I was in the chinatown area for some toiletries shopping when i came across a shop selling some hairdo aids that are supposed to be super duper easy for creating certain hairstyles as hassle free as possible.
If i do recall correctly, i might have seen those 2 that i have bought that day featured on the Taiwanese Beauty TV show "Nu Ren Wo Zui Da", out of curiousity to see if these gems really do perform miracles as was shown on the show, i decided to purchase them from the eagle-eyed lady shopkeeper who never let her eyes leave me (which i wonder if that is really their way of showing attentiveness, that explains why there is very little customer in the shop on a weekend afternoon..... ).
I present... the Volume Hair Base aka what i call the "puffy hair hairdo aid" (imagine tons of puffy hair on top or the Amy Winehouse look...).
The Volume Hair Base aid comes in a flimsy plastic packet.
Instructions in Japanese.
The pack contains 2 pieces of Hair Base, 1 for a slightly puff look and the other for a more exaggerated voluminous puff look.
A closer look at the material of the Hair Base.
The hair tool in the plastic package.
Instructions in Japanese.
The pack contains 2 pieces of Hair Base, 1 for a slightly puff look and the other for a more exaggerated voluminous puff look.
A closer look at the material of the Hair Base.
When i opened the pack of Volume Hair Base, i nearly burst out laughing (as you can see in the 3rd picture, they resemble a pair of bra especially the seams portion-me and my weird sense of humor).
The Volume Hair Base is made of synthetic material with tiny grips that will hold on to your hair and not shift easily hence stablising the styling of the hairdo. This also meant that you have to be careful in removing the hair base after use as the grip is rather strong, its quite a breeze removing it after you are familiar with the way it grips (i would suggest a top-to-bottom approach).
Although the instructions are written in Japanese, i think the diagrams themselves are self explantory and with more creativity, you can style it anyway you desire.
I am quite satisfied with the results of using the volume hair base (so far i have used the smaller one a few times), so its definitely a keeper for me. Maintenance-wise, its really hassle free, just wash with water and mild shampoo or detergent and then let it dry naturally (don't throw it into the washing machine, might damage the shape of the hair base).
Next, we have the hairdo aid for creating a smooth and neat bun.....
A closer look at the hair tool.
The clasp that is supposed to hold the band and secure the hairdo is very very hard to secure and hence likewise the removal part is a horrible nightmare. It's like a battle of strength between the hair tool and me.
First of all, the material is scratchy and plastic-stiff which makes it hard to maneuver during hairstyling. Secondly, the plastic slits are very tight, so tight that it took me quite a lot of effort to put my hair in and i lost quite a few strands of hair trying to remove my hair from the band (which i tried several times and lost quite some hair along the way : ( ).
The clasp that is supposed to hold the band and secure the hairdo is very very hard to secure and hence likewise the removal part is a horrible nightmare. It's like a battle of strength between the hair tool and me.
What's more, the results of using the hair tool leaves much to be desired, the hair bun is loose and the shape does not hold nicely (i have beyond shoulder length, thick black hair). It is in 1 word- horrible and terrible (ok, 3 words).
Should the hair tool be made of strong and soft elastic plastic and the clasp be made more easy to secure, it should be a keeper like the volume hair base.
Urgh! A total waste of money (its in the "graveyard"drawer right now as i am thinking of other possible usage for it).
Volume Hair Base
Priced at S$5.90 for 2 in a packet, available at Chinatown (i forgot the name of the shop).
Hair Bun Hair tool
Priced at S$4.90.