What Are Hair Extensions?

Hair Extensions - A Beginner's Guide

Fancy longer, thicker hair but aren't sure what hair extensions you should buy? Then this Beginner's Guide to Hair Extensions is for you!

One thing is certain, whichever type you choose, no-one should know you are actually wearing them in the first place, provided you wear them correctly. The look and feel of synthetic fibre, not to mention the improved affordability of human hair, means that wigs, hairpieces and extensions can now look 100% natural.

An important aspect to consider is how hair extensions can affect the health of you own hair. We at Dolled Up are always happy to advise you on the best choice, of course. However, remember the golden rule - give your hair enough time and space to recover from the exposure to harsh dyes, bonds and glue used commonly used when applying hair extensions.

Which hair extensions should I choose?

Well, it all depends if you are seeking a temporary or semi permanent new look. Saying that, if you've never worn extensions we'd always recommend that you start with temporary ones. Temporary hair extensions give you a great chance to experiment with colours and styles without spending a fortune - our cheapest hairpieces are under £5.

What are Temporary Hair Extensions?

By temporary hair extensions, we mean hairpieces that you put in daily and take out before you go to bed. They include hair pieces like clip-in wefts, clip ponytails, buns, scrunchies, wigs, half wigs and clip-in fringes.

These pieces all work in much the same way. Our series of "how-to" videos shows how straightforward it is to put them on with a little practice, How To Apply Ponytail Hair Extensions and How To (and Why!) Wear A Half-Head Wig.

Temporary hair extensions can be made of either synthetic or human hair. Nowadays synthetic hair can look just as real as human hair, and at a fraction of the cost. You can also buy heat resistant synthetic hair extensions, which allow you to style them with curlers and straighteners - but remember to only apply low heat.

The main benefit of temporary hair extensions is that they are very low maintenance. You can  literally put them on and take them off as you please i.e. If you fancy a day lying about in your PJs, obviously you don't need to wear any extensions. Semi-permanent extensions don't offer that flexibility; once applied, they're here to stay for days on end, which means you'd have to step up your hair maintenance routine.

Temporary hair extensions are fabulous for holidays, simply clip and you're good to go! They're also ideal to hide frizzy hair, or when you don't want to spend hours in front of the mirror, when you could be lying on the beach :)

Temporary hair extensions tend to be less damaging to your hair than semi-permanent ones. However, we don't recommend sleeping with them on, or wearing the same kind over and over again as they can rub on your scalp and cause inflammation. The safer way to wear hair extensions is to mix it up - say wear a ponytail extension one day, a clip-in extension the next, nothing for a day or two and then a scrunchy for a couple of days.

What are Semi-Permanent Hair Extensions?

Semi-permanent hair extensions include things like pre-bonded hair extensions, micro-loops, weaves, glue-in extensions and invisible (also known as "tape-in") hair extensions. They should always be 100% human hair, in the highest grade that you can afford.

If you're considering semi-permanent extensions it's really important to do your research first. This is because they could seriously damage your own hair if they are incorrectly applied or badly maintained.

This kind of hair extension is not to be taken out daily. It is designed to be kept in place for weeks (or even months) at a time. Semi-permanent hair extensions are great if you choose to wear hair extensions every day. They can save you a lot of time compared to clipping in a full set of clip-in wefts everyday. They do, however, require more care and maintenance when showering/drying your hair so remember to factor for this. 

One of our favourite kind of semi-permanent extensions are our Invisible Extensions (which are a kind of "tape-in extensions"). Not only are they super comfortable but only the wearer will know that they are wearing extensions - which is why we called them "invisible". Read more about this revolutionary and essential beauty item and watch fashion and beauty guru 30somethingMel's full product review. Another reason we recommend Invisible Extensions is because they are gentle on your hair and can be removed in only a few minutes.

Another favourite are our Weave hair extensions. These should be applied by your favourite hair professional and can be glued or woven in. You could even add clips if you want to turn them into clip-ins. With the weave, you really need to make sure it is applied and removed properly to avoid damaging your own hair.

Happy shopping!