January 2, 2018

Different Types of Hair Extensions & Choosing What’s Best For You

This post may contain affiliate links.

There are so many different types of hair extensions out there and honestly it can be overwhelming to figure out what is the best for you, your lifestyle, and your hair type if I am being completely honest. I have tried so many different kinds that it is kind of embarrassing… They have helped my hair, damaged my hair, and made me loose my hair. I want to help be a resource for you to find the different types of extensions and what will work for you rather than you going through the trial and error process like I did and having your hair fall out, etc. It wasn’t fun at all but I have found a few different types that work for me, my hair type, and my lifestyle that I can swap and change if I want to. 

 

I will be doing a whole series on extensions about different brands, hair products, etc. so watch for those posts to come.

First I want to share a couple things about extensions with you:

DISCLAIMERS/TIPS

1 – GO TO SOMEONE WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING! This one I can’t stress enough, too many people claim they know what they are doing with extensions and then they leave you to clean up the mess of them ruining your hair. Go to someone who had taken trainings, has good refrences, etc. Also listen to what they have to say, trust them, and do what they say. They will know what will work best for your hair if they are experienced.

2 – Don’t do them yourself EVER unless they are clip-ins and still take them to someone to get them trimmed to blend. I have tried to do mine on my own in the past and completely ruined and trashed my hair. Did I save some money? Yep. Did I ruin my hair? Hell yes I did. Don’t do it!!

3 – Buy your hair from a reputable brand. I am going to put together a whole post about extension brands and my experience with them, but buy from a brand that has references, not the cheapest brand, and someone that your stylist recommends. 

DIFFERENT TYPES OF HAIR EXTENSION

|| CLIP INS ||

These extensions are a type that are removable. They are the least permanent type that you can do. They have clips on the wefts (the long piece of hair) that you just clip in to your natural hair and then take out every night before you go to bed. They are perfect if you want something that you can put in and out of your hair when you feel like it. I think personally they are a pain to wash, but you also don’t need to wash them very frequently either. They are also a more affordable option to the other types of extensions. I would recommend going to a salon and having your color matched so you don’t purchase the wrong color & then when they come having the stylist cut/trim them to blend with your natural hair.

|| I-TIP ||

These are little pieces of hair that are combined together at the top to look kind of like a candlewick. They are beaded into your hair with a metal bead on your natural hair. I know a lot of people who love these, but they didn’t work great for me because my hair is so thin it would just break off. They blend really well with your natural hair, however where there are so many different small “beaded pieces” in your hair I found them hard to hide and it also was uncomfortable for me to pull my hair on the top of my head which I do frequently. These take a long time to get moved up at the salon also. You go in about every 4-6 weeks to get these moved up and they are considered a permanent type of extensions because they don’t come out unless your stylist takes them out.

|| TAPE IN ||

These are smaller about 2-3 inch wefts that are sandwiched together and taped to your natural hair. You don’t have nearly as many of these as the I-Tip kind. If you go to the right stylist they shouldn’t damage your hair at all either. They are easier to hide than i-tip in my opinion, but also a little tricky to wear your hair up in a topknot or on the top of your head. They take awhile to move up because the tape needs to be removed off of each weft and replaced each time they are changed. I also found if I blow dried my hair they would come out quicker when I didn’t want them to because the glue would get heated up. I liked these a lot for many years and they worked great for me. They are also considered a permeant extension. You go in about every 4-6 weeks to get them moved up.

|| HAND TIED WEFTS ||

These are what I currently have and my favorite at this time. Your stylist depending on the thickness of your hair will use 2-4 long wefts of hair. Your stylist makes a row of your own natural hair with beads and then sews the wefts to your hair. You will have anywhere from 2-4 rows of extensions. I find these the easiest to hide and pull my hair up with. They are super quick to get moved up because the string is just cut that holds them to your natural hair and then she tightens the 3 rows of beads and ties your extension hair back to your natural hair. These are considered a permeant extension. I go in every 4 weeks to get mine moved up because I like them tighter to my head but most people go every 6-9 weeks to get them moved.

You can read my full post about them here.

|| MERAKI TECHNIQUE ||

These are a newer technique that not many stylists are trained in. The tape in extensions are used for this and they are taped together without your hair in them. Then two holes are punched in the weft and your natural hair is weaved through them and then beaded underneath to keep them in. They are pretty quick to move up and I loved them because my hair didn’t have any tape on it. They are a permeant extension and most people go every 4-6 weeks to get them moved up. 

I hope this helps you to figure out what types of extensions will work best for you, the way you do your hair, your hair type, etc. If you have any questions please please feel free to email me (dani AT danimarieblog DOT com) or DM me onInstagram! I am truly more than happy to answer any questions!