addendum to the entry posted yesterday. answers to some frequently asked questions about tokyo p.o.s.h.

here's denise in japan, where she got the idea for tokyo posh. this is her natural hair.

What is the difference between Tokyo POSH and traditional hand woven/ glued/ tied hair extensions done at the salon?

Tokyo POSH is very easy to use, you don’t need to come to the store to attach it. They are attached with clips, so its very easy to put on, remove or adjust.

What is the difference between Tokyo POSH and the clip on hair extensions already available in the market today?

The clip-on hair extensions available in Manila today usually come in sets of 6-12 clips. Unlike Tokyo POSH, these clip-on hair extensions take so much time and extremely difficult especially for women who do not really know how to fix their own hair. One hair style comes just in one piece, with several clips attached to it.

How long will they last?

Tokyo POSH can last you years as long as you know how to take good care of them.

How many colors do you have?

We usually have 5-7 colors per style. Colors available are perfect for Asian skin tones. We are also up-to-date with hair coloring trends so our products aren’t your usual brown and black. Some of our pieces even have hi-lights on them!

here she is with long, wavy locks. notice how the extensions blend well with her real hair?

How often should I wash it?

Washing depends on how often you use it. If you use it everyday, it is advisable to wash it once a week.

What is it made of?

The fiber comes from Japan and is made from high quality kanekalon fibers. They are the best quality fiber for synthetic hair extensions, they look and feel natural. Unlike the common synthetic fibers we see in the market today, Tokyo POSH doesn’t easily tangle and the luster is very much close to the gorgeous sheen of natural hair.

Do you have hair extensions made of human hair?

The owner personally favors synthetic hair extensions as compared to human hair. To get human hair is not only unhygienic but also very complicated. Recently, due to the demand for hair extensions made of human hair, news of  illegal and unethical ways of acquiring human hair from countries such as India,  are now very common and Tokyo POSH, directly or indirectly would not like to have any participation in acts like these.

Any tips on how I can blend Tokyo POSH with my natural hair?

If you purchased curly/ wavy hair, we suggest that you also iron curl the visible top part of your hair. If you’re lazy, put your hair in a half pony and tie with a cute clip. This way the gap between your real hair and the hair extensions are not very obvious.

Which kind of haircut is perfect for Tokyo POSH?

The perfect cut is medium length or at least chin length with layers. The layers will help blend the extensions thus making the difference between your hair extensions and your real hair noticeable.

If you have long hair, and you would like to use medium length bob hair extensions, again, shorter layers at the top will help you achieve a more natural look.

here she has a long ponytail extension. wouldn't you just want to switch hairstyles as often as this?

Can I style the hair extensions by myself?

Yes you can style it yourself; you can braid or tie it too. However, for the non-heat resistant hair extensions, you can not iron curl/ straighten the hair, in other words you can not apply any forms of heat.

Can I color it?

Sorry, you can’t. You can have your hair color fit the hair extensions, just bring it to your favorite salon and ask your stylist to copy it.

Can I cut it?

Yes you can, It is advisable that you have it done professionally. You can have it cut at the store too. It is advisable to cut the hair extensions with shorter layers if you have short hair so the gap between your real hair and the hair extensions will not be noticeable.

Do you deliver?

Yes we do, by air 21, but we usually charge a delivery fee, depending on your location.

What else can we expect from Tokyo POSH?

We will be offering new products such as heat resistant and hand woven hair extensions come August of 2009.

photos lifted from tokyoposh.multiply.com

last saturday’s tokyo p.o.s.h. launch was both an intimate and a limelighted event. there gathered were close friends and family who laughed and told stories amidst the sporadic camera flashes and the ubiquitous microphones held up by mediapersons and presspeople covering the launch. held at the stylish cafe mondial in silver city, we enjoyed an evening of cocktails, fantastic hors d’ouerves c/o chef josh chin of le cordon bleu, and desserts from lia’s. the evening was highlighted by a fashion show and a tutorial on how to use tokyo p.o.s.h.

so what exactly is tokyo p.o.s.h.?

About Tokyo P.O.S.H.

