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Product Spotlight: Lace Front Minis

Walker Tape Lace Front Mini's image

Holistique Hair System Products are excited to introduce to you the new packaging for Walker Tape Lace Front Minis.

Lace Front Minis combines one of Walker Tapes most popular tapes with one of their most popular shapes. Lace Front Minis give the most natural look, maximum comfort, security and ease of use with a superb hold time of up to 4 weeks. Each tape measures just 80 x 20mm making them perfect to carry with you for touchups between hair system installs.

Here are a couple of answers to questions about hair system Lace Front Mini product:

What is Walker Tape Lace Front Tape?  

  • Lace Front Tape is made specifically for lace front hair systems
  • It is made with the dullest finish available and provides the most natural look
  • It can hold for up to 4 weeks

Why use minis over conventional contours?  

  • The smaller size allows you to place the tape exactly where it is needed on the unit
  • No more cutting down to size with sticky scissors
  • They are great for touchups in between hair system installs


Walker Tape Lace Front Minis Directions

In case you have never used Walker Tape mini shapes before, here are some quick directions on how to use them:

Peel the blue liner and tape together off of the white liner. Place this tab where desired on the hair system. Repeat as needed. When ready to apply to the scalp, peel off the remaining blue liner pieces. For easier application use Walker Just Right Positioning Spray.

New stock is arriving at Holistique before the end of August. View our range of Walker Tape Contours and Minis.

by  | Walker Tape | Aug 15, 2016

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Walker Tape Lace Front Thin Review

Walker Tape Lace Front Thin attaching hair system at the hairline image

This past week Walker Tape received this great review on Walker Tape Lace Front Thin tape.  Holistique wanted to share his thoughts on this great, but lesser known tape.

Walker Tape Lace Front Thin attaching hair system at the hairline image
Walker Tape Lace Front Thin attaching hair system at the hairline

“I’m a HUGE fan of the Walker Tape 3-mil tape (Lace Front Thin) for attaching my system at the hairline.  I have been using it for about a year now, and I’m sure I will never go back to using glue again.  The 3-mil is so much easier to use, and it gives an amazing, flawless result – honestly better than I was ever able to achieve with liquid adhesive.  I’m a member on a couple of hair forums, and I’m constantly telling whoever will listen that they should give the 3-mil a try!  I’m terrified that it might be discontinued if not enough people use it, so I’m trying to make sure everyone knows how good it is!” – Dave

If you have comments or reviews that you would like to share, please feel free to contact us.

View the Walker Tape Range available in the UK at Holistique

 

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Choosing the right Hair System Adhesive

Hair System Adhesive selection image

Choosing the right Hair System adhesive can be confusing. Holistique is here to help.

Selecting a hair system adhesive best suited for your needs may seem easy, but with all of the options available you could find yourself overwhelmed and confused.

Your choice of adhesive should be based on your lifestyle, climate and scalp sensitivity.

Firstly consider how long you will wear your hair system, what sort of climate you live in; humid, dry, hot or cold? What sort of lifestyle you have, do you swim, go to the gym, sit under air conditioning all day? Do you sweat or have a sensitive scalp? Once you have the answers to these questions you will be on your way to working out which adhesive is best for you.

Water based or Solvent based?
Traditionally, hair system adhesives are solvent-based, much like other types of glue. This technology has been around for a while and some excellent products Ultra Hold, Mity-Tite, For Women Only exist that will ensure a tight hold for extended wear. These types of hair system adhesives require the use of specialised preparation solutions (Scalp Protectors) before application and solvents for removal C22; S3 Sensitive Skin; Lace Release; Ghost Buster, Ultra Safe.

Despite the advanced application and removal products available, those with very sensitive skin or conditions like eczema or psoriasis may still experience dryness and irritation. Some people even have mild allergic reactions to the chemicals used in these products, which can impact the length of time they can wear their hair system with comfort.

