Be Authentically,
Beautifully,
Confidently
YOU
Who am I?
I am a Creator,
a Guide,
and a Bridge.
I expand beyond limiting beliefs and ideas.
I live in authenticity, break barriers with love, and shape beauty from freedom and truth.
I am becoming the fullest expression of myself.
All About Synthetic Extensions
Synthetic Extensions are made from a synthetic fiber, not real hair. Synthetic fiber works great for these type of extensions because it tangles very easily and essentially, that’s what this hairstyle is. Dreadlocks or locs are made from tangling, knotting, dreading or locking hair. With synthetic extensions you can achieve a dreadlock look without damaging your natural hair.
Synthetic extensions are installed by braiding your hair onto the outside of the extension and secured with an elastic band (more info below). Your hair is not knotted or tangled at all.
There are many different ways to make synthetic extensions. When I started wearing dreadlock extensions I purchased crochet dreads. I liked the way they looked but unfortunately, my sensitive scalp hated the crochet dreads. They were so itchy and my scalp was very irritated. I was discouraged because I really loved the look. So, I decided to start making my own. I developed my own methods and created dreadlocks that were comfortable, soft, flexible and not irritating.
I create dreadlock extensions with the knowledge that synthetic hair WANTS to tangle and knot. My dreadlocks are soft because I begin the dread, locking, knotting, and tangling process and then allow the dreadlocks to continue dreading on their own as they are worn. This allows each of my extensions to lock in their own unique way while continuing to be soft and flexible.
The dreadlocks do change as you wear them. They do get a little more rough, and a little frizzy. If you do not like frizz at all, with love, this hairstyle may not be for you. Your roots will frizz after a few weeks and the dreadlock extensions will also have some frizz to them. You can trim the shedding hair and frizz off of the extensions if you want to. I personally love when they look more natural and wild.
Synthetic extensions are used to create many different hairstyles. You can install them as a full head, partials, decorative or accent pieces, however you want to use your creativity and individual expression!
There are so many benefits to synthetic extensions! It’s a simple hairstyle you can wear for weeks without worrying about “doing” or “messing up” your hair. You do not have to be careful or gentle with this hairstyle, in fact, the more “rough” you are with these extensions, the better! Once they’re installed, live your life! Do ALL the things you love to do, go hiking, camping, boating, ride your motorcycle, swimming, sit on your porch and read for hours!
You’ll be amazed at how much time these extensions save you AND you’ll ALWAYS look fabulous!
PRO TIP:
(If you go on long motorcycle rides or you like to go to the sand dunes, etc… You can wrap your extensions in a hair scarf or silk cap to prevent road grime or sand getting into your extensions)
How to Maintain your Synthetic Extensions
Can I wash these extensions?
Ummm, YES! Please do!
There’s some common misconception that dreadlocks are dirty. That they are created by not taking care of your hair and the dirt and grime build up creates a dreadlock. Now, this may be true in some situations, but even if you are locking your own hair this doesn’t have to be true. It shouldn’t be true. Don’t be gross. You can absolutely wash these extensions when they are installed. I am going to share with you my personal daily maintenance and then I want you to think about your own lifestyle and come up with a daily maintenance plan that works for you!
I shower, EVERY DAY. While I’m in the shower, I take a little bit (a very small amount) of soap in my hands and run the soap throughout my extensions. I DO NOT RINSE IT OUT. Adding a little soap into my extensions helps them continue to knot, tangle, or dread PLUS they always smell fresh and amazing. I personally do not soak my whole head in the water and I do not scrub soap onto my whole head UNLESS I go swimming or I am camping and my hair smells like a camp fire or gets really dusty and dirty then, yes, I do get my whole head wet and scrub with shampoo. But typically, I just run a little bit of soap throughout my extensions and I do not rinse it out. When I get out of the shower I use a towel and squeeze any water out of my extensions. Then, I use more product. I honestly use whatever I have on my counter whether it’s a mousse, hair oil, leave in conditioner, or even just hand lotion (remember, these extensions are not real hair so don’t stress about using good hair products on the extensions. However, please use decent hair products on YOUR HAIR and YOUR SCALP).
