I'm a huge fan of hair extensions as my natural hair has been through the wars and doesn't seem to want to grow at the minute.
I've worn/used hair extensions since I was 16 so we're getting on for around 5 years now!!
I have always bought my hair extensions from local hair/beauty shops so that I can see the colour and quality of the hair for myself before spending a small fortune on it.
The hair that I have always bought is sold in a long strip of hair so therefore I have been able to cut the strip to fit the section of my hair it will be attached too and never have the problem where strips overlap.
The price of these extensions have ranged from £30-£90 depending on the colour and length of the hair I have bought - The longer and lighter colour the hair is, the more expensive it will be.
Choosing the correct hair extensions:
I would highly recommend buying 100% human hair as it gives you the option of restyling using heat as and when you decide. Synthetic extensions are slightly less expensive but do not last as long as they're difficult to maintain.
Most hair extension suppliers will be happy to help pick a brand, length and colour that will give you the best end result, however if help is not at hand there are a few things you will need to consider to make sure the hair blends correctly.and doesn't appear to be "fake".
Attaching extensions:
Glue:
I started with extensions that were glued to the roots of my hair in 6 sections, however the glue was horrendous to maintain. I have tried different types of hair extension glues as well as different brands and nothing has lasted longer than a couple of washes. The glues have all become a gooey consistency when coming into contact with water and therefore the strips of hair become loose and either slide down the hair it has been glued to or falls out completely - This then means you have to re-glue the hair back in place and you'll soon find your scalp becoming clogged up and gooey.
Glued in extensions made it extremely difficult to straighten hair with a natural curl as the glue melts
Clips:
Clip in extensions have been my preference for many years as they are a lot easier to maintain and a lot friendlier on your natural hair. It also means you can wear them as and when you wish.
I have always bought extensions in wefts and sewn the clips in myself as I prefer to measure the hair to the size of my head for a more natural finish. However pre-clipped extensions are available in shops but these seem to be far more expensive!!
Maintaining extensions:
It is important to remember that your extensions are human hair. Therefore you should be treating them in the same condition as your own.
Dying/colouring extensions:
Hair extension retailers will tell you that you are NOT supposed to dye or colour hair. There is only 2 main reasons for this. The first is that if your extensions become faded and you believe you cant dye them, then you will go back and buy more!! The second is that most are treated with a silicone solution so the colour and shape (curls, straight) remain with the hair as long as possible.
I am going to tell you otherwise but with tests you can do before deciding yourself whether to take the risks!!
The first step you will need to take with all new extensions (not for faded extensions) before dying is to test whether the hair will take the dye through the silicone layer. Most extension retailers offer refunds on hair that has not been taken off the wrappers - to test the dye, cut a few strands off the weft and do a strand test. If this test strand does not take the dye, you can then return the hair and they won't know that a few strands have been cut off (naughty!!).
When using colours such as veggie dyes (manic panic, la riche directions, stargazer etc.) to get the bolder unnatural colours, you nee to buy white/platinum blonde extensions which have minimal yellow tones. The yellow tones will alter the colour of the dyes (think of it as like mixing paint). Veggie dyes need to be left on the white extensions for at least 12 hours - this helps prevent fading and will bring out the best of the dye. This will not damage the hair as there are NO chemicals in veggie dyes.
Other tips/tricks:
I've worn/used hair extensions since I was 16 so we're getting on for around 5 years now!!
I have always bought my hair extensions from local hair/beauty shops so that I can see the colour and quality of the hair for myself before spending a small fortune on it.
The hair that I have always bought is sold in a long strip of hair so therefore I have been able to cut the strip to fit the section of my hair it will be attached too and never have the problem where strips overlap.
The price of these extensions have ranged from £30-£90 depending on the colour and length of the hair I have bought - The longer and lighter colour the hair is, the more expensive it will be.
Choosing the correct hair extensions:
I would highly recommend buying 100% human hair as it gives you the option of restyling using heat as and when you decide. Synthetic extensions are slightly less expensive but do not last as long as they're difficult to maintain.
Most hair extension suppliers will be happy to help pick a brand, length and colour that will give you the best end result, however if help is not at hand there are a few things you will need to consider to make sure the hair blends correctly.and doesn't appear to be "fake".
