Hair Extensions - the Truth About Instant Long Hair

Hair extensions - a few hours in the salon and you have long hair that looks like a dream. But is there a downside? Professionally made hair extensions can completely transform your appearance without affecting the health of your hair, but if they are done wrongly extensions can seriously damage your hair. You should know what to expect before going to the salon.

Would hair extensions cost a fortune?

Yes, extensions done by a professional hair extension artist and made from high quality hair would cost you several hundred dollars. The price really depends on the quality of the hair used - Asian hair is cheaper, while European hair costs 2-3 times more. If you want good looking hair - especially blond hair - you will have to pay for European material.Online you might find hair extension 'starter kits' with complete instructions, which aren't difficult to apply. So if you feel adventurous, you can buy a do-it-yourself kit and save significantly. If done correctly, this type of hair extension looks as good as any salon made one. If you decide to follow this route, though, make sure that you order high quality hair.

What types of hair extension are available?

The two major types of hair extension are individual strands and wefts.

Individual strands, as the name implies, are attached one piece at a time to your own hair, usually using glue, or with waxes and polymers. The problem here is that most of the attachment methods require coating your natural hair with rather unfriendly chemicals. Attaching these extensions isn't a problem, but removing this type of extension can seriously damage your hair.

Wefts, on the other hand, are braided into your hair, so no chemicals are needed. A weft looks like a curtain of hair held together at the top and hanging freely toward the bottom. It is braided into your hair around the midline of your head - about ear level. It is safer for your hair but, on the downside, as you own hair grows wefts have to be rebraided - about once every two months.

What materials are used for hair extensions?

First, hair for extensions can be either synthetic or real human hair. Synthetic extensions are cheaper, of course, but you get what you pay for - they look like artificial strands attached to your hair. They're not very pleasant to the touch, either.

Human hair used for extensions gives better results. Human extension hair differs by origin. The most common are hair from India and Asian countries. They are great, if you are an Asian woman yourself. Unfortunately this type of hair has a noticeably different texture from a Caucasians natural hair, so on Caucasian women they just don't look right.

European hair is of better quality, usually originating from Spain and Italy, is of better quality but costs more. The only problem is that its natural color is usually coal black. To make a blond extensions out of them, Italian or Spanish hair needs to be heavily bleached.

There are also so-called 'raw' or 'virgin' hair. This is European hair coming from Central and Eastern European countries, like Russia and Poland. The advantage of this hair that it is naturally light and of a very high quality. However, this type of hair is difficult to find and costs an arm and a leg.

Benefits of Human Hair Extensions

Several different types of hair extensions are available, including those made from human hair, animal hair, and synthetic fibers. Most experts agree that human hair extensions are the best and most natural looking. With human hair extensions, wearers are not locked into a particular color or style. The extensions can be washed, colored, and styled just like your own natural hair. Such a wide variety of human hair extensions are available that stylists can easily match the color and texture of your own hair with.


With expert selection, professional application, and conscientious care, human hair extensions are virtually indistinguishable from your own natural hair.

Human hair extensions are available in two basic formats -- strands and wefts. The strands format involves adding small sections of hair to your existing hair. Wefts are large clumps of hair attached at the top. Human hair extensions can be applied in a variety of ways. One popular method is to sew the extensions into small cornrows. Professionals will often sew strands with subtle color variations -- this tends to give the extensions a more natural look. Hair extensions can also be weaved, braided, fused, clamped, or glued.

Beyond the different formats, there are also large varieties of hair types available. Hair from most regions of the world is available, including Asia, Europe, and the Arctic. Arctic hair is chemically untreated, also known as raw or virgin. This hair is considered the best as it is most open to coloring, perming, and styling.

If you are considering adding human hair extensions to your hair, seek a licensed cosmetologist for consultation. It is also a good idea to check references or the stylist's portfolio

What are clip-in hair extensions and how are they attached?

