For years, Black women have proved to be the most loyal customers of the human hair and extensions industry. From bundles and wigs, to now microlinks and tape-ins, not only have we spent billions of dollars collectively purchasing these goods from vendors, but we have also innovated the ways and techniques in which they are used. While I have been wearing extensions with leave-out for the past five months, I have found it necessary to explain how I keep my leave-out from leaving me.
Where I get My Hair
For the past few months, I have been wearing a Kinky Straight V-part wig, from Alipearl Hair. The biggest disclaimer I have to make, and might reiterate throughout this article, is that you will NOT find quality human hair for very cheap. If you want your hair to last and retain its integrity, you are going to have to open those pockets up. I do not recommend buying $500 to $1,000 hair whatsoever, mainly because it’s easy to get duped if you are a beginner, and those prices are just very extreme. If you are like me and looking for longer hair, be ready to spend $200 to $350 dollars.
Personally I am a huge fan of the kinky straight texture, and believe it makes it easier to blend with your leave-out. Not to mention, people do ask me if this is my real hair almost every single time I leave the house. In regards to the quality of the V-part wig I have been wearing, I would definitely say it was middle quality, but it has lasted through tons of washes, blowdrys and heat stylings. Always read reviews prior to buying your hair, but please note, anytime you are buying human hair, you are taking a leap of faith.
Leave-Out Routine
Let’s get into the actual leave-out routine, and how I avoid extreme heat damage. I am no cosmetologist, but I am currently working through trial and error to see what works best for my hair.
Prior to sewing down my wig, I make sure to wash my hair thoroughly. If you read my previous article you know I aim to wash my hair every 7 to 10 days to maintain my scalp health. Washing your hair thoroughly before heat styling is important, because putting heat on dirty hair can cause a lot of damage.
After washing and blow drying my hair, I start the braid down process. You can honestly mold down your hair in any way to get it to fit under the wig, however I prefer neat cornrows to get a super flat base, as well as access to my scalp when it’s time to shampoo it again.
The most important step in this process is to make sure you have as little leave-out as possible, especially if your hair is way shorter than the extensions. I usually take the rattail comb and section out the middle part, with a little bit of hair on each side, as well as my edges.
After I have the leave-out sectioned and the rest of my hair braided down, I sew the wig down onto my anchor braid, the same way one would traditional bundles. From there, I comb my leave-out into place, and apply a foaming lotion on it, while combing it down into my wig, and sit under my hooded dryer to let it mold.
After that I simply blow dry all of the hair, add more heat protectant and holding spray, press it out and style as I see fit. I wrap my hair up every night, and even wrap it up when I am lounging around my room. I am still working on keeping my hair from puffing up after I shower, and am definitely at mercy of the weather, but having a good routine gives me a good start.
Pros and Cons
Lastly I would like to list some pros and cons to wearing styles that require leaving out some portions of your real hair.
Pros
- Looks extremely natural when installed properly with good quality extensions
- Little to no tension on your edges
- Allows you to try different hair lengths and textures
Cons
- Easily susceptible to heat damage if constantly restyling
- Can look very unnatural if hair is not blended correctly
- The weather is a huge factor, especially if you have natural hair
To reflect, I am really happy that I decided to style my hair with this V-Part wig, and I am learning more about my hair, and Black hair in general everyday. I just purchased my first set of bundles, so stay tuned for an article about the sew-in process very soon.