Review of HairUWear POP Put on Pieces Vibralite Synthetic Hair Extensions

Last fall I saw a picture of Farah Fath, who plays Gigi Morasco on One Life to Live, and she had an adorable haircut. At that time, my hair was just past my shoulders. I decided I had to have Farah's haircut, took a scissors to the bathroom (I used to be a cosmetologist), and with the aid of many mirrors placed at several angles, I was able to give myself a pretty awesome haircut. It was an angled bob, and I got a lot of compliments on the cut.

I tend to get bored with my haircuts and then suddenly decide that I want longer hair again. My hair did not grow very fast over the winter. Remember those dolls that we had when we were little that we could give haircuts to and then just simply pull the hair long again? There was a bunch of extra hair encased in the doll's head to make this possible. Unfortunately, and as much as I wish it were true, we are not made that way.

My ever-impatient self decided to buy hair extensions. I did some on-line shopping and settled on the extensions I thought would be the most convenient for me. I bought a two-piece wavy extension system by POP Put On Pieces. These extensions are made from Vibralite synthetic fiber and they clip in. I decided on honey blond.

When buying on-line, it can be very difficult to match up the color selection with your own hair shade. When I got the extensions, they were darker than I expected. I ended up coloring my hair twice in one week in order to match them up. The first color ended up slightly green (don't ask...this is one reason why I am no longer a cosmetologist). Anyway, the second color was a keeper and matched up very well with the extensions.

There is a large, three-tier piece that has six clips. This large system can be worn alone. It is centered at the back of the head measured about one inch up from the temple. This piece alone adds a great deal of volume and length. The second smaller, bi-level piece can be used along with the large system in order to achieve more length. When using the smaller system, it is applied first at the nape. Then the larger system can be clipped in.

I find these extensions to be light and comfortable. Even though they are made of synthetic fiber, they look very real. After back combing the layer of your own hair in which the clips will be placed, they are easy to clip in and they stay put all day. In just minutes, I can have long, attractive hair.

I shampooed my extensions with a gentle shampoo as was recommended. I purchased a detangler that can be used for human hair extensions or synthetic hair extensions. Once washed and combed out, the extensions lost some of their previous luster and curl. Since you cannot use heat on these extensions, I recommend using rollers to maintain any waves or curls and air drying only.

They tend to mat up a bit underneath as the day wears on. In order to prevent any serious matting, go through them with a wide-tooth comb or your fingers before and after each use. Storing them in a hair net also keeps them in good shape and keeps them from tangling. The key in combing them is to be gentle. I have worn mine seven times and can see a little breakage on the ends. So remember: gentle, gentle, gentle.

As the large system is one big chunk of hair, blend-ability can be an issue, especially if your hair is frizzy compared to the smooth fiber of the extension. With a little patience though, and sometimes securing your own hair in amongst the extension with hair pins, they can be blended in very well. If the extensions are shinier than your own hair, you could buy a shine spray to spray lightly on your own hair for a more consistent shine throughout.

The only big problem I had was wind. My own hair is rather fine. I found out that I need to use an extra-hold hairspray if it is windy. When I went out my hair blew around a little and exposed the elastic band that holds the clips and extension in place. This can be embarrassing. Although I feel like I have a case of helmet head when I use an extra-hold hairspray, it is worth it when it is windy. It just keeps it all together better.
With gentle treatment and careful maintenance of these synthetic hair extensions, you can achieve a long and voluminous hair style at a reasonable cost that averages $50 for the two-piece system.