It is that time of year again where there are plenty of opportunities to dress up and plenty of photos. Prom, Graduation, weddings – you name it! And you better believe I love looking good and standing out in the crowd.

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Finding the right dress is hard enough, but a great accessory to never forget is your hair. Thumbing through Pinterest I found some great looks with multi-colored braids, twists and updos.  I don’t have a lot of hair and don’t want to commit to a wild color, so I checked out some of the fun color extensions at Sally.

Sally Beauty sells a couple of great clip-in styles. Sassy Colors and Glitz synthetic pieces have a variety of colors like pink, blue, magenta and burgundy. Some of them even have gems so I can add a little sparkle to my look.

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The Design Length Snap Its are clip-in human hair that easily snaps in to add strips of color to a bun or ponytail. Since they are human hair, I can even curl them to add different color tendrils around my face.

Use one color or mix it up with two. You could even color coordinate with your dress! Standing out has never been so easy or so fun!

Matching hair extensions to your natural hair color can be an overwhelming task when purchasing for the first time. You want your extensions to look natural, and if the color doesn’t match perfectly all credibility of having naturally thick and long hair is gone. Here are some good tips to make sure you find your perfect match.

*Use swatches to compare extension colors.

*Do prior research of hair extension colors to become more familiar with the terms and lingo.

*Match the hair extension color to the ends of your hair. The majority of your hair is a different color than the roots, so matching it this way will ensure a more natural look.

* Enlist the help of your stylist.

* Consider buying two different shades of extensions to mix in with natural hair to create a blended look.

You can also color your hair to match the hair extension you purchase. Coloring the extensions is not recommended because the extensions have already gone through such a rigorous treatment process to kill all bacteria and color the extensions. This makes the hair extremely porous and very easy to damage or over process, ending up in a waste of your time and money. 

It may take a little extra time to ensure you are getting the right color for your hair, but with the investment you are making with extensions, you want to be sure it is correct. Have fun though and don’t be afraid to experiment with different pops of color within your natural color!

I have been a lover of hair extensions for quite a while now, and let me be honest- I long for a hair extension of great quality without the price tag. I think I found my answer with the new human hair and premium fiber hair extension blend called Hairtensity.

What makes Hairtensity so unique is it is human hair, but has premium synthetic fibers blended. This lowers the overall cost without sacrificing the quality of the hair. The premium synthetic fibers behave like human hair and hold a great curl when using heat tools with the recommended heat setting of 340° degrees.

The texture is really soft, and shiny enough to look natural and blends in great with naturally straight or relaxed hair. With the proper care, I was able to wear this hair a lot longer than synthetic only hair, and I experienced less tangling.

The wide range of lengths made it easy to find exactly what I was looking for and the prices were even better! The 8” hair retails around $10, which is cheap enough to use for a weekend and toss. Even the twenty-two inch hair won’t break the bank. It retails in the $50 range!

I saved a few more dollars by buying different lengths to achieve a layered look without getting it cut by a professional. The color selections were very natural and easy to match to my hair. I can’t wait to try different lengths to mix up my hairstyle in the future!

Listen up, long hair lovers! We have a special holiday treat for you! Satin Strands hair extensions now come in 22”! I don’t know about you, but I’m excited that I can now have hair all the way down to my lower back!

Satin Strands is one of my very favorite extension brands. I know I’m getting top quality 100% human hair and the perfect shade for me. They offer weft and fusion extensions, which means I can easily apply them myself or take them to a professional.

These extensions can be washed and styled like your natural hair and will have a long life with proper care and maintenance. The color choices are very natural and easy to match with natural hair.

I will let you in on another little secret—you can easily turn weft hair into clip-ins!

Supplies needed:

• Satin Strands 22” Weft in one of the 4 natural colors
• Sharp scissors
• Wig clips that match the hair color
• Needle and thread

1. Start by cutting the weft into sections. I would recommend cutting different weft widths to create natural layers. One 8” piece, one 6”, one 5.5”, and three to four 1.5” pieces to layer around the face would work well.

2. Sew the wig clips onto the weft using a needle and thread. For the wider weft pieces use multiple clips, spaced 1.5” to 2” apart. I suggest 4 clips on the 8”, 3 clips on the 6” and 5.5”, and one clip on the 1.5” pieces. Using extra clips on the longer weft pieces will ensure they stay put throughout the day.

3. After sewing in the clips, start experimenting with placement to create a natural look. Clip them in everyday or just wear for special occasions. Don’t forget to wash the clip-ins every 4 to 5 wears with hair extension shampoo and conditioner to keep the extensions shiny and tangle free.

No matter what application method you choose, the new 22” extensions are sure to be a show stopper!

I have major news to share with you all! I made my routine trip to my local Sally Beauty Supply this weekend and you will never guess what I saw!! Euronext, my favorite hair extension brand of all time, went down in price! I cannot even tell you how excited that makes me!

Any Sally Beauty shopper can now save around $5 to $10 off with the new price, but because I am a Beauty Club Card customer, I saved $15 dollars!

I called all of my girlfriends as soon as I left the store to share the news and you better believe I will be picking up a few packages for some lucky family members for the holidays. Long, luxurious hair here I come!!

Halloween is almost here and I still haven’t picked out a costume, but I think I found the perfect inspiration. I bought a pink fantasy wig from Revlon, that I ordered through my local Sally Beauty store, and I love it!!

They come in many different colors including pink, red, violet and aqua and are really great quality for the price. I decided to go longer and picked out the one they call Pizazz, They have 2 other shorter styles called Shock and Flash. Even the names are fun!

