Ever wondered how celebrities manage to grow their hair longer overnight? The secret is hair extensions! These artificial hair augmentations have already come a long way since their introduction in the late 17th century. Gone are the days when hair extensions looked artificial.
Nowadays, the ones used by hairstylists mimic the feel and texture of real human hair. You can even have real hair extensions attached to your head to experiment with various hairstyles. But before you try this trend, here are some guidelines that you need to know about hair extensions.
Think About Your Lifestyle
There are three common types of hair extensions. The first one is clip-ins, popular among those who are still deciding if this hair trend works for them. This type of hair extension has barrettes attached with hair that can be clipped and removed from the desired part of the head. The second type of hair extension is tape extensions.
True to its name, this hair accessory is held in place by an invisible double-sided adhesive tape that can last up to eight weeks. Finally, the third option is keratin that you can attach to the head using a high-tech process. Among the three, keratin looks more like real hair since it can stay in place for three months or longer.
Hairstylists usually assess their clients’ lifestyle to know where they can strategically place the real hair extensions without disrupting their regular routine.
Pick The Right Color That Matches Your Natural Hair
If you attach hair extensions that have a different shade, everyone will immediately know that you have faux hair. To keep it discreet, you need to color match using the ends of your locks so the hair extensions will have the closest look to your real tresses.
Fortunately, some hair extension providers can determine the color that you need before attaching it to your hair if you send them a photo beforehand.
Invest In Quality Pieces
It is cheaper to buy synthetic extensions. However, these can get easily tangled and have an unnatural shine that makes them look fake. If you want to use real hair extensions, you should expect to pay more for it.
The texture of these hair extensions is usually closest to your real hair, making it easier to style compared to the affordable ones. Also, high-quality hair extensions will not shed as much.
Learn How To Maintain Your Hair Extensions
Hair extensions also need regular washing and proper maintenance, just like your natural hair. The clip-ins are more comfortable to wash since you can give them a bath in your sink. But be careful to use paraben- and sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner to wash it every six to eight times of wearing it.
After washing, you need to dry them on a towel. It would help if you also wash tape-on and keratin hair extensions using a gentle shampoo. However, it would be best if you keep your focus on the roots then use conditioner once you get to the middle part until the tips.
You can also heat style your hair extensions, as long as you don’t apply it directly to the keratin and tape bonds.
Applying hair extensions can make your hair look thicker and more luscious. It can also help you achieve the style that you want. However, you need to follow these rules to allow you to enjoy them for a long time. If you know how to take care of your hair extensions properly, you can maximize its use and will enable you to look like a celebrity on the red carpet.
