When I moved to Saint Louis, I was ready for a change. I decided not only was I going to change my zip code, but I was also going to change my hair. So that’s what I did. Five minutes into living here, I cut my hair. The hair I had been growing out since 1922. And you know what, it felt amazing. I felt more sophisticated, mature and confident.
Jump forward to November 16, M asked me to marry him. In January, I purchased my dress, and that’s when I decided my new look wasn’t the look I wanted for the wedding.
After 3 million vitamins later, my hair had grown an inch. There was no way I would have long tressels of curls before June. Luckily when I moved, I followed a LOT of hair salons to find the perfect one. And that’s when one day, during my #ScrollLife I found a place that did extensions. I opted in for tape-in extensions and have had them now for two weeks. That makes me an expert on the subject, right?! So, I am going to give you the good, bad & ugly of my experience with extensions.
Find a Salon with Great Reviews
Finding a great salon should be a no brainer but read reviews and even price out different options. Look at their social media, those before and after shots are essential to know what you’re getting. The salon I chose is BEAUTIFUL, my stylist was a delight and they use great products!
Tape In vs. Beaded Row vs. Fusion
I chose Tape In extensions because they were cheaper, the hair is yours to keep which means when you get it moved up you don’t have to buy new hair for a while. This all sounded great to me, however, after just having these in for two weeks, I have noticed the maintenance and now am interested in looking into another process.
Care & Maintenance
If you get Tape In, you shouldn’t wash your hair every day. Since your hair will be thicker, it will take longer to dry as well. For me, this has been hard. I am a colossal wash my hair everyday kind of gal. Now, I’m scheduling “hair washing nights.”
I also have issues with the extensions falling out after washing it. I have learned, do not under any circumstance comb your hair after you shampoo it, they will pull out no matter how careful you are being. I then wait till the hair dries and try to sandwich it back together. This aggravation is the main reason I want to try another method of extensions.
Update: After going back to the salon, they fixed them and I’m not having the same issues, back to being in love with them! Proceed…
But, How Do They Feel?
Full disclosure: it takes a while to get used to them. The first night’s sleep is going to feel a bit weird. Uncomfortable? No. Painful? No. Just different and it may all be in your head (no pun intended). I also felt the extra weight the first week pulling my head. Starting my third week, I feel nothing.
Can You Use Heat On Hair?
Styling my hair is the easiest part of the whole shebang. I have been using a curling iron because I’ve got that trick down after all these years. Recently I bought a new wand and have been trying my hand at it. Quite pleased with the overall look, but I will be moving my aloe plant close to my vanity because OUCH!
Overall Feedback
Even though I freak out (so does M) when a strand casually falls out, I’m still in love with my locks. They look natural, and they are beautiful. Here’s my advice. You’ll never know unless you try. What works well for one person may drive you insane. But if it’s something you’re interested in, give it a whirl and if there are questions you have that I didn’t cover, I’m happy to answer them!
Have you gotten extensions before? What were your thoughts?
