Changing Hair Style or Color? Try Glue in or Clip InTracks Instead

Today there is a increasing obsession with fashion and a broadening focus on individuality. Over a decade ago if you wanted to do something to change your hair you only had a few options: hair dye or a wig. New styles and ways of expressing a person's creativity have been surfacing in our society. Clip in or glue in hair is a new fashion statement for the 21'st century. Laying tracks instead of dying your hair is far less damaging and way more creative and fun.

It can be difficult to choose your new tracks if you don't know what you want, or what you are looking for. There are two types: human hair or synthetic. Synthetic hair costs a fraction of what human hair costs, but does not hold up as long and you cannot bleach, dye, straighten or curl it like human hair tracks. You can do anything to human hair tracks that you can do to your real hair. There is a broad range of colors available in various styles at most beauty supply shops near you. A package of human hair tracks range in price from $40 to $150, while the synthetic tracks are more reasonable at $5 to $25 per package.

Part hair. Make sure that there is enough hair to cover the top of the track when you let your hair down. If you do happen to glue in a track too close to the top of your head and it is noticeable then try teasing your hair around the track a bit and apply some extra hold hair spray or hair gel to help secure it.

Before you attempt to cut a piece off the track, make sure you have some sharp scissors and a fine tooth comb nearby. After the snip is made, the cut track can become tangled to itself or to the track it came from. This is easily prevented by spraying an appropriate oil based conditioner to the track. Use a frizz reducing spray like Tre Seme's Anti Sponge treatment for human hair tracks or for synthetic tracks a wig sheen spray can be used instead. Cut pieces to fit the look you are going for. Smaller tracks make nice stripes while a wider piece of track is used for a more chunky look.

When choosing a hair bonding glue, make sure to get black glue for black tracks or if you have dark skin; for blonde or other colored tracks and for use on light skin choosing a white bonding glue is the best bet. Do not glue the track onto your scalp. Glue the track in at the roots as close to the scalp as possible. When you pull back your hair, a track that is glued too close to the scalp will pull and cause a great deal of unnecessary pain.

After placing the track in your hair, make sure the glue is dry by using your fingers to lightly clamp the track to your hair underneath so the track will not slip out by. After it is placed, the length of the new track hair can be cut to match your own hair if desired. If you notice a track in your hair has become loose or is slipping and pulling your hair, part your hair and apply a bit of glue to the loose spots and let dry again completely before.

For the first day, do not wash your hair, use a leave in conditioner, or get it wet; the glue has to have time to set and dry completely. I have had human hair tracks that lasted up to two weeks with very little re-gluing. To remove your hair tracks you can shampoo and condition with a deep conditioner, or you can use a more potent hair glue removing product that is also available at most beauty supply shops. But be careful not to get it on your scalp or it can burn your skin: this is why I prefer using conditioner and a comb to remove my tracks.

Bleaching and dyeing your hair too frequently can cause irreversible damage and could even possibly cause your hair thinning. If you have thin hair, you can use tracks to give the appearance of thicker and fuller locks. If you have been putting off cutting your hair and wonder what you would look like with bangs, try it out for a day before making any kind of commitment.