An inconsistency I've encountered with LaVivid

[TooBad]

I've purchased 3 or 4 thin skins from LaVivid. I have been a proponent of their outstanding customer service and quality units.

Wanted to take a moment and share my most recent experience. I typically wear a color #20, as my natural is between an 18 and 20. I've experimented with 17/18/20 over the years.

I recently ordered an 18 and received a unit that was a 17 or darker. They stated that the color I received, was in fact "their" #18.

They graciously exchanged it for a #20.

I just opened the package and the 20 I received is actually an 18.

Attached are photographs of the 2 #20's from them.
You can clearly see the difference, although it's more dramatic in person.

I can use both units, so that's not a concern.

Anyone that uses them knows the tag on the system simply says Lavivid. There is no color # stamped. I believe this is what leads to these mishaps.

 

[Jake1979]

I've purchased 3 or 4 thin skins from LaVivid. I have been a proponent of their outstanding customer service and quality units.

Wanted to take a moment and share my most recent experience. I typically wear a color #20, as my natural is between an 18 and 20. I've experimented with 17/18/20 over the years.

I recently ordered an 18 and received a unit that was a 17 or darker. They stated that the color I received, was in fact "their" #18.

They graciously exchanged it for a #20.

I just opened the package and the 20 I received is actually an 18.

Attached are photographs of the 2 #20's from them.
You can clearly see the difference, although it's more dramatic in person.

I can use both units, so that's not a concern.

Anyone that uses them knows the tag on the system simply says Lavivid. There is no color # stamped. I believe this is what leads to these mishaps.View attachment 166093View attachment 166094

Thanks for the info man, very good to know about these color discrepancies!

As far as the hair quality and longevity of the units with Lavivid, have u found that to be pretty good and consistent? And how has the shedding been for you, and about how long does each unit last you?

 

[TooBad]

Thanks for the info man, very good to know about these color discrepancies!

As far as the hair quality and longevity of the units with Lavivid, have u found that to be pretty good and consistent? And how has the shedding been for you, and about how long does each unit last you?

About 3-4 months. As with all thin skins..... When the graduated hairline loses hair, it's time to replace...as it's made with less density...
Typically shedding is dictated by how we treat it. Be sure to condition, to avoid breakage.... Use a flexible bristle brush (like wet brand)... or comb with the world trade center.... gently.....and Don't scratch an itch....without holding a towel on your head first..... I created a few bald spots,early on, scratching like it was my own hair.

 

[cottonReville]

HAHAHA "WORD TRADE CENTER"

Thanks for the post. I'm going to LaVivid for my next unit owing to the good feedback..

 

[Jake1979]

About 3-4 months. As with all thin skins..... When the graduated hairline loses hair, it's time to replace...as it's made with less density...
Typically shedding is dictated by how we treat it. Be sure to condition, to avoid breakage.... Use a flexible bristle brush (like wet brand)... or comb with the world trade center.... gently.....and Don't scratch an itch....without holding a towel on your head first..... I created a few bald spots,early on, scratching like it was my own hair.

Thanks for helpful info man!
3-4 months isn't bad for thin skin.

Do u order custom or a specific stock model?
Yeah I'm careful not to scratch, and I use a wet brush the stylist recommended, also a wide tooth comb.
So when you say condition often, is leave in conditioner sufficient on its own, or is washing with conditioner necessary as well?

 

[TooBad]

Thanks for helpful info man!
3-4 months isn't bad for thin skin.

Do u order custom or a specific stock model?
Yeah I'm careful not to scratch, and I use a wet brush the stylist recommended, also a wide tooth comb.
So when you say condition often, is leave in conditioner sufficient on its own, or is washing with conditioner necessary as well?

Stock .03. I've ordered one custom and the color match was aweful.

I've literally spent about $1000, on Products, trying every rinse out and leave in conditioner. Most leave ins seem to build up in the hair. I like pure organic jojoba oil best. It's the absolute closest to natural sebum produced by the body. Dampen the hair, put about .5 ml in your hands...rub and completely cover your hands and lightly run through your system.

