ENHANCE YOUR HAIR EXTENSION IQ

The world of beauty has given us the opportunity to achieve any look our heart desires. Truly.

From short to long styles, there are tools and resources to achieve the look we desire in a moment’s notice. One of the options to change one’s look is through incorporating hair extensions.

It is important to research the variations of hair extensions inknowing the different types, quality, style, and maintenance to achieve the style will be beneficial. Understanding the maintenance is important because hair extensions will be part of your lifestyle. From there you will know how much time and effort, you will need to take to incorporate them into your life. This article will be a great reference for you as your research the type that aligns with you.

Here are some typical reasons why one would inquire about hair extensions:

To achieve length: If you are growing out a shorter style and cannot wait for nature to take its course. Add extensions for the desired length. Some even want a temporary look because they want to change or want to see what it looks like to have longer hair because it's been so long since they have experienced it.

P.s We have all been there where we thought we wanted short hair and a couple days later have the “chop remorse”. No worries. Hair extensions will save the day.

To achieve volume: If you have the length that you desire, however, have low density hair and want to pump up your hair. Adding a couple of wefts in areas of your head that aren’t as dense will help you achieve the voluminous locks.

P.s Maybe you were born with volume or not? I was definitely NOT born with dense hair, so I am thankful for the ability to clip-on a couple hair extensions on my hair to give me luxurious, voluminous locks that model rock on the runway hair that I so desire.

To achieve dimension: If you love your base hair color, however, do not want to commit to the maintenance of highlights, lowlights, or balayage that you admire. Adding hair extensions that are two levels up and/or down will provide dimension to a neutral color. The bonus is you do not have to commit to the maintenance of getting touch up every couple weeks.

P.s I love using funky colors such as pink, blue, and purple to give me any edgy look that again I don’t need to commit to or can take off when I need to keep things conservative.

Let’s talk about the different types of extensions that are available in the beauty industry. They range from non-committal to semi-committal. How this can be you ask? Clip-ins, tape-ins, fusions, weaves, etc. We are going to breakdown the different types to reduce confusion and help you choose the right type for your look.

Amazing Beauty Hair Extensions specializes in 100% Remy human hair clip-ins. Clip-ins are my favorite because you can change your look at a moment’s notice by clipping and unclipping. At the moment, clip-ins and tape-ins are quite popular. The clip-in extensions because of the convenience of changing your look at a moment’s notice and tape-ins because it's in between non-committal to committal with semi-permanent.

Along with clip-in, there a few popular techniques that fall under the hair extension umbrella:

Clip-in Hair Extensions

Clip hair extension loved for the convenience and the versatility of hair placement. One can get creative with this technique whether to create length, volume, and/or a different look.

Pros: This is the most efficient process. Depending on the density of the hair and look that you are going for. It could be 5-15 minutes to apply. You can attach and detach them at a moment’s notice.

Pons: It is not recommended to wear this hair extension for long period of times because it can cause breakage especially for fine, thin hair. In addition, it is recommended that one takes hair extensions off at the end of each day to prevent damage and so it becomes part of your routine.

Upkeep: Moderate. You can change every day so that can be perceived as an inconvenience for some.

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Tape-in Hair Extensions

Tape hair extension is if you want the in-between longevity of this look. It is popular because they have a similar fitting and application as clip-ins. However, longevity is longer up to four-six weeks.

Know that each manufacturing use variations of strength when it comes to the adhesiveness. Do your homework by asking professionals and reading reviews ahead of time to reveal the manufacturer who has the best quality out there.

Pros: People chose this type of hair extension for the efficiency of the process. It’s a short process. Approximately 90 minutes depending on the density of the hair. There are no tools used therefore no damage to the natural hair. In addition, the hair extensions lie flat on the head allowing for a natural look.

Cons: There is a 24-48 hour waiting period for washing your hair and activities that activate sweating. This time will allow adhesive to affix properly to the natural hair. Do you like to apply serum to your hair? If so, you cannot with this method as this would allow for possible slippage because of the oil deactivating the adhesive. Unfortunately, there is some limits to styling. You cannot wear your hair up styles.

Upkeep: Moderate. Approx. 4-6 weeks

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Pre-bonded/Fusion Hair Extensions

Pre-bonded/Fusion Hair Extensions is great of you will stay committed to the look for four to six months. Unlike hair clip-ins or tape-ins, these can be difficult and time-consuming to take off. In addition, this type can cause damage if not take out properly. Its highly recommended that an industry professional assists in attaching and detaching this type of hair extension.

Pros: People chose this type of hair extension for the longevity and versatility. The bond turns clear so you it’s hard to see outgrowth since it blends well with your natural hair. In addition, it is bonded well enough so the chances of it detaching are low.

