Interview - Celebrity Hair Extension Stylist Gia Wood

Interview by Akua Boakye for Makeup and Mane

Celebrity hair extension stylist Gia Wood knows a thing or two about the beauty, fantasy and overall glamour that a mane of magnificent hair extensions can create.

As a hair extension expert, she has worked on the sets of E! Channel’s “Inside Fashion” and “The Girls Next Door” and her styles have graced the covers of many magazines.

In an exclusive interview, Wood shares her expertise with Makeup and Mane readers and shows us how to ensure our enhanced locks stay in tip-top shape.

Celebrity Hair Extension Stylist Gia Wood

MM: Why did you decide to become a hair extension stylist and how did your career begin?

GW: My mother, Geneva Glover, opened and operated Du Nouveau Salon, one of the largest and most successful salons in Texas in the 1980’s. I grew up in the salon and eventually started working at the front desk as a receptionist while I went to school.

I quickly became intrigued by a side of the industry I had never seen before. I had always seen the business side of a salon, spreadsheets, order forms, leases and now I was getting exposure to the creative side of the industry. Color, cuts, styling, extensions, makeup, and more! I soon decided that I wanted to become a part of the beauty and fashion industry.

I attended the Toni and Guy Academy in Dallas, TX, and after began working as a stylist in my mother’s salon. My education continued with multiple classes for hair coloring, thermal straightening, and hair extensions. When I first began working with hair extensions I wanted to be sure that I was using only the best products on my clients to create a natural looking extension.

I had seen far too many stylists not use enough hair or apply and cut the extensions improperly. Professional training is imperative. I was certified with Hairdreams Extensions and Great Lengths Extensions, which are the two most reputable extension companies in the US. Each company offers a product that is safe, natural looking, and easy to maintain by the client, yet is uniquely different from the other company’s product.

MM: In your opinion, what makes long hair so desirable?

GW: I think that long hair has always been associated with feminine beauty, much like the hourglass shape and how it is referenced to a woman’s body.

Healthy long hair can compliment a woman and bring out her best features, and at the same time minimize features exposed by shorter hairstyles. With long hair a woman has unlimited options to the style and creativity she can achieve with her hair.

Gia Wood gives model a hair extension makeover

MM: How do you go about selecting the perfect hairstyle for a client?

GW: There are numerous things that I have to take into consideration before selecting a client’s hair style.

The client’s desired color and length are the most important, and then we consider things like face shape, facial features, hairline, growth patterns, lifestyle, and the amount of time the client is willing to spend maintaining the hairstyle.

I always encourage my clients to bring photos of hairstyles they like and to consider hairstyles they might not have previously considered. Some clients are wary of certain types of cuts and/or color because they have had a bad experience in their past. Or they simply have never tried venturing outside of their basic cut and color services.

It’s amazing how many of my clients come into the salon not wanting to reconsider their “standard” single-process color service, and then love the effect of a few face-framing highlights. Hair is a great way to express someone’s personality, and I always want to offer my clients as many options as possible.

Gia Wood gives model a hair extension makeover

MM: There are various ways to apply hair extensions. Which techniques do you most commonly use and why do you prefer these methods?

I am a firm believer that the individual strand technique (also known as strand by strand) is the most natural looking, and it is the most requested technique by my clients.

Individual strand extensions can be applied by braiding, clips, or bonding. With any kind of hair extension, the overall look can vary greatly depending on the type of application.

The smaller the sectioning the more natural the extensions will look. An advantage to using smaller strands of extensions in the individual strand technique is that the hair is easier to style and flows like the client’s natural hair would.

If a client were to have a “weave”, where a track of extensions is applied in a solid row wrapping the client’s entire head, the style would not move as freely and would take on wig like characteristics, such as not being able to part the hair in certain areas. The strand method is the most natural and longest lasting option for clients who are interested in getting hair extensions, not to mention the most versatile.

Strand by strand method with Hairdreams products

MM: Hair extensions look great when they are freshly done but after a few weeks they can sometimes look dull and ratty. How can clients keep their manes looking magnificent in between salon visits?

This is a very good question and there are multiple answers. In my experience the majority of clients who get hair extensions leave them in too long and are not brushing them properly.

Although most hair extension companies say that their product will last 6-10 months, I would never recommended that the client wear the extensions that long. When hair extensions start growing out with the client’s natural hair, there is a space that is being created between the attachment area and the client’s scalp. This area is prone to tangles and knots and every single person who gets hair extensions will more than likely experience this situation.

