If you weren’t blessed with naturally voluminous hair, you may wish you had long, luscious, celebrity-style locks. In the same way you use make-up to enhance your facial features, hair extensions are great accessories for enhancing flat hair with that head-turning look you’ve always wanted. Fortunately, hair extensions today are much more sophisticated than the wig-like styles of the past, so you can spruce up your ‘do while still maintaining a natural look. However, you have to make sure to do it right by following these four simple tips:
1. The blend is your friend
A cardinal rule of hair extensions is that they should always be properly blended with the rest of your hair. Although you may think you look rock star chic with blonde extensions in your brown hair, this look is difficult to pull off without looking like a little girl playing with Barbie wigs. Try to choose a color that more closely matches your natural hair color and make sure to blend your extensions with your natural hair by styling everything together. For example, if you want to curl your hair, clip your extensions in first and then curl everything together to create a more natural, well-blended look.
2. Too long is all wrong
Obviously, one of the main purposes of hair extensions is to add length to your locks, but it’s highly important not to take it too far. Showing up one week with a cute bob and then following up the next week with full locks down to your waist will make your hair look a lot less natural and will be a lot harder to maintain. If this is ultimately the look you want to go for, try to get into it gradually by starting out smaller at first. Shoot for a little past shoulder-length and build from there to prevent going overboard with your look.
3. Clip-in, for the win
Sewn-in extensions look great, but they can also end up costing upwards of $300 for each application. For a fraction of that price, you can use clip-in extensions without sacrificing glamour. All you have to do is part your hair down the center of the back of your head and separate it into upper and lower sections. Clip in your hair extensions at the roots of the hair in the lower section and brush it all together for a subtle boost of body without the outrageous price tag.
4. Take care of your hair
Hairstylist Ken Paves recommends storing your hair extensions on a pants hanger to keep them neat and to prevent tangles when you’re not using them. After about six uses, dunk your extensions up and down in a sink full of cold water with a little mild shampoo mixed-in. Rinse the extensions with cold water and hang them up to air-dry. Check the instructions of your hair extensions to determine whether or not they can be curled or flat-ironed to make sure you’re taking proper care of the product.
Hair extensions offer an exciting opportunity to enhance your style, but just like any beauty product, there is a right and a wrong way to apply them. These helpful tips should give you the confidence you need to try out this bold trend without making any embarrassing mistakes. So if you want to change up your look with a dramatic ‘do, hair extensions are a great option to look as fabulous as ever at your next big event.