As I’m applying the product I separate my dreadlocks. This helps them to not tangle with another dreadlock. Separating them with product helps the locking process happen faster AND it helps your hair to always smell good! Like I said, this hairstyle should not be gross.
How long can I keep these extensions in?
I leave my extensions in for four weeks. When I remove them I dye my roots, trim my ends, and do a deep conditioner on my hair. These extensions do not damage your hair, but please take care of your hair in between installs. Your hair will thank you!
When I remove my extensions I have Four Weeks worth of hair trapped in braids. So, keep in mind, that when you comb out and wash your hair you’re going to see a lot of hair. This IS NOT your hair “Falling Out”. It is natural shedding that has been trapped for a month.
Can you leave the extensions in for longer than four weeks? Technically, yes. But the longer you have them installed, the more hair you will be brushing out when you remove your extensions.
When I remove my extensions, I give them a good soak. I fill up my sink or tub with warm water (not hot) and soap. I let my extensions soak for 20 ish minutes then hang them on a towel rack to dry until I’m ready to install them again.
Can I use Heat on Synthetic extensions?
Yes, you can use a hairdryer to remove excess water just use Medium to Low heat. I highly suggest NOT putting these extensions into the clothes dryer. EVER. When they get wet, the water does run off very quickly. They dry on their own very fast. I only use a hairdryer if I have to leave in a hurry after I shower and in the winter time. Otherwise, I just let them dry on their own.
How long do these extensions last? Can I wear them more than once?
These extensions last FOREVER! Which is pretty awesome because if you buy real hair extensions, they only last 6-8 months. I have A LOT of different sets of synthetic extensions and I wear them over and over again. They are meant to be worn and enjoyed Forever!
Are the extensions heavy?
These extensions are not heavy at all. However, when you go swimming and if you put your head completely under water, during your 30 second baywatch walk out of the ocean, your hair will feel heavy. Like I said before, the water runs off very quickly and these extensions do dry fast. But when they are completely full of water they are slightly heavy. This can also cause your braids to loosen. Thankfully, they are very easy to tighten.
Can anyone wear synthetic extensions?
The short answer is, YES! These types of extensions work for any and all hair types. With that being said, it is important for you to assess the condition of your hair and scalp before installing these extensions. If you have a dry and flakey scalp now, these extensions will not fix that. If your hair is dry and brittle from over processing, it’s probably best to get your hair in a healthy condition before installing these extensions. Our hair, skin, and nails are a direct reflection of our health. Drink lots of water, eat nutritious foods and if your scalp is currently irritated or dry or flakey, look into a good scalp treatment/regime before installing these extensions.
How long does my hair have to be to install these extensions?
3 inches or longer is the suggested length to have a secure install.
Types of Synthetic Extensions
Single Ended (SE)
Single Ended synthetic extensions are made with a loop at the top and then a single dreadlock strand. You install these by pulling a section of your hair through the loop, braiding your hair down the extension and securing with an elastic band. Single Ended extensions are great for partial installs, or decorative/accent pieces. You can do a full head with single ended but you won’t have as full of a look as you would with the double ended extensions. I personally use the single ended extensions along my neckline because my hair is more sparse and fine. The single ended extensions stay a little tighter for longer along my neckline.
Double Ended (DE)
Double Ended synthetic extensions are one very long strand folded in half. They are installed by placing the fold against your scalp in between your parted hair section then braid your hair onto one side of the extension and secured with an elastic band. Double Ended Extensions create a full look using less extensions. A typical full head is 45-50 double ended extensions which means you have 90-100 “ends” in your hair. I personally install 50 DE dreadlocks in my hair when I install a full set.
Goddess Curls
Goddess curls are gorgeous! I love them. If you’ve seen my content then you already know that the goddess curls are a little more maintenance than the other types of extensions. Goddess Curls only come in double ended. The center of the Curls are a twisted locked center. You braid your hair onto the twisted center and then secure with an elastic band. If your hair is longer than the twisted center, it’s ok! you can braid your hair onto the curl. When you receive your Goddess Curls they will be soft and fluffy curls, just like with the other extensions they will continue to lock as you wear them. The curls lock as individual curls. To help this process, maintain them with product and separate them twice daily! Separating the curls will help them be defined and not tangle with other curls.
