Tape-In Hair Extensions
So it's been a couple of weeks since I took out my hair extensions and I thought it was about time I shared my experience with you. I didn't talk much about them while I had them here on my blog but I did share some thoughts along the way in videos/vlogs so some of you may already know a little of what I'm going to say but I feel like I can be more objective now my regular hair is back in a comfortable ponytail. I once had bonded hair extensions because of an awful pixie haircut (not my idea) and in hindsight they were terrible but at the time I LOVED them. The long swooshy hair made me feel so glamorous and (I'm just going to say it) feminine. I'm not saying I don't like my short hair but there's something about that length that makes you want to whip it back and forth is all. So when Great Lengths contacted me to see whether I'd be interested in their new temporary extensions I jumped at the chance. They're effectively tape ins but Great Lengths call them 'apps' - you can find their approved salons online here as well as a gallery of before and afters that I spent hours pouring over ahead of my appointment.
Before the application I went in for a consultation with Kirby (see her salon here) who recommended I go for the more permenant bonded extensions as she thought they would better blend with my blunt bob but what appealed to about the GL Apps was the temporainess. She decided that she could make them work if she packed a lot of them in and so the colour was matched and the appointment was made. Now as any bleach blonde knows it's near impossible to keep the same shade of blonde for more than a few washes so when I returned to have the extensions applied my hair didn't quite match the way it previously had. Not the end of the world but something worth mentioning, I think blondes would be better with a mix of tones to be on the safe side. The application took around 3 hours start to finish, Kirby applied each weft herself, sandwiching small sections of my own hair between what is effectively strips of hair with double sided tape attached. They felt really secure and flat to my head, it was an adjustment to sleep in them at first but only for the first few nights. I had read that you should keep them tied up to prevent tugging and breakage but I found them more comfortable if I left them 'free' and I can't say I experienced any damage worth talking about. I got a little footage of the application in this video which will beter explain the process for those of you wanting to see it in action.
When Kirby first put in the extensions I wanted to keep as much length as possible but a week in I realised that wasn't practical. Her salon was too far to travel just for a trim (so I thought) but having had the ends cut far too bluntly I would highly suggest you go to an extension professional for any cuts.. It needed some major thinning out to be manageable and if I had my time again I would have made the trip. Care wise I had to brush it twice a day to avoid tangles and honestly I could have stood to brush it more.. the longer I went without a comb through the bigger and more wig-like it got. I used a sulphate free shampoo and avoided conditioner near the bonds when washing and serums and oils like crazy to avoid dry ends but product wise I really didn't really do anything special. When it came time to remove the extensions me being me I did it alone, I was prepared for this to be more damaging than having a pro do it but I can honestly say I dont think it was at all. I put oil all over my roots, left it for 5 or 10 minutes and started to peel apart the wefts. It took me maybe half an hour and I did it by myself.. I know, I know but really.. what did you expect? I'm sure I'm missing so much but if I get enough questions I'll do a follow up! The last thing to mention is the curling wand I used - It's from Cloud Nine (expect a full post on this if not a video) and it gave me the best, longsest lasting curls, it made it so much easier to blend the extensions with my short cut and I only had to style it every few days. It's pricey but by far the best hair tool I own! I believe the GL hair is supposed to hold a curl better than your average anyway but even on my bob it lasts til I wash it! A+
Watch my rambly video review here
Miss BB