After shampooing, when I'm not using a color correcting conditioner, I use Reken Extreme rinse out conditioner.

 

[Jake1979]

Nice! Yea man I'll try that jojoba oil, I remember a while back you discussing how well it works

 

[deg_dilemma]

Stock .03. I've ordered one custom and the color match was aweful.

I've literally spent about $1000, on Products, trying every rinse out and leave in conditioner. Most leave ins seem to build up in the hair. I like pure organic jojoba oil best. It's the absolute closest to natural sebum produced by the body. Dampen the hair, put about .5 ml in your hands...rub and completely cover your hands and lightly run through your system.

After shampooing, when I'm not using a color correcting conditioner, I use Reken Extreme rinse out conditioner.

Your experience sounds very similar to mine. I have always worn UTS. I too have spent £hundreds on products and have pushed the boundaries on systems to test how far I can take them (which isn't very far with a UTS ).

You're absolutely right with your 3 to 4 month lifespan of a UTS: it is always the hairline which suffers the most, and as it sheds then the base becomes too visible and can't be exposed. This is frustrating though, because the rest of the system still looks fine. If only a UTS could hold the hairline for longer, it would be perfect.

In the past I have not exposed the hairline and could then make the system last 6 months, with some care. I have heard stories of people making UTS last a year, but I have no idea how... I can only imagine the hair looks terrible by that stage.

I might try pure organic jojoba oil - thanks for the tip. I have been using various leave-in conditioners, which work well and allow me to hold a hair style in place. I have used argan oil in the past but I believe this eventually darkened the UTS base and that made it impossible to hide.

 

[Jake1979]

What benefits do yall find in using UTS vs Lace?

 

[TooBad]

What benefits do yall find in using UTS vs Lace?

Significantly more surface area for adhesion. Lace is approximately 30% vs 100% with poly.

Additionally, much easier to clean, and zero worry of bleached, or loosening knots.

 

[Jake1979]

Significantly more surface area for adhesion. Lace is approximately 30% vs 100% with poly.

Additionally, much easier to clean, and zero worry of bleached, or loosening knots.

Ah I gotcha, so adhesion and attachment are easier and better, and maintenace/cleaning are less of a hassle

 

[yurguardianangel]

Ah I gotcha, so adhesion and attachment are easier and better, and maintenace/cleaning are less of a hassle

Nope.

With lace you just spray lace release through the hair till the tape stays on your head.
And clean off the residue by rubbing cotton wool around it, and picking it off.
Maybe using some C22 Solvent if nended.

Poly/thin skin you have to be rubbing C22 Solvent under the tape and peeling it back and rubbing more C22 Solvent and peeling it back. Till it all comes off. Very tedious to do.
And if there's any resistance when pulling back the tape it can tear the base.

Full poly/thin skin doesn't breathe either. So sweat, bacteria, heat builds up and causes incredible itching.
Skin conditions like dandruff and/or dry skin cannot be washed through it when it's on your head unlike with lace.
And tapes or glue breaks down faster like that.

Poly/thin skin feels and sounds like a plastic bag to the touch unless you bond the entire scalp.

A high quality lace base shouldn't shed/loose knots that easily.
Also using tape and cleaning up weekly will reduce it greatly from the adhesive from going through the lace. Which makes cleaning very hard.

Attachment isn't a problem with lace. The correct tapes and glues work better for it.
Whereas some tapes or glues are better suited to poly/thin skin.

Oh and I can't stand how poly/thin skin can crease up and cause ridges/raided bumps you can feel when applied.
I don't get that with lace.

And how thin skin doesn't last more than 3-4 months.
I rather get a full Swiss lace base. Would last about 4-6 months too.
Roughly 6-8 months for a full french base.

 

[Jake1979]

Nope.

With lace you just spray lace release through the hair till the tape stays on your head.
And clean off the residue by rubbing cotton wool around it, and picking it off.
Maybe using some C22 Solvent if nended.

