Hair extensions have become increasingly popular over the past few decades, especially as technology has gotten better, and synthetic and natural hair extension options have become more natural-looking. Access to the lives of celebrities through platforms like Instagram and Twitter have also raised our awareness of hair extensions, which has meant that more and more people are interested in them.
However lovely and natural extensions might look, they are not for everyone. They require a significant amount of care and attention. If you’ve been interested in getting hair extensions for a while now, you should do some definitive research before you decide whether or not you want them.
To help you with that process, David’s Beautiful People in North Bethesda, Maryland, has put together a definitive guide to deciding whether hair extensions are right for you.
Keep these things in mind before you settle on changing up your hair length and style.
1) There are different types of extensions, including clip-ins and keratin-based.
Many of us become inspired by celebrities when we see how nice and natural their hair extensions can look. If you’re on the fence about whether or not you want hair extensions, there’s no harm in playing around with clip-in extensions. While they might not necessarily look natural, they will give you a feel for how your hair will look with extra volume. For natural-looking and permanent solutions, however, you will need to go to a professional.
2) To get the best quality and best look, you will likely need to spend a little extra money.
We mentioned earlier that although clip-ons can achieve temporary insight into what it is like to have hair extensions, you must go to a professional to get extensions that look natural.
To put things simply, everyone’s hair is a unique color and texture. While you might be able to match your hair texture and get close to the same color with a set of clip-in extensions, they will ultimately appear fake. At a salon, colorists and hairstylists can match real hair with your color and texture, using your hair for contrast. So, if you are looking for extensions that look nice, you will need to pay to go to the salon. Additionally, you might need to pay for extra services – such as coloring and styling.
3) Understand that you will have to maintain your extensions – and that will take a little more work than maintaining your natural hair.
Permanent extensions are a part of your head, and that means they get dirty just like your hair does. Your stylist will go over a care routine with you when you get extensions professionally, which usually entail special shampoos, mists and leave-in moisturizers, and specific rules about how to wear your hair to sleep. If you have clip-in extensions, you will take them out in the evening and brush them as you would your natural hair. You will also need to wash them after 6-8 wears.
4) It can be hard to match extensions to your natural hair color and texture.
(And if you choose not to match your extension color to your hair color, you can usually tell.)
There’s no guarantee that your salon stylist will be able to find you a pair of extensions that look exactly like your hair. Even with that in mind, it is essential to remember that it will be quite a process to try and get these extensions to match your hair in a way that looks convincing. Stylists might have to mix specialty hair shades and spend extra time styling your natural hair for extensions to better blend in.
5) You will need to get tape-based and heat-applied extensions removed professionally.
We cannot stress this enough – do not attempt to remove tape-based or heat-applied extensions yourself to save a buck.
Whenever we read about people saying hair extensions cause permanent hair damage, we cringe. There should never be a reason why hair extensions cause you harm if they are removed professionally. If you are not prepared to get them removed professionally, then you should stick with clip-in extensions.
6) You might need to change up your shampoo and conditioning routine.
If you finally found the perfect product that works for your hair, we have bad news for you. Because you are essentially taking two different types of hair and merging them, you’ll likely need to get a new set of shampoo and conditioner – and cheap brands aren’t going to cut it. You’ll need to focus on conditioners and shampoos for dry and damaged hair. Additionally, it would be best if you avoided sulfate-based shampoos, as these will dry your hair out more quickly.
7) Extensions should always be comfortable. If they aren’t, you should get your money back.
If you get extensions that you can feel, you should never return to that salon, except to ask for your money back. Extensions are, as the name implies, supposed to be like an appendage. They should never be hard to sleep in or painful.
8) Extensions ultimately will cost you money over the long term – are you ready to take on that responsibility?
Finally, one cost that many people underestimate is precisely how much extensions will cost over the course of a lifetime. The cheapest extension option is clip-ins, and even a nice set of clip-ins will cost you upwards of $250. Regular maintenance and professional hair extension service can cost several hundred dollars per year. The most important thing to consider is how important it is to you to get the full-bodied, thick hair look that extensions provide. If you’ve considered all these options and are ready to front the costs for regular extension maintenance, then it sounds like you might be prepared to take on the responsibility of getting hair extensions after all.
David’s Beautiful People in North Bethesda, Maryland, can help you get the natural-looking, luscious hair that hair extensions can provide. We were the first in the greater Washington D.C. area to provide human hair extensions, and we’ve continued our dedication to making you look the best. Click here to schedule your appointment for hair extensions today.
