Hair extensions are a great way to push the beauty, length, and volume of your hair. Whether you’re ready to make your hair look thicker or to extend your length, hair extensions can create a beautiful, dramatic, and natural look.

For frequently asked questions about hair extensions, please see the last paragraph of this article

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1 How to Select and Buy Hair Extensions

If you’re buying hair extensions for the first time, picking the right texture, color, weight, and length can be intimidating. But don’t worry! Below, you’ll find a detailed and informative guide to give you all the knowledge you need to select and buy the perfect hair extensions for you.

You’ll find there are hundreds of hair extension options available. How do you know what is best for you? Choosing whether you want temporary or permanent hair extensions and picking which installation type is right for you is the best first step!

Deciding whether you want temporary or permanent hair extensions depends on how you’d like to use your hair extensions. For instance, how you prefer them installed, and what’s your planned budget?

While all hair extensions are technically “temporary,” permanent hair extensions can be worn for 2-3 months at a time before needing adjustment due to hair growth. Short-term hair extensions, on the other hand, are worn for special events or daily use and removed at night.

Temporary Hair Extensions

Temporary hair extensions include flip-ins and clip-ins. Clip-ins tend to provide increased volume and length. Flip-ins, however, increase just the length without much impact on volume. Both are easy to install and can be attached in 1-10 minutes.

Women use short-term hair extensions for special occasions or as an easy daily wear alternative to permanent hair extensions.

[Shop Clip-In Hair Extensions]

Permanent Hair Extensions

Permanent hair extensions, while not permanent, don’t have to be removed at night as temporary hair extensions do. For example, you can attach these extensions by a variety of methods including rings loops or tips, glue, tape, and more. They can last anywhere from 4 weeks to 2 months as long as you care for them well. See our list below for the most common permanent hair extension installation methods.

3 Different Hair Extension Installation Methods

Cold Fusion vs. Heat Fusion

You may see hair extensions listed as “cold fusion” or “heat fusion.” This simply tells you whether or not the hair extension needs heat—usually a special heat fusion tool—to attach the extension.

Temporary Hair Extensions and Installation Methods

Clip-In Hair Extensions

Overview: Small clips on hair wefts clip into hair; at-home daily (or special event) installation

Cold or Heat Fusion: Cold fusion

Installation Time: 2-10 minutes

Length of Wear: Special event or daily wear (removed at night)

Clip-in hair extensions are the most popular extensions in our store, and for good reason: they are super easy to attach and remove without damaging your hair. Because of the fast and easy installation process, they are preferred by clients who do not want to spend any time in the hair salon.

Clip-in hair extensions come in wefts, a hair industry term for a section of hair extension with a woven top. In clip-in hair extensions, these wefts have snapping clips that are used to attach the extension to your hair.

On average, you will find that a quality clip-in hair extension will come with 6-10 wefts that are used on different parts of your head. There is usually one large weft for the back of your head, and additional wefts that can be strategically placed around your scalp for body and volume.

To attach clip-ins, lift your hair and snap the clips near the roots. Hair extensions are attached behind your real hair to ensure blending and to cover the clip or another installation mechanism. Some cheap clip-ins will have metal tips to cut costs, but premium clip-in hair extension brands like AiryHair use a silicone coating to prevent tangling and hair cutting.

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Flip-In Hair Extensions

Overview: A single weft of hair with a halo of wire that fits snugly on the scalp; at-home daily installation

Cold or Heat Fusion: Cold fusion

Installation Time: 1-3 minutes

Length of Wear: Daily wear (removed at night)

Flip-ins use a flipped wire installed at the crown of your hair. This temporary hair extension type is also often called instant hair extension. In other words, these extensions can be installed at home in just a few minutes with practice.

Since flip-ins give you just one layer of hair extension, flip-ins are best used when you’re only interested in extending hair length, not hair volume.

[Shop Flip-In Hair Extensions]

Permanent Hair Extensions and Installation Methods

While not technically “permanent,” these hair extensions are meant to be worn for several weeks at a time for a more permanent, easier, and more natural look. Some permanent hair extensions can be installed at home while others sometimes require help from a professional hairstylist.

Tape-In Hair Extensions

Overview: A single weft of hair with a halo of wire that fits snugly on the scalp; at-home daily installation

Cold or Heat Fusion: Cold fusion

Installation Time: 10-30 minutes

Home or Salon: At-home installation

Length of Wear: 6-8 weeks, then need to be moved up to account for hair growth

Tape-in hair extensions are our second most popular product at AiryHair. This is because these hair extensions are easy to apply and remove without damaging your hair. Above all, you can wear them longer than temporary hair extension options, lasting up to 6-8 weeks at a time as long as proper maintenance techniques are used.

