I watched a number of videos on YouTube before I proceeded to make my own wig however, I quickly found out that while some of the stunning & talented women in the videos were able to make their wigs in a “few hours” it took me forever! Literally I split the process over two days (the weekend) and spent about 10 hours in total. This was only after I had initially made 2 failed attempts (two weekend before) with the Freetress Crochet Braiding hair – Bouncy Twist Out (colour 2).
Freetress Crochet Braiding Hair – Bouncy Twist out
Freetress Crochet Braiding Hair – Bouncy Twist out
I initially wanted to make my wig to look the same as the crochet braids on the hair model however, it proved to be a challenge for me. The hair was just so thick it not only looked overly “fake” on my small face but it was overwhelmingly bulky. So in order not to give up I ended up changing the curl pattern of the hair by: moisturizing, detanglng, separating and re-curling with flexi rods and hot water. Once that was done I was able to make Annabelle with a lot more ease!
I have a detailed review about the crochet hair which I purchased online from Tisun Beauty(you can read about here.)
It is a lot easier to explain my wig making process via video which you will find below.
Would love to hear from you, if you have attempted a DIY wig let me know how it went!
I am currently away on holiday but I prepared a post in advance for my time away and today I shall be doing a detailed review on some Crochet Braiding Hair I bought and used to make a DIY Crochet Wig! The hair I will be reviewing is: Freetress Crochet Braiding Hair Bouncy Twist Outthat is part of theShake-n-Go collection.
Freetress Crochet Braiding Hair – Bouncy Twist out
Before purchasing this particular hair I wanted to read some reviews however, I found out that there was literally hardly any information about the hair (at least from my search). So I decided to buy it anyways because I was in love with the models hairstyle and decided I would try and recreate it but instead of doing crochet braids, I opted to try and make my own DIY Wig. Please note – this review is not about how I made the wig or details on the wig itself, it is simply about the hair used.
NOTE: I paid for the hair myself and I was not requested to do a review on the hair. I simply wanted to share my experience in case some of you come across the hair and want to know what others think about it.
I shall break this review down into two parts: the first will be about the beauty supply store where I purchased the hair from and the second part will be about the hair itself.
I bought the hair online from Tisun Beauty, a beauty supply store that sells not just crochet hair but also weaving hair, braiding hair, clip-ins, wigs, skin care products and hair care products. They also have a store front that you can physically visit in North Carolina (check the bottom of the post for the full addresses). I highly recommend purchasing from Tisun Beauty, they offer a number of different style options, different brands, colours, lengths and hair textures! Another aspect I love is the company’s excellent customer service! I was in touch with Steve and he was extremely helpful! He answered all my questions promptly, provided me with suggestions and was super helpful when it came to the shipping options available to me (shipping outside the States). If you are looking for a source to buy hair, I really do suggest giving them a try and if you get in touch with Steve, rest assured you will be in good hands!
P.s. I have a discount code for any of you that do decide to purchase from Tisun: http://tisun.refr.cc/5XBXKRV. You will get $5 knocked off your order if you use the code and when you purchase from them you automatically get enrolled in the $5 discount referral program too! I got enrolled after making my purchase,
5x Freetress Crochet Braiding Hair Bouncy Twist Out – 23″ in the colour 2 (Dark Brown) $5.99 per packet.
Each packet contained about 10 – 12 strands per pack.
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Cons:
Dry & Rough –When I took the hair straight out of the packet I will be honest, it did feel really really dry and rough. Now I know the texture is suppose to mimic natural (black) hair however, I feel like it was just a tad bit too much on the dry side. Solution – I first washed the hair since I have super sensitive skin (2 oz of apple cider vinegar to a lot of water) & to restore some moisture to the hair I added a little conditioner (that helped). P.S when using the hair I sprayed it with a little plain water and rubbed some whipped Shea butter before installing the hair, this completely softened and moisturized the hair.
Tangles & Frizz –this hair really tangles up quite easily and quickly. There is a quite a bit of frizz once the wig was made which can get really annoying since it ends up making the individual curls I have to sort of “tango together”. Solution – I recurled the hair roughly 3 times (approximatly once a week) and once it was reculred the frizz and tangles were gone (the hair requires maintaince in order for it to not look like a tangled mess!
Uber Thick Strands – I tried using the hair in its original curl pattern (bouncy twist out) and while I love how beautiful and full each strand of hair is, they are just so thick! I can not imagine how each strand is installed into someones actual hair (cornrows) due to how thick and “chunky” the strands are! I made 2 (failed) attempts at making the wig with the curl pattern but had to redo them and then gave up. – Solution – I opted to change the curl pattern in the end because the wig ended up looking like a chunky, bulky pile of hair on my head!
