All About Extensions | Day 5

extension-collage copy

All my own hair:

2r

Added two of the smallest wefts:

2rrr

All the hair:

3r

Before we get any further into the 30|30 challenge I absolutely have to go over hair extensions.  I feel like just within the last few years hair extensions have become more acceptable.  I remember when I got my first set of extensions for my wedding.  They were the Jessica Simpson clip-ins and I was so paranoid everyone could tell.  The hair was synthetic, so I couldn’t curl it how I wanted and it looked so different from my real hair.  I seriously felt like I was this big huge fraud!  Seven years ago it was embarrassing to wear fake hair.  Keep those extensions a secret!  Don’t let anyone know!  Now, while you don’t want people to know your hair isn’t real, hair extensions are all over the place.  Everyday women are wearing them, people know how to spot a girl who has them in and it’s no longer this big hush hush secret.  While there are many types of extensions, I’m most interested in clip-ins.  They have become this amazing tool for many women who have struggled with thin hair.  You don’t have to commit to them 100% of the time, they last longer, they’re cheaper, they’re less maintenance and the list just goes on.

So there’s a couple of questions I want to answer.

  1. Because everyone and their mother is wearing extensions, do I need some too?  Absolutely not.  Up until the last few months I rarely wore extensions.  Once for my bridals and then I wore the halo couture extensions a few times in outfit pictures.  Other than that they just never fit my lifestyle.  I will say that most of my life I’ve had long, thick hair.  I wasn’t self conscious of my hair and it was just never a problem for me.  There have been a few years of my life though that I absolutely hated my hair.  Once in college, right before I got married I chopped it all off because a stylist fried it.  And once after I’d gone back blonde from being ombre and it turned orange.  During those years I would have given anything to have beautiful hair again.  If you hate your hair and it makes you self conscious and you’re negative about yourself because of your hair, maybe investing in some clip-ins isn’t a bad idea?  They’re definitely not a fix-all.  Confidence and beauty comes from the inside and if you struggle with those things, I don’t think that having extensions is going to change that.  But if they’ll help you to feel better about yourself, even if it’s just a little bit, I think why not?
  2. What brand do you recommend?  I’ve tried my fair share of extensions.  For the last three years you guys have been asking what brand of extensions I recommend and for the last three years I couldn’t respond because I hadn’t found anything that I absolutely loved and couldn’t live without.  After awhile I just stopped searching and thought that fake hair was crap and that it wasn’t ever going to change.  Then a couple months ago I met Laced Hair.  I first found out about these extensions from Maskcara and I pretty much love everything she promotes so I thought I’d give them a try.  I honestly can’t live without them.  The hair is absolutely gorgeous, it doesn’t matte, it doesn’t tangle, it lasts foreevver and it looks so natural.  At the end of the day you get what you pay for.  You can find cheaper extensions but they’ll be short lived and they won’t look as nice or as natural as the Laced Hair.  The extensions I wear are called I-Do Clip-Ins from Laced Hair and the color that I have is the golden blonde mix.  The extensions that I do not recommend, like don’t waste your hard earned money are: the Jessica Simpson extensions, Bellami Hair, the extensions you get from Sally’s Beauty, and bombshell extensions.
  3.  Halo Couture Extensions vs clip-ins: The only extensions that I’ve actually endorsed on the blog thus far are the halo couture extensions.  The hair is really great and they work really well for what they are.  I have two major issues with them.  The first was the invisible wire.  I like to try new styles and wear my hair different and that invisible wire was constantly getting in the way.  I couldn’t pull my hair off my face because the wire would lift.  And then the second thing was that all the hair was connected to one weft.  It was just a TON of hair!  It was so gorgeous but as a mom I found that I didn’t have many places to wear that much hair!  With clip-ins you have the versatility to wear all the hair, or just some of the hair.  They are far cheaper than any other extension, they’re less damaging (than classic extensions) and they’re so fast to put in.  Also, you can curl them once and the curl will hold forever.
  4. How do I wear extensions so they look natural?  It’s really important that you match your hair color.  Try to get the color that matches your mid-length and ends more than your roots.  The mixed blonde color that I have is a little too light near the roots but no one ever sees that part and the mid-shaft and ends matched perfectly.  So do your very best to pick a color that will match your own and then if it needs to be fixed a little you can have your stylist touch it up when you go in next.  And then make sure to get them cut.  The key to having them look so natural is to add some subtle layers and texture to the hair.   It’s hard to blend extensions if you have a blunt hair cut.  So just know that if they come and they’re a little too long or the color doesn’t match perfectly, just take them into your stylist and have her color and cut them so that they fit you.  And that’s how it is with any and all extensions.

