Hair extensions are something I never thought I would need, ever. That is until I decided to go from long dark brown hair to platinum blonde. After colouring my hair, it felt completely dead and the only thing I could do to resolve the issue was to cut it off. "Your hair will grow back and you can always get extensions" my hairdresser told me. After 10 minutes of convincing, I agreed to let her cut my hair past my shoulders.

I am completely in love with this new style however, with a few weddings coming up, I am missing my long hair. I have never needed to wear hair extensions before and had no idea what I needed to be looking for. After extensive research and 3 hairdressers later, I finally found the perfect hair extensions for me and finally figured out how to wear them. There a few things I wish I knew first!

Types of hair extensions:

The first decision I was facing was what type of hair extensions I want to wear. There are a number of extension types which include, clip-ins, beaded, tape and glued. Not really knowing the difference I was forced to research the best types for my hair.

Clip-in – These are great because you have the option to do them at home and can take them out after your night out. You may need to watch some YouTube tutorials to get them in and how to get them to sit nicely.

Taped – Tape in extensions last around 6 weeks if cared for properly. They are pretty good if you regret your hair cut decision. You can attempt to do it at home but I would recommend getting a hairdresser to do it for you.

Glued – Gluing can be a little messy but is relatively fast and lasts around 6-8 weeks. It will need to be done by a professional and can become a little costly.

Beaded – This is another great solution to the hair extension crisis. This gets attached near the roots and grows with your hair. The beads get clipped in by a professional and sealed in place.

Weaved – Getting your hair weaved is a nice solution to getting your hair extensions put it. Your hairdresser will weave it in like a braid to your hair. It can hurt a little according to online articles but lasts a long time. You will need to have it redone once the weave grows to far down with your hair. Having it done depends on how fast your hair grows.

Blending your extensions:

Most importantly, make sure you blend your hair extensions. It may be as simple as getting the extensions cut to the length you want and making sure it is styled to your hair. Sometimes you may find that you will need to dye the extensions too. For this, make sure you order real Remy human hair extensions so that way they can be coloured. My Dollywood extensions were a little more yellow than my now hair colour so I had to bleach them and add a toner. Most of the extensions will need to be cut to size as they generally come in at around 20-22inches. My hair is too short to pull this length off but it would look great if your hair is already longer.

Overall I like the option to have long and short hair when I want it. I thought cutting my hair would be the end of the world but I’m actually loving the convenience of styling my hair how I want it. I was torn between clip-ins extensions and weaving. I decided to go with Clip ins, as they work best for me but I know plenty of people who swear by the other methods. Just try something that suits you and your lifestyle best and what you have time to care for. Enjoy your long healthy hair again!