When it comes to dressing up for a wedding ceremony, the wedding dress is not just what people look at these days. Wedding hair accessories have become an important part of the bridal outfit. These fashion pieces have grown so much and have an entire industry dedicated to tiaras, hair vines, and combs, etc.
With so many options of different wedding hair accessories today to choose from, some brides might be wondering what kind of accessories to use with their bridal outfit. It is important to note that not all accessories are made the same way. This article will make you aware of what to look for when purchasing your hair accessories.
Wedding Hair Accessories Made From Rhinestones
Rhinestones is the main component of a lot of wedding hair accessories. Although, the quality of rhinestones vary greatly and can also impact the look and sparkle of an accessory. The main difference is going to be how the rhinestones are set.
- Foil Back – This is the cheapest setting and the one that you will find in 90% of very inexpensive wedding hair accessories. A foil back rhinestones is not “set” in any type of metal setting but instead the back of the stone is painted with metallic colour and then glued on a piece of wire. Not only will you not get much sparkle out of this type of rhinestone but you will run the risk of the rhinestones falling off since they are simply glued.
- Jewel Set – A jewel set rhinestone is set into a metal setting with prongs holding the rhinestone in place. While this rhinestone is typically a better quality than a foil back rhinestone, this type of setting has a solid metal back so no light can shine through and again, you won’t get a lot of sparkle. This type of setting is also typically done with cheaper metal and there is more chance that your rhinestone will fall out.
- Diamond Set – This is the best quality with the most sparkle and durability. A diamond set rhinestone is typically going to be a higher quality glass and it is set just like a diamond in a stronger metal setting with prongs holding the stone in place. Besides the quality of the actual stone and the quality of the metal being much higher than either a foil back or jewel set rhinestones, a diamond set rhinestone also has an open back to the setting so that the light shines through and you get the most sparkle!
Wedding Hair Accessories Made From Pearls
Pearls is another common component found in many wedding hair accessories. There are three main types of pearls that you will find when buying hair accessories.
- Plastic – Just like with foil back rhinestones, 80% of inexpensive pieces online are going to be made with plastic pearls.
- Glass – Glass pearls are going to be a much higher quality than plastic pearls and most will give you the look, feel and luster of real pearls.
- Authentic Pearls – The best and highest quality pearls are going to be authentic pearls. There are two types of pearls, cultured and natural. Natural pearls are just that, found naturally from an oyster in nature and are going to be the most expensive.
Wedding Hair Accessories Made From Crystals
The final component that you will typically find in most wedding hair accessories are crystals. A lot of wedding hair accessories are made from man-made crystals.
- Plastic – Most times when hair accessory is very inexpensive and has crystals, the crystals are going to be plastic. Again, like pearls…you can’t tell this in photos but it is very obvious in person when a piece is made with plastic crystals. Imagine looking through a window made of glass versus a window made of plastic…the quality is going to be very obvious and any type of shine or sparkle is going to be non-existent.
- Glass – Most high end hair pieces you will find are going to be made using glass crystals. Austrian crystals being the highest quality. You are going to get a lot of sparkle from an Austrian crystals and they can be made in a variety of shapes and colors.
- Natural – Natural crystals are very rarely going to be used in hair accessories because of their more naturally cloudy nature. Although natural crystals are often more expensive, glass crystals are typically preferable since they are clearer and have more sparkle.
Manufacturing
The final thing to look for when shopping for wedding hair accessories is how it’s made.
- Machine Made – Many of the more inexpensive pieces online are going to be, at least partially, machine made.
- Assembly Line – Even if a piece has the look of a “hand-made” piece, if it is very inexpensive, chances are that it is being done on an assembly line where the main objective is speed, not attention to detail. Most “hand-made” pieces that are inexpensive and typically come from China are not going to have the attention to detail that you are going to get from a 100% hand made piece.
- Hand Made – Understandably, the most expensive hair pieces are going to be 100% hand made. There is going to be one craftsman dedicated to each piece making sure that the beading and wiring of the piece is secure and even throughout the piece. Hair pieces that are hand made, especially when there is a lot of beading and detail AND when the highest quality components are used are truly going to be a work of art and are going to be the most expensive.
If you’re planning to shop at a bridal salon, we are your bridal store of choice in Lagos. We have different sizes of wedding gowns for sale and rentals.
Check out our article about 4 easy ways to choose your hair accessories and also 10 bridal accessories you will need on your wedding day
Our wedding gown shop in Lagos is located at 8, Ajayi Aina Street, By Deeper Life Church, Ifako Gbagada, Lagos Nigeria. Click here to chat with us on WhatsApp Now!!!