How much is your hair worth?

The million-dollar question becomes: How much would you be willing to part with in order to look like a million bucks?
You are 100 percent right if your answer is a million bucks, well maybe not a million dollars but just serious money.
Without a doubt, hair is the most important changeable feature we have. Hairdos today are as diverse as the universe.

Some say the trend was borrowed from every corner of the world, while in Africa, people continue to want hairdos to be modern in the sense that they should fit in with their busy lives. Saturday Lifestyle conducted interviews on the subject and the respondents had different things to say about hairstyles.
Loveness Mahachi, a hair expert, gave an insight into what constitutes an expensive hairdo.

She says: “Most people in this country are really fussy about how their hair looks at all times and despite the challenging economic environment. With the growing trend of socialites and local celebrities in the country many people feel the need to look like international celebrities. Lucky for them, there are hair extensions and products to achieve that,” she said.

“It has become common these days for woman to opt for the Brazilian weaves and one must be ready to part with close to US$300.
“It is not only the type of weave that makes the hairdo expensive but also the way it is done. Some people prefer to have it plaited, but the trend now is to have it bonded,” she said.

Bonding refers to having the weave glued to one’s scalp after having his or her hair shaved. Micro bonding, on the other hand, is done with a gun that bonds the weave to a few strands of the actual hair. This, unlike the ordinary bonding, is more expensive but can allow a person to get into water without any problems.
All this then contributes to the end price.

“Some might drop their jaws upon hearing these prices but is the simple fact that unlike the cheap synthetic weaves a lot of people are used to they are actual hair. Because it is hair, as long as it is micro bonded, you can swim or shower with it, tong it with an extra tong (to give it lasting curls).
“This means you not only get to use it countless times but can rock so many looks by styling it differently and varies with cheap synthetic weaves that tangle barely a fortnight later” said Margaret Mavurudza, a supplier of some of the most expensive top of the range weaves in Harare.

Mavurudza, the owner of Diva’s Secret, said there is more to be desired in these weaves as there are new brands that are sprouting in the country such as Magnolia and Peru,  among others

“Lace fronts have now taken over and they are made strictly from the earlier mentioned weaves from different parts of the world and their prices range from US$200 to US$750  depending on length and texture.
“Lace fronts have become a favourite for high-profile local women have become the in-thing despite their high prices. These do not only look glamourous but

natural, because of it’s ‘baby-like hair’ that falls on the hair line. That makes it unique,” she said.
Hairstyles are not only made expensive by the extensions but also the kind of products used. Reputable beauty shops shy away from using cheap products that do

not bring out the best results.

There are top of the range products, the likes of newly re-introduced Dudley’s, internationally acclaimed Loreal and the Mizani products.
To give another professional insight was a salon manager Stanley Madzuda from the Exclusive Beauty Shop located at Joina City, who said: “The male population these days is now also fussy  about sophistication in terms of hair and trending is a variety of do’s including the famous wave, made popular by American superstars

Akon and P. Diddy. Top of the range relaxers from the Laila Ali range as well as well as the American brand Mizani shampoos and sheen sprays are used and can cost a guy as much as US$30. This is different from the ordinary US$1 haircuts that people are used to. The hair needs to be properly relaxed and the curls  maintained so that needs to pump out a lot of money..
To maintain it, in it’s two to three weeks life- span, one needs to have touch-ups after every three to four days. These styles are favourites  among the modern and trendy men as well as the younger generation. Well, it’s the hair that counts now, not the accessories.