I want to share with y’all my experience with hair extensions; I’ve used two different types and want to give my fair share of personal information for both.
Why get hair extensions?
Initially, I only entertained the thought of hair extensions after realizing they would really help my overall “look” I was going for with my NPC Bikini Competition, so I purchased some temporary clip-ins through a company called Zala, based out of Australia (but now they have a US warehouse as well). After my competition was over, I continued to use them because I realized just how much thickness and length I was really wanting with my hair. Fast-forward about 8 months later and I decided to quit messing around with the clip-ins and just get something more permanent.
Which types of hair extensions have I used?
Clip-ins first and currently I have the Natural Beaded Row (NBR)
What is the cost?
I believe my clip-ins were around $200-$300. The NBR extensions are much pricier- your professional stylist will help to recommend how much hair you will need to purchase. Each “pack” of hair can easily cost $300+ dependent on the length and amount of hair within the pack. After purchasing the hair and paying for the application you can expect to spend $500 at the very least. Many times the price can be closer to $750-$1000+. Make sure you are very specific with your stylist regarding the cost and get a strong idea of the money needed for the initial install and cost up front as well as the cost of maintaining the extensions every 6-8 weeks. Needless to say, the clip-ins are a much more affordable option.
Pros and Cons
Clip-Ins:
Pro
Temporary- easily change your look if you don’t want to commit to one or the other
Financially friendly
Able to take them out to style them
No real maintenance involved
Quick application
Con
Feels heavy on your head after wearing for more than a few hours
Can cause irritation or wear down patches of hair on your scalp
May be easy to notice
Difficult to wear certain hairstyles
Hard to keep them unnoticeable while swimming
Uncomfortable to lay down in
If you accidentally snag your hair, it can rip the extension and pull on your hair
Having to re-place the extensions each time you wear them
Natural Beaded Row
Pro
Stay in place; don’t have to reposition or re-place
Can brush, pull, shampoo, etc like normal hair and they won’t snag or come out
Professionally applied to best for the shape of your head and blended to match your current cut
Can swim without worry of extensions being very obvious
Much more comfortable
No “heavy” feeling
Can pull off more hairstyles than with clip-ins
No bald patches or irritation
Con
More costly than clip-ins
Upkeep associated with NBR every 6-8 weeks
When you want to wash your whole head of hair, you have to wash the extensions too, which take longer to wash and add on an extra 30 minutes of drying/styling time afterward
Takes some getting used to after the initial application for about 5-7 days
You are more “committed” to your look
Longer application- mine took about 3 hours to put in
Helpful Hints
With the extensions- whether clip-in, tape-in, NBR, etc., they should all be made up of very high quality hair (something your hairstylist should educate you on).
The hair that extensions are made up of is extremely porous, so a piece of advice I got was to avoid purple shampoo, as this will turn the extensions purple/silver. Avoid heavily chlorinated pools as well, or if you do want to swim, put on some leave-in conditioner prior to getting to the water, as this can easily turn your hair green!
Always use a wide-tooth comb to comb out your hair (wet or dry) starting from the bottom and working your way up to the root until you can pull the comb all the way through without an issue.
Give yourself at least an extra 30 minutes for drying and styling time when you’re working with the extensions too.
Extensions can tangle easily, especially when they are longer, so make sure to take extra precautions to avoid that from happening. Take care of them by using recommended products form your stylist – I use Olaplex on my extensions and real hair and it has made a world of difference!
Even if you have clip-in extensions, you can still bring them to the salon and have them colored/toned to match your current color, and cut to better blend into your hair. No reason you need to have two obviously different lengths of hair happening!
Do your homework. As always, research, research, RESEARCH. Look up different methods. Talk to people who have had experience with different types and get their take. Talk to a few professional stylists. Understand your current hair type, and also the look you are trying to achieve with the extensions. Have a price point in mind, and be prepared to invest the time and money into the maintenance of more “permanent” type extensions.
Worth the investment?
Absolutely! Investing in hair extensions two years ago was one of the best beauty decisions I have made for myself – they have given me a new confidence and are easy to work with on a daily basis.
I have used both Bellami and JZStyles beaded hair wefts and have been equally pleased. One great thing about my current extensions from JZStyles is they came out with a “co-z weft” which lays much flatter against your head and blends much better!
Clip-in extensions were great as the most cost-effective solution especially for someone that had never used extensions and didn’t know if it was a look I would want to continue outside of my “competition look”. NBR is more permanent, which- though more expensive- makes much more sense because I don’t have the irritation or the susceptibility to developing bald patches from the clip-ins over time. They are also MUCH more comfortable- I never notice they are there anymore. It does take a bit of planning for the maintenance of them, but I am quite happy with the ease of care and how much they have transformed my look. Overall I would support either option depending on what your reasoning was for each and your goals!
I do always recommend going to a salon and working with a professional who has been properly trained in extension installation and who has a broad knowledge on the different extensions, and sufficiently conveys that to you and works with you to come up with the best plan for your look. There are many different options, but always go to someone trustworthy and adequately trained!
Visit my Instagram to see more photos of my extensions, or hop over to this page on my blog!
I truly believe that great hair brings the whole package together, and extensions have done just that for me.
Note: Photos show different color hair extensions and highlights/lowlights as I have changed them up throughout the years!
