11 Crazy Simple Tricks with Hair Extensions
One of the easiest ways to switch up your look is to change your hairstyle. While there’s only so much you can do by trying new hairstyles, you can also change the color or put on a wig. But usually wigs are itchy and it’s a lot of work keeping up with roots as your hair grows out.
So it’s much simpler to opt for hair extensions. They are so easy to add but aren’t permanent and don’t require a lot of maintenance. If you have fine or short hair, then extensions can add a little volume, thickness, and extra length.
You can have an entirely new look just by clipping in some extensions. You’ll also be able to try new hairstyles that require longer, thicker hair. Beautiful and ornate braids or updos will suddenly be easy to pull together in minutes.
Hair Extensions
Even if you think extensions aren’t for you, every girl should try them at least once. They really can make a difference in the way you look and feel. Having long, flowing locks is a great confidence booster too.
Perhaps you’re still skeptical and wondering what is possible once you have hair extensions. We understand that extensions can be a big investment for some, so let’s look at some tricks you’ll have access to should you choose to go that route.
A few different things we’ll cover include:
- Fuller high ponytail with extensions
- Blend in your extensions for a seamless look
- Improve the grip of clip-in extensions
- Apply extensions at an angle for a feathered and natural effect
- Hide the ends of your extensions
- Start from the bottom
- Hiding short-cut layers under your halo extensions
- Twist away the short hair around your neck
- Keep extensions below the eyebrows and under the ears
- Clip extensions closer together for more volume and similar length
- Condition and care for your extensions
In addition to these 11 simple tricks, you will also get a crash course in hair extensions. By the end, you will know the difference between extensions made from synthetic versus real human hair.
You’ll also know some of the most important pros and cons of each type so you can decide which ones are the right fit for you. One of the most important factors is how often you plan to wear extensions.
Are they going to be a daily or ongoing part of your look? Or do you just want to enhance your features for a special occasion such as a wedding or vacation?
Then we will also look at six different types of extensions. You may not have known there were so many kinds so don’t worry if you start to feel overwhelmed.
This easy to understand guide will break everything down for you and highlight all the vital information so you can make a decision.
Finally, we will touch on the proper care of whichever extensions you choose because it’s important to take care of them. Being gentle and knowing what extensions need will prolong their life and make sure they last you for a long time. A new extension and maybe combined with the right makeup (learn how from a beginners online makeup course) and you’ll knock em’ dead!
New Look
If you’re a fan of switching up your look every now and then, there’s a good chance you experiment with your hair. Different hair styling techniques include: crazy hairstyles, hair dye, wigs, and even extensions. We think extensions are a great way to subtly change your look by adding a little volume and extra length to your hair. It can really do wonders!
Every girl should experience what it’s like to wear hair extensions because it can really make a difference when it comes to how you look and feel. If you’re wondering what you can do with hair extensions, we’ll lay down a few tricks that’ll come in handy. Also, there are various hair styling products you can try, to get the hair look you want! But before that, let’s go through the types of hair extensions there are and how they’re different.
Synthetic vs. Real Hair
Extensions are made either from synthetic or real hair. This detail affects how extensions look, react to styling, and their longevity.
Remy Human Hair Clip - Extensions for Women
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What’s The Difference?
Real hair extensions are made from human hair, which is collected from a donor. Specifically, real hair extensions that use Remy hair are the most expensive. In Remy hair, the cuticles on individual strands of hair are intact and run in the same direction when it’s collected from the donor.
This ensures that the hair doesn’t tangle, so your extensions remain silky and smooth. Comparatively, synthetic hair extensions are made from a mixture of blended fibers. Usually, these fine plastic fibers resemble human hair.
Longevity
Getting synthetic hair extensions is a cheaper option but they don’t last as long as real hair. They also tangle very easily so you’ll have to spend a lot of time detangling them. Usually, synthetic hair extensions will last a few months, whereas a real human hair alternative will last much longer i.e. upwards of a year, provided you take good care of them.
Remy Human Hair Clip - Extensions for Women
- Can be Dyed and Styled
- 100% Remy Human Hair with Finished Length 16inches
- Can Be Treated & Styled
(Click image to check price on Amazon)
Can You Style Hair Extensions?
