Beginner’s Guide to Using Hair Extensions
Beginner’s Guide to Using Hair Extensions
Fact: Long, mermaid tresses are universally flattering.
If you’re still sporting the same haircut your mother gave you back in school. Then it might be time to mix things up. The desire to create a fresh look may, however, come attached with a dose of anxiety. What if you don’t like your new look and you’re stuck with those awkward sweeping bangs until they grow out?
This is why hair extensions are a lifesaver. You can go from short to long, thin to thick, and plain to balayage in just minutes (and then back again!)
Although hair extensions can seem pretty overwhelming for first-time users. They’re actually fairly simple to use once you get the hang of it.
With a bit of practice, you can use a set of clip-ins to easily give yourself a complete hair transformation… pretty much whenever you feel like unleashing your inner goddess.
Not entirely sure how to wear hair extensions? Here are a couple of steps to guide you through it! Beginner’s guide to using hair extensions:
Best Kind of Hair Extensions for First Time Users
What is the ultimate secret to making your hair extensions look natural? Choosing the right type of extensions to match your real hair!
Types of Hair Extensions
Before picking out the right type of hair extensions. You need to consider whether you want your extensions to be permanent or temporary.
As you probably would’ve guessed, permanent hair extensions require a lot more maintenance and you need a professional to help you put them in. Since the application process generally involves some sort of adhesive or bond.
Clip-in Hair Extensions
Temporary hair extensions or clip-in extensions can give you the best of both worlds. Keep your hair at a shorter length, but spice things up every now and then with long, luscious locks.
Clip-in extensions are great for instantly enhancing your appearance. Whether you want to wear your hair up or down. Besides adding a bit of length and volume to a shorter do. You can use a set of wefts to give yourself beautiful mermaid tresses or even to help you achieve the perfect ponytail or bun.
Advantages of Wearing Clip-in Extensions
Clip-in extensions are incredibly easy to use, even for a first-time user. Besides being easy to apply, the clip-in method is not as stressful on your real hair and there’s less damage compared to more permanent methods. Here’s a quick tutorial for how to apply clip-in extensions.
The best part about clip-ins? Since you’re meant to take them out at the end of the day. You can enjoy the perks of having longer hair – minus the commitment.
Tape-in Hair Extensions
If you want hair extensions that will last you much longer than clip-ins. But you want a method that’s less intrusive than permanent hair extensions, your best option is to go with tape-ins.
Tape-in extensions are a semi-permanent method that involves taping pre-taped wefts to your real hair. However, you’ll need a professional to help you apply them. Heat is involved and you need someone who knows what they’re doing to properly align them into your real hair.
Tips for Seamless Application
We’ve all seen that one person wearing hair extensions and it was anything but subtle. You don’t want to be that person.
But the thing is! It’s really not that difficult to get your hair extensions to blend seamlessly into your real hair. As long as you master the right technique and you get a bit of practice.
Tip #1: Choose the right type of extensions to match your real hair
The first step is choosing the right hair quality and type to match your real hair. This goes without saying but it still needs to be said.
At the end of the day, your extensions aren’t going to blend in naturally with your real hair. If the hair quality and density is completely different from your real hair! Invest in a set of high-quality hair extensions. Besides quality, choose a hair type that matches your real hair in terms of density, texture, and colour. Do your research first and understand what quality of hair is being used in the extensions. So, you can determine if the texture will be similar to yours.
Tip #2: Braid the bottom section of your hair
The biggest tell-tale sign that you’re wearing hair extensions? When you literally have pieces of your real hair peeking through the longer wefts at the back of your head.
Don’t let those peekaboo pieces give it all away!
To keep shorter pieces of hair out of your way, braid the bottom 1/3 section of your hair. With this additional step, your clip-in extensions will blend in more naturally with your real hair. For a quick refresher, here’s a guide for putting in clip-in extensions.
Tip #3: Tease your hair
Since you don’t place clip-ins right at the top of your head (a huge no-no). You’re definitely going to notice that there is a lot more body and fullness in the bottom half section of your hair. To make the transition from your real hair to your extensions look less noticeable, tease the hair at your crown to add more fullness.
Tip #4: Curl your hair
Adding in some waves to your hair is one of the easiest ways to make your hair extensions blend seamlessly into your real hair. Besides being a universally flattering hairstyle, curls or beachy waves are great for concealing the transition between your real hair and a set of clip-ins.
Selecting the Appropriate Color
Besides choosing the right density, quality, and texture for your hair extensions. It’s just as important for you to make the right colour match.
To find the perfect shade to complement your real hair colour, match the colour of your extensions to your ends. NOT your roots. For the best results with two-toned hair colour. Choose a shade that matches your dominant hair colour (the colour you have more of).
