By Matilda Nzioki
Some artificial hair costs up to Sh80,000 depending on length, origin while others grow it to make a living
You’ve probably seen celebrities like Sheila Mwanyiga, and even Michelle Obama spotting soft cascading hair and wondered how they achieve this Caucasian natural look as black women. It doesn’t come cheap.
You would be forgiven for not thinking about hair beauty when you discover the huge amounts of money black women spend to attain such soft, long flowing hair that looks natural.
Women of African descent are willing to spend on average thrice the amount that Caucasian women use on hair according to market research firm Mintel Group. The incredible lengths black women go to achieve natural looking soft and fine hair is mostly something of a guilty secret. Even black men have habitually been kept in the dark about the salon ongoings, and also how much it costs, as some artificial hair pieces go for up to Sh80,000.
The most expensive hair extensions are the natural hair collected from people in Asia countries. They are mostly Indian, Chinese, Brazilian, Mongolian and Malaysian. Women, and sometimes men, mostly from poor backgrounds grow their hair and sell to wig and weave-making factories for about Sh2,000.
“This is a cut-throat business. You can’t imagine how much women are willing to spend to look good,” says Gloria Gummerus from Hairnest Salon in Viewpark Towers, Nairobi, that specialises in high-end hair make-ups.
“Ladies will not want to compromise on hair. One could have nice clothes but with bad or cheap hair, they will not look good,” adds Gummerus. With the desire to have long lustrous and flowing look, more and more ladies are trying to achieve the style. But what if you have short, flat or thin hair?
“Trying to get long silky looks in these cases can be a nightmare, and that’s why these hair extensions are sought,” says Felista Munyiva of Leo Salon, located on Westlands’ Victoria Plaza. What one spends varies depending on the type of hair and method used to put it on. Raw or virgin (untreated) human hair costs more than that which has undergone chemical processes such as applying crème relaxer or colour.
Virgin, also called “cuticle” hair is more expensive because when hair is harvested from a donor, the cuticle remains intact, as it has not been chemically treated. The hair cuticle is the outermost part of the hair shaft that protects the hair from damage.
“We have Indian remy, euro remy and a wide range of hair that will cost you between Sh10,000 to Sh50,000, depending on factors like its length and where it’s coming from,” says Gummerus. Remy is shiny soft human hair that has a longer lifespan and is readily available in beauty shops.
“Indian hair is most popular among our clients because it has less fakes,” says Grace Schneider, a hair extensions specialist from Farouq’s Salon at The Mall in Westlands.
At Farouq’s, one has to part with Sh25,000 for a 20-inch extension and Sh15,000 for an 18-inch extension.
At Leo’s, stocked with Peruvian hair, it costs Sh10,000 for the shortest extension.
These prices exclude labour charge to fix the extension on the head. There are different techniques of at
taching hair extensions, some of which are longer lasting like micro-weaving, micro-looping, micro-bonding, and using micro-rings. “When the extension is well matched in colour and texture and is professionally applied by a competent stylist, hair extensions will mix in and move naturally with a persons own hair, making it difficult to tell the person is wearing them,” says Munyiva.
She tells Shillings&Sense that the method one chooses depends on many factors: including one’s hair, lifestyle, budget, and needs. “Fusion bonding is about Sh15,000, and micro-weaving costs from Sh10,000 to Sh15,000,” adds Gummerus.
In fusion bonding, extensions are hot glued to one’s natural hair. Micro-weaving at Farouq’s is Sh15,000. “This one lasts up to six months, so long as one treats regularly and brush-blow-dries,”says Schneider(pictured).
In use of micro-rings, extensions are fixed using small metal rings that are lined with silicon to prevent slippage. It lasts for four to six months.
Expensive hair modes
During the time, the user is required to wash and style it at least every three weeks. This is another Sh2,000 for every trip to the hairdresser. Consumers say they spend on this hair and its expensive modes of fixing as it is quality, hence does not look unnatural on the head.
“I like virgin Indian hair. It’s expensive but worth every penny because when I weave it on, it goes for seven months,” Tabitha Mueni, a businesswoman who prefers micro-weaving the human hair defends the idea.
Gummerus argues that one would rather spend a lot rather than deal with cheap tangling extensions. “This hair gives one a natural look. There’s no short cut. If you want the star look, you have to pay for it,” she says.
Furthermore the hair is said to be an investment as it can be re-used for a very longtime. “It’s a long-term investment, we call it gold. After removing it, it’s washed and stored for later use, and all one will be paying for is labour to fix it,” comments Schneider.
Munyiva of Leo salon says that the biggest advantage of investing in remy hair is that one doesn’t have to wait for their hair to grow as African hair is slow in growth. “Extensions will give you the hair you desire in the quickest possible time,” she quips. “Some friends have insinuated that it’s not a smart financial route, but I can afford it and in the long run, we are spending the same on hair, if I’m not saving more,” comments another user, Leila Okal. This lucrative business has seen entrepreneurs stocking human hair in lace wigs too. At Farouq’s, the wigs go from Sh35,000 to Sh80,000.
To fix it at Hairnest, it will cost you Sh10,000. Fixing is done in a way the hair looks like it is growing from one’s scalp, as the wigs’ base is made of lace. The wig can be stored and re-used over and over.
To many of us, these advanced hair techniques seem to cost much but beauty parlours and several others located in upmarket areas do have a strong clientele base.
“We attend to ladies spending up to Sh50,000 everyday,” says Schneider who adds that women are willing to go the extra mile since these hairdos allow them as ethnic women to have naturally wavy hair of any length they desire.
The business is made more profitable by the fact that when one goes ‘long, thick and silky’ they do not want to go back to ‘short and frizzy’. “It’s addictive. Majority of our clients do not ever wear their natural hair again,” says Schneider.
“Before I used to buy the non-remy affordable weaves for Sh2,000 and after three weeks or when it gets rained on, it tangles and I have to buy another one, but not anymore. This is good quality. You remove it when it’s due, wash it and store it to wear next time,” explains a consumer called Mueni.
Beauty business seems to be a worthwhile choice, considering these huge amounts spent are excluding other beauty areas that are equally abundantly splurged on such as nails and facial products.
