The Tribune

By JEFFARAH GIBSON

Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net

THE world of hair extensions, weaves and wigs can be a challenging one to navigate. There are terms like closures, wefts, human hair, virgin hair and synthetic fibre hair.

And while many think they are knowledgeable and are aware of all the ins and outs when it comes to the topic of hair, a local store proprietor said often women do in fact not know how to wear their weaves and extensions.

During a special launch of a new hair line this Saturday, the Girls Will Be Girls & Ladies Will Be Ladies store, located in the Southwest Plaza, hopes to educate women with workshops and demonstrations. The launch will serve to introduce the Fleek Luxury Hair brand, which features virgin hair only.

Discerning fashionistas know that virgin hair is the way to go when you’re looking to transform your style. Virgin hair means that it is completely unprocessed human hair which is intact and is collected from a single donor.

To earn the qualification of virgin hair it must meet certain strict standards. The hair cannot be chemically processed in any way, not been permed, coloured, bleached or dyed; the cuticles have to be intact and run in the same direction.

To satisfy Bahamian women’s demand for this type of high-end hair, Girls Will Be Girls is now gearing up for the launch of its newest hair line.

Given its diversity and longevity, virgin hair is a very popular choice and is in high demand everywhere.

According to Erika Cooke, president of the Girls Will Be Girls store, there are numerous brands, textures and styles that are featured in the Fleek Luxury Hair line which they are offering, including Brazilian, Peruvian, Russian, Eurasian, Malaysian, Bohemian, Burmese, Mongolian and more.

“February of this year we started carrying 100 per cent virgin unprocessed hair, which simply means you just cut the ponytail off of someone’s hair and put a weft on it,” she told Tribune Woman.

“The reason why we carry brands other than Brazilian and Peruvian is because in my view those brands are played out and everyone looks the same. I am trying to get my customers to experience something new and different that is trending.”

Ms Cooke said the introduction of the hair line also came about they made the decision to re-brand the store.

“We started out 11 years ago and the store was an all-girls store,” she said. “Last year we decided to rebrand and now it is called Girls Will Be Girls & Ladies Will be Ladies due to the fact that the girls would take forever in a store and their mothers would come inside and say, ‘Why don’t you get some stuff so that we can shop at the same time.’

Ms Cooke said the store is inviting all ladies to attend the launch and enjoy a girls’ day out.

During the event there will be hair demonstrations by a local blogger and hair guru who will facilitate a workshop on installing the extensions and hair closures.

“The stylist will be here to show ladies the difference between a lace closure and silk closure. A lot of times women come to buy weaves and we ask them if they would like to purchase a closure with the extensions and they don’t have a clue what a closure is,” Ms Cooke said.

“We find that many women are still wearing weaves where the natural hair that is left out after a sew-in does not blend with the extensions. So we are going to be hosting the workshop on closures, making women aware of what a closure is, what it does and much more.”