is not necessarily the “best”.  “Virgin Indian temple” hair is good quality and good to use if your own hair happens to be dark, fine, and wavy or curly.

Best Hair Extensions Sources

It is also important to know and trust your supplier as just because they say it, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s so. Unfortunately, the internet can make this difficult as many times you have to buy the hair and wear it to see if the quality is there. European/Russian cuticle hair comes in a range of natural colors and is usually best suited for Caucasian hair. Quality Brazilian, Spanish and Indian hair are good for both Caucasian and ethnic hair when matched correctly. Proper blending to match your own hair insures a beautiful result. European hair can also be texturized to match relaxed ethnic hair, is good quality, and lasts a long time with proper maintenance.

Conclusion

Today with the internet, you can buy all types of hair extensions online. Prices range from $20 to $5,000 at some of the high end salons. When comparing prices, keep in mind, Do-it-yourself extensions are never the same quality as you can expect from a professional who specializes in hair extensions and is experienced. Hair purchased online to the public is generally not as good of quality as from a wholesaler or salon that specializes in quality hair. When purchasing hair extensions from a salon, prices can vary by location as overhead and costs are much higher in New York City than other cities.  Do your homework and ask lots of questions at the consultation to determine if what is being offered is true quality. If the stylist isn’t familiar with the different types of hair, methods, and options, they are not experienced or specialized.