Hair extensions have progressed significantly. There are now higher-quality, more natural-looking choices available on the market, as well as enhanced application procedures. It's past time you gave them another chance. Extensions can be one of your hair's most valuable assets, allowing you to experiment with multiple hairstyles without committing to one for too long.
We spoke with two hair experts: Renya Xydis, owner of Valonz salon and Cloud Nine Ambassador, and Tarryn Cherniayeff, Hair Director and co-founder of MOB HAIR, to find out everything you need to know before investing in a set of faux strands, from the different varieties to how to care for them and how much you can expect to pay.
#1 / The various forms of hair extensions
According to Xydis, the most common types of invisible tape hair extensions are “clip-in, sew-in, micro-link, glue-in, and tape extensions.”
“Clip-in hair extensions are the easiest to apply and the least harmful, as they just clip in to your original hair. “To apply sew-in extensions, braid natural hair into a cornrow before sewing the hair extensions into the cornrow,” advises Xydis. Sew-in extensions, she adds, are one of the most smooth and lasting extension techniques.
“The most destructive on hair are glue-in (extensions attached to natural hair) and micro-link (looping the extensions through the normal hair, clamping them with a heated tool and metal rings). “However, if properly cared for, they can both be reused,” Xydis argues.
#2 / How to Know Which Hair Extensions to Get
Both Xydis and Cherniayeff emphasize the need of consulting with your stylist before committing to any form of extensions. According to Cherniayeff, doing so will allow you to consider your lifestyle, budget, and natural hair to discover what would work best for you, as choosing the wrong ones can have bad consequences. “For example, if you're a low-maintenance person who is unwilling to put aside time to care for your extensions, you can end up with matted roots and unmanageable hair.”
#3 / Can you get balayage hair extensions?
If you've always avoided hair extensions because you believed they'd never match your ombré or balayage hair color, we've got excellent news for you.
Cherniayeff and Xydis both think that people with a variety of colors and tones in their hair will be able to find extensions that match and seem natural. According to Cherniayeff, by blending a “combination of dark and light extensions,” you can create a balayage appearance on your own.
#4 / Selecting between synthetic and human hair extensions
While synthetic hair extensions (made from various blended synthetic fibers) may appear more enticing due to their lower cost, human hair extensions are often the best option.
“Synthetic extensions can be rigid and difficult to incorporate into hair. Human hair, on the other hand, merges seamlessly into natural hair and can be colored (where possible) to match natural hair,” explains Xydis.
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