Fortunately, these concerns have led to the development of excellent water-based hair system adhesives Safe Grip; Ghost Bond and Great White that are much gentler on the skin and offer many additional benefits. Water-based adhesives are generally easier to apply and remove and some offer a level of hold for periods of time comparable to solvent-based adhesives. They often require less preparation and can be removed with soap and water. This is ideal for those with extra-sensitive skin who want to reduce the amount of products they use on their scalps. A water-based adhesive will go on clear and is not stringy like the traditional solvent-based alternative, which makes for an attractive appearance that requires very little touch up.

However, even the strongest water-based adhesive will not last as long as a solvent-based. If you do not have sensitive skin or allergies and you need to wear your hair system for more than two months, the solvent-based adhesives could be a better choice.

Each hair system adhesive responds to weather and certain climates differently, so bear in mind your lifestyle to best understand the kind of adhesive that you need for optimum results. For example, swimmers and athletes may require a waterproof adhesive, as moisture may compromise the integrity of the hair system hold. Sun and humidity not only do damage to the hair system but also may affect the adhesive. Bacteria can be a major issue for hair system wearers, especially in high humidity and the scalp becomes sweaty. Look for adhesives with an anti-microbial formulation that will ensure you feel cool and comfortable, and consider scalp preparation products Scalp Scrub; No Sweat to help combat any bacterial issues.

If you prefer to use hair system tapes then you can find more information in our JUNE blog post.

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Which hair tape is best for me?

Let’s Cut the Red Tape

One of the most frequently asked questions is “Which hair tape is best for me?” and the answer is as tricky to answer as “How long is a piece of string?”

It depends on a myriad of circumstances such as your lifestyle, how long you wear your hair system, climate, scalp condition and a raft of others in-between. However, the main criteria for choosing your hair tape is to decide the length of time you want to wear your hair system and this will determine whether you need a short, medium or extended wear tape.

If you choose to bond your hair system but remove it daily (or every 1-3 days) then you will want to choose a low-tack tape that is still secure but designed for short term use so you can safely remove it from your scalp without damaging the base. Hi Tack tape from Walker Tape is a great hypoallergenic tape that provides relief for sensitive scalps and is the lowest tack tape in the range and will provide a good bond for 1-5 days.

Extended wear tapes are designed to last approximately 1-4 weeks depending on the tape but the length of hold will depend on body chemistry, lifestyle and maintenance routine and so a 4+ week hold is not guaranteed in every case – typical hold times vary and are about 2-3 weeks on average. When considering an extended wear tape it is recommended that you take into consideration other factors such as:

Oily skin: if you have very oily skin, chances are that any tape will break down much faster. For example, a four-week tape might only last you three days! Some tapes might not necessarily be designed for oily skin, but are known to work well such as Ultra Hold and Supertape

Sensitive skin: if you know yourself to have sensitive scalp skin or are having a reaction to another adhesive, you may want to consider tapes which are manufactured to medical grade or hypoallergenic standards. Good examples of these tapes are Pro Flex and No Shine. This is in no way to be considered medical advice. If you have a skin reaction, please discontinue the product and contact a physician immediately.

Shine free: if you wear a light density hair system or you want to bond to a delicate lace base then choose a tape designed to have no or low shine such as No Shine or Lace Front Support (also known as Blue Liner)

Another consideration is what type of hair system you wear. It is highly recommended that you use Sensi-Tak directly on poly edges or traditional skin bases prior to attaching your extended-wear tape to your hair system base. Sensi-Tak (also known as Red Liner) tape is clear with a disposable red liner. It will securely adhere to the poly, but greatly diminish the amount of time and effort needed to clean the base since it doesnt break down like an extended-wear tape. Red liner tape will not compromise the length of your bond provided you use a second extended-wear tape on top of it to attach to your scalp.

Hair tapes come in various sizes, widths and strips. Contour tape strips are mostly commonly used at the front hairline or back of the hair system. Tapes also come in rolls that vary in both length and width. The rolls allow you to customize the area of your hair system that is taped – they also allow you to purchase a hairpiece tape that will fit the exact width of your polyurethane perimeter. Rolls of hairpiece tape normally sell in widths of 3/4″ and 1″ and in lengths of 3 yards or 12 yards so you will have plenty to work with before you run out and need to re-order.

No matter where you buy your toupee tape or what type or size you prefer to use, its important to know how to best apply and wear it, which we will look at in a future blog post.