When properly cared for, these extensions will last 6 months or longer, only needing to have placement and tape readjusted as your hair grows.

Tape-in extensions are also popular because they don’t need to be applied by a professional stylist. You can easily apply them at home! Your package will come with 20 to 40 tapes (we recommend two to three packs). Cheap extensions will sometimes have colored tape, which we do not recommend since it doesn’t blend well into your hair. AiryHair tape-in extensions come with invisible tape.

To apply, lift a small section of hair, peel the protective layer off your AiryHair extension tape, and apply under the hair section. Take another extension, peel the protective layer off the tape, and put it on top of this hair section and squeeze. Your hair should be sandwiched between the two tapes.

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Micro Ring Loop Hair Extensions

Overview: Pre-attached loops attached to hair strands

Cold or Heat Fusion: Cold fusion

Installation Time: 30-60 minutes

Home or Salon: At-home installation

Length of Wear: 6-8 weeks, then need minor adjustments to account for hair growth

Micro Ring Loops come in packs of 100s strands. Unlike i-tips that require additional beads, micro ring extensions come with everything pre-attached. Poor-quality hair extension companies have poor quality loops that sometimes don’t attach properly or don’t have tube colors that match the hair extension. AiryHair is proud to be one of the very few brands that use high-quality tubes and dyes them to match the tone of your new hair.

The installation process is simple. To install micro ring loop hair extensions, simply take a strand of your hair and insert it through the tube, then simply pull the loop which secures it. This gives you the freedom to focus on specific spots to build volume and length as desired.

[Shop Micro Loop Hair Extensions]

Nano Ring Tip and I-Tip Hair Extensions

Overview: Hair is pulled through a ring at the end of the extension and secured by closing the ring with pliers

Cold or Heat Fusion: Cold fusion

Installation Time: 30-60 minutes

Home or Salon: Salon application recommended, though at-home installation is possible

Length of Wear: 6-8 weeks, then move up up to account for hair growth

Nano ring tip and i-tip extensions are two types of “stick” extensions. A full pack of extensions will include 100-200 strands. To install, simply take small strands of your own hair and insert them through the ring with the hair extension. Then use a set of pliers to close the ring.

Keep in mind that just like with all long-term hair extensions, the tips must be moved closer to the roots as time goes by. With the nano ring and i-tip hair extensions, clients can usually slide these extensions rather than installing them from scratch as hair grows.

[Shop i-Tip Hair Extensions]

Nail/U-Tip or Keratin

Overview: Strands of hair have keratin-based tips that are fused to your hair in small strands/sections using a professional heating tool.

Cold or Heat Fusion: Heat fusion

Installation Time: 40-90 minutes

Home or Salon: Salon application since requires special heating tool

Length of Wear: 6-8 weeks, then you need minor adjustments to account for hair growth

This is a long-lasting, very natural looking hair extension solution. Essentially, hundreds of strands of hair are attached to your existing hair using a special heating tool. Hair extension strands have a keratin-based tip (a natural protein) that fuses to your existing hair with a professional heating tool. So, if you want long-lasting results, pick these.

[Shop U-Tip Hair Extensions]

Hair Wefts

Overview: Wefts of hair that come without an attachment mechanism. This is because you can ask your stylist to customize the attachment and include sewing, gluing, or clips or do all yourself.

Cold or Heat Fusion: Cold fusion

Installation Time: Depends on application method

Home or Salon: Salon application or use by someone with hair extension experience

Length of Wear: Depends on application method

Hair wefts are sections of hair that you can apply in a variety of ways. This will allow you to customize your hair extension experience. Typically used by professional hairstylists, hair wefts may be applied by being sewn in (into small braids along your scalp) or could be glued or clipped in.

[Shop Hair Wefts]

Hair Wigs

For clients that suffer from hair loss or other health-related issues, extensions might not always be an option. That’s where wigs come to the rescue. AiryHair sells all the most popular wigs with density from 120% to 200%.

[Shop Wigs]

The answer to this question is “it depends.” You want to find a hair extension with a texture most similar to your current hair texture or the texture you will have at the time of application. Mostly because it is much easier for you to blend your existing hair with your hair extensions.

Straight Hair Texture

If you have straight hair and love the way it looks, choose a straight hair texture! If you have curly hair and would like straight hair extensions, consider a chemical relaxer or keratin treatment, or understand that your hair will require regular styling to match the straight hair extension.

Be sure to use a heat protectant spray and understand that excessive styling of hair extensions can result in the extension not lasting as long.

Wavy or Curly Hair Texture

If you have straight or wavy extensions, then a wavy hair texture will typically blend well with your hair. However, curly hair can sometimes be difficult to blend depending on the natural texture of your curly hair.

