No turning back now! After carefully separating my hair into two sections (top and bottom), the stylist then parted my hair again across (side to side) at the nape of my neck. Next, she slipped the small beads into position near the root of small sections of my hair. She added five beads in a row so she could then sew the string of extensions to the beads.
Photo 5/9
The front
After the stylist added five layers of extensions to the bottom section of my hair, she used the top section to cover them. This is so the front could look completely natural -- no weird wig effect here.
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The blending
To blend the extensions with my natural hair (which was obviously much shorter), she used a small razor comb to add soft layers to the extensions.
Photo 7/9
My, how my hair has grown!
OK, here's the real shocker: The whole process took a mere 45 minutes. If I brought my iPad, I could have watched an episode of New Girl, maybe two.
Since we had the extra time and I finally had the length to do bombshell waves, I couldn't resist asking for a few curls.
Photo 8/9
So, did I love my new length?
The truth is, as much as I loved the fullness and length, two days later I went back to the salon and had a stylist take my hair extensions out. And it's worth noting that the removal process only took 20 minutes. No, they weren't painful or heavy. They were gorgeous and I've never received so many compliments on a new hairdo. In fact, my best guy friend told me I've never looked better.
The reason they had to go is that they didn't fit my lifestyle. I was going to the beach that weekend (something we California girls do pretty regularly) and I knew getting in the water would be a huge no-no. My hair would frizz and curl and the extensions would stay straight. It would've been a total disaster that I didn't want to risk.
Would I do it again? Sure, for a short time or a big event. I'm already toying with the idea of booking an appointment for a close friend's wedding this summer.
When an email hit my inbox announcing that Just Extensions -- a salon that, as the name suggests, just does hair extensions -- was opening in Los Angeles, I was really reluctant to be the office tester monkey.
To be completely honest, I was terrified.
I'd seen nightmare images of hair extensions before and after. The pictures of Naomi Campbell and Britney Spears' bald spots are permanently burned into my brain. Plus, I didn't want (nor did I think my hair could handle) any more damage. I'm already making up for using relaxers for years.
But I decided to take one for the team and make an appointment. After all, specialty salons like Just Extensions are popping up like Starbucks and Micki Ds. The Dry Bar seemed to start the trend, and braid bars and bang bars were soon to follow. In fact, these cheap, quick-service salons quickly became one of the biggest beauty trends of 2012, and the fad is only growing in 2013.
So, do hair extensions actually look good when they only cost $150? Did they make my hair fall out? Keep clicking to see my hair extensions before and after photos.