If you like experimenting with different styling methods, hair dye, and heating tools, you can expect real hair extensions to retain their shape and texture. Of course, you should keep styling to a minimum if you want them to last longer. But with synthetic hair, bleaching, dying, and other forms of styling, like using heating tools, damage the fibers.
Texture And Look
We mentioned that synthetic threads in extensions are made to resemble real human hair, but that’s exactly what they do, resemble real hair. Synthetic extensions don’t mimic the texture of real hair because they’re much stiffer. Unless you spend a considerable amount of time blending them, they’ll stick out from your natural hair.
What Should I Get?
If you plan on wearing extensions on a regular basis, we recommend real hair extensions because they last longer and allow more styling as compared to synthetic ones.
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- 100% human hair from young girls.
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The Different Types of Hair Extensions
Before you wonder what type of hair extensions our tricks apply to, let us guide you through the 6 different types there are.
1. Clip-In Extensions
We’re mostly referring to this type, except in the case where other types of extensions are explicitly mentioned. Clip-In extensions usually come in a set of wefts. Each weft is attached to your hair using a clip. The wefts are of different widths and lengths so they suit different areas of your head for a natural look.
2. Halo Extensions
This type sits on your head but gently grips onto the scalp using an invisible wire. In this type, one large extension goes around your head.
3. Microbead Extensions
Also called hair wefts, these types are attached using a bead that’s crimped to a small section of your hair.
4. Tape Extensions
You attach these types of extensions to sections of your head using tapes. These come in wefts of different widths so you can use them in different parts of your head.
5. Weave Extensions
This is a semi-permanent method in which the natural hair is braided and extensions are woven using thread and needle. This is better for girls who have thicker hair because you’ll need more hair to conceal the braids.
6. Pre-Bonded Extensions
Among the most popular types, pre-bonded are semi-permanent and applied using adhesives such as keratin or glue. These often last for six months at a time but the application can damage your natural hair and put a lot of strain on your scalp.
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- 100% remy human hair.
- NO mixed animal or synthetic hair.
- Can be straightened, curled, washed, restyled and be dyed-only to darker color.
(Click image to check price on Amazon)
What Can You Do With Hair Extensions? These 11 Tricks
Now that you’ve navigated through the different types of extensions, we’ll give a few different tricks. These will make it easier to use extensions without looking like a rookie.
1. Fuller High Ponytail With Extensions
If the first question that came to mind was whether you can style hair extensions, the answer is yes. One of the main reasons why women are getting hair extensions nowadays is to get that Ariana Grande ponytail i.e. a (very) high ponytail. It looks luxurious and instantly gives you a facelift. Using your clip-in extensions and some practice, you can achieve a similar look.
Start by tying a small ponytail at your crown, while leaving plenty of hair at the sides and under the ponytail. Then, clip in your 3-clip weft around the ponytail. Repeat this with 2 or 3 more wefts until you achieve the desired thickness.
Next, grab the hair around your head and under the ponytail, and wrap it around the extensions to get a fuller high ponytail. Secure it in place with a hair tie.
2. Blend In Your Extensions For A Seamless Look
One of the reasons why many women refrain from getting extensions is because they’re worried about the extensions looking out of place compared to their natural hair. To make matters worse, they think brushing them out can help blend them in. Although this is partially true, it drastically affects the longevity of your extensions.
The best way to blend in your extensions with your natural hair is to straighten them. If you were planning on straightening them anyway but do it separately, it gives off a choppy look and makes it seem obvious that you’re wearing extensions.
Instead of straightening your extensions and hair separately, clip in your extensions first, and then straighten them together with your hair.
3. Improve The Grip Of Clip-In Extensions
If you’ve ever tried wearing extensions before, you’ll know that there’s nothing more embarrassing than having them slip down throughout the day. If you want to avoid this disaster, use these tips to keep your extensions in place.
Backcomb Like a Boss
Using a backcombing brush, tease the roots of the hair that’ll lie just beneath your extensions and apply some hairspray. This will act as an anchor for your extensions and give them a better hold. If you want to conceal the clips, use a backcombing brush underneath the layer of hair that goes on top.
