A few years back I was completely obsessed with the length of my hair (okay I still am). I was impatient and didn’t really know much about how to maintain healthy ends and grow out my hair. Hair extensions were always glamorous to me, and I felt they were my only shot at getting that long, flowy hair I HAD to have. I saved up over $200 and made my way to the salon. I was nervous and excited because I figured this change would give me the look I wanted so badly.
The Process Before the actual appointment and application, I first needed to get my hair color matched. The girls at the salon matched a lot of different hair pieces to give me an example of the extensions to my natural color. It was actually kind of difficult for them to find a perfect match to my dark chocolate brown! After they found my match,I had to choose a length that suited me. I didn’t want to pick a length that was too dramatic and noticeable, so I opted for about 3-4 inches longer than my natural length. My extensions then needed to be permed, as I have naturally curly hair and wanted to have a perfect match. At the actual appointment I was kinda nervous. I opted for tape in extensions, which are safe but can be potentially damaging to the hair! Basically the hair dresser took a piece of my natural hair and attached the sticky side of each hair extension to the front and back of my natural strands. It didn’t hurt at all! After about an hour my head felt so heavy! My hair looked pretty perfect and I was obsessed!
The After Math Taking care of the extensions is pretty similar to taking care of my natural hair. However, I had to be super careful while washing my hair and styling. It’s easy to pull on and potentially dangerous to the extension and the natural hair! I couldn’t use a lot of oil based products around the extensions either, because this could make them come unattached! Long story short, my hair began to grow out, and inevitably my extensions moved down my hair shaft. Since the upkeep was kind of hard and expensive and there was potential hair damage involved, I opted out of buying new extensions. My mom actually removed my extensions with coconut oil but I do NOT recommend this! Make sure you get a professional to remove and replace your extensions to ensure no damage is done!
Was it worth it? If you have the money and time, then I say heck yeah! Hair extensions personally didn’t fit my lifestyle, but they did truly boost my confidence and that is so important! I’m more invested in growing my own hair and trying out new ways to get rid of heat damage and get the healthy tresses I crave! No matter what you choose for your hair, do what makes you happy!
HXCO, Karly