- You will need to choose the length of your extensions based on the length of your natural hair. The hair extensions shouldn't be more than 7/8 inches longer than your natural hair length (measure from the top of your ear).
- The brand/type of hair again depends on your natural hair. Most extensions will come straight and when washed will have a slight wave to it, however if you have tight curls or even afro type hair, you will need to compare different brands/types to see which strip of extensions best matches your own hair.
- When choosing the colour of your hair, make sure you compare the extensions next to your natural hair in both indoor and outdoor lighting (most suppliers will have a mirror under an indoor light and another next to a window) for customers to compare. If you dye your hair and you cannot find extensions anywhere near close to the colour (I struggled a tad with my blue hair) you will need to buy extensions in the colour of the hair underneath the dye (your natural hair colour unless bleached) and then you can dye the extensions for a much closer if not perfect match - Do check that this hair can be dyed.
Attaching extensions:
Glue:
I started with extensions that were glued to the roots of my hair in 6 sections, however the glue was horrendous to maintain. I have tried different types of hair extension glues as well as different brands and nothing has lasted longer than a couple of washes. The glues have all become a gooey consistency when coming into contact with water and therefore the strips of hair become loose and either slide down the hair it has been glued to or falls out completely - This then means you have to re-glue the hair back in place and you'll soon find your scalp becoming clogged up and gooey.
Glued in extensions made it extremely difficult to straighten hair with a natural curl as the glue melts
Clips:
Clip in extensions have been my preference for many years as they are a lot easier to maintain and a lot friendlier on your natural hair. It also means you can wear them as and when you wish.
I have always bought extensions in wefts and sewn the clips in myself as I prefer to measure the hair to the size of my head for a more natural finish. However pre-clipped extensions are available in shops but these seem to be far more expensive!!
Maintaining extensions:
It is important to remember that your extensions are human hair. Therefore you should be treating them in the same condition as your own.
- Use heat protecting spray each time you straighten/curl the hair.
- Wash it regularly - Once a fortnight should be efficient enough as the hair doesn't pick up oils from the scalp as easily as natural hair as the natural hair acts as a barrier. If you use hairspray/gel/mouse on the hair, you may need to wash it as regularly as you wash your natural hair.
- Comb/brush the hair from the bottom upwards to avoid creating knots.
- When the extensions are not in use, pile them so that the strip across the top is on top of another strip, comb/brush the hair so it isn't full of cots, twist the hair until it is in a loose twist, fold this twist into itself until the hair is about the same length as your hand, tie a hair bobble around the hair making sure its not too tight. Put the extensions in a plastic bag/container separate from any other extensions/hair you have stored.
Dying/colouring extensions:
Hair extension retailers will tell you that you are NOT supposed to dye or colour hair. There is only 2 main reasons for this. The first is that if your extensions become faded and you believe you cant dye them, then you will go back and buy more!! The second is that most are treated with a silicone solution so the colour and shape (curls, straight) remain with the hair as long as possible.
I am going to tell you otherwise but with tests you can do before deciding yourself whether to take the risks!!
The first step you will need to take with all new extensions (not for faded extensions) before dying is to test whether the hair will take the dye through the silicone layer. Most extension retailers offer refunds on hair that has not been taken off the wrappers - to test the dye, cut a few strands off the weft and do a strand test. If this test strand does not take the dye, you can then return the hair and they won't know that a few strands have been cut off (naughty!!).
- Faded extensions:
- Dying/colouring extensions:
When using colours such as veggie dyes (manic panic, la riche directions, stargazer etc.) to get the bolder unnatural colours, you nee to buy white/platinum blonde extensions which have minimal yellow tones. The yellow tones will alter the colour of the dyes (think of it as like mixing paint). Veggie dyes need to be left on the white extensions for at least 12 hours - this helps prevent fading and will bring out the best of the dye. This will not damage the hair as there are NO chemicals in veggie dyes.
Other tips/tricks:
- It is far easier to curl and straighten extensions when they aren't attached to natural hair - but curls look more natural when curled when attached.
- Every few weeks, trim the ends off the extensions to keep them looking healthy and more natural.
- After curling or when extensions get abit 'fly away' due to use, iron them on full heat (yes iron!!) - use a towel underneath the extensions, spray them with heat protection and comb the hair after each time the iron is used on the extensions. The extensions should feel softer and will be deadly straight almost like new!!
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