(04-20-2010, 04:34 PM)alex Wrote: I know its all sold seperately but can someone pls list all the supplies I will need for the general upkeep of a full cap?
thanks
Here is a chapter from my Full Cap eBook that I wrote on supplies. This should give you a good starting point-
Chapter 5- Supplies
While you are waiting for your hair system to arrive it’s time to start gathering the supplies you will need to attach, remove, clean, and maintain your full cap.
Attachment
In the world of Do It Yourself hair, there are two methods of attachment; tapes and glues. Each has its advantages and its disadvantages depending upon certain factors.
First, lets take a look at a few of the more popular types of tape.
For daily or temporary attachments, basic white liner hairpiece tape might be your best choice. The least tacky of all of the tapes, white liner tape is suitable when a high degree of adhesion is either not necessary or not desired, such as if wish to remove your hairpiece on a daily basis. The next strongest tape is Red Liner, which is also suitable when a strong bond is not required. This tape is mainly used for hairpieces with skin bases, or as an underlayment for glue to ease clean-up when attaching a hair system. When a strong bond is necessary, Blue Liner is the tape of choice for many hair wearers. There are several other tapes on the market today that many people swear by for a long attachment time, low shine, and ease of cleanup, but for this eBook I will only be illustrating the basics. The bottom line is that you will need to try various tapes and glues to find what works best for you.
Basic white liner and red liner tape are fairly easy to work with, and provide an easy to clean solution for those who require a short term bond.
Blue liner tape is my tape of choice, but it does have a few drawbacks.
The biggest problem with blue liner is that clean-up can be very messy if the tape is left on for too long. Once the tape begins to break down, it must be removed and cleaned before it becomes gooey and seeps into the lace. This can, however, be a positive quality in areas (such as the nape) that require the adhesive to remain as strong as possible during the entire attachment. Shine is another factor that makes working with blue liner (and many other tapes) a challenge.
Aside from a few drawbacks, blue liner tape gives a super strong hold for most people. I generally use it in combination with glue to get a strong hold and a clean finish, but more on that later.
There are many different types of glue available today for hair system attachment.
The two most popular types are the water based or “white” glues, and the solvent based “clear” glues.
For a shorter term bond, most people prefer to use a water based adhesive. These types of glues generally go on white and dry clear. Some are stronger than others, but you can expect to get anywhere from 1-7 days hold from white glues.
The main advantages of “white” glues are the ease of application and ease of clean-up. Usually applied in two to four layers, white glues are simple to brush or rub on, and clean up is usually simple, as long as the glue is removed before it has a chance to break down and seep into your base material.
Solvent based glues are popular with people who want to achieve a longer bond. Some people are able to get a 14 day or more attachment with solvent based glues, but as with white glues, this depends upon how quickly your individual body chemistry breaks down the glue.
There are a few drawbacks to using solvent based adhesives. First off, they tend to be more difficult to apply than white glues. They tend to be “stringy”, making application challenging for some people.
Clean-up can also be more of a hassle with solvent based glues. The same properties that allow them to provide a stronger hold, also make it more difficult to remove from your skin and from the hair system base, especially if allowed to remain on the skin for too long.
Removal/cleaning/maintenance
Depending upon your lifestyle, body chemistry, and method of attachment, your hairpiece will need to be removed anywhere from every day to every few weeks in order to clean and maintain the unit and your scalp.
-Solvents
First, you will need something to loosen the tape or adhesive enough to release the hair system from your skin.
The most popular product for removing hair systems is 99% alcohol, which can be ordered online or purchased at some local pharmacies.
You can also purchase an alcohol based product called Lace Release, which is usually made with 99% alcohol along with other ingredients to aid in hairpiece removal.
Alcohol based products will help you to remove the hair system, but you will also need an adhesive remover to actually break down the glue to remove it from your skin, and possibly the hair system itself.
You can purchase non-toxic citrus type adhesive removers online or from a local retailer, or you can buy adhesive solvents that are specifically designed to remove hair system adhesives. These products tend to be more expensive than products you might find locally, but they are very effective in removing glue residue without leaving an oily mess. I prefer to “mist” the specialty adhesive removers on the unit itself to remove residues, and the citrus type adhesive removers that I buy locally for removing adhesive from my skin.
-Styling
Although optional, I highly recommend the use of hair styling products to further enhance the illusion of natural, growing hair. There are a myriad of gels, waxes, pomades, creams, puttys, and such that can be used to help shape and control the hair.
Before you buy, read the ingredients list and avoid buying products that contain “bad” alcohol, such as SD alcohol, alcohol denatured, or any other “drying” alcohol. “Fatty” alcohols such as cetyl, stearyl, and cetereal alcohol are derived from alcohol, but are not actually harmful to the hair.
Products that contain silicones such as dimethicone, dimethiconol, and cyclomethicone, and those that contain natural oils such as jojoba oil and macadamia nut oil tend to be good for the hair by helping to condition and protect the hair.
There are many different types of styling products available today, but gels, waxes, and pomades are a few of the most popular among hair wearers.
Styling gels can vary in holding strength and flexibility. Gels tend to give a stronger hold than waxes or pomades, and can be useful in helping to lock the hair in place. Some will also make the hair appear darker than it actually is, which can be useful when trying to blend a lighter color hair system with darker existing hair.
Hair waxes generally provide a more flexible hold, and can be used to add texture and weight, and help sculpt and mold the hair for a more modern style.
Pomades are the “old school” equivalent to today’s waxes. Generally made with a vegetable oil base, they can help to keep moisture and add a little control to the hair.
- Color Control
As your hair system begins to age, the hair will tend to fade, and possibly become “brassy” or “reddish” over time.