Poly/thin skin you have to be rubbing C22 Solvent under the tape and peeling it back and rubbing more C22 Solvent and peeling it back. Till it all comes off. Very tedious to do.
And if there's any resistance when pulling back the tape it can tear the base.

Full poly/thin skin doesn't breathe either. So sweat, bacteria, heat builds up and causes incredible itching.
Skin conditions like dandruff and/or dry skin cannot be washed through it when it's on your head unlike with lace.
And tapes or glue breaks down faster like that.

Poly/thin skin feels and sounds like a plastic bag to the touch unless you bond the entire scalp.

A high quality lace base shouldn't shed/loose knots that easily.
Also using tape and cleaning up weekly will reduce it greatly from the adhesive from going through the lace. Which makes cleaning very hard.

Attachment isn't a problem with lace. The correct tapes and glues work better for it.
Whereas some tapes or glues are better suited to poly/thin skin.

Oh and I can't stand how poly/thin skin can crease up and cause ridges/raided bumps you can feel when applied.
I don't get that with lace.

And how thin skin doesn't last more than 3-4 months.
I rather get a full Swiss lace base. Would last about 4-6 months too.
Roughly 6-8 months for a full french base.

Thanks man for the info and for sharing your experience with Skin!

Yea I think I'm gonna stick with French lace for now, haven't had much itching and not hot at all, and I work out alot and live in super humid hot climate.
May try poly in the winter/fall.

Probably gonna order Lavivid again soon, not sure how long thos one will last. I like the hair and base, and only quality place I've found with ready to ship lace

 

[TooBad]

Nope.

With lace you just spray lace release through the hair till the tape stays on your head.
And clean off the residue by rubbing cotton wool around it, and picking it off.
Maybe using some C22 Solvent if nended.

Poly/thin skin you have to be rubbing C22 Solvent under the tape and peeling it back and rubbing more C22 Solvent and peeling it back. Till it all comes off. Very tedious to do.
And if there's any resistance when pulling back the tape it can tear the base.

Full poly/thin skin doesn't breathe either. So sweat, bacteria, heat builds up and causes incredible itching.
Skin conditions like dandruff and/or dry skin cannot be washed through it when it's on your head unlike with lace.
And tapes or glue breaks down faster like that.

Poly/thin skin feels and sounds like a plastic bag to the touch unless you bond the entire scalp.

A high quality lace base shouldn't shed/loose knots that easily.
Also using tape and cleaning up weekly will reduce it greatly from the adhesive from going through the lace. Which makes cleaning very hard.

Attachment isn't a problem with lace. The correct tapes and glues work better for it.
Whereas some tapes or glues are better suited to poly/thin skin.

Oh and I can't stand how poly/thin skin can crease up and cause ridges/raided bumps you can feel when applied.
I don't get that with lace.

And how thin skin doesn't last more than 3-4 months.
I rather get a full Swiss lace base. Would last about 4-6 months too.
Roughly 6-8 months for a full french base.

You are entitled to your preference, but it is an undeniable fact that 100% Surface area is far superior to 30% for adhesion. Secondly, no one on the planet,with experience, would agree that cleaning lace is easier than poly. The main negative of lace is that the adhesive creeps through and gets on the the hair. You suggest using an oil based cleaner on a lace which , quite obviously has an effect on the knot strength. Also, no one with experience would suggest using C22 on poly either, as it would lubricate the v-loops, encouraging them to shed. Alcohol is the superior solvent. Poly creases up? I've never had that problem, in my years of wearing, perhaps you should install it correctly. An artist never blames his canvas... Nor does a mechanic ever blame his tools.

I suggest you appropriately treat your skin condition, rather than blaming a base type.

Also, as cheap as hair systems are... I'm not sure why you would opt to only use 2 a year. You do realize how long natural hair grows over the course of a year? About 6 inches..... It's not meant to last that long.

Thin skin Poly does breathe, heat does transfer through the base. Again, you're simply scientifically incorrect.

