Hair Extensions: All You Need to Know About Different Types & Trends

From giving the illusion of increased hair length to adding volume to the hair, hair extensions do wonders! From different types to trends to brands – we’ve got you covered with all you need to know here!

Howdy! If there’s anything that stands on the priority list for women next to clothing, it is hair! We women love to keep experimenting with our hair and try the latest hairstyles and cuts. While for a few like me, long flowy hair stay in the dreams as I personally feel that they require a bit of work in maintaining them. Also, I face another problem that is the more I try to grow my hair longer, the more are the split ends and so I give up and chop it off!

So, for all those who are traveling in the same boat as I am, worry not if you can’t maintain long hair. Hair extensions are the perfect solution! To know all about this mystery solver, keep reading our beginner’s guide to hair extensions!

What are Hair Extensions

I know by this time I have created a lot of curiosity for beginners as to know what these actually are! Hair extensions, which are also known as hair integrators, add length and volume to your hair. How cool is that! No matter how short the length of your hair is, you need not wait for months to get long hair. Just use cool extensions! Wanna change your hair type? Get curly or wavy extensions! Want trendy highlights? Balayage extensions to the rescue! So many types to choose from!

Types of Hair Extensions

There are plenty of types available in the market. Both human and synthetic hair extensions are available. Synthetic ones are not durable, cannot be styled according to our convenience and also the color of the locks fades as days go by! But they’re also pocket-friendly. Whereas natural hair extensions are exactly human hair-like and contrary to the synthetic ones, a bit pricey! Depending on the type of hair, the duration you want the hair extensions, budget and lifestyle, the types vary!

Clip Hair Extensions

These are one of the best hair extension types as they don’t damage your hair and are easy to fix.

Clip in Hair Extensions

In this type, the hair extensions can be clipped in within minutes without taking much of your time and this can be your DIY task. These blend so easily with the existing hair and are one of the most affordable ways to get long voluminous hair!

Sew-in Hair Extensions

In this, the hair integrations are sewed into the natural hair with help of a needle and cotton thread. As the hair is sewed, no gaps are seen and the hair look super-natural! Works best for thick hair as a lot of layers are required to mask the hair.

Ponytails

A ponytail is a go-to hairstyle everyone loves to have! If you’re in a mood for a ponytail hairstyle that requires the volume, ponytail hair extensions can help you achieve that bouncy, voluminous look.

Bang Extensions

Get bangs without trimming even the slightest bit of your hair! Just part the hair in the center and clip in the fringe extensions and you are good to go with the trendiest bangs look.

Buns & Updos

As I mentioned earlier, extensions help us fulfill all the hair dreams that cannot be done with natural hair. From ponytails to bangs, straight to curly, buns to braids, hair extensions can prove it all! Some brands even have different styles of buns, which can be helpful when you wanna make your hair look longer at a wedding or party.

Hair Colors, Balayage & Ombre Hair Extensions

This is the best part I like about hair extensions. Not only apt for people who want length but also without any chemical treatment to the natural hair, we can get the color through hair extensions. There are millions of thoughts going in our minds before going for hair color and you can skip all of them by getting the perf hair extension.

Permanent Hair Extensions

While temporary hair extensions last just for a couple of days, permanent hair integrators last for months. In case you don’t want to change your hairstyle very often and keep it for a few months, then a permanent hair extension is a good choice! It’s also perfect for rocking a whole new look or makeover.

Tape in Hair Extensions

The name “tape in” says it all! These extensions are pre-taped and are glued together on either side of the hair. In short, these are sandwiched between the hair locks. It contains no tools, no chemicals and is a perfectly easy method for getting hair extended.

Keratin Hair Extensions

A keratin-based dried glue is applied to the hair extension that helps it in sticking on to our natural hair. Either heat or UV rays are used to fuse the glue on hair integrator to our hair.

Micro Ring Extensions

Small tiny rings or loops are used to fix the hair extenders. The hair extender has a tiny loop at the roots which make the fixing easy!

Best Hair Extensions Brands

Many hair extension brands are available both in the stores and online. With many brands available it may be difficult to get to know the best ones! So here we’ve shortlisted a few best ones based on the reviews we saw on Amazon, the brands’ websites and our friends’ experiences.

1. Remy

One of the most popular names in the hair extension industry, Remy has both clip in and sew in extensions for curly, straight and colored hair.

2. Sally

Sally is one of the professional beauty suppliers that offers a great variety of hair extensions. From different types of extensions to fixing materials required the brand has it all.

3. Luxy

This brand deals with only hair extensions and they have a wide variety to choose from!

4. Bellami

“Bellami extensions are produced with 100% human hair,” is what the brand’s official website says. They also offer various hair tools and accessories apart from hair extensions.

5. Halo

From micro-loop to nano to clip-in to tape-in, you name it and they have it!

How to Select the Right Hair Extensions

Don’t get carried away with the various types of them. Choose the right one!

1. Opt for human hair rather than synthetic hair for a more natural look.
2. Choose the right color. Try to match as much as possible to your hair color.
3. Make sure the extension you choose is tangle free.
4. Match it to the texture of your hair!

How to Wear Hair Extensions

If you don’t want to hit the salon, you can also try fixing them at home. If you want to be a pro and try doing it at home, then here are a few steps on how to exactly do it.

1. Start with sectioning off the hair horizontally at the back of the head. Secure rest of the hair with a clip.
2. Select the weft of the hair you desire to have!
3. Use small hair elastics to create sections and for fixing the hair extensions if using a clip in hair extension!
4. Later, place the selected weft on the elastic and secure it tightly.
5. In a similar manner, keep adding as many as the number of wefts you want to.
6. Once done, comb them smoothly to get the natural hair look!
7. Although hair extensions completely transform our look instantly it’s not advisable to use them everyday as the extra weight causes hair fall and extended overuse may even cause balding in certain areas.

So, this is all about hair extensions. Are you looking forward to using them? Or if already you’ve been using, then which one is your favorite type? Do let us know by tweeting @shilpa1ahuja!
Image Credits: extensions.com
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