These are synthetic and you can’t use heat styling tools on it so keep that in mind when picking out the style you want. Even though I don’t know what my costume is going to be yet, I can’t wait to see people’s faces when I show up in this fun, pink wig!

The wigs are available in select Sally Beauty stores for $39.99, but if yours isn’t carrying them, you can order them easily from the store.

Have you picked out a Halloween costume yet? Tell us all about it in the comments!

Have you ever wondered how celebrities get these luscious pony tails that are full of hair and bounce?? Let me let you in on a little secret… hair extensions! And it is easier than ever to achieve the long and sleek or curly and voluminous pony you desire. I was introduced to new clip-in styles called ExpressLocs and decided to try them out!

I found they have 4 cute clip-on styles -

* Waves and Sleek create long flowing ponytails.

* Chic and Swank add bounce and volume for a quick, fun updo.

It takes no time at all to clip one of these into my hair and I am out the door. The best part is the compliments keep rolling in. People actually think I took hours to curl or perfectly straighten my hair. I certainly don’t have time for that. And when I tell them the ExpressLocs secret, they are shocked!

Just pull your hair into a ponytail and clip on the curly or straight hair piece and that is it! Sometimes I add a cute hair scarf or headband to add a little more glamour. ExpressLocs also have a variety of pony wraps that add just a hint of curl or spike to a bun style. Finding these little treasures ended up being the easy way to spice up a bland hairstyle.

Hair extensions are as hot as ever right now.  We get a lot of questions from customers about how the process works for permanent hair extensions, as opposed to clip-in.  Below are a few of our most commonly asked questions from our customers.  Do you have any questions about hair extensions?  Let us know!  We’d love to hear from you!

Q:  Are hair extensions painful?

A:  If applied correctly by a trained professional, there should be NEVER be any pain or discomfort associated with the hair extensions.  A slight awkwardness can be expected on the first night or two of sleeping on hair extensions, but this is due to the new feeling of the attachment. It is also an adjustment to suddenly have long hair, and have to deal with hair around the face while sleeping.  If pain, irritation, or discomfort occurs after having hair extensions put in, consult another professional to remove or adjust the hair, or possibly to redo the application.

Q: Who is a good candidate for hair extensions?

A: Almost anyone can wear hair extensions.  There are, however, a few cases in which it might be advised against, or one method of application may be better than another.  For example, someone suffering with Alopecia would not be considered a good candidate, as well as those taking certain medications, or with genetic disorders causing loss of their natural hair.  You should always schedule a consultation with a professional before having hair extensions applied.

Q: Will people be able to notice that I am wearing hair extensions?

A: It is important to choose a style and color that matches your own natural hair when choosing hair extensions.  When properly put in by a licensed trained professional hair extension stylist, the end result will be very natural. 

Oh, the temptation to try something new! It’s human nature to want to see if the grass is really greener on the other side. Do blondes have more fun? Will I look sultry and seductive as a brunette? This insatiable curiosity poses quite the hazard for fellow hair extension wearers. If you want to change your hair color two weeks into having new hair extensions, my advice to you is to WAIT.

Many people are under the assumption that, since the hair extensions are made of 100% human hair, that they should be able to color them as they would their own hair. The problem with this idea is that the extensions have undergone a tremendous transformation from their virgin states. The hair must go through a rigorous chemical process of stripping the virgin color, and processing it several times in order to get it to the color that is purchased in stores.

I’ve received many e-mails and phone calls from people that were absolutely devastated when their hair extensions did not turn out the color they had anticipated. Quality human hair extensions aren’t exactly cheap, and it can be very costly to replace them. To be honest, there are people out there that have had successes and did not end up with calico hair. If hair extensions absolutely must be colored, a professional stylist should be the one to process the extensions. A strand test should be conducted with a 1”-2” piece of weft hair to determine if the hair is truly viable. It will always be easier to color lighter hair extensions to a darker shade, than it would be to lighten darker hair extensions.

The best advice I can give, however, is to be sure to purchase hair extensions in the same shade as your own hair. This will save a lot of time, money, and possibly a few tears.

Thinking about getting permanent hair extensions? Don’t know where to start? My advice is, start with a professional stylist. As a matter of fact, you should “interview” a few stylists to make sure you pick the right one. Hair extensions are a commitment so it’s best to do your homework.

The right stylist will take care of you and your natural hair. They should also know how to apply and take care of the extensions in a way that helps you achieve and maintain the look you want.

Here are a few suggestions on questions you should ask:

• Is my hair healthy enough for permanent extensions? (It’s thin, thick, color treated, etc.)
• Will my oily/dry scalp and hair affect the extensions staying in?
• What type of application is best for my hair? Keratin? Fusion Links?
• Based on my own hair type and length, how may strands will it take to give me highlights/low lights/length/volume?
• Will my active life (i.e. working out, swimming, etc) affect how long my extensions last?
• How often should I wash the extensions? How do I wash them?
• Will they tangle? What kind of brush should I use?
• How often should I come in to have them checked?
• What guarantee do you (the stylist) offer on the application method?
• What products should I use that will keep my extensions, my own hair and scalp looking good and healthy?
• Can I use heating appliances on my hair? How do I use heated appliances so they don’t damage my extensions?
• What do I do at night? Is it ok to go to bed with wet hair? What will happen if I do?

I know it sounds like a lot to think about, but it’s important to shop around for the best stylist who will take care of you before, during and long after your extension service.

-Kathy