Getting the Valentine’s Day look

It’s officially the month of love, so ladies, it’s time to start planning your look for that special someone on February 14th. Will you be the lady in red? Perhaps you’re going for the traditional little black dress? However you dress to impress, your hairstyle can truly make or break your look. But don’t fear, we have been on the search for the hottest Valentine’s Day hairstyles so you don’t have to. Whatever your length, whatever your hair colour, we’re sure you’ll find one you love!

Braiding hair

Fishtail Braid

This super cute hairstyle will make heads turn when you arrive at your date! A beautiful twist on the traditional plait, this hairstyle does requires long locks to fulfill its full beautiful potential.

How to:

  • Step 1 – Tie your hair in a ponytail and then split into two section
  • Step 2 – Grab the small section of hair from the underside of the right section
  • Step 3 – Pull this small section of hair over the large right section towards the middle of the two large sections
  • Step 4 – Connect the small section to the large left section and hold tight
  • Step 5 – Now grab a small section of hair from the underside of the left section, pull it over towards the middle and connect with the large right section
  • Step 6 – Keep alternating sides and repeating the process until you reach the bottom of your hair
  • Step 7 – Tie with a hairband and loosen the fishtail slightly for a more natural look

There you have it, 7 steps to a stunning hairstyle. Give it a go and rock your locks this Valentine’s Day!

Fishtail braid

Top Knot

The more casual approach to hairstyling, if your Valentine’s Day plans are throughout the whole day or just a lunchtime affair, this is the perfect hairstyle for you. Although this style works more easily on women with long hair, it is achievable for those who have mid to shoulder length hair too!

How to:

  • Step 1 – Pull the top half of your hair away from the rest of your head
  • Step 2 – Tie this hair into a messy bun with a hairband and secure with hair clips if necessary
  • Step 3 – To add that extra wow factor, add some beach waves to the the rest of your hair with a curler or tongs and spray with hairspray to set

That’s it! Now go and show off your tousled waves and messy top knot to the world!

Topknot

The Twist Hairdo

This awesome hairdo is perfect for ladies with shoulder length or shorter hair (but can also look great on long hair too) and it’s oh so simply to create! If you’re after a natural and elegant style on Valentine’s Day, this hairstyle is a must.

How to:

  • Step 1- Part your hair down the middle
  • Step 2 – Pick up a section of hair from the front right (however large you want, but we would suggest around 3-inches) and comb
  • Step 3 – Twist the hair and pin at the back
  • Step 4 – Repeat the same on the left hand side
  • Step 5 – Hold the two twists in one hand and remove the clips with the other, and tie the two twists together with a hairband.

Voila! A cute and easy hairstyle for your date.

The Twist

Triple Twist Buns

This might well be our favourite hairstyle yet, and can work on any length hair from shoulder onward! Flourishing with unique style, this trendy look will make you the star of the show on Valentine’s Day.

How to:

  • Step 1 – Divide your hair into 3 equal sections and tie each into a low ponytail with a hairband.
  • Step 2 – Take the first ponytail and twist it around itself to form a small bun. Pin this into place with a hair slide
  • Step 3 – Repeat this with the remaining two ponytails
  • Step 4 – Spritz on some hairspray to keep your look in place

Who knew a gorgeous look could be made so easily? Give it a try and the results will speak for themselves!

Triple Twist

Extensions

If you’re looking for some added volume, or want your locks to be long and full this Valentine’s Day, extensions are a fantastic way to give you your dream look!

Here at Lucinda Ellery, we offer 3 different types of human hair extensions – Euro Grade, Brazilian Virgin and Russian Virgin – to give you the very best results. By matching them to your existing colour, no-one will believe that it isn’t your real hair!

Book your FREE consultation to discuss how you can be everyone’s hair goals this Valentine’s Day by popping us a message on Facebook.

