Are hair extensions suitable for you?

ARE HAIR EXTENSIONS SUITABLE FOR YOU?

Have you ever wondered whether extensions would work for you? Or debated whether it’s worth the money?

Here are some of my most frequently asked questions that may help you make your decision.

‘WILL HAIR EXTENSIONS DAMAGE MY HAIR?’

I get asked this question from pretty much every client who’s never worn extensions before. The answer is they shouldn’t do, however there are important things to know to prevent them from causing damage.

All hair extensions have the ability to cause damage to your own hair if they aren’t fitted, maintained and removed correctly. It is important when searching for your hair extension specialist, to see if they have ‘under the hood’ photos of their work. This is photos of the actual fitting where the extensions are attached to the natural hair. A curl can easily cover up a bad job, so make sure you check your extensionist has shared photos of their fittings. The extension shouldn’t be too tight to the scalp, should have room to move when being worn up, and have no stray hairs coming in from other sections. Here are some examples of how the fitting should look in a variety of methods.

    NANO RINGS           TAPES                   WEAVE                WEAVE               MICRO RINGS              FUSION BONDS

It is also equally important to follow all the aftercare your hair extensionist gives you. We don’t give out aftercare advice for no reason and I can promise you, you don’t want to deal with what happens if you don’t follow this advice. Not following this advice can lead to matting, loosing hair extensions, drying out the extensions so they don’t last as long, and worst case scenario, hair loss and bald patches. Every hair extension specialist should be giving you either a printed or electronic copy of the aftercare so you always have something to refer back to.

The final thing to consider, is how often maintenance appointments will be. As a general rule, refits are required every 6-12 weeks depending on the method. These refits are vital to you own hair health, and we don’t just tell you these guidelines to get you back in our chair. If you go over these recommended refit times, the extensions themselves will get too heavy for your natural hair and can cause damage and hair loss. On average we lose 50-100 hairs a day, so leaving it weeks beyond the recommended time, means we are loosing more of our natural hair.

Bare in mind about your hair colour appointments too, if you colour your hair. Some hairdressers are happy to colour around the hair extensions but some won’t. If you need a removal inbetween each colour, you may find a weave the best option if your hair suits it.

‘WHICH METHOD IS BEST FOR ME?’

This is a hard one to answer because its impossible to truly be able to tell until I see you in person, which is why I don’t offer consultations over message.

During the consultation I will assess your hair, recommend what method, brand, weight of hair etc, but also  find out what your goal is. Do you want to just add some thickness? Or do you dream of absolute princess hair that’s 30 inches long? You can show me photos of what you hope to achieve and we can discuss what’s possible.

Once we agree on what you want, I will quote you and you will pay me the for cost of the hair. Then on your fitting appointment you will pay for the fitting fee.

Here is a rough guide to which methods suit each hair best….

THICK HAIR – Braidless weave or Tapes

If your hair hair is very thick or blunt, you may benefit from a hybrid method. This would mean having weave as the main bulk of extensions, then a mix of either nano rings, tapes or fusion bonds around the sides to blend in any shorter hair around the front and give a more natural look.

MEDIUM HAIR – All methods

This includes braidless weave, invisiweave, nano rings, fusion bonds, micro rings and tapes.

FINE HAIR – Nano Rings, Fusion Bonds or Tapes

Again this varies person to person and also depends on what you feel you will get on with best.

CAN YOU CREATE A BALAYAGE/OMBRE EFFECT WITHOUT COLOURING MY HAIR?

Absolutely yes! It’s actually one of my favourite things to do. Whether you already have a balayage that you simply want to add to, or if your hair is a solid colour and you want a complete makeover. I’ve perfected my ability to create a balayage from using just extensions and I’ve got it down to an art now. I use a mix of colours to create a blend. Some clients will have 6 or more colours through their hair as I prefer to used shades that already mixed to prevent it looking stripy. Most will also have a root stretch on too so when they wear their hair up you cant see blonde at the root. Above are some examples of my ‘bleach-free balayages’ I’ve created.

IS THE AFTERCARE A LOT TO HANDLE?

Honestly, if you are lazy with your hair, always tie it up, never dry it with a hairdryer and go to bed with it wet then hair extensions either aren’t right for you or you need to change your hair care routine.

Looking after hair extensions isn’t easy. However it does become routine once you get used to it. The main thing is keeping it in good condition. This requires using the correct aftercare products and not using cheap products that are full of cheap ingredients which will dry out your extensions.  You will also need to try not to wash it too often which can be difficult for a lot of people to get used to. I recommend washing no more than twice a week, but I do suggest what I call a ‘top wash’ when necessary to keep the top section fresh and bouncy.

You will also need to invest in the correct brushes. Doing things like plaiting it at night and drying it fully with a hairdryer when you wash it is also essential. But it’s oh so worth it once it’s done and they hold the curl so much better meaning less styling and more looking glam, which after all it is what we are after isn’t it?

IS IT EXPENSIVE?  

I guess this question comes down to what you consider expensive. Some girls come to me with a low budget, some have lots to spend and don’t care about the cost. Your budget is definitely something we can work around.

I offer a variety of brands for this reason. My personal favourites are Prestige, Viola and Hair Kings. Hair Kings are probably the most affordable, where as Prestige offer the best selection of rooted and balayage shades. I also have accounts with Hair Planet and Euphoria One which are more affordable , however they offer a smaller colour selection and don’t last as long.

Generally weaves are cheaper and also cheaper to fit as they are a faster service. If you have a low budget but want a 30 inch weave you may need to go for shorter hair to keep the cost down. Again this is something we can discuss at your consultation or even over DM before I see you.

The average cost of a full head including the hair and fitting, is usually between £400-£650. This all depends on thickness, length, colour and how many grams you need.

Refits vary from £50 for a 1 row weave to £195 for a super full head of tapes.

Something else to consider when thinking about cost is methods.

• Weaves are cheaper and need refitting every 6-8 weeks and are totally reusable.
• Nano rings and micro rings need refitting every 10 weeks and are totally reusable.
• Tapes need refitting every 6-8 weeks but are slightly more expensive due to the cost of the tapes we use to refit the hair with.
• Fusion bonds need removing after 3-5 months. After this time you can either have them removed and buy a new set of extensions, or we can remove them and send them off to get retipped. This takes around 2-3 weeks, and costs around £50 for a full set. The extensions can then be worn a second time.

So now the question is, are extensions right for you?

I know this is a lot of information to take in but I hope I have covered a lot of your questions and helped you decide if extensions are right for you.  Head to my instagram page @hairbyjenniferx for more inspo and to message me, or head to my instagram and click the BOOK NOW button in my bio to book your consultation. You can also head to my online shop to see my full range of aftercare products and read more about them. They are all suitable for hair extensions and natural hair.

Thanks again for reading my blog and I look forward to hopefully meeting you soon.

If you have any other questions either email me at hairbyjennifer5@gmail.com or DM me on Instagram @hairbyjenniferx

Lots of love,

Jennie xoxo