As a salon professional, it’s our job to educate ourselves on all the different types of Julia virgin hair extensions that might work for our clients as solutions to their hair concerns. We should not stop at just one brand or type because not all extensions work for everyone.

Throughout my experience as a Peruvian hair extensionist, I’ve tried many different types of extensions. Here are the extensions I’ve tried to educate myself on so far, and the type of client this extension method is best suited for. Though there are plenty of other brands out there I haven’t yet had a chance to try that are also great.

Clip-In/Flip-In:

Fun and noncommittal but typically “fake” looking, you can wash and style them just like your own hair. They get ratty and worn-looking from frequent use and the quality varies widely. Choose real over synthetic as they’re more durable with washing and styling.

Sew-in:

Sew-ins are cost-effective, easy maintenance and fairly easy to remove. The client’s hair is braided tightly to create a base for the hair wefts to be sewn and attached. This technique is not for every client; not all hair types can handle the stress from the braiding and weight of the extensions. Clients need to have the hair retightened through the four months. There are many different textures, colors and types of 100% virgin human hair for clients to pick from and there are many different price points, based on quality and length.

Tape-in:

Tape-ins can be used for some length, but I use them on clients for more volume and thickness. It takes only a short amount of time to install the extensions. The guest does need to come in every six to eight weeks to have them removed and reinstalled. They are applied with a heated tool that heats up a thin strip of glue that is on the hair weft. The client’s hair is put between two wefts to create a seal. They do have to be careful with using heavy conditioners or oils because that can cause slipping. They are nice for clients because they can reuse the extensions many times before having to order new extensions.

Fusion:

Hot or cold fusion is used on individual keratin bonds. Fusion extensions are great for clients seeking length and volume and want little maintenance while the extensions are in. The clients can treat the extensions as if it were their own hair. Fusion extensions might not be suitable for the client that has compromised hair due to the stress it can cause. It can take about two to three hours to have a full head of extensions put in and last about four months. This is one of the more costly extensions.

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