In the photo below I’m wearing the two smallest wefts of the laced hair i-do clip-ins.  I think it’s the perfect amount of hair.  It really adds just enough thickness to my ends but it’s not so much that it looks fake.  In my opinion, the purpose of extensions are to enhance what you already have.  They’re not to make you someone that you’re not.

collage3

I’m wearing all the wefts below.  It totally changes everything!  I feel like I look so different with all that hair!  It’d be gorgeous for a photoshoot, a wedding, a pageant etc…  Anywhere that you want to add a lot of drama.  I wouldn’t recommend all of it though if you’re going for something a little more natural and subtle.

collage2

In conclusion.  If you’re looking to invest in some hair extensions I’d go ahead with the I-do clip-ins.  Whether you’re looking for just a little extra thickness, a tiny bit more length, or a full on overhaul, these extensions will be perfect for you.  But I get it, extensions aren’t for everyone.  They weren’t for me a three years ago or even a year and a half ago.  Up until this point I’ve never done a hair tutorial with them.  I feel like there are so many ways to fake bigger hair and I’ve done my best to teach you how to work with what you have.  You don’t need extensions.  Over the last few months though, I’ve really enjoyed playing with them and wearing them out.  I honestly can’t imagine not having them at this point.  From here on out I will tell you when I’m using extensions, I want it to be very clear.  Extensions definitely make photos a bit more “glam”.  And when you’re trying to sell hairstyle tutorials, sometimes that’s just whatcha gotta do!

What are your thoughts on extensions?  Have you used them before?  Which ones have you loved or hated?  I’d love to open up a dialogue!  Watch the video below to hear my thoughts and see what they are and how to put them in!

** The laced hair extensions are on back-order because the demand is so high.  Pre-order them and just be patient.  You don’t want to regret investing that type of money on another product **

This post was not sponsored or paid for by Laced Hair.  I did receive hair to review but it was not contingent upon a positive review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Abby Smith

Leave A Comment
Join the Conversation

57 thoughts on “All About Extensions | Day 5

  1. I agree with you! DO NOT waste your money on Bellami Hair. Terrible hair that literally turned black and melted with I straightened it with my Chi straightener. I have had them for three weeks and they look like fake hair, although you pay the price for “real hair.” I would never recommend them to anyone.

    1. Check out The Lauren Ashtyn Collection. They are pricey, but the pieces can be used with hot tools, and they last up to 3 years.

  2. Love this blog, very useful information about hair extensions . i have find inspiration for my own hair transformation.
    kinky curly hairstyles

  3. This tutorial was super helpful! But I still have some questions…. I have pretty thick hair but it’s only about shoulder length- I don’t need extensions for thickness or volume, I just want them to add length. Would you still recommend Laced hair over the Halo?? I’m worried my short thick hair will be really noticeable with any long extensions..?!

  4. Hi! Love your article…you maybe too busy with boys (I have two also) but are you still wearing your clip ins? Have you tried any other brands? I like to have leave in tape ins for some length but struggle with the damage aince I have thin hair already. Do you have any feedback about Hotheads extensions- they seem to be popular these days? Also do you know if you can order a sample color swatch before you order extensions from these places? Thanks so much!

  5. Hi Abby!

    Came across your blog/website after searching the internet for hair extensions. Twist me pretty is awesome! I was wondering if this LacedHair post about your clip-ins still applies? I’m OK with paying the $360 plus shipping and tax etc (to Canada) but after reading a few reviews on their website I was surprised to see some users found them ‘thin’ and others said they were shedding. ??? Is this your experience too? Thought I would check in before making the big extension plunge 😉

    Sincerely,
    Kate Weiland

    1. That’s not my experience with them at all! I’ve been wearing the same bag of extensions for over a year now and they still look great! And as far as thin goes, it depends on what you’re looking for but for me they are plenty thick. I only use one out of all six wefts. When I use all the hair it’s a tooon of hair!

