Hair On The Brain reader Jumbly sent me this mind-blowing AOL article on Brandi Irwin–the 28-year-old New Yorker who reportedly spends $47,000 a year on her hair. Keep in mind that the average woman spends roughly $50,000 on her hair over the course of her lifetime, so Brandi spends as much in one year as most women spend in their whole life!
The “former model” gets her hair done at Gemini 14 salon in New York City (LUCKY THEM) where she spends over $10,000 on her 24-inch hair extensions three times a year. Brandi gets her hair colored every six weeks at about $300 a session, plus twice a week blow-outs at $65 each, plus tips! She told the New York Post, “It’s my biggest expense, but it makes me feel beautiful. And I’ve worked hard for what I have.” (Er, her family worked hard. Brandi stated that her parents did some wise investing when she was younger in order to be able to afford fake hair 4eva!)
“Without the extensions people say, ‘Well, she’s cute,'” Brandi says. “You add all this hair and it puts a ‘Who is she?’ factor on me. Without the hair, I’m this normal average person. But with it, I walk around the corner, and it’s like there’s a wind machine on me. It’s like I’ve stepped off the pages of a centerfold.”
Other Gemini 14 clients agree. “If you want to look like a million dollars, you have to spend 10 grand,” stated 27-year-old makeup artist, Kate Bazazian. “If you spend 50 bucks, you’re going to look like you spent that.”
Well, it goes without saying Brandi looks insane with all that fake hair, but what do you think in general: do extensions add a who is she factor? And is the more you spend directly proportional to the better you look?
Well, when I look at that picture I think, “Nice extensions”. But it doesn’t make me think that she’s somebody special. And while I love to wear makeup because I think it’s fun, I don’t wear it every day, and I don’t feel like my worth as a person is connected to my eyeshadow. I think this girl has self-esteem issues. But it could also be that she spends the money because she has it. If/when the cash dries up, she’ll either find more meaningful ways to feel good about herself, or she’ll be miserable because her happiness was contingent on her hair extensions.
But if she spends that much on hair, she’s got crazy amounts of money and probably 14 therapists on speed dial, so what do I know?
Smoke ’em if ya got ’em, is what granny used to say. 😉
Chris: so much word to your entire comment! I totally agree to everything you just wrote… um, yeah. 😉
Her little mermaid hairstyle doesn’t do much for her overall look. I think that she looks way better with her “natural” hair. Not to mention I’m not quite sure I understand how she can sleep at night knowing how much money she spend on buying fake hair that she could grow herself.
Leigh: it’s an insane amount of money to spend… I am guessing she spends a lot on other stuff too. this is the tip of the iceberg, I’m sure. the “natural” look was way more chic. but whatever makes Brandi happy. 😉
I really don’t think it adds a wow factor. I prefer her natural (ish) shorter hair.
…it’s just too much hair!!!
Jessica: WAY too much hair! I agree.
I honestly think she looks a million times cuter in the picture on the left, withOUT the extensions. They aren’t even good extensions! they look stringy and gross. Why are people so crazy!?
Meghan: I have no idea why people are so crazy. hee. and I agree, the extensions look bad… but I imagine it would be hard to take care of 24 inch extensions. who knows what the deal is. It’s kind of like obviously fake boobs–it’s a look.
it kind of looks like porn star hair.
Kwil: ttl porn star hair. really expensive porn star hair!
What the hell? They’re good extensions, but $10k?! 10k. Seriously. I wouldn’t even spend 1k on those. She doesn’t look like she came from a centerfold, she looks disproportionate (her hair looks like its engulfing her) and like she got a mop placed on her head.
Audrey: I agree! you couldn’t pay me $10k to put that on my head. wait. yes you could! ha.
I agree with the people above me, for being so damn expensive her extensions look kind of awful! I’m sure it’s hard to make extensions that absurdly long look good, but man, that women is dropping the cash, she should really be getting the some good looking hair.
Amanda Seyfried has some crazy long extensions and her hair is GORGEOUS, this women should go to Amanda’s hairdresser!
Oh and P.S. she looks so much better with her natural hair and shorter length! It’s funny how people often can’t really see themselves for who they really are, or look in this case.
I think she looks so much better with her natural hair, as I do for most, if not all, people with extensions. She looks like she has fake hair. And to me, that looks cheap…no matter how expensive the extensions are.
Alison: Hi! And I agree. 🙂