Hair accessories function according to a set of basic principles relative to their design. They all depend on the accumulation of hair strands bound together, which in turn creates three basic elements - compression, tension and friction.  But as we know, functionality does not necessarily mean friendly - many mass produced accessories do the job but can cause damage in the process.

 To better understand the difference between hand crafted items and their mass produced counterparts, let's first look at the individual hair strand. It's tensile strength can be compromised when too much force is applied, as in brushing wet hair where one strand crosses over another in the path of a bristle.

 With accessories, damage normally occurs during insertion and removal, as friction and tension overwhelm tensile strength on outer strands, causing them to stretch and break. Stretching is by no means a lesser evil than breakage - a given hair strand does not completely return to it's original shape once distorted, and over time, the number of stretched and broken strands accumulate and undermine your goal for healthy hair.

 Individual accessories and how they work

 Elastics use radial compression by creating an hourglass shape in a small area. The soft, flexible fabric over latex rubber provides excellent compression with little friction. However, damage normally occurs on removal with these, as they must be drawn over the entire length of hair to remove. Hair friendly elastics such as hosiery bands and those with no metal connector offer a much safer alternative.

 Barrettes come in a variety of styles, and use compression in a similar way. The metal band clasp type offers the advantage of removal at it’s compression point, so there’s no linear friction on strand length during removal. Disadvantages are snagging on metal connecting points, sharp edges, and corrosion caused by moisture and chemical action on the plated surface. The stick slide type offers a similar effect by compression, while eliminating these problems altogether. Sizing becomes more of an issue with these, so the thoughtful designer should provide a wide range of sizes as well as an accurate sizing method for the individual.

 Sticks and forks use a combination of tension and friction for effective hold – these elements must work in balance with one another. Factors that influence efficiency are weight, bulk or profile, and surface texture. These factors deserve an explanation of their own to understand what makes one accessory superior to another.

 Weight is probably the most underestimated factor in design today. For example, a large feather might be thought of as the ideal stick style accessory in terms of it's light weight, thin profile and smooth texture. If the feather weighed as much as a railroad spike, that element would be out of balance with the others and the negative force would cause an obvious failure.

 Profile refers to the relationship between the space an accessory occupies and the force it generates on surrounding space in the performance of it's duty. Taken to the extreme, a section of broom handle would be nearly impossible to install because of it's wide profile, even if it weighed nothing and were tapered down to zero. Given that hair strands are anchored to the scalp at one end while the twisted bun coil limits available space between strands, something has to give when an accessory is forced into the remaining space. This wedging or stacking effect is doubled when two sticks overlap one another. Therefore, minimal profile is desired as it offers the greatest amount of functional efficiency for the least amount of occupied space.

 Surface texture is often thought of as being ideal when an accessory’s surface is smooth as glass. This can be true, but only when other functional elements are in balance. For example, if overall weight or profile were excessive for a particular design, the advantage of smooth texture would be overwhelmed so the product would fail. A specific degree of frictional force is then designed into the product to keep all functional elements in balance.

 Material suitability is also important in a number of ways. As technology advances, we see the most effective results in modern handcrafted goods being done in metals. However, the designer must have a thorough understanding of the characteristics of these materials so that our basic elements are balanced in the finished product. Some materials and fabrication methods in use today focus on aesthetic rather than functional value, and their suitability remains questionable.  Not surprisingly, an increasing number of attractive and inexpensive imported accessories regularly appear on the market. These are generally mass produced and often made with plated base metals – the worst offender in terms of violating functional efficency. Base metals are unacceptably heavy for the strength they offer, often have sharp edges or points, and the plating commonly develops stress cracks over time, creating tiny razor like edges that can shear off hair strands. Avoid these whenever possible. When in doubt, ask the vendor about material quality and if you don't like the answer, shop elsewhere.