The Lucinda Ellery Team x

New year, New Hair: Invest in hair extensions

What are your new year’s resolutions? Some of you may be hitting the gym, or promising yourselves you’re finally going to learn French. But at Lucinda Ellery we believe the most important resolution to make is to work on your confidence, and we have a way to make it a little easier for you. We’re sure you’re aware of the power hair has; a bad hair day can leave you feeling a bit deflated. On the other hand a good hair day can give you that extra boost of confidence – and that’s where we step in, with Lucinda Ellery hair extensions, you can have a good hair day every day.

Lucinda Ellery Hair Extensions are an investment with the profit being; looking great, feeling amazing and causing everyone around you a lot of hair envy. Be careful you don’t listen to the myths about hair extensions, book in a free consultation with us and discover exactly what we can offer. We will find out together the best way to give you the hair you’ve always dreamed of.

Here’s a few reasons why hair extensions are a definite yes:

Length

Woman with long, brown and curled extensions in her hair

A lot of our clients visit our studios and express frustration that their hair doesn’t grow. Our hair extensions are the solution, they’re custom made so that you can finally have your desired length! You can trust that we will make them blend into your natural hair perfectly. If you never tell, people will never know!

Volume

Woman with short, blonde and curled hair extensions

Maybe for you it isn’t about length. Sometimes all you want is a little bit of ‘oomph’ with a boost in volume. With our hair extensions you’ll be sure to have people comment on how thick and healthy your locks look.

Color

Woman with brown curly hair holding it up

Dying your hair can seem like somewhat of a life altering risk. If you’re looking to experiment with different colors in your hair, or a new hair style completely, hair extensions can take away the risk. We’ll work together to find out how to give you that “new year, new me” change you’ve been craving – but without risking your hair’s natural beauty.

No Damage

Woman with long curly blonde hair standing in front of a pink wall

You’ve hit the jackpot! You can change your hair to however you like and you won’t even damage your natural hair. At Lucinda Ellery hair safety is of paramount importance. Why should looking amazing come with a price? We have been providing top quality hair extensions since 1984 so we know a thing or two about it. Whether your hair is thin, thick, short or long. We can have it looking fabulous!

Never underestimate the power of good hair. Book in for a free consultation now and we’ll have a chat about how we can make 2019 the year you had amazing hair!

Hair Extension Myths: Fact vs Fiction

It’s a common misconception that hair extensions are bad for your hair, but these ideas are mostly based on extreme examples and media scare stories. Whether you’re looking to get hair extensions and are worried about the side effects, have had a bad experience before, or you are a first time hair extension user, we aim to give you a run down of all the facts that totally put those myths to bed!

hair extensions arranged side by side

#1 Hair Extensions Will Leave Your Hair Damaged and Broken

Anyone who says that hair extensions damage your hair have clearly has never visited a Lucinda Ellery Studio, because this is totally FALSE! Otherwise why would so many women come back to us again and again?

This sort of story often comes from papparazi pictures of models who are constantly in the limelight and whose hair is being continually reshaped, colored and re-styled, with extensions taken in and out, for the demands of the next photoshoot or catwalk appearance. Their hair is often under stress and it’s surprising that it survives without more damage. However this is not typical of most women, who have no such pressures and are wearing their extensions for their own satisfaction and can take time to look after them.

The facts are that if your extensions are chosen to match your hair type and fitted correctly there is no reason that they would damage your natural hair. Each of our application methods have been refined and developed in-house to ensure you are being fitted with the best extension type for your hair needs. Our technicians take the safety of your hair very seriously, offering you a free consultation and free test extensions to make sure that your hair is suitable for them, as well as a comprehensive guarantee period while you’re wearing the extensions.

rear and side views of model wearing extensions

#2 Hair Extensions Won’t Blend In

Weve all seen those £5 hair extensions that you can get online and gasped at the thought of how bad they will look once applied, – they look artificial and they’re mostly a single color with little blending so they stand out like a sore thumb. But don’t worry, that is not the case with our high quality hair extensions.

