"Rapunzel, let your hair down!" - Hair Extensions

Ahhh, my first proper beauty post - I decided to stick with something I know like the back of my hand! Hair extensions. Once upon a time, I had hair down to my bum! Unfortunately I was very ill during my early 20s and lost a lot of my hair (length and thickness) due to treatment. I was devastated to say the least. But help was at hand... in the form of hair extensions. 

Clip Ins

My Tantrum Hair 18inch Clip-ins

I started out fairly cheaply and began with Clip In hair extensions. Lots of you will have tried them, they look amazing when applied correctly, and you can whip them in and out in minutes. They usually come in packs with pre-cut widths of hair extension wefts (strips of hair) with clips already attached (although you can buy one long weft and apply the clips yourself). You can buy them in a range of lengths from 14inches to 24inches and longer! I personally stick to 18 - 22 inches. In my opinion, if you are only going to wear them every now and then for occasions, you don't need to buy the top of the range stuff. Brands like Style Icon, Dream Girl and Sleek are all good for occasional use (and the hair is very thick). If, however, like me you wear them everyday (I literally won't leave the house without them - they are like knickers and a bra to my head!), I would spend a little bit more. My personal favourite are Tantrum Hair Clip Ins (link can be found here) as they use fantastic quality hair and the clips have a silicone lining so they don't slip, and they are much smaller clips than the cheaper brands. Tantrum prices from £50, although I buy 2 packs and sew them together for fuller hair. 

Weaves

Me on holiday with my weave extensions from Pretty B*tch, Portsmouth - the night I got engaged actually!

I have, in the past, dabbled with weaves. They are perfect if you want a longer-lasting effect than clip-ins, but want a more budget friendly method than having permanent micro/nano bonds etc. Prices range from about £90 - £180 depending on the quality of hair you have installed. Your stylist will match up your hair colour, make 3 or 4 braided tracks (corn rows) in your hair and sew the weft of hair in. This method lasts up to 3 months before it needs re-doing, however I find it only really lasts for about 6 weeks in good condition as the hair around the braid can begin to matte. I've had them put in for a holiday and kept them in for about a month before getting new hair installed. As much as people say they damage your hair, I have never had a problem besides the matting sometimes. My favourite places for weave extensions are Elegance, Portsmouth and Pretty B*tch, Portsmouth.

Micro-beads/Micro-rings (my current method)

Micro-ring extensions from Tantrum Hair, Guildford

Which brings me to my personal favourite method: Micro rings (sometimes called micro beads).  Quite a pricey method (around £400+) but by far the best for long term long hair. This is when strands of hair (around 1g each) are applied individually to your hair strands and connected with a tiny copper tube. There is no glue and no heat and therefore they are completely safe. Unlike weaves, they don't cause too much weight to be held on your hair shaft and so don't pull. I absolutely love my micro-rings which I have applied and maintained at Tantrum Hair, Guildford. I am currently wearing 150g of 20 inch Russian hair (by FAR the best quality hair I have tried, even a month on there is not drying/breakage/matting and they are so easy to look after). If you are local, please go and give them a try - they sometimes do £350 deals which is a bargain in the extension world!


I hope that has given you some insight into the crazy world of hair extensions - give them a go!
Dani x