Real talk: my hair is incredibly fine, so I want all the volume I can get. Clip in hair extensions are a great solution to that, but wow they can be so expensive!
In the past, I've purchased a set of fill-in extensions before that I did enjoy and got good use out of (for those who may not know, fill-ins aren't a full set of extensions that come with several wefts of hair, they are just a row or two of wefts to add a little volume and length). I wore them at my wedding, on nights out and just to amplify a good hair day. However, the color and length just wasn't quite right for my hair type for the price.
This time around when researching what extensions to buy, I took to Amazon - not wanting to invest as much money as I did the first time. I've since ordered these extensions for under $40 and LOVE them! The quality of these extensions really surprised me. A typical set of clip-ins costs upwards of $150 -- usually more! When I placed my order for the Amazon set I was very skeptical, but they are honestly great!
Quality aside, the color did not quite match me perfectly. But there is a way to remedy this if the extensions are too brassy!
Finding matching hair extensions online can be pretty difficult. You hope that the product photo is accurate and that you have the judgement to pick the right shade! These particular extensions from Amazon were surprisingly true to color aside from some brassiness, but because I use toning shampoo multiple times a week, I needed to tone my new extensions to match my real hair!
Here's my step by step process in customizing my Amazon hair extensions!
To tone the extensions, I used the following:
Toning shampoo
Sizable bowl or container of warm water
Towel
Conditioner -- either the leave in or rinse off kind.
It's very important to note that hair extensions pick up color much quicker than your hair does. To avoid over-toning or drying them out, I took these steps to ensure that I got the color I wanted!
Add a small amount of toning shampoo to the container of warm water, mixing it around.
Place the towel nearby.
Holding the extensions by the weft clip (and trying not to get it too wet), gently swish the hair back and forth in the water for about 20-40 seconds or until you notice the brassiness alleviating from the hair. Again, be careful with this step because extensions tone fast! (You can also run your fingers through the hair strands to make sure that the color is evenly distributed.)
Rinse the weft in cooler water and delicately run your fingers through the hair to make sure that all the toning shampoo and water is gone.
Using a leave in conditioner or a traditional rinse off one, condition the extensions. They'll need moisture after being toned.
Place on the towel and gently pat it dry.
Using a wide tooth comb or brush, delicately brush the hair while holding the weft clip secure -- to avoid hair strands from being pulled out.
Repeat this process with all wefts!
Now that the extensions are properly toned and almost fully matching my hair color, it's time to style them!
Caring for clip-in extensions is a similar concept to caring for your real hair, aside from remembering that they're delicate and need to treated with care. This is why using the proper products and styling techniques will ensure longevity and authenticity.
Here's how I care for my clip-in extensions!
Do not wash them regularly. Extensions aren't emitting oils like natural hair does, so they don't need much cleansing. If you use your extensions frequently with a lot of drying products, then it would be appropriate every month or so.
Use heat protectant when styling your hair with hot tools.
Do not blow dry hair extensions! This will lesson their lifespan and increase the chances of shedding, dryness, breakage, etc.
Keep them in a separate bin, box or bag that protects them from tangling.
Try not to overly brush your extensions. This is why keeping them in a separate space will reduce the need. Most of the time, a gentle finger comb will suffice!
Try not to use hair spray. This will dry them out and require more frequent washing, which we've already discussed to avoid!
When using a curler or straightener, try not to let the hot tool linger over the ends of the extensions. It only takes a few seconds for a hot tool to style the hair.
Also when using hot tools, keep the heat setting quite low. They're delicate and don't take long to be heat styled, so you don't want to risk burning or damaging them!
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