Clip-in extensions are perfect if you want to turn your hair into beautiful flowing locks instantly. But, of course, on the down side, they have to be removed at the end of the day. So clip-ins are good for a party, a special date or just whenever you want to look different for a few hours. They are much cheaper than salon-made permanent hair extensions. Another advantage is that clip-ins don't damage your own hair in any way.

Quality hair extensions are several strands of hair, each attached individually. Usually 3- or 4-inch wide pieces go on the back of your head in several layers, and a few 1- or 2-inch wide pieces are put on the sides. As the name suggests, each strand is attach� to your own hair with a clip. With a little bit of practice, clipping the extensions in becomes rather easy and takes only a few minutes. Taking them off is even easier.

You can usually find 14", 16" and 18" clip-in extensions. Anything longer puts too much tension on your own hair.

Who can wear clip-in extensions?

Clip-in extensions are suitable for people whose natural hair is shoulder length or longer. If you have medium length hair, extensions can make it longer. If you have long but very fine hair, or your hair is not in its best condition, clip-in hair extensions are a great way to bring richness and
fullness to your hair.




However, clip-in extensions will not work for women with very short hair. Extensions only look natural when they are mixed in with your natural hair, so if your hair is short, people will notice that you are wearing extensions. If you have a short haircut, but are dying for long locks, buy a wig that is similar in color to your natural hair. High quality designers wigs look very natural - nobody will guess that you are wearing a wig unless you tell them. If a wig is not for you, then you can go for salon-made hair extensions that are braided or glued to your own hair. These stay in for several months, but cost significantly more than clip-ins.

Do clip-in extensions look natural?

It depends on the quality of extensions you get. First, you should know that hair extensions can be made from natural human hair or from synthetic fibers. I will be honest: synthetic hair extensions are cheap, but you get exactly what you pay for. They just don't look right. High quality human hair clip-in extensions, on the other hand, look like they grow from your own head.
If you look online, you will find many brands of clip-in extension. It is best to go for a well known maker of hair-pieces and extensions, such as Diva in a Box, PutOnPieces or Raquel Welch. See pictures of clip-in hair extensions (will be a link) from different brands.

Since the extensions are mixed in with your own hair, color matching is very important. And the good news is that human hair clip-in extensions can be colored to match your own hair color exactly. However, I wouldn't recommend doing that at home - it is better to color your extensions at the salon. You can also use hot iron on the human hair extensions to curl them a little.

How much do they cost?

The cost varies greatly, depending on the material. Synthetic hair extensions will cost you less than $100. For a real human hair extensions, you might pay from $200 to $400. However, you can get good discounts through online hair extensions and wigs shops

Clip-in hair extensions can be real fun. They will help you to create a different image instantly, which is very important for a busy modern woman.

Clip On Hair Extensions

What are clip on Hair extensions?

The Clip on hair extension product is the easiest hair extension product. This product is versatile and easy to use. The hair clip on hair extension has several levels of hair on a plastic based that is contoured to fit the head. The clip on is a must have hair extension product for every one.

The colors for the clip on hair extension are numerous and there is one that fits the hair and texture of most clients. This product is very affordable. The human hair products come in a variety of lengths and can be styled to suit the client’s preferences. The clip on hair extension product made from synthetic products can be cut but not styled with heat. But for a quick change of hair, there is nothing as easy as the clip on hair products.

Clip on hair extensions come in a variety of lengths. The synthetic versions come in varying lengths and textures. The clip on is almost undetectable when matched with the texture and color of the natural hair. The advantage of clip on extensions is they can be put in and taken out in a matter of minutes.

These extensions need to be maintained like the human hair extensions. This extension can be washed, combed out and air-dried naturally for the synthetic versions of the clip on hair extension. The human hair extensions can be dyed, curled and dried using a hair dryer.

Keeping the clip on hair products in good clean condition will preserve the look and texture of the hair product.