  6. Wow these look amazing! I get the clip ins from My Fantasy Hair and I love them. Have you tried this brand? I need new extensions but I want to know which brand is the best. I have tried luxy and bellami and My Fantasy Hair, and so far i have found mfh to be best. Since posting this have you found a better brand yet? Please email me if you have any advice!I like asking those that have done thorough reviews.

  7. Hi Abby! Congratulations on your twin boys. I am sure you’re busy (twin boys!), and this is an older post, but I wanted to ask how your natural hair has held up with extension use. I noticed you’ve had Laced Hair for over a year, so I was just curious if you’ve experienced any noticeable breakage. Thanks and hope your family enjoys this special time.

  8. can you tell me what color extensions you got from Laced hair? I have almost the same color hair as you so I will probably order what you have 🙂

  9. Hi! Were you able to find more info about the extensions and if they were going to be in stock again. I have been wanting to buy some but they don’t ever seem to be back in stock to order. Any ideas of what to do? Also I love your site!

  10. Hi! I went to order these extensions and they were sold out like you said. I contacted the owner and she said more would be in by May 1st but they weren’t listed on the site and now I’m not receiving any correspondence back. Do you know if they’re going out of business or something…
    I really need some for a Wedding at the end of May…any second best suggestions…Thanks!

    1. Shelby that’s so weird! From my understanding they’re growing like crazy, she’s been featured in a ton of popular magazines as some of the top extensions. Email me if you can’t get a hold of any and I’ll see what I can do!

      1. As of 8/15/15 the 21 inch highlight/low-light set are out of stock, for Laced clip-ins. Have you heard anything from the owner? I desperately want to order these, but the 24 inch are far too long, and quite expensive. I don’t want to pay 60 dollars more for hair I will end up cutting.

  11. I’ve been wanting to get extensions for awhile now but haven’t found the right ones for a decent price. I’ve been looking at the irresistible me ones which are a little more affordable and come in shorter lengths. Just curious, have you tried this brand?

  12. Have you tried Luxy hair extensions? I love them, but you say these don’t tangle, which is great. Luxy has a 220 gram option for $210…I’m curious which are better for my big day next year!

  13. I am looking to purchase clip in hair extensions and was wondering if you have ever tried Luxy clip in hair extensions, or know how they compare to these Laced clip ins? What color Laced are you wearing in your video?

    1. Hi Emily! Yes I have some luxy’s. I haven’t used them as much and so I’m not sure how well they’ll hold up after a bunch of washings, but it is really pretty hair. I’ve had my laced hair extensions for over a year now and I haven’t been all that gentle with them and they’re still looking great!

  14. Hello Abby,

    I haven’t heard of any of the brands that you mentioned except Sally’s and was also surprised that you didn’t like them! I recently had just bought a pair of hair extensions for homecoming but since I haven’t had long hair since the 4th grade when it was nearly down to my hips I have worn them every single day now! LOL I bought Remy 8 piece clip in extensions, length 20 inches, on e-bay for $30 dollars. 🙂 I was very, very happy with them when they first arrived, the first week they were so soft, silky, and held curls beautifully! Now however, they are frizzy and don’t blend with my hair when straightened.:( I have washed them twice now, with L’Oreal frizz control shampoo. This is the first time I straightened them and sadly I am disappointed in the results for I wear my hair straightened on almost a daily basis. I was wondering if you had any tips on blending them into my layered hair? 🙂

    Much appreciated, thank you!

    1. Hey Shelby! That’s the exact reason why I don’t like the Sally’s brand. It’s just cheap hair and after you wash it it starts matting and looking ratty. There’s really nothing you can do that I’m aware of because it’s just the quality of hair. The laced hair extensions that I use I’ve worn and worn and washed at least four times and it still looks beautiful. It is more expensive though. You could try some serum to make yours smooth again but if you can afford it, I’d save up and just get quality hair that you don’t need to replace 🙂

  15. When I initially commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and
    now each time a comment is added I get several emails with the same comment.

    Is there any way you can remove me from that service? Cheers!

    1. Eek, I have no clue. When you get an email there should be an unsubscribe button at the bottom of it. Check it out next time that happens, so weird!

  16. Just came across your blog because i’m looking for good extensions. I was just curious why you didn’t like the Bellami hair extensions and maybe how they compare to the laced extensions? Before reading your blog i was going to order Bellami but now I would like to know why you didnt like them! 🙂

  17. maybe it was said, and I just didn’t see it..but what color of the extensions do you use? my hair is the same color as yours and its just hard to know looking at the little pictures online as to which ones I ought to buy. Thanks chica!