If you are going to be intermixing goddess curls with dreadlocks, separate them twice daily. If you like to ride motorcycles you MUST cover these curls completely in a hair scarf or hair cap. They WILL tangle if they are flapping in the wind at a really high speed.
The Goddess Curls are made as a micro size dreadlock. The smaller size allows the curls to lock in a natural way. I wear 65 goddess curls in my full set.
Style, Length, Size & Color
Wavy
Straight
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Twisted dreadlocks are soft, flexible and comfortable, they can be made as single ended or double ended with sealed ends or loose ends, any size, length and color.
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A Bumpy but soft textured extension that can be made as a single ended, double ended, sealed ends or loose ends. You can choose the size, length and color.
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Curly Extension only available in a Double Ended. The colors shown are the colors that are available, custom colors are not an option for the goddess curls.
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Ends are sealed all the way down the extension
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Leave the ends Loose. They can be brushed or left alone to become their own dread.
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Single Ended Dreads length from top of the loop to the end of the extension.
Double ended Dreads length folded in half measured from the middle to the ends of the extension.
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Micro (size of a phone chord)
Standard (size of a pencil)
Thick (Size of a marker)
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Make any of the types of dreadlocks wavy (excluding the Goddess Dreads)
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Upload photos of your hair color for a perfect color match, or inspo pics of anything that showcases the colors you want incorporated into your dreadlocks.
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3 Strand Braid (skinny or Thick)
Fishtail Braid (smooth or shattered)
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Wrapped dreads with thread, yarn, added beads, feathers, dangles, charms, etc.
How to Customize Your Hair
First, you are going to browse through the types of extensions, Single ended, Double ended, and Goddess Curls. Within the types you will see what styles are available. Add what you like to your cart. The extensions are sold as INDIVIDUAL dreads. Quantity means 1 extension, not a bundle. A typical partial set is 20-25 extensions. A Full set is usually 45-50 extensions. Once you have your desired type , style, texture and length of extensions added to your cart you are going to send me an email found in CONTACT LAURISSA. In the email you will let me know that you have your extensions in your cart and you’re ready to do a color consultation. From there, we will have a chat about what colors you want. You can send me inspo pics of hair colors, pictures of your own hair (preferably taken in natural light). Once we have had a detailed consultation and you are happy with the vision THEN you will place your order. Once your order is placed I will get right to work creating your perfect set of synthetic extensions. The process and shipment time will typically be 2-4 Weeks. You will not wait longer than 4 weeks.
If you go to order and it says “sold out” this just means that if you were to place your order today, your wait time would be longer than 4 weeks, so check back often and email me with as many questions as you have and I’ll let you know when it’s a good time to place your order so you’re not waiting forever for your hair.
I value you and your trust in me! I won’t allow you to place an order unless I know you are confident in the work I will be doing and I am confident that you will LOVE your new hair!
If you have absolutely no idea what you want, you just know you want synthetic extensions, EMAIL ME! Let’s talk about it. I will help you through the entire process!
*PLEASE NOTE: The Goddess Curls come as is. The colors you see are what’s available.
Here’s a break down of how to build the set in the picture.
5 Single Ended Decorated with Loose Ends
45 Double Ended Twisted with Loose Ends (made wavy)
Layered Lenghts 16” 20” 24”
Design your Dream Hair
My Trainings
Become a Dreadlock Artist! In my DIY Online Academy you will learn EVERYTHING that I know about creating and installing your own Dreadlock Extensions!
Learn how to install your own Dreadlock Extensions like a Pro with the step by step Flawless Dreadlock Install course!
Hair School Guest Artist! As a licensed hairstylist I would love to train and educate your students on how to create and install Dreadlock Extensions!
Email for pricing and availability!
Contact Laurissa
Email me for a Dreadlock Extensions consult, ask any questions or to schedule me as a Guest Artist at your Hair School!