I recommend that my clients brush their hair from the scalp area all the way to the ends of their extensions to make sure that these types of tangles are removed on a daily basis. I also offer my clients a brushing service if they are unable to remove the tangles themselves. If the tangles at the root are not taken care of in a timely manner they will gradually get larger and larger over time, and the removal of these tangles will be more likely to damage the client’s own hair. This is the number one cause of damage from hair extensions, and yet it is the easiest to prevent. By brushing the hair extensions from the scalp through to the ends, the client’s hair will look fuller, have more shine, and be healthier.

MM: In your opinion, what is one of the most common mistakes stylists make when applying hair extensions?

GW: I find that the most common mistake stylists make when applying hair extensions is that they apply them too close or too tight to the scalp area, which can lead to breakage. (see photos for example) These stylists are either inexperienced or were improperly trained. Another common mistake I see often is hair extensions that have been cut improperly leaving blunt lines and bulk in the baseline.

Examples of wrong application of hair extensions

MM: How can clients avoid damaging their natural hair while wearing and removing extensions?

GW: In the initial consultation, clients are advised regarding which products and styling tools they can use on the extensions. As an experienced stylist, I tell my clients which products and tools are permitted and what products and tools are not permitted for use with their hair extensions. However, clients can sometimes forget or misplace the correct tools and products that they need to properly maintain their hair extensions.

I like to provide a take home kit that includes a list of styling do’s and don’ts, as well as a proper hairbrush. The number one tool hair extension clients can use to keep their extensions from damaging their natural hair is the proper brush. Both Hairdreams and Great Lengths make a brush specifically for their extension products which will easily remove tangles without damaging the client’s own hair or the extension attachment points.

I always recommend that clients go to the salon to have their hair extensions removed. I would never suggest a client remove the extensions themselves. By properly maintaining the hair extensions at home, the client can be assured that the eventual removal of the extensions will be an easy task.

Another problem, are clients who are not careful with the bonding area of their extensions when they are styling their hair with a flat iron or curling iron. When they touch the hot tools to the bonding area, it can cause the bonding material to soften and spread out. This causes the extensions to fuse together and makes it more difficult for the extensions to be removed.

Gia Wood shows the correct removal method for strand by strand extensions

MM: What are some of your favorite hair styling tools and products?

GW: I am a fan of Biolage shampoo and conditioners. I also love Matrix’s Milk Shine product which I use as a leave in conditioner. Kenra makes a great Thickening Spray, Shine Spray, and Hairspray that I use on almost every client. For styling tools I use a Super Solano X blow dryer and a Chi straightening iron. For my hair extension clients I use Hairdreams and Great Lengths extension tools and products.

MM: What is one of your most memorable client experiences?

GW: One of the most memorable client experiences I have had was when I was asked to go to Los Angeles and apply hair extensions at the Playboy Mansion. I got to work pool-side, and my client and all of the girls there were really nice. It was very cool to be working on location at such an iconic place. Everyone at the mansion was so nice, and I got to watch some filming for the The Girls Next Door.

Gia Wood styling a model at the Playboy Mansion

MM: Not only are you a hairstylist but you are also a professional photographer. In what ways are these two careers similar and how do you mesh both arts?

GW: Most of the time, when you are on location at a photoshoot there are three people who have to be on the same wave length for it to be successful. This of course is the photographer, the makeup artist, and the hair stylist. Having perfected my craft in each of these areas, I can view my subject with three different points of view and my focus is not tunneled into just one aspect of the shoot. I find that my two careers play well off of each other, each one opening doors for the other. My skills have been a great success for me in that I have been able to travel all over the world to do photoshoots and hair extensions.

MM: What can Makeup & Mane readers expect to see from you in the near future?

GW: I just finished filming a segment for Inside Fashion, which should be released in 2009. I persuaded Hairdreams to open up their warehouse for the taping and I got some one-on-one time with Gerhard Strutz, the president of Hairdreams. We talked about numerous exciting things we are going to be working on together in 2009 and Gerhard asked me to join the Artist Team for Hairdreams.

You will see me doing much more media and stage work with Hairdreams this next year. I will also be releasing my first technical guide and training program for aspiring extension stylists. I am looking forward to extending my knowledge of hair extensions to as many stylists as I can.

The technical guide will be released in March of 2009 and will include a step by step image guide to creating the perfect hair extension, as well as how to cut, color, and maintain extensions. The training program will be private training classes for stylists who want to learn the techniques with a hands-on approach. It will also include a section on business and marketing in the extension industry—that will begin in June of 2009. Stylists interested in applying for my training courses can find more information on my website at www.giawoodsalon.com/courses.htm.