Feather Extensions?

Aug 6, 2011

Angelique D.

I really want to do something new to my hair. I do not want a new cut or color& thought about getting feather extensions. Have you ever gotten featherextensions? I kinda want to go natural so I'm thinking about getting the naturalgrizzly kinds. Did you DIY or did you get it done? Tell me about yourexperience. I don't know if I should do it myself or get it done.

Aug 6, 2011

Angelique D.

Those are really nice feathers. I was actually just going to get maybe 5 or 6 individual feathers and put them in places like I would with peek-a-boo highlights. Clip-ins are a good idea too! I'll consider that too, it will be cheaper and will last much longer.

Aug 6, 2011

Yasmin K.

I agree with Andrew. It's also no longer in fashion. And just so you know.... most feathers are not gathered when the bird molts but rather when the bird is killed. So if you're against animal cruelty then don't wear feathers. I use to raise chickens, peafowl (peacocks and peahens), ducks and turkeys. When the feathers molt off the bird it's not smooth. The only time you get smooth feathers is when the bird has been plucked after it's death.

Aug 6, 2011

Angelique D.

@ Andrew - I respect your opinion, everyone is entitled to it. But, beauty is also about confidence right? Some do not wear bold lips and dramatic eyes at the same time because it's "too much", yet some people still do. So I think it's a just a matter of confidence.

@ Yasmin- I'm totally against animal cruelty & animal testing. I use make-up brands that are cruelty free & even found a local salon that use Air Feathers which is a cruelty free feather line.

Aug 6, 2011

Megan D.

Iam like addicted to these now! ^^ I only have two in right now, but I want maybe one or two more. They are so easy to put in and take out, so I want to buy a bunch and change them every now and then so I don't get bored (which happened a lot with me!).

Aug 6, 2011

Yasmin K.

Angelique - anyone can claim their products are cruelty free but like I said, I raised birds and know that there are only three ways to get feathers - pick them from the birds after the bird has molted feathers (which won't be smooth), pluck the feathers from a living bird or pluck from a dead bird.

As for Air Feathers, she sells feathers from birds that are raised specifically for their feathers and are killed specifically for their feathers.

http://www.airhairextensions.com/where-do-these-feathers-come-from-the-truth-about-saddle-hackle.html

The roosters live in a beautiful, air conditioned barn in cages. At about 15 months they are killed for their feathers, which are sold as "saddles" or "pelts" Fishermen use them to tie flies with for fishing. {snip} Yes, I sold those feathers. And yes I still have them. What I will be doing is selling them in specific lots to a distributor, and donating $1.00 of each sale to The Reeve Foundation.

Air Feathers states on their site they now get their feathers from http://www.whitingfarms.com/ which says nothing about not killing the roosters for their feathers. What I gathered from their site is that they raise 2,000 birds a year for their feathers. So what happens to the roosters? I'm guessing the roosters are killed for their feathers. I've contact the company to ask them if they kill their roosters for their feathers.

Aug 7, 2011

Drea L.

It's such a cruel trend - It seems like there's no way of doing it without it being cruel in one way or another. Plus, it looks ridiculous.

Aug 7, 2011

Yasmin K.

100% agree with Andrea.

Like I said before I raised chickens, ducks, turkeys and peafowl. There is no way to get GOOD feathers from the bird other than to pluck it while it's alive or dead. Molted feathers are junk feathers. Either way it's cruel and unnecessary. I dislike people and companies that raise birds JUST for their feathers.

I miss living in outside city limits for the simple fact I miss my birds. It was so nice having fresh eggs every day and every spring baby chicks and ducklings. 

Aug 7, 2011

Angelique D.

@ Yasmin - You bring up good points. You have changed my mind about getting these extensions. I love animals and I do my best to stay away from those companies that test on animals. 

Aug 7, 2011

Nykki B.

So I think that everything said has been said very well. I love animals too, but I eat chicken all the time, I eat hamburgers. If I can eat meat, then I think I can get over the fact that the feathers are coming from the same chickens that people are eating. I highly doubt that the chickens are ONLY killed for feathers, the meat goes into someone's stomach. This may sound cruel, but it is fact. I used to live in TN and I raised chickens too, so I am not this heartless freak...
As far as if this is IN or not, I don't really care. I don't try to follow trends, I don't need anybodys approval.

I am expecting the backlash that I get from this post. I am just stating my opinion on the matter. I won't let anybody make me feel bad by wearing feathers. I am sure we all do things that other people do not approve of.

xoxo, nykki 

Aug 7, 2011

Angelique D.

@ Nykki - I definitely agree on what you say. I didn't want to bring up a whole controversy about the cruelty of the food industry & the animal testing on animals. I definitely eat meat, & yes, I am disgusted by how the animals we raised for food are treated, but majority of our meats are distributed by those companies that do so I really don't have a choice but eat the meat they offer. The other option is to buy Kobe beef, but that's super expensive & I def. can't afford to eat that everyday. I am very passionate about animals but sometimes, there isn't much you can do about it. Unless you can shut down those meat providers & close down those makeup companies that test on animals. Sometimes its out of our control (and budgets) to buy meat from farmers that treat their cows & chickens like they should & buy makeup from companies that do not test on animals. I doubt everyone has money to buy expensive makeup & Kobe beef to eat everyday.  

Aug 7, 2011

Angelique D.