Our ranges are custom made for you. We will closely color match your new extensions to the colors and shades of your natural hair, allowing them to seamlessly blend in – with no fear of the dreaded ‘I can see your extensions’ comments. Depending on the style you choose we can blend the hair to achieve highlights or lowlights, so that the end result has the same depth and look as a totally natural head of hair. Now, we think you can pop that myth in the hypothetical trash!

color matching hair extensions

#3 I Can’t Treat My Extensions Normally

We’ve developed our fitted extensions so that you can treat them the same as you would your natural hair, meaning that this common misconception doesn’t have to be a worry anymore. You can shower, swim, head out in the rain and use heat exactly as you would normally.

Our decades of experience have also shown us that there are certain products on the market that will enhance your extensions more than others and we offer excellent aftercare information explaining how to look after your new hair to keep it looking soft and lustrous.

hair conditioning treatments

With those misconceptions out of the way, you can see that there’s no reason not to have the hair of your dreams, so why not book in to come and see us and we can show you the possibilities. We offer no-obligation FREE consultations where we can talk about your hair goals and discuss the options we have for you. Choose your style and color, then come back at a later date and have your wonderful new locks fitted. If you have any other extension concerns, don’t hesitate to pop us a message or call one of our studios for a chat.

3 Reasons Why You Should Choose Hair Extensions

It’s a phrase we hear often: ‘I wish I had longer hair’. Thanks to the help of hair extensions, we can make that wish come true.
Is it worth taking the plunge? Will it look natural? Yes, and yes. We’re going to take you through the top three reasons we think hair extensions are the best option for you, other than that we think they look totally beaut.

extensions creating long soft curls

Grow baby, grow

Struggling to get your hair to grow past a certain point, no matter how gentle and caring you are? We know how you feel. We have various ranges of extensions that enable your hair to grow naturally whilst giving you the length you desire, totally damage free.

Maybe you have instant regret after getting that short crop cut that you saw in a magazine last month – it happens to the best of us! Extensions can be a simple solution to your hair regrets and can also be an excuse to try out something new. The fact they are super safe and still allow your hair to grow normally is what makes them one of the best options for you.

horrified to have hair cut short

Cracking colour choices

The chance to try out different colours without damaging your natural hair is one of our favourite benefits of extensions. When you come in for an initial consultation, we will run through the fitting process and discuss what colour you would like your extensions to be, giving you the opportunity for your inner hair diva to run free. Add some highlights, balayage, or go for a totally new colour. Simple, easy to apply and no worries about long term colour commitments. If you don’t like the results, you can have them taken out – easy peasy!

Coloured hair is the perfect candidate for sassy updos and intricate, detailed styles. Give braids, plaits, low ponytails and messy buns a go – the hair reigns are now in your hands.

hair for adding volume

Plump it up

If anyone tells you they haven’t dreamt of having voluminous hair at least once, we think they must be lying. In our eyes, the bigger the better (although some could say we’re biased). One thing that extensions are awesome for is giving you volume and adding that extra ‘oomph’ you’ve been craving. Go from thin to thick in a matter of hours, with results that last for months.

To add some serious drama to your look, you could opt for both length and volume. When you come in for your initial consultation, colour, style, length and volume can all be discussed.

long voluminous curls

Now we’ve persuaded you to consider hair extensions, head over to our Instagram page to see some of our real life transformations. Alternatively, you can pop in to one of our salons and chat to our hair fairies about your options. You won’t regret it!

Lots of love, the Lucinda Ellery Team x

Long hair, don’t care

From the Fashion Week FROW to the Met’s iconic red carpet, hairstyles are turning heads like never before. And in the battle of the locks, a handful of celebs are going to extremely great lengths to come out on top. Whether it’s slicked back behind the ear, pulled high in a sky-scraper pony, or left loosely flowing in beach-babe waves, the hot-test hair styles of SS17 are the ones that go on. And on. And on.

NYFW saw Kimmy K’s signature dark tresses flow all the way down to her famous der-rière, while sister Kourtney’s sky-high pony cascaded down her back Ariana-style. But when it comes to asking the mirror on the wall who has the longest hair of all, there’s only one image that pops up. And it’s Nicki Minaj strutting her stuff around Paris. The real life Rapunzel had locks so long they were described by Vogue to be in ‘ankle grazing territory’. Yes, ANKLE grazing.