  18. I was just looking at the Laced Hair I-do clip-ins and I have a couple questions. How many wefts come in a pack for the $249.00 you pay? I just want to know how much money I will really be spending and the website doesn’t tell you. I love all you hair tutorials and style tips, keep them coming!!!

  19. I am SO surprised to hear that you don’t like the Bellami hair extensions! I have heard nothing but rave reviews!! What didn’t you like about them?

    1. I have Bellami extensions and I love them. I noticed you said they tangle more and matte more. Do the laced extensions curl as easily and are they as thick as bellami? thanks!

  20. Hi Abby. I am looking into getting some clip-ins for my wedding in July. I have just recently been lightening my hair and it has thinned it out a bit at the ends. The Laced Hair clip-ins look amazing, but I don’t think I can stomach spending that kind of money to only use them one day. I know that they can be damaging to your hair if you use them all the time so I am looking just for something temporary for the wedding.
    Is there another brand that you suggest that is more affordable for someone who isn’t looking to use them all the time?
    Thanks so much for your time. I appreciate it,
    Correne

    1. Ah that’s a hard one. You usually get what you pay for so with a cheaper set, it’ll either be synthetic and you won’t be able to curl or style it how you want, or it’ll look like fake hair because it’ll be too shiny or something. You could try the extensions from Sallys, I think they’re cheaper. The clip in’s won’t damage your hair unless you wear them every single day — even then though I don’t think it’d do much damage. Check out the ones from Sallys, see if they work for what you’re wanting. I’d steer clear from synthetic though! Sorry I’m not much help!

  21. I noticed that your article is pretty recent and was wondering if the I do clip ins and laced hair site is something to trust, because the last time that the site was updated was black Friday in 2011. And it really doesn’t describe the products when you try to buy them.

    Thanks for the article it’s really helpful!

    Melody

    1. Hey Melody! Yeah it’s a site to trust- definitely. The owner is a busy working mom so I’m sure she just hasn’t updated the look! Her instagram is @lacedhair if that makes you feel more comfortable to see her and her business kind of behind the scenes!

  22. What is it about bellami that you didn’t like? I’ve seen some really good reviews about the bellissima extensions but now I’m so sure? PS I’m in love with your blog and your braids 🙂

  23. Hi Abby! I seriously love all of your styles and they are so easy. I have thin hair and so trying to get any kind of volume is not exactly easy. Anyway, I bought my first set of extensions from GlamTime and I absolutely love them. I’m really excited to try the dutch side braid with my extensions. Love your videos!

    1. Yay!! I’m so happy! You should try some dry shampoo on your hair, it might help thicken up the strands. I like batiste cherry or the cheap suave stuff!

      1. I actually did get some dry shampoo because I read about it in your hairstyle book, and it is a must have from now on. It is amazing the difference it makes. I can’t wait until your new book is released!!

  24. Hi,

    I love this video… clips are sooooooo easy! Does it really include all 4 large extensions and 3 little ones? Their site doesn’t really say…

    Thanks,
    Terri

    1. So it includes the one super large weft, one regular weft and then two small ones and I think four singles! It’s a lot of hair!

  25. Just found your blog via Maskcara and I LOVE it! Will probably lose my day today to going back through all your videos! My hair is almost long enough for most of these styles but I have a few crazy layers that make things difficult. But seriously I adore the 30/30 project! Thank you!

    1. Thanks so much Erin! You’re so sweet! Yes, I love Maskcara, she’s just the best ever! Ya know, I chopped some layers in the front and they’re killing me too. There were so many hairstyles I wanted to do and just couldn’t because the length was all gone in the front. Oh well haha! Hopefully you can find a few that work for you!!

  26. WOW! I still have a set of those same extensions lying around gathering dust. You have just inspired me to try using them again. I don’t so much need them for the length, but I have very fine hair and would love some volume on top.

This error message is only visible to WordPress admins

Error: API requests are being delayed for this account. New posts will not be retrieved.

There may be an issue with the Instagram access token that you are using. Your server might also be unable to connect to Instagram at this time.

This error message is only visible to WordPress admins

Error: API requests are being delayed for this account. New posts will not be retrieved.

There may be an issue with the Instagram access token that you are using. Your server might also be unable to connect to Instagram at this time.