Women have been called a great many things, but rarely are we seen as decisive, committed and firm, especially when it comes to fashion, hair and make-up, and sometimes even men. Fickle and footloose, we like to play around with our looks and hunt for the latest trends, and while this is easy enough to do with clothes and make-up, it’s harder to change one’s hairstyle on a daily, or even seasonal, basis. Waiting is the operative word. We have to wait for it to grow, wait in line at salons, wait for it to dry…it’s all waiting, with frustrating results at times. How do Hollywood A-listers do it? Jessica and Eva’s graceful waves, Katie’s smart bob, Debra’s hot curls, Gwyneth’s smooth silky locks, a super model’s mod bangs, a socialite’s ponytail… Through hours and thousands spent at a salon under a stylist’s and colorist’s expert hands, that’s how. But what’s a normal girl with a normal budget to do? Head over to get a Tokyo P.O.S.H (Put On Styled Hair) clip-on hair extension, that’s what!

gorgeous, up-to-the-minute hair need not come with a heavy price tag... nor with a long-term commitment.

These extensions come in a dizzying array of styles: there’s wavy, straight, permed, short, long, shoulder length, short pony, long pony, big curls, small curls, straight bangs, wispy bangs, you name it and they got it. May Aquino, the fashion-forward owner of Tokyo P.O.S.H, makes sure the styles, colors and highlights of the extensions are suited to Asian complexions. Unlike most extensions, these do not involve weaving, sewing, braiding or gluing. They’re simply clipped on, given a toss and a shake or some finger-combing, and they’re all set! Made with high quality fiber from Japan, these extensions look and feel natural. Unlike full wigs, which can be fussy to put on,feel quite hot and look “fake”, clip-on extensions are worked into your real hair in a manner so clever no one will ever guess they’re not genuinely yours! They’re lightweight and as long as you put them correctly, they will last you the whole day and night! Yes, even with all the dancing, jumping, bumping, and grinding the hair will stay put.

Lest you think these are only for fashionistas or confident, flirty women who love to party and be seen, think again. They are so easy to put on and maintain even students can wear a different hairstyle to school everyday, possibly to match their moods. Office gals can opt to look like serious career women or fun, stylish executives by sparing only a few minutes each morning choosing and clipping on their extension. Moms can surprise their husbands and kids and look styled, despite being harassed and always on the go. Women who are easily bored with their hairstyles, those who are impatient for hair to grow, lazy ones who can’t be bothered to maintain, but want, long hair, those who are insecure or have bad-hair days, budget-conscious gals who are afraid to cut their hair, those who love change, or are afraid o change —  this product is for you. It’s fashion without the commitment or the hassle. You can buy as many styles as you wish, after being taught ONCE how to clip it on, you can go home and do it yourself! It’s easy to maintain and store, and most importantly, it won’t break the bank! It’s and irresistible deal, one you don’t even have to think twice about.

tokyo p.o.s.h.'s array of styles

behind the concept is denise aquino, a bunka fashion college (only the most renowned fashion school in asia!) alum in, where else but japan. it was in tokyo where she first experienced “fast fashion,” how hard it was to cope with the speed of changing styles and how challenging it was to just even take part in it.

she shares, “i realized that to truly to inhale and understand japanese fashion… i just have to join them, and be one of them. but to be one of them required a lot of time and thinking. to be able to look as good as they do, i had to wake up at 5:30am and spend two hours getting ready for school!

“after having a chat with one of my classmates… she shared to me their secret. put on hair extensions. no, they are not like the ones we see in manila. they are literally snapped on in seconds!

“i went from looking like jennifer aniston to victoria beckham to nicole richie in just a few minutes. i fell in love in an instant! they are not only easy to use but are very affordable too.  i even got to try on the katie holmes bangs!”

nine carlos and denise aquino. denise is wearing a tokyo p.o.s.h. clip-on hair extension.

you too can have long locks like denise.

the fashion show featured the lovely ladies of ideal models wearing the creations of fimp (fashion is my passion) by shekinah armenta and tanline swimwear by baby santos. the models were styled by terre hernandez and dandy ramos. they all, of course, had fabulous hair courtesy of tokyo p.o.s.h.

swimwear by baby santos of tanline and hair from tokyo p.o.s.h.

outfits by shekinah armenta of fimp (fashion is my passion) and hair by tokyo p.o.s.h.

swimwear by baby santos of tanline and hair by tokyo p.o.s.h.

now that we have convinced you that these clip-on hair extensions are simply to die for, we come to the most frequently asked question: how do you put it on and how difficult is it to put on?

it’s so easy, it took the stylist only a few seconds to put it in place. you can definitely do it to your own hair.

how to put on your styled hair

so easy it took kino (pro stylist from ideal models) literally just seconds to put it on! you can certainly do it yourself.

et voila! instant hairstyle!

now anyone can have the waves, the curls, the french bangs, the short bob and many other hairstyles without the commitment and without spending a fortune!

visit tokyo p.o.s.h. at sm supercenter, frontera verde, c5, pasig (near tiendesitas).

i have fine hair which, though abundant, is difficult to style. i am in constant pursuit of methods to fix this problem, but i have always known that the first order of business is getting the right haircut. fortunately, i have found the “lightly-layered mid-length” style best for my hair type some three years ago, but i think i am ready for a new cut.

i found an article by victoria wurdinger of www.hairboutique.com which could certainly address my plight. below is an excerpt of the article “FINE HAIR SOLUTIONS: the lowdown on which cuts, styling techniques and products really work for fine and thinning hair” (photos from other sources).