Can Not Separate –I know some of you will wonder “well why didn’t you separate the strands in half” I did….and that didn’t work. Once I tried to separate the stands in half I ended up destroying the beautiful curl pattern and was left with half curled, mainly frizzed strands! Solution – same as above, I combed out the hair, separated the strands and then made my own curl pattern (not a bouncy twist-out).
Pros:
Changeable Curl Pattern – while I did not end up with the original look I had envisioned the hair can be used to create different curls by wrapping it around flexi-rods or perm rods, pouring hot water over them and voila a new look!
Beautiful Original Curl Pattern – now while I was unable to use the hair in its original state for a wig, perhaps it is more effective as crochet braids (especially since that is what the model had) and the original curl pattern really is gorgeous!
Not Very Expensive –as I mentioned, each packet comes with roughly 10 – 12 strands in them and each pack costs $5.99. If you are able to recreate the original crochet braid look like the model I would imagine that you would need a maximum of 3 packets (maybe a little less) since the hair is so full and thick. That is not too much on the pocket for a protective style that you can keep in for a few good weeks!
Colour/Length Options – while I went for the 23″ option (I did trim the hair to give it shape) and you can also select from a number of different colours, blended colours etc.
Looks Natural –the natural texture of the hair has that “natural look” and by that I mean it does not have that “fake” shiny appearance even though it is synthetic hair! Sometimes synthetic hair can give off that uber shiny appearance after heat is used on it (e.g. hot water) but this still kept its natural look.
Accepts Heat –in order to change the curl pattern of the hair I had to pour and soak the curled sections in boiling hot water (no more than 30 seconds – 60 seconds maximum) and this didn’t cause any damage to the integrity of the hair. The package instructions actually states: “Do not use hot curler at regular setting. This fiber can only be curled 350 degrees Fahrenheit – 400 degrees Fahrenheit”.
Below is an image gallery of the hair along with some photos of how it looked after I changed the curl pattern & made the wig.
Freetress Crochet Braiding Hair – Bouncy Twist out
Freshly washed and conditioned Freetress Crochet Braiding Hair – Bouncy Twist out
Bouncy Twist Out – Turned DIY Crochet Flexi Rod Curl Wig (Annabelle)
Bouncy Twist Out – Turned DIY Crochet Flexi Rod Curl Wig (Annabelle)
Bouncy Twist Out – Turned DIY Crochet Flexi Rod Curl Wig (Annabelle)
Bouncy Twist Out – Turned DIY Crochet Flexi Rod Curl Wig (Annabelle)
Bouncy Twist Out – Turned DIY Crochet Flexi Rod Curl Wig (Annabelle)
Bouncy Twist Out – Turned DIY Crochet Flexi Rod Curl Wig (Annabelle)
Overall:Would I purchase this hair again? I probably would not simply because I had initally bought it to use the hair in its original curl pattern and was unable to do so however, I might potentially consider buying it if I learn how to crochet braid my hair in order to try and get that beautiful look I primarily wanted! Side note – I do have a few ideas for some new hair I want to buy and I already have some hair that I plan to use for another protective style!
Tisun Store physical location:
Tisun Beauty 5420 North Tryon St #1, Charlotte, NC 28213
Have any of you used Freetress Crochet Braiding Hair Bouncy Twist Out before? If so did you use it to do crochet braids, a wig, another type of protective style? I would love to hear from you!
So before I even begin to go through the process, me a minute to explain why I opted to (yet again) show you two simple styles. Ignoring the fact that doing an easy style just is my thing, sometimes overdoing our hair can just be annoying, nerve wrecking (especially if this is going to be a first date) and not to mention it can potential cause damage and/or breakage.
Ok, now that I have come up with my “explanation” (excuse) let me share the two really super easy style options 🙂
2 Valentines Day Styles
In all honesty it is one style – two different looks. The first starts with one chunky side twist (pictures 1 below) & is accessorized with a ribbon. The second look is also a chunky twist but I pin the end of the twist by bringing it forwards and over and use a bobby pin to hold the hair down – I pin the hair underneath (by my ear – pictures 2 below).
Loose side two strand twist (1)
Loose side two strand twist (2)
Pinned Loose Side twist (3)
Pinned Loose Side twist (4)
What I use is: a hair bubble, bobby pins and ribbons (you can use a head band).
I have a video of the process and the “looks” can be done in no more than 5 minutes! They are simple yet pretty (in my opinion lol) and you don’t have to worry about curls setting, damp frizzy results etc. on Valentines day.
If you happen to be “celebrating” Valentines Day, I hope you and your significant other have a lovely day/night 🙂
Maicurls 