Dreaming of Lusciously Long Locks

While hair-down-to-your-feet is a bit OTT for us everyday gals, dreaming of lusciously long locks is something we can all relate to. And with the long bob taking last season by storm, most of us are further away than ever from this never-ending fairytale look. The reality is, hair takes a long time to grow. And even if we achieved this long haired look the natural way, we’d soon face a heart-wrenching dilemma when a pixie cut becomes the new must-have. No, the only way to have all the fun of a Barbie doll is to enlist a helping hand. And while many of these 32-inch trend-setters have the help of hair revolutionary Chris Appleton, you can rely on the expertise of Lucinda Ellery.

Turn Up the Volume

Of course, hair extensions do far more than lengthen your mane. For decades, stars have been using them to create the fabulously voluminous Hollywood hairstyles that grace our TVs and magazines today. And using hair extensions to thicken what God gave us is becoming more and more popular off the red carpet too. Extensions are increasingly used to combat the appearance of hair loss, and they’re also a great way to play around with color and style (without the worry of damaging your natural hair).

Hair extensions — also known as hair integrations — come in every length, color, material and price-point you can imagine. It’s easy to get tangled up in it all — so we’re going to break it down. First things first; the hair itself — human or synthetic? Well, when it comes to hair, you get what you pay for: 100% human hair (available in Euro-grade, Russian and Brazilian) is the most popular (and expensive) choice. While synthetic options are less natural than human hair, they’re still popular for one-off ‘fashion’ looks such as festival-favorite color pop pastel strands.

The Appliance of Science

When it comes to the application of hair extensions, new technologies are ever changing and different methods are favoured by different salons. The original and most basic way to achieve the long-haired look is the old-fashioned clip-in. In within minutes, out within seconds; these are the original old school extensions. The downside to clip-ins is that they don’t move with your natural hair, so they’re not great for styling (and near impossible for high-ponying). If you’re looking for a temporary solution with less bulk than the clips, there’s the option of tape-ins. Which; as their name suggests, involves a high grade tape that attaches the extension weft to your own hair, achieving a longer lasting result that you can both sleep and shower in. Like clip-ins, they don’t move with your natural hair so they can be tricky to style and conceal. Another popular option is weaving (or sewing) the extension weft in. This attachment method tends to be more popular among Afro-Caribbean ladies (and anyone else lucky enough to have a thick voluminous head of hair) because the signature can appear bulky under finer, thinner hair.

If you’re looking for a true Rapunzel reformation, your best bet is to opt for high quality human hair, applied with semi-permanent polymer bonds or micro rings. While not as favored as polymer bonds, micro rings are a popular purse-friendly way to achieve the long-lock look. They’re easy to maintain, remove and (most importantly) re-use; and we like to think of them as the new and improved clip-in. The limitations of micro rings are that the hair extensions themselves come in a limited range of colours, (unlike polymer extensions which come in thousands of colors) so depending on your own hair color it can be tricky to find that perfect match. Also — as with clip-ins — they leave a much bigger signature, so they are not suitable for people with finer hair.

The polymer bonding process, on the other hand, is ideal for all hair types and colors. It involves using liquid resin to bond free-flowing strands of human hair to the free-flowing strands of hair on your head. It’s important to note that this is NOT the acrylic glue found in pre-bonded extensions; this resin has been specially formulated to ensure hair extensions are safe, non-toxic and 100% non-damaging to your hair. As they are bonded strand by strand they move with your hair and look entirely natural, making them the ideal choice if you want to keep your hair extensions your little secret.
So that’s it for the lowdown on the wild and wonderful world of extensions. With so many choices there’s something for everyone, and the Lucinda Ellery advisors are here to guide you through. Whether you’re looking to lengthen, thicken or conceal; we say fake it till you make it.