There are certain hair cuts that make fine hair look lots better, but first, you should understand what fine hair really is, because it’s not necessarily thin. “Fine” refers to the diameter of a single strand. So, you can have fine hair that’s abundant, because you can have many individual strands per square inch.

You can also have fine and thin or thinning hair, which means you’ve got strands that are small in diameter and on top if it, you don’t have a lot of them. Age, diet, stress, medication and other factors can make fine but abundant hair begin to thin, and appear sparse in density.

While the degree to which hair is fine or both fine and sparse determines the best cut for you, as a general rule, it’s true that when hair is shorter and almost all a single length, it’ll look its fullest.

For this reason, the top five cuts for any type of fine hair are:

1. The Bob – in its thousands of variations. A short bob (ear-lobe length) made my hair look super-healthy and about twice as abundant as it really is. Unfortunately, I didn’t care for how it worked with my heart-shaped face. A longer bob was better.
   

   bob cut from www.short-hair-style.com

2. The Chop – in basic bob-length with irregular ends. It gave my fine, sparse hair both style and shape and was easy to maintain, when cut above the shoulders. It worked lots better than a totally blunt cut, which looked limp and lacked dimension.
   

   the chop from www.trendy-haircuts-hairstyles.blogspot.com

3. The Cap Cut – with its all-bangs approach. Best for petite or oval facial shapes.
   

   the cap cut (with irregular lengths) from www.hairfinder.com

4. The Crop – which really refers to any short, tapered cut. Crops look cool on younger women; if you’re over 45, watch out for what they do to your chin and neckline in profile. Also, short crops put so much focus on your eyes, they draw attention to less than flawless skin.
   

   the crop from www.ehairstyles.blogspot.com

5. The Lightly Layered Mid-length – You can go just to or even below the shoulder with a smart shape and regular trims. A cut like this, from Minardi Salon in NYC, is my best cut yet. It brushes my shoulders, is cut on a slightly diagonal-forward moving line at the sides and contains a few, light layers, which provide volume when I blow dry my hair.

lightly layered hair. photo from lifestyle.msn.com

• With some layers. While you can wear your hair to shoulder-length, or even longer if you wish, a few carefully cut layers will add fullness and dimension. However, if too may layers are cut in, the shape of the cut will collapse, which can make fine hair look thin and lifeless.
• With a custom-shaped perimeter. If you want to wear your hair longer, have the sides cut along a diagonal-forward moving line. Hair will be longest in front, the strong shape helps locks look thicker and the angle helps push hair forward. Also, hair cut on an angle is easy to turn under, which adds fullness. As an option, have just the long pieces that frame your face sliced on an angle, so hair turns inward below your chin. This gives your hair more shape than a longer blunt cut.
• With wisped ends. If you wear your hair to the shoulders or a bit longer, another option is to have the ends “notched” into or chiseled. This is an always popular look. It gives you a light, air feeling and ends can be turned up for a contemporary, irregular flip. The wispy ends of the chop actually help camouflage the fact hair is fine–especially when you need a trim.

If your hair is both fine and thin or thinning (sparse):

• Stylists say a short cut best, but how short is too short? This depends largely on your facial shape. If it’s round, go with a longer, short cut to slenderize your face. If it’s elongated, create the illusion of width with fullness at bottom. If it’s diamond-shaped, keep the length below widest part of your face. Of course, there are plenty of times you’ll want to break these old rules, which were created to “downplay flaws.” If you’ve got confidence and attitude, you can even look great highlighting a feature that has been traditionally downplayed.
• Wear your hair smooth and close to your head, with the ends flipped up or under. Try cuts that were intended to be worn behind your ears. This naturally makes it look like you’ve got more hair.
• Ask your stylist about variations on the Cap, Bowl and Crop cuts. Consider what bangs bring to the table, besides concealing a sparse, irregular front hairline. When the back is cropped super-short and the long front “bang” area is worn close to your head, you can go for a smooth style or add a few layers for texture. Imagine a cut with all the hair from crown brushed forward and cut into heavy bangs. You can trim the sides around your ears, leave wispy sideburns or let bangs continue into a softened bowl cut. A good stylist can blend the best elements of each of these cuts.
• An asymmetric style makes it look like you have more hair. The cut stacks up on the heavy side and lighter side is supposed to look like less. Tuck the lighter side behind your ear and all that fullness on heavier side stands out even more.
• The cardinal rule is “kept simple.” Consider a short cut that does not require much volume, or a longer look that gets its kick from a smooth, shiny surface.
• If like a longer look, get trims religiously. Fine hair looks its worst when it starts to lose the shape of the cut and the first sign is straggly, ragged ends.