@ Erica- I wasn't saying food is a fashion statement. . . I was just saying that if the process in which they die for a purpose such as beauty is comparable to the cruelty of the food industry. They're both two things we cannot control all the time, like how people buy makeup & other beauty products thats tested on animals because it's more affordable or how we choose to buy cheaper meat because they're fed improperly and taken care of improperly. C'mon now? You couldn't get correlation between those two?

Aug 7, 2011

Nykki B.

Angelique there is a huge correlation between the two. I understand exactly what you are saying. What I don't understand is why people think they can judge you or anyone else for wearing feather extensions. Your question was asking us which ones to get or if we have gotten them. You were excited about getting them. You were NOT asking anybody what they think about them "morally". You weren't asking anybody if they are morally correct. I think that the comments have been very rude, by making you feel bad about wanting feathers in your hair. Angelique, if you want to get some, then do it. It doesn't matter what other people think. It just matters what you think! :) 

Aug 7, 2011

Nykki B.

btw Yasmin, I am VERY MUCH against animal cruelty, but I still wear Feathers. 

Aug 7, 2011

Drea L.

This isn't directed towards anybody or anything anybody said here. Kind of just a general opinion - While I AM an average American meat eater & even if I DID love the trend & thought it was cute or w/e, the fact that people are raising these chickens for the sole purpose of gathering feathers to wear on your head is absolutely ridiculous.

It's easily comparable to companies who raise (or hunt) & kill animals for the sole purpose of making fur coats. It's crazy & I'm not surprised about the uproar with this trend.

Aug 7, 2011

Angelique D.

@ Nykki - Thank you so much for the encouragement :) I am a big animal lover so I might find a new way to do something to my hair that doesn't involve any animal cruelty. As I did say, I try to avoid it as much as possible, but just because I do doesn't mean I go around hating & judging those who use makeup & other beauty products that have been tested on animals. I know that there are various reasons why people do such as affordability. It was totally unexpected that I'd get bashed for something I was thinking of doing. Thanks again for understanding where I am coming from. 

Aug 7, 2011

Alyssa R.

I agree with Andrea. It'd be one thing if they killed the animals and plucked the feathers in the same killing. But to raise animals just for hair accessories is a little unfathomable. Believe me, I thought it was a cute trend when it was still relevant and even thought of getting them but I'm glad I didn't as I realized from the previous posts what is done to obtain these extensions. I'm not perfect and I'm not going to say I'm a saint when it comes to cruelty-free products because I don't necessarily look that up on a regular basis. But some things just seem flat out wrong.

I don't mind or judge anyone who does decide to wear. I believe it's personal preference and what you like, who am I to tell you otherwise? I hear tinsel is the "new thing?" haha.

Aug 7, 2011

Nykki B.

Of course Angelique! It seems like there are just some people on these forums, that have something bad to say about EVERYTHING!
xoxo, nykki 

Aug 7, 2011

Angelique D.

@ Erica - Really? Because your previous comment didn't say anything along the lines of that.

@ Andrea & Alyssa - Yes, I totally agree with you on that. I do not own any real fur coats or vests, only faux ones. In my previous posts I thought I found a place that had cruelty free feathers but Yasmin proved me wrong, & now I'm not getting them. But my very first post was about whether I should do it myself or get them done, I didn't ask for this whole controversy over them. If someone posted if they wanted a certain makeup product over a brand that tested on animals, I wouldn't have bashed him or her on the immorality of buying a product tested on animals. 

Aug 7, 2011

Angelique D.

@ Nykki- You're definitely right. I can name a few people on this site (I won't really do that, I just keep it in mind) that I try to stay away from because they always find something wrong with what I say or do. I didn't ask "what do you think of this?!" I didn't as for a review on it either. 

Aug 7, 2011

Drea L.

Angelique - Please don't think I, or anybody else was bashing you. We're all just stating our opinion on how companies make these accessories since the subject was brought up. If anything, we're bashing the companies who make the products, not you, the person who was just curious about the product itself.
It's just a discussion. :)

Aug 7, 2011

Nykki B.

Erica, it isn't the opinion that is rude, Alyssa did a perfect job at stating her opinion without being mean about it. It doesn't sound like an opinion when someone seems like they are talking down to you, like they know so much more than everyone else.

The point is that the post was not about if the feathers are right or wrong. So if you aren't going to answer the question then why post? Oh, I know, because you (not specifically you) want to seem smarter then everyone else.

your comment sounded more like a statement not an opinion.

In fact, I agree with most of what has been said, but that DOES NOT matter because that is not what this post was about.

She was excited about getting them. Ask Angelique, if she felt judged by the comments? I am sure she will say yes, because I know I felt judged and I wasn't even the author of the post.

So if the comments make people feel judged then maybe we need to figure out how to reword things.

just saying. 

Aug 7, 2011

Drea L.

Nykki - The subject got brought up. It's a public message board - I think the day somebody posts & says, "You're stupid for wearing these, blah blah, you're a horrible person etc etc" then yes, people have every right to be offended & stand up for themselves because at that point, it's gotten way past just a general opinion on the original subject. People, including I, have just been stating our opinion on the product in itself - there's been no judging AT ALL. Why is that wrong? How is that acting SMARTER than other people?

If I were to post something on a specific mascara & somebody said, "hey, just a heads up, they use whale blubber in that" I wouldn't think they're acting smarter than me, they're letting me know of something involving that product. Nothing wrong with that.