There are a couple of different ways to address this.
The quickest, easiest, and least damaging way to correct the color in the hair is to use a temporary coloring product, such as a color infusing conditioner. These conditioners typically last from 1-3 washings, and are a very convenient way to eliminate brassy or red tones or darken faded hair up to 1 or 2 shades.
It isn’t necessary to purchase hair dye until needed, but if the hair requires a more drastic color correction, (more than one or two shades) it might require dye in order to add enough color. Using a hair dye is more difficult than using a coloring conditioner, and as such you might want to consider getting this done by a professional, or at least practicing on an old piece before you attempt to dye a newer unit.
Concealers are another way to help address color issues, but they are generally more useful for blending and temporarily filling in thin areas.
-Other useful items
* Hair dryer. Although using heat to dry a hair system is not recommended, a hair dryer is an extremely handy tool for any hair wearer. You can use it to speed up drying time when using glue for attachments, and to soften tapes to make them easier to handle.
* Mirrors. A handheld mirror is a must for attachments and maintenance.
* Cosmetic pencil. A lip liner or eye liner pencil works well for marking areas you wish to apply adhesive. They are cheap and easy to find at any store that sells cosmetics. I buy lip liner pencils in a bright colors, making the marks very easy to see on skin.
* Fluorescent lighting. Fluorescent lighting tends to accentuate attachment flaws. If you have a good source of fluorescent light it will enable you to spot potential problems you might not otherwise see with incandescent or halogen lighting. Plus, fluorescent lights are much cooler, creating less heat, which is a very good thing when you are attaching your piece. You can change your existing bulbs, or better yet purchase a clamp on style fluorescent lamp that will allow you to focus the light exactly where you need it.
* Combs/Brushes. You will need a wide tooth comb and a high quality brush with plastic ball tipped bristles to be able to manage the hair without causing damage.
* Styro head. A Styrofoam head is one of the cheapest and most useful items a hair wearer can buy. It can be used during cleaning, drying, attaching, and for storage. These can be found at most beauty supply shops, but the larger “male” styrofoam heads tend to work better for male hair systems, and can usually be found at stores that sell mannequins or retail store displays.
* T-pins. T-pins are used to hold the hairpiece on the Styrofoam head and are easy to remove and reposition. You can find t-pins in the sewing section of most craft or discount stores.
* Hair clips. Hair clips are cheap and indispensable. Pick up a variety of sizes to help hold the hair back when doing attachments.
* Alcohol dropper. I prefer a “syringe” type plastic dropper for applying alcohol to the piece during removal. This type of dropper is typically used for filling fuel tanks on remote control vehicles and can be found at hobby shops that sell RC cars. You can also use a spray bottle, an eyedropper, or most anything that allows you to dispense a small amount of alcohol on to the piece.
* Spray bottles. Spray bottles are another cheap and handy tool for the DIY hairwearer. They can be used for water to aid in styling. They can also be used for alcohol for cleaning and attachment. You can purchase empty spray bottles of various sizes at drugstores, beauty supply stores, and discount stores.
* Headbands. When removing your system, a headband is a MUST for keeping alcohol and adhesive removers out of your eyes. Most any type of stretchable, absorbent headband can be used. Microfiber headbands are very popular and can be found anywhere hair care products are sold.
* Cotton swabs. Have a box of cotton swabs handy for removing hair that is trapped in glue and cleaning any glue that is outside of the base after an attachment.
* Foam wedges. Foam makeup wedges can come in for applying glue or concealers.
* Brushes. You can purchase packs of small brushes, usually known as “acid” brushes at any number of different retail stores that sell hardware or hobby type items. Some people prefer these brushes for applying glue.
* Finger cots. People who like to use their fingers to apply glue instead of a brush but want to keep their fingers clean often use latex finger cots. These can be purchased at drugstores or most anywhere that sells medical supplies.
* Flat toothpicks/ wooden stir sticks. Wooden stir sticks such as the kind that are used for stirring coffee can be used to apply glue, and flat toothpicks work great for touching up small areas where the base material is lifting.
* Invisible thread/ needle. If you decide to order a swiss lace base, you will probably tear the material eventually, no matter how careful you are. The good thing is that it is very easy to repair small tears and holes using a needle and invisible thread, which is essentially a very thin monofilament nylon line that can be purchased from craft stores and most places that sell sewing supplies.
* Scissors. A pair of small metal scissors is a must for cutting tape, and can also be used to cut poly skin or lace base material. You might also want to pick up an inexpensive pair of hair cutting shears for touch up work, and a pair of blending shears might come in handy if you will be integrating any of your existing hair
* Hobby knife. A hobby knife with a small, sharp, triangular blade is useful for removing the tag and modifying the base of the hairpiece.
* Tweezers. A pair of tweezers with a sharp point is useful for removing the backing from stubborn tapes, and eyebrow type tweezers are excellent for plucking hairs to thin the density of a unit and pluck individual hairs to create a realistic hairline after altering the hairline or temple areas of the piece.
* Paper towels/wet wipes. You will need plenty of paper towels for miscellaneous cleaning. Pre-moistened towels or “wet wipes” can also come in handy.
* Water filter. Depending upon your local water source, you might want to invest in a shower filter to help remove minerals and chlorine that could potentially shorten the life of your piece. They are relatively inexpensive and can be purchased at discount and home improvement stores everywhere.
* Satin pillow case. I have found that cotton and other absorbent materials used to make pillow cases tend to “wick” moisture from processed hair, and can create friction causing the hair to tangle and possibly even shed prematurely. Sleeping with a satin pillowcase is an inexpensive way to help your hair look and feel more natural and last longer.
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