read more from www.hairboutique.com.

there was a time in our mutating lives when we didn’t really mind who did our hair. we just barge into the nearest beauty parlor, find a seat, say we want a haircut, then the hairdresser takes care of the rest however way he wants to. if we didn’t like the result, we blame our hair for being too thin, too thick, stringy, frizzy, etc.

i myself have fine, stick straight hair. the kind that wouldn’t stay curled for more than an hour or two even if it has been subjected mercilessly to the baddest curling iron. through the years, my hair has only been either short or long, with no trace of whatever styling savvy. just plain old “two inches off”, maybe enough to get rid of split ends, if any. so i had boring hair, big deal.

here’s the story: most women i knew then with stick straight hair like mine had badly done layers. you know how those stringy, slicked down emo hair fall helplessly limp in irregular lengths? that’s how they look like in their natural state. i always thought it was our fine, lifeless hair’s fault. they just refused to behave themselves into jennifer aniston layers. i realized later that it’s not about the hair, it’s about the hairstyle. and it takes a pro to do it.

all i ever wanted were layers and structured sideswept bangs like penny’s in the big bang theory. was that so hard?! apparently, harder than i thought.

stop blaming your hair. it’s not their fault.

i took a while testing different salons and stylists. the challenge in experimenting with stylists is, unlike toothpaste or soap, you don’t get to test another one the very next day. if i didn’t like one stylist, i waited another six to eight weeks for my hair to grow out so i can go to someone else. so the entire procedure took three years, spread over a couple of salons and even more professionals. one thing i understood: each salon has plenty of pros, and not all of them will fix your hair exactly the way you describe it.

now i am loyal to basement salon. to cris in the shangri-la branch and to cherrie in the power plant branch. but to cris mostly for geographic reasons.

basement salon

here are the factors i considered in selecting a salon and stylist:

1. styling techniques and execution, of course. is he able to execute exactly how i imagined my hair to look? does he use only the tools i am willing to expose my hair to (e.g., i don’t like that razor-comb thingy they use. i notice i get split ends with it. unfortunately, not all salons have mastered fine layers using only scissors)?
2. comprehension and delivery. does he take the time and effort to listen and understand what i want? offering suggestions but not insisting on what he believes is right for me, allowing me make the final decision? i tried a stylist twice in another salon two years ago. he was excellent in the craft, but can be overbearing, insisting on what he wanted to do rather than what i wanted to happen. “miss, i have twenty years experience, i know what i’m doing.” to which i should have retorted, “but this is my hair!” but i didn’t because he might deliberately ruin my hair in spite.
3. service-mindedness and general service attitude. does he always remember to offer me the magazines of my choice? or refreshments? does he give instructions kindly to his assistants, not demanding nor putting them ill-at-ease?
4. follow-through. is he willing to accommodate me free of charge and with a smile if i need touch-ups or repairs after, say, a week has passed since he cut my hair? does he recognize me and remember my preferred style during subsequent visits?
5. location. is he based in a branch that is convenient for me to visit on a regular basis?
6. price. can i pay for the service without unnecessary financial sacrifice? because once you find the right stylist, you wouldn’t want to go anywhere else, believe me. it’s like your ob-gyn or surgeon. you trust them with your life.

each person has a different set of hair needs, so nobody can really tell you with full certainty which salon would be best for you. if you want to be serious about maintaining a consistently presentable hairstyle and establishing a working relationship with a stylist, you might want to experiment and salon-hop too. but be warned: there will be a number of times when you get unsatisfactory results, and the grow-out will simply feel tedious. cheer up, it’s all part of the learning process.

you can start your research online. some salons have the fees written on their website.

so if you have a favorite salon and stylist already, congratulations! if you want to find a salon and meet a stylist of your own, gather your courage to experiment. it’s all worth it in the end. good hair days are always worth it.