Exotic woods have been the preferred choice in accessories for centuries; there's nothing like the warmth and beauty of this natural, organic material. Bunning damp hair is very common, both in terms of ease of manipulation and the cooling effect evaporation provides during the summer months. Metals and composites would be the first chioce here, since they are not affected by moisture, but there's just something about natural woods that helps us stay tuned to nature. Here are some facts about the use of wood products and the integrity of wood finishes you can use as a guideline when choosing accessories.

For our purposes here, the goal is to avoid the absorption of moisture. In a nutshell, direct contact with water causes the tubular structure of fine grains in cured woods to rehydrate. They draw in moisture by capillary action - water displaces air normally contained within the cell structure of cured woods. The fibers expand, and the once silky smooth surface now resembles a cat's tongue, with hundreds of tiny barbs that snag hair, and can literally shear off individual strands. Thus, the need for a suitable sealer and finish. This subject can be a bit complex, since the dozens of species of exotic and domestic hardwoods used in accessory design exhibit different characteristics. Each must be considered on an individual basis for the most effective results.

Woods fall into two primary categories, generally determined by their cellular grain structure.

The first category is resinous woods, such as the large family of rosewoods. The natural resins that once fed the tree slowly evaporate their moisture content as wood cures, and what's left hardens within their tightly packed cell structure to create a naturally water resistant base material. Then there's the porous, open grained woods. These are typically domestic species, but they lend themselves favorably to hair accessories as long as they are correctly sealed. Since most of these naturally create a lifegiving sap mostly composed of water, it makes sense that during the curing process the majority of the water evaporates, leaving a material composed primarily of cellulose fiber and air. This accounts for the lighter weight of most domestic species. These open grains need to be sealed to avoid rehydration, so we introduce a compound that simulates that of the natural resinous woods. This material fills the tubular grains and hardens, forming a moisture resistant seal. Once this cures, we apply a final finish. Like resinous woods, all that's left in terms of maintenance is the occasional cleaning and oiling.

While we're at it, let's dispel some myths regarding the ever popular Dymondwood. Some makers like to create an air of mystery around this unusual material, but truth be told – there’s only one way to manufacture it,  so it's basically the same stuff no matter who's using it. Dymondwood is a combination product where numerous layers of birch veneers are pre-dyed, assembled in various alternating color layers, and bonded with phenolic resin under a proprietary process using extreme heat and pressure. The advantages are superior strength, the ability to get a glass like finish, and debatably something of a waterproof finish. These characteristics are possible because the finished product is no longer wood - you have a material that looks like wood and acts like plastic. In terms of moisture resistance, this is the next best thing to metals and composites.

All natural woods need some sort of sealer or finish.  Here we need to bear in mind that hair care products contain various blends of detergents, surfactants, PH stabilizers, foaming agents, fruit acids and sugars, preservatives, etc. Any one of these can have an effect on common wood finishes, so it's wise for the designer to have a bit of knowledge in basic chemistry. A specific example would be that most hair sprays contain alcohol to keep the base material in solution, while some finish compounds such as lacquers use alcohol for the same purpose. We wouldn't consider using these as a final finish, since they could be dissolved during normal use. Regardless of the type of finish used on your accessory, natural hair oils and those blended into conditioning products tend to collect on the surface. While providing some additional sealing effect, they can build up in layers and harden, causing a dull appearance and even rough spots. Most properly sealed accessories can be cleaned with a soft, damp cloth - heavy build up may require a bit of isopropanol, or rubbing alcohol. When the surface is clean and dry, oiling is easy - use any natural oil suitable for hair care since these usually do not contain damaging solvents.

Hand crafted accessories provide a high quality alternative to the mass produced fare we see everywhere. They're made with the finest materials and with careful attention to detail, eliminating the hazards of commercially produced goods. A well designed accessory incorporates our basic elements in the correct proportions, making functionality just as important as appearance.

Designers are always looking for innovative solutions via the latest technology. Most operate their businesses with the highest level of integrity, and stand behind their products. We're always interested in your opinions and reviews, and try to have answers available to even the most technical questions.

 "Knowledge is power - the informed customer is a satisfied customer."