DONNA BELLA BUSINESS TIP FOR February 22, 2011 Question: I hear the word “knap” used all of the time in my local salon and I don’t want to feel stupid by asking what it means or where it is. It seems to be used in a variety of ways. Some stylists refer to the knap as part of the hair while others talk about the neck. Which is it? Justi, B. – Bullhead City, Arizona Answer: The word Knap originates from Old English and refers to the crest of a hill. So, over time, we have added a definition to describe the location of the area connecting the back of the neck to the skull. Just run you hand upwar ..read more

DONNA BELLA BUSINESS TIP FOR January 13, 2011 Question: I am getting good at applying the actual hair extensions but struggle organizing the hair in orderly sections at the beginning of the process. I really don’t understand how to get the hair out of the way for easier handling and how to divide the work area on the back of the head. Jafra, T. - Madison, Wisconsin Answer: You are asking about “sectioning the hair”. To section properly, all you need is a rat tail comb an some large clips. Diagonally, divide the clients hair into two equal halves right down the middle of the head. Then use a ra ..read more

DONNA BELLA BUSINESS TIP FOR December 31, 2010 Question: For almost fifteen years, I have had long hair but to be honest with you, I’m bored with my hairstyle.  I’m going to cut it and use extensions from time-to-time so that I have more variety. An organization called Locks Of Love will apparently use my hair to help children who have lost their own hair because of medical issues.  Can you tell me how to go about donating my hair to this or another worthy cause? Linda P – Aberdeen, Washington Answer: Great idea!  With Locks Of Love you’ve found the perfect home for your long ha ..read more

DONNA BELLA TIP FOR December 30, 2010 Question: My hair extensions were put in by a stylist in Nevada, but I have since moved to Ohio.  It’s time for new extensions.  Will any stylist be able to remove my micro bead extensions?  Because of airfare costs, I don’t want to fly back to Reno. Karen G – Sandusky, Ohio Answer: One of the great advantages of having micro bead hair extensions is the ease in removing the extensions.  Ideally, any extension specialist would own a uniquely designed Bead Tool and could quickly remove the your extensions. And there is one other possibili ..read more

Every once in a while, you hear a wild rumor that someone has detected horse hair or lion’s mane or some other kind of crazy animal hair in commercial hair extensions. Even the worst manufacturer in the world wouldn’t stoop to that. Anyway, what are the chances of successfully collecting hair from a lion? But we thought you would enjoy a fun story that got tossed around our office because of one of those impossible rumors. Here is how the idea surfaced and why it should capture the imagination of every hair extension stylist around the globe. We hope you have a good chuckle! My bright and fina ..read more

It’s time to put another myth to rest: “Hair extensions are breaking off my hair.” Let’s first define “breakage”. Broken hair means that the bead, bond, or tape has completely been ripped off of your scalp, leaving you with an extremely short or bald patch of hair with nothing attached to it. It would look like someone cut off the strand along with the extension bond. These situations rarely happen and it’s pretty hard to do unless you take a pair of scissors or rip them off yourself. The truth: Hair extensions DO NOT break off your hair. Shedding, however, is very common. You will know if you ..read more

We like to talk to stylists to get into the nitty gritty of the hair extensions biz. We often hear funny and heartwarming stories about how women have been empowered and transformed by their hair extensions, but occasionally we hear some horror stories too! Don’t worry, these anecdotes aren’t meant to freak you out, merely to inform. Someone far more intelligent than me once said (and I read this on the internet, so you know it’s true) “Smart people learn from their mistakes. Really smart people learn from the mistakes of others.” Here’s a few of the mistakes we’ve seen, and some commentary fo ..read more