At-Home Hair Extension Tips | Allure

If I had a nickel for every time I recommended at-home hair extensions to a friend, I’d be retired and living in Capri. However, I often encounter concerns that vacillate between “I’ll never be able to put it on myself” and “I don’t even know where to start.” Both are perfectly valid concerns when it comes to do-it-yourself wefts.

Once upon a time, looking at a bunch of extensions could conjure up images of an exposed thong mishap from the early ’20s. Fortunately, however, extension technology has come a long way, making it easier than ever to install it yourself.

First, Justine Marjanhair stylist, bellami hair The Los Angeles and New York City ambassador shares her tips for perfecting your home extension.

Know your hair extension options

First, let’s take a quick look at the extensions available both at home and in the salon. Clip-in extensions are the easiest for at-home enthusiasts and offer the most room to play with placement and style. The name says it all. Just clip it on and it’s ready to use.

Next, move on to tape-in ​​extensions, sew-ins, and keratin bonds. These offer a variety of options in terms of wearing time, commitment, and difficulty of application. For these three types of extensions, Marjane recommends consulting a professional who can evaluate the best placement based on your hair’s needs, texture, and integrity. For example, keratin bonds are the longest-lasting (3-5 months) of semi-permanent hair extensions and must be applied by a professional.

Find the one that suits your hair type and texture

It’s safe to say that there are plenty of at-home hair extension options, but certain types are better suited for certain hair types. According to Marjane, all hair textures aren’t incompatible with extensions, but sew-ins are the best option for curly or coiled hair. This is because the higher the texture of your hair, the easier it is to manage and retain excess hair. Tape-ins, on the other hand, are well suited for straight to wavy hair types, and keratin bonds are best suited for curly or straight hair, but both are best applied by a professional. But overall, Marjan says temporary options like clip-ins can be worn on all hair types.

Regardless of the method, Marjane considers hair extensions to be one of the most important components in her toolkit, especially for those with fine hair that doesn’t hold curls. “Sometimes the texture of my hair is different.” [than yours is naturally]All of a sudden, you have hair like you never had before,” Marjane says of the volume, texture, and most importantly, grip that at-home hair extensions provide.

Color matching is the key

Chunky highlights? nice. Chunky, mismatched weft? Bat Signal for extensions that are not installed correctly. The secret to easily getting the question “When did you get so much hair?” The look is to choose a shade that not only mimics your natural color, but also reflects how the color changes as your hair grows.

When color matching, it is important to keep the wefts away from the roots. Instead, hold it towards the ends of your hair. “Our hair is naturally a little lighter at the ends, because that’s where the color fades the most,” Marjan says of both natural and color-treated hair. “Since your extensions are primarily visible at the ends, you want extensions that blend in with your brightest highlights.” If in doubt, we recommend going for a lighter color, or at least ordering a color sample set, before hitting the checkout button.

Experiment to find the right placement

Especially in a salon, the options for extension placement are endless, and most of them are based on aesthetic preference. But there’s more to at-home extensions than just putting them on the top of your head and going out. All placement depends on your desired result and hair thickness, so some trial and error may be required.