Whether you’re transitioning to get stronger and healthier locks, looking to increase length, boost volume or add some flair to your hair we’re spilling the deets on everything you ever wanted to know about hair extensions and then some. Extensions come in so many different types, pre-bonded, weave, micro-loop, it’s easy to get confused over which ones are right for you. We thought we’d show some love to all you kinky, curly girls by sharing exactly what you need to know about the different applications as well as the maintenance, and longevity for each method so that you can determine which extensions are best for you.
The Methods
Choosing the right extension method will depend on budget, preference, and hair type. While fusion and tape-in extensions can be used on just about any hair texture, weaves are best suited for kinky, curly hair.
1. Fusion (or Bonded) Hair Extensions:
The root tips of these extensions are dipped in wax or Keratin and are attached by bonding them with a heated tool to your natural hair. Check out this review from vlogger Lauren, as she gives curly girls the 101 on fusion extensions.
- Application time: 3-4 hours
- Maintenance: 3-6 weeks
- Longevity: 3-6 months
2. Weave (or Sew-in) Hair Extensions:
This is the oldest and probably most used method for kinky, curly girls. Natural hair is braided in a pattern or individual rows and weft hair is attached
by sewing it into the braids.You can either have a full weave in which all the natural hair is braided away or a partial weave where some of the natural hair is left out to blend with the extensions for a more natural look.
Maintenance: 6-8 weeks
Longevity: 4-6 months
3. Micro-loop Hair Extensions:
These extensions are applied by threading individual strands
of natural hair through a small metal tube or ring and clamping it together to secure the
extensions.
Application time: 4-5 hours
Maintenance: 8-12 weeks
Longevity: 6-9 months
4. Tape-in Hair Extensions:
These are wefts of hair that are attached with double-sided tape
and are applied by sandwiching them to either side of your natural hair for a secure hold.
Application time: 20-30 Minutes
Maintenance: None
Longevity: 6-12 months
5. Clip-in Hair Extensions:
If you want a TWA (teeny weeny afro) one day and lavender
highlights the next, clip-ins are for you.This technique is fun and non-committal as they can
quickly be applied by simply securing a weft or single strand to your natural hair with small
combs or clamps.
How to Determine The Quantity You Need
Now that you know which extensions you want, you’ve got to figure out how many you need.
There is nothing worse than spending hours on applying extensions only to find out you don’t
have enough! There are a few factors that can help you determine how many you need, here’s
the long and short of it:
Hair Length:
As a general rule of thumb the longer the extensions the thinner the width, which
means the longer they are, the more you will need. Also, the shorter your natural hair is, the
more extensions you’ll have to add in order to seamlessly blend the two.
Hair Density:
The goal here is to keep your natural hair healthy and strong, so keep in mind
that the weight of extensions can put additional stress on your root, so if you have fine hair, look
for extensions with lighter density, whereas girls with thicker curls should use hair with medium
density. Placement is also key, avoid areas along the hairline or the back of the neck, where hair
is fragile and prone to breakage.
Hair Color:
If you want to match the color of your extensions to your hair, you’ll want to select
one shade up or down from your natural color in order to blend your hues. Extensions aren’t
forever, so if you’ve ever wanted to bleach or dye your tresses, go ahead, have some fun!
Check out this tutorial on DIY-ing these brilliant, teal-hued extensions!
source: youtube.com @ Blvck Nostalgia
Strand or Weft:
As a general rule, you”ll need about 100 to 120 single strands of extensions to
As a general rule, you”ll need about 100 to 120 single strands of extensions to fill an average head of hair. Weft hair is determined by weight and is typically sold in bundles of
100 grams/3.5 oz. It’s important to note that as the hair length in the bundle gets longer, the weft
of the hair gets shorter, this is why you’ll always need more bundles when choosing extensions
that are longer in length. In layman’s terms, on average, two bundles should be enough for 10”-
14” extensions, three bundles for 14”-22” and four bundles or more for lengths of 22” and above.
Okay all you kinky curly girls, we hope this sheds some light on all of the different ways you can
get longer, fuller hair! P.S. We want to know, what hair type do you have and which extension
method have you tried?