You might be asking the question; Why has my wedding hairstylist asked me to get hair extensions for my hair trial. The reason they have suggested hair extensions is from evaluating your hair type, texture and condition for the desired hairstyle you wish to achieve.
Here are some factors as to why they may have been suggested;
Your hair length is too short for the desired hairstyle from the inspiration you have provided.
Your hair is fine and needs some pieces added to create more volume and texture to the hairstyle.
The pieces curl hair better providing lasting results for the whole days' celebrations.
When researching online for hair extensions, there are various options to choose from for your hairstyle. Your bridal hairstylist will recommend which is the best for your desired style for you to purchase.
Below is a guideline of the different types available and whom they are best suited for use.
What does 100% real human hair mean?
Natural hair extensions are real human hair collected from a donor that blends more naturally with your hair. These hair extensions can be coloured and toned to match your hair colour and styled using heated equipment. Real human hair extensions are of higher quality than synthetic extensions, but the quality differs for different manufacturers.
It is always best to invest in the highest quality hair you can afford as it will last longer for more usage time after time. The best hair to look for is Remy hair, which means that the cuticles are intact all running in the same direction to reduce tangling and maintains silkiness throughout different hairstyles.
ADVANTAGES:
· Can curl and heat with styling tools
· Safe for straightening with a flat iron
· Can be coloured with hair dye and toned to match your hair colour
· They can be cut to blend with your hairstyle shape
· The texture of the extensions blend with your hair
· Feel silky and soft
· Have a natural shine
· Available in multiple natural colour blends
· Last longer from multiple uses
What does synthetic hair mean?
Synthetic hair is a variety of blended fine plastic fibres to imitate real human hair by manufacturers. They are usually un-naturally shiny and feel coarse to touch. The extensions are generally a lot lighter in weight and move differently in the hair showcasing separation in texture. They can be hard to colour match as they are typically block colour tones and don't handle heated styling equipment, they melt!!
DISADVANTAGES:
Fade quickly from the elements
Tangle very easily and matte together.
Generally cannot be heated and curled as the plastic fibres melt
Cannot be coloured to match your hair colour
The texture doesn't blend with natural hair well
Un-natural shine and coarse texture
Cannot use a flat iron on them to straighten
Don't come in a large variety of natural tones.
What are temporary hair extensions?
Wedding hairstylists recommend temporary hair extensions to their brides because you can easily attach on the wedding day to create the hairstyle and the bride can remove at the end of the night. These include clip-ins, halo and ponytail hair extensions.
What are semi-permanent hair extensions?
Semi-permanent hair extensions are attached to the person's hair for up to 4-8 weeks of usage. These extensions are known as tape wefts and how long they last vary person to person based on the hair's quality and their condition after styling. Professionals in hair salons generally attach these for clients. Tape extensions are great to add volume or length on a daily bases for their hairstyle.
What are permanent hair extensions?
Permanent hair extensions aren't permanent to the head but are applied to the hair in small sections and bonded to the person's natural hair using rings or bonds to provide longer-lasting results. You can wear them for many months to add extra volume or length to hair hairstyle daily.
Clip-In Extensions (applied for one day use at a time)
Clip-In weft hair extensions are the most popular version of extensions used worldwide and highly recommended for bridal hairstyling. They are sections of hair attached to a base of either fabric or silicone with small clips that allow you to attach and remove to your hair quickly. They are incredibly versatile and can be used in a variety of updos and hair down.
How long they last depend on how often you style them and most importantly, how well you care for them. The Clip-ins can last anywhere between 3 months to 1 year or longer with less use.
They come in a large variety of colours, lengths and set sizes to match your hair for a natural look.
Halo Hair Extensions (applied for one day use at a time)
Halo hair extension comes in the form of an invisible like wire headband with the majority of hair at the bottom with minimal clips to lock into place. It's more comfortable than the clip-ins as its only one weft of hair, not multiple pieces. It can be less secure than other methods and more suited to hair out only for length and volume.
Ponytail Hair Extensions (applied for one day use at a time)
As the name suggests, these clip-in extensions are great to add to a ponytail hairstyle for additional volume or length. They are also great for brides with shorter hair that wish to have a bun upstyle as they can be added to the base of the hairstyle for length to create the bun's shape.
Tape-In Hair Extensions (applied for 6-8 weeks)
Tape-in hair extensions are small swatches of hair pre-taped at the base and are applied by sandwiching two pieces over the top of your natural hair sections by pressing together. The tape-ins are made with human hair and are lightweight, making them comfortable to style. The downside of tape-ins is you need to be careful with the types of products you use because specific ingredients can dissolve the glue that secures them. They can be visible in a high ponytail, topknot and bun hairstyles.
They are applied in a salon by a hairdresser, and as your hair grows in 6-8 weeks, they need to be removed and re-applied if they are in good condition. They are harder to hide in hairstyles once your hair starts growing as they move down from your scalp.
Sew-In/Weave Hair Extensions (applied for 6-8 weeks)
Weaves hair extensions are attached to your hair by sewing with a needle and thread onto a small braided cornrow of your natural hair. They work best in healthy hair as the technique requires a lot of pulling on the scalp. It is harder to blend with more delicate hair and is more prone to the roots' damage from the strain on the scalp.
This process can take three to four hours by an experienced hairdresser and recommended to remove the weave every 6 – 8 weeks.
Fusion/Pre-Bonded Hair Extensions (applied for 3-4 months)
Fusion hair extensions are individual beads pre-laced with a small amount of hair, applied to your to individual strands of natural hair using heat and keratin glue through a hot glue gun or clamp which melts the bond to the natural hair.
The technique can take 3 to 6 hours to create the hair's natural and seamless look. The extensions need re-positioning every 2–3 months as the natural hair grows. The downside of this application is the scalp can be irritated, hair loss and breakage from improper care.
Microlink Hair Extensions (applied for 3-4 months)
Microlink hair extensions are microbeads or micro loops that are small sections of weft hair applied to the natural hair with a silicone-lined bead. The bead is then secured and tightened with a unique tool to prevent the weft from falling out.
This method does not use heat or glue, but if misapplied by a professional, e.g. too tight, it can damage the hair by pulling on the roots, or removing can cause hair to pull from the scalp.
Microlink Hair Extensions need be re-positioned as the hair grows every 2 – 3 as they move away from the scalp.