Volumizing Powder or Spray to the Rescue
If you don’t want to go through the hassle of teasing your hair with a backcombing brush, use some volumizing spray or powder instead. This is especially useful if you have thinner hair that tends to fall limp.
4. Apply Extensions At An Angle For A Feathered And Natural Effect
Most tutorials on applying extensions show a model applying them in a straight line on the roots. However, this doesn’t always have to be the case. To avoid getting a choppy look that gives away the secret to your luscious hair, apply your extensions at an angle.
Use the back of a tail comb to draw out an angled section for where you want to apply the extensions. Then, apply your extensions higher from one end and lower them from the other. Here’s a pro tip – make sure they’re higher from the side toward your face and lower from the side toward the back.
This gives a softer, feathered look that’s less edgy.
5. Hide The Ends Of Your Extensions
If your natural hair is much shorter than the length of your extensions, you can conceal the ends from sticking out by curling your hair. Just like with straightening, this is the best way to blend in your extensions for a natural and seamless look.
Moreover, this method works best when your hair is much shorter than the extensions. Just remember to curl your hair together with your extensions after you’ve clipped them in.
Here’s another tip while you’re at it. For gorgeous curls, don’t just leave your curls hanging after you’ve curled them. Instead, pin it in a way so it’s rolled up into one section. Do this with all your curls and wait until the hair cools off after using heat.
When you’re ready to head out, unpin your curls and prep them.
6. Start From The Bottom
One pro tip is that you should start clipping your wefts from the bottom and work your way up. This helps in concealing the clips as you go. Starting from the top might mean that you’ll find it difficult to hide the clips as move further down, so you’ll have to remove them and start over.
Instead, start applying them from the bottom by parting out a section of your hair at the nape for your extensions to grip onto. Clip them closer together as you move up. This will let you add more volume without making the extensions seem too bulky.
7. Hiding Short-Cut Layers Under Your Halo Extensions
This is for when you apply a halo hair extension. Halo hair extensions are wound in a wire and go around your head from the back. If you have shorter layers around your face, there’s a chance they may stick out from your halo extensions.
You can pin these bits of hair under the extensions. This keeps them from sticking out the front.
8. Twist Away The Short Hair Around Your Neck
If you have particularly thin hair, you probably have wispy hair on your neck that tends to stick out from extensions and make them super obvious. Section out the pesky hair that’s on the nape of your neck, weave it on the side of your head or quickly twirl it around your finger before pinning it in place using bobby pins.
Once you’ve done that, you can clip on your extensions on top. No more short pesky hair! Moreover, pinning the hair in place gives your extensions a better grip so they don’t slip off.
9. Keep Extensions Below The Eyebrows And Under The Ears
Are you thinking of wearing hair extensions again but haunted by the memory of everyone noticing your exposed clips whilst you remained totally clueless? Chances are that you made the rookie mistake of wearing your extensions too high up.
When clipping on your extensions, remember that the highest you can go should fall under your eyebrows, especially if you have thinner hair. This is because the thinner hair on your crown will expose the clips under them – you need more volume to conceal the clips, so start lower.
Under the ears is the best place for extensions if you need more length since it’s easier to conceal bumps with more of your hair to fall on top.
10. Clip Extensions Closer Together For More Volume And Similar Length
Worried that the massive difference in length between your natural hair and extensions will give away the fact that you’re wearing extensions? Well, we have just the tip for you. Instead of clipping your extensions at a distance, clip them closer together.
This will help blend your hair into your extensions perfectly and disguise and strands that would otherwise stick out. It also gives a more natural result as compared to clipping them farther apart.
11. Condition And Care For Your Extensions
Having extensions isn’t all about styling and showing off your amazing hair. Behind the scenes, they need plenty of care so they last longer and stay gorgeous. Conditioning them will help keep them smooth and soft, which is a lifesaver for detangling.
Use an essential oil comb (you know, the kind with wider teeth) to gently brush out any tangles. Moreover, make sure to let your extensions air dry after you’ve rinsed out the conditioner. They already take up enough heat as it is, don’t blow dry them because it weakens the bond that keeps them together.
Finally, if hair styling is one of your dreams, check out the different hair styling courses online. Taking an online course can help you start your journey as a hair stylist from the comfort of your home!
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- 16inch – with invisible adhesive double strong tape.