Cons: It’s a long process up to 6-8 hours depending on the density of your hair and needs to be completed by a highly trained professional for the best results. The heat may cause damage to your natural hair.

Upkeep: Low. Approx. 4-6 months

Micro-link Hair Extensions

Micro-link hair extensions are another type of long-term commitment hair extension. With this technique, the hair extension has a small link attached to it. The natural hair is pulled through the link and clamped down by pliers for security.

Pros: People chose this type of hair extension for the versatility and that it feels like their natural hair because it blends in easily. You can style it any way you like and care for it like it is your own hair.

Cons: It’s a long process depending on the density of your hair. If you have fine hair, your extensions can slide out easily. In addition, this technique should be completed by a highly trained professional for the best results.

Upkeep: Moderate. Approx. 2-3 months

Weave Hair Extensions

Weave hair extensions are a type that is best suited for thick, med-coarse hair density meaning showing little scalp exposure. First, because it is easy to disguise, and the hair is able to handle the high tension from being tightly threaded. Unfortunately, this type of extension is not suitable for thin hair.

Pros: People chose this type of hair extension for the versatility and that it feels like their natural hair because it blends in easily. You can style it any way you like and care for it like it is your own hair.

Cons: Its not recommended for fine hair as the tension will be hard on the scalp and the hair’s heaviness could cause damage to it. It is a long process up to 4 hours depending on the density of your hair. You are limited to what styles you can use because of the use of cornrows to secure the hair extension.

Upkeep: Moderate. Approx. 2-3 months.

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Lastly, the hair extension grade is important to know so you understand which you can withstand your styling methods or not. With any grade hair extension, it is not recommended to use a blow dryer. To ensure the longevity of your hair extension, letting it air dry is the best method. As an industry professional, I found using dry shampoo and leave-in conditioner between cleaning my hair extensions helpful.

However, some of you may desire to use hot tools such as a flat-iron or a curling iron with your hair extensions. There are several grades in the hair extension umbrella ranging from 5A to 10A. 5A, the lowest quality, and 10A, the highest quality. We will discuss the top highest quality hair 7A to 10A. Basically, these are different qualities of human hair. Unfortunately, each company has their different grades of human hair in which can make it quite confusing for the consumer.

The most simplified understanding of quality is synthetic vs. human hair. The longevity and pricing is a huge difference between synthetic and human hair. Human hair can last up to a year vs. synthetic hair between 1-3 months.

If you would like less maintenance, a set style, and are happy with the color as is, synthetic is the way to go. Synthetic hair extensions can withstand the elements more than human hair extensions. Hot styling tools cannot be used on synthetic hair extensions so if this is what you desire, you will want to focus on doing incorporating human hair extensions to suit your styling needs.

Human hair extensions are more maintenance as its similar to your own hair. It reacts to the elements so therefore it will fall flat, it will react to humidity, sweat, etc. However, with that, you get the versatility and the variety of styles you desire because it can be restyled, and hot tools can be used on human hair extensions.

Lastly, let’s talk about storage for your hair extensions. The way one stores their hair extensions will help maintain the longevity of them. Amazing Beauty Hair Extensions arrives in a nice storage box in which it can be used to keep hair extensions away from dust, and moisture. Most importantly, it will avoid tangles and keep the hairstyle in good shape whether its straight or wavy. If this method is used, lightly brush with a paddle brush prior to stacking the wefts on top of one another. Gently roll them together to maintain a bundle in the box.

My favorite way to store my extensions is a portable hair extensions carrier holder that you can purchase from Amazon for less than $15. With this method, it allows for the hair extensions to store naturally at its length. As a bonus, you can brush and style your hair extensions while on the hanger. The key is to store your hair extensions in an environment that they can breathe so avoid plastic bins as this will leave the air stagnant.

Confession. I have stored my hair extensions improperly and it left me with a tangled mess. I thought that I had ruined my beautiful hair extensions. Rest assured they can be revived. There are two ways that I have done this. Depending on the severity of the tangle, you may need to soak them overnight. If this is the case, use a professional grade hydrating conditioner. Rinse and let air dry. Once dry, use a hair detangling spray using a Wet Brush paddle gently. Lastly, I use a little serum to revitalize shine to the extension. Viola! You are back in business again.

I hope that you found this information helpful. I am 22-year industry professional for the beauty and barber industry that enjoys empowering others with knowledge. This article was born from research, my experience in the industry, and my experience with being an avid hair extension user. We live in an exciting time in the beauty industry where we have even more tools and resources to help us create looks that we didn’t think were possible. Hair extensions have a been a game changer for so long and I look forward to sharing with all of you my experiences through these articles.