Also I'll never understand why some people state that lace breaths completely. Anywhere you use adhesive or tape it's blocking the skin... which base is on top is irrelevant.

I feel some people get too obsessed with getting every penny out of a system, when the ultimate goal should be having one that looks it's best.... And believe me, it shows.....

 

[deg_dilemma]

Poly is incredibly easy to clean. I'm not even that delicate when it comes to de/re with my 0.03 UTS. But I have found a mechanism that works well for me, and this is very important - everyone needs to find what works best for them.

In my case I find that a single layer of glue is sufficient. This provides a solid hold for 7 to 10 days, by which time the glue breaks down and is very easy to remove. At that time the glue becomes a gooey mess and simply rolls off the UTS base or can be scraped/washed from my scalp : most of the gooey glue remains on my scalp and is very easy to remove.

Due to the regular de/re, I don't get itching or any uncomfortable feeling.

I never have to use C22. I rarely use isopropyl alcohol. Both of these would be BAD for our skin. I literally roll the gooey glue off and wash my scalp with dishwashing liquid before re-gluing.

If I want a clean hairline I will re-do it every 3rd day, but this is rare because I don't want to wreck the system faster.

UTS / poly will make you feel hotter in the warm summer months. Right now it's 30 degrees centigrade in the UK and I'm fine, but I would feel better not wearing the hair in this heat! I have been to holidays where the temperature hit 43 degrees, and it was uncomfortable but it's important to stay cool when you can, by dipping in the pool or getting into air conditioned areas. My honest view is that UTS/poly does not breathe, and in any case the barrier of glue will hold the heat in.

A full bond on a UTS is the closest you're going to get to feeling like the hair is really yours. It will completely hug your scalp and you won't feel the edge. It won't be loose in any areas, like you would get with a perimeter bonded lace.

So UTS suits me just fine. I did want lace originally but my friend has lace and he hasn't even learned to self-maintain because he finds it too messy. I would like to try lace one day though - especially to compare how good the hairline would be.

 

[TooBad]

Poly is incredibly easy to clean. I'm not even that delicate when it comes to de/re with my 0.03 UTS. But I have found a mechanism that works well for me, and this is very important - everyone needs to find what works best for them.

In my case I find that a single layer of glue is sufficient. This provides a solid hold for 7 to 10 days, by which time the glue breaks down and is very easy to remove. At that time the glue becomes a gooey mess and simply rolls off the UTS base or can be scraped/washed from my scalp : most of the gooey glue remains on my scalp and is very easy to remove.

Due to the regular de/re, I don't get itching or any uncomfortable feeling.

I never have to use C22. I rarely use isopropyl alcohol. Both of these would be BAD for our skin. I literally roll the gooey glue off and wash my scalp with dishwashing liquid before re-gluing.

If I want a clean hairline I will re-do it every 3rd day, but this is rare because I don't want to wreck the system faster.

UTS / poly will make you feel hotter in the warm summer months. Right now it's 30 degrees centigrade in the UK and I'm fine, but I would feel better not wearing the hair in this heat! I have been to holidays where the temperature hit 43 degrees, and it was uncomfortable but it's important to stay cool when you can, by dipping in the pool or getting into air conditioned areas. My honest view is that UTS/poly does not breathe, and in any case the barrier of glue will hold the heat in.

A full bond on a UTS is the closest you're going to get to feeling like the hair is really yours. It will completely hug your scalp and you won't feel the edge. It won't be loose in any areas, like you would get with a perimeter bonded lace.

So UTS suits me just fine. I did want lace originally but my friend has lace and he hasn't even learned to self-maintain because he finds it too messy. I would like to try lace one day though - especially to compare how good the hairline would be.

I agree with everything you've said, with the exception of breathing. This has been demonstrated many times with a smoke or steam apparatus placed under the unit. It clearly shows the steam and smoke passing through the base. This is why manufacturers advertise them as gas permeable.

I'm sure there's certain degree of increased temperature with poly vs lace. But I believe what's perceived is mostly psychosomatic.