Getting your hair extended has never been simpler. Clip-in hair extensions have made it possible to change your hairstyle in just a matter of minutes. Just take your chosen clip-in extension and clip it onto your hair and adjust it.
Of course, there are certain things to take into consideration when picking your clip-in hair extensions. Aside from obviously knowing what hairstyle you are going for, you need to identify your hair type and match it with your clip-in extensions. In this article, we will be focusing on curly and coily hair, so if your hair is type 3 or 4, you’re at the right spot.
For instance, getting yourself 4a clip-in extensions would mean you’re hair is type 4a, made up of dense springy, S-patterned coils. Getting yourself some 3b extensions would not be a good fit for you in that case, and would most likely not look natural on your head.
Why Clip-in Hair Extensions?
Where should we even start? Lots of people have started considering extending their hair only once clip-in hair extensions have been invented. Other forms of hair extension tend to take a lot of time to get done, they cost a lot of money and some can even damage your hair.
With clip-ins, you don’t have to go through any such hassle. Once you get your matching clip-in hair extensions, you only have to put them in your hair once you want it extended, and put them out once you’re done with them. This takes a few minutes of your time to give you a completely different look, and with proper care, your extensions will serve you for a long time.
Taking Care of Your Extensions
Assuming you have bought quality clip-in extensions, all it takes is a few minutes of your time and effort before putting them away to maximize their lifespan. Just like your natural hair, your extensions need to be looked after and stored in a way that will preserve them.
Removing
Once you have removed your clip-in hair extensions, always make sure that all the clips are closed shut. Try to avoid mixing them in a chaotic manner or just stuffing them into a storage box, as this can get them tangled and prolong your brushing process.
Brushing
When brushing your extensions, remember to always do it gently. Brushing them too hard can damage and rip them. You can brush them stacked together, starting from the bottom of the hair and slowly moving towards the root. Should you bump into a bigger knot, don’t try to brush it with force. Separate the weft with the knot and gently go through it with the brush until it’s corrected.
An important thing to highlight is that brushing should always be done when the extensions are dry. Brushing them while they are wet will drastically increase the chances of damage occurring, as it is in this state that they are the most susceptible to breaking.
As far as the tools go, stick to soft bristle brushes, as they will glide through the strains without causing any damage while removing tangles.
Storing
When putting your clip-in hair extensions away, make sure of the following:
- They have been previously brushed and have no tangles
- All of the clips are closed
- They are dry
Store your extensions in a cool and dry place, where they won’t be exposed to direct sunlight. A closet or a wardrobe are the most common places, and a storage box to put them in can help in keeping their shape.
Never put your extensions away while they are not completely dry, as leaving them wet in storing conditions provides a perfect platform for bacteria and mold to grow.
Washing & Drying
The general rule is that the more you wash your extensions, the shorter their lifespan will be. This does not mean that you should never wash them, of course. Only that you should use your best judgment to determine when a wash is really necessary. Should the extensions become difficult to style and manipulate, it is likely that there is product build-up, and they will need to be washed. In general, try not to wash them more often than once a month.
When washing, it’s crucial to keep them hydrated as much as you can. Unlike your natural hair, hair extensions don’t receive any oils or natural nutrients, so it’s important that you provide them with those by using alcohol-free conditioners and shampoos.
Just like with brushing, always rub the extensions gently while washing, and rinse them in cold water when finished rubbing to help lock in the moisture.
Where drying is concerned, it is always best to let the extensions dry naturally. Blow-drying is not recommended, however, should you be forced to do so in any case, we recommend that you use a heat protectant spray prior to drying it, to protect them. The hair is at its weakest when it’s wet, and exposing it to the heat of the blow-dryer can damage it. Setting your blow dryer to a cool setting is another recommendation, to at least remove the heat factor.
To help prevent additional tangling, always dry your hair extensions from the root, working your way down to the ends. This goes especially for curly hair extensions, as they can get tangled really easily.
Price and Quality
The price of the clip-in hair extensions can vary a bit, depending on how long you want them to be, how many rows, what material you are picking, etc. But whatever your case is, it will be cheaper than any permanent option you’ll find. The clip-ins will usually range from about 120$ up to 300$, depending on the aforementioned factors.
Where the quality is concerned, it is mostly down to the material. Most people tend to go with natural hair, as synthetic materials can never truly replicate all the characteristics of human hair. A bit more expensive than synthetic, yes, but if you take care of them well, they will last you a long time and look as natural as your real hair when worn.
Pros and Cons
To sum up the difference between permanent hair extensions and clip-ins, we’ll do a shortlist of the pros and cons of clip-in hair extensions to help you make up your mind. Changing your image is often quite exciting, yet full of doubts, so thinking it through thoroughly is always a wise choice.
Pros
- Very easy to use and no hair salon or specialists needed
- Takes up only a few minutes of your time to give you your desired look
- No pain or hair-pulling
- You wear them only when you want to, which prolongs their lifespan
- Cheaper than any other hair extending method
- They don’t require to be washed too often, easy to maintain
Cons
- If your hair is really thin, the clip-ins might slip out
- If you wish to use the extensions on a daily basis, you might get tired of putting them in and out every day, as well as shorten their lifespan
To Wrap it Up
We hope this article has helped you understand better the pros and cons of clip-in hair extensions. If you are not experienced in hair extending and have not done it before, clip-ins are probably the best idea for you, as they are not permanent, and are the cheapest option out there.
So even if you decide that it’s not the right thing for you, you can always remove them easily and it will not set you back too much financially.
We don’t believe that this will be the case, however. Clip-in hair extensions give you a great option for a different hairstyle for special (or every day) occasions, and it’s even likely that once you get them, you will go looking for more, as they very rarely disappoint.
