You can't have enough good hair. Hair extensions are the most requested service in our salon. There is a lot to know about extensions. Types, cost, maintenance, and where.
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First of all, you should know there is not one type of extension better than another. There are several. Beaded wefts, tape-ins, i-tips, and clip-ins just to name a few. The style you choose often depends on your hair-type, cost, and willingness to maintain.
We will go over each type with you in detail. Also, we have stylists who prefer different extensions on a client by client basis. That said, beaded wefts are a permanent low-stress solution with easy upkeep while clip-ins are a great temporary solution.
Most hair extensions come packaged in weft form. A weft is strands of hair sealed together. When manufacturing extensions, the factory aligns and stitches hair onto a thin layer of fabric or glue. Wefts can be double-stitched, triple-stitched, or sealed with an adhesive.
How much hair is on a weft can be confusing. Let’s break it down into simple numbers. Let’s say an average weft is 100 inches long with 100 grams of hair. (The weft length, not the hair length, is 100 inches. The hair length is usually 20 inches.) So, 100 grams is spread evenly over 100 inches. If you shorten the weft to 50 inches with the same 100 grams of hair, the weft would be twice as dense. Most beaded weft brands are 60 inches with 100 grams of hair.
This type goes by several names. Beaded Wefts, Micro-link, Micro-bead, Micro-loop… oh my. Don’t be confused. In Las Vegas, we are used to the term beaded wefts. The first install step is placing the weft upon your head and cutting rows to match the circumference. Then, we thread small pieces of your hair through a bead connected to the weft. Finally, we clamp down the bead locking the weft to your head.
Whether it’s desert heat or a blow dryer, your hair takes enough heat damage. So one perk is no heat or glue. Similarly, with intelligent installation, beaded wefts can be low-stress. Lastly, maintenance is minimal with a visit to your stylist every four weeks for bead tightening.
If you’ve been in the extension game for a long, you’ve likely been disappointed. There are countless brands and consistency is a real problem. Putting aside the real Remy human hair problem (spoiler alert, 90% of it isn’t), there are problems with shedding, tangling, and thin ends. We have tried every brand we’ve come across.
There is one brand that significantly surpasses them all. We are talking 40% more hair, dense triple stitched wefts, genuine Remy hair (but, for real), and the lightest shedding we’ve found. Talk to a stylist to learn more about the holy grail of hair.
Tape-ins are wefts sealed with adhesive. These hair extensions are a popular choice for thin hair with installation at the root. We install tape-ins by aligning the weft with your hair and using a tool to heat the glue; sealing the extension to your head. Similarly, we use glue remover for repositioning and maintenance.
They have a quick install time and easy maintenance. Just a visit every four to eight weeks for repositioning. However, heat and hair never mix well. You should also carefully consider your products. Oily shampoos, conditioners, and styling products cause tape-ins to slip.
These types of extensions similarly connect to individual strands of your hair. They differ in how they seal. I-tips install similarly to beaded wefts by threading your hair through beads and clamping down to seal. We seal keratin-bonds with heat and adhesives. This method requires a specialist.
These hair extensions have been around a long time. And, they last a long time. In fact, they last the longest. They also endure the longest requiring repositioning every two to three months. And, as a result of the piece by piece placement, they have natural movement and fullness.
I-tips/keratin bonds are not for everyone. Chemicals and heat of keratin bonds and overall increased weight of either can be stressful on your hair. Also, they take the longest to install. You should expect four hours minimum.
Clip-ins are stitched wefts similar to beaded wefts but precut into various lengths with clips applied. Clip-ins are popular because you install and remove them yourself. With practice, you’ll install clip-ins in ten to twenty minutes. With clip-ins, you can quickly and dramatically increase volume.
The temporary nature of clip-ins is their biggest benefit. Do you have a wedding or fancy dinner to attend? Bust out the clip-ins and feel transformed. Or, a casual day of shopping demands a braid you saw on Instagram which requires volume. With clip-ins, you can attach the entire package or just what you need.
You should never wear clip-ins for extended times. The dense weft and clip’s added weight may cause stress. Similarly, never wear clip-ins to bed or to shower. That said, they last years with proper care.
Whether a first-time wearer or an old-school extension veteran, one question we get all the time is “How the heck does washing beaded hair extensions work?” While a simple subject, there are things you need to know.
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