In these cases, you may use a hair weaver to style both your hair and extensions, so they match. You may also consider going with straight hair (yes, straight!) and asking your hair stylist to curl it.

[Read More in the Hair Extension Texture Guide]

The length of your hair extension depends entirely on your personal preference. Use the image above to help determine where you’d like you the ends of your hair extension to hit.

How to Use the Above Graph?

For body wave , add an additional 2 inches (5 cm) to the above measurements to achieve a similar look

, add an additional 2 inches (5 cm) to the above measurements to achieve a similar look For curly hair , add 4 inches (10 cm) to the above measurements to achieve a similar look

, add 4 inches (10 cm) to the above measurements to achieve a similar look If you are 5.2 feet or shorter , subtract 2 inches (5 cm) for every 0.3 feet (10 cm)

, subtract 2 inches (5 cm) for every 0.3 feet (10 cm) If you are 5.3-5.5 feet tall , use the above picture as your guide; keep in mind that hair length may vary by person

, use the above picture as your guide; keep in mind that hair length may vary by person If you are 5.6-5.9 feet tall , add 2 inches (5 cm) to the length of the depicted hair extension to achieve a similar look

, add 2 inches (5 cm) to the length of the depicted hair extension to achieve a similar look If you are 6 feet or taller, add 2 inches (5 cm) to your hair extension for every 0.3 feet (10 cm) to achieve a similar look

Hair Extension Length and Look Guide

What length of hair extension should you get?

14 inches (35 cm) and shorter . This length is great if you have shorter hair and want to add volume.

. This length is great if you have shorter hair and want to add volume. 16-18 inches (40-45 cm) . If you have never used hair extensions before and don’t want to increase the length of your hair too much, consider going with an 18-inch extension.

. If you have never used hair extensions before and don’t want to increase the length of your hair too much, consider going with an 18-inch extension. 20-22 inches (50-55 cm) . This is our most popular length. This is because these extensions look amazing on almost everyone and create a “hair goddess” effect.

. This is our most popular length. This is because these extensions look amazing on almost everyone and create a “hair goddess” effect. 24 inches (60 cm) and longer. For clients who want to achieve the “wow” factor and look like a model from a shampoo commercial.

The next question that many women (and men) ask us which weight of hair extensions to get.

Most of the time, more weight means thicker hair. However, keep in mind that 20-inch (100g) extensions differ from 16-inch (100g) hair. Below you will find a guide for 18 to 22-inch (45 – 55 cm) extensions.

30 – 70 Grams (0.3 – 0.7g / Strand)

With the exception of tape-in hair extensions (see why below), we advise you to only buy clip-in or other types of low weight extensions if you have either extremely thin hair or are just need some additional hair for styling. Otherwise, it might not cover your full head and may look unnatural.

For tape-ins, we recommend either 50 grams (0.5g per strand) or 100 grams (1g per strand) extensions. Since you can combine them into any bundles you want, the weight does not matter that much.

80 Grams (0.8g / Strand)

Women with thin hair use this weight to add volume or length.

90 – 120 Grams (0.9g – 1.2g / Strand)

One gram per strand is the “industry standard” and is perfect for women with thin hair or hair of average thickness. Not only do these extensions add length, but they also increase your hair volume. For those with thin hair, the news is even better as strands of these weights give much more dramatic results.

130 – 190 Grams (1.3g – 1.9g / Strand)

Women with thick hair or average hair prefer these hair extensions. This weight is perfect for achieving a dramatic look. They are perfect for adding significant volume and length.

200 Grams and Above

Although some suppliers offer extensions that weigh 200 grams or more, we don’t recommend wearing them (and we have been in the business for more than 11 years). Why? Such thick and heavy hair tends to put a lot of stress on your existing hair as well as your scalp, resulting in faster hair loss and overall discomfort.

One of the most important things when it comes to buying your new locks is ordering enough extensions to cover your full head.

These are our recommendations for the lengths of 18 to 24 inches. If you want to rock even more (or less volume), for every 2 inches multiply or divide the number by 10%.

Clip-in and Flip-in Style Hair Extensions

For thin hair we recommend 60 to 100 grams.

For medium to thick hair, we suggest 120 to 180 grams.

I-Tip, U-Tip and Micro Rings Extensions

For thin hair, go with 100 to 140 strands at 0.5 – 0.7g each.

For medium to thick hair, we recommend 120 to 200 strands that are of 1g each.

Tape-in Hair Extensions

If you have fine hair, get 60 to 80 pieces (30 to 40 sandwiches) at 50g each.

Choose 60 to 80 pieces at 100 grams each for thicker hair.

Wefts

Since wefts are so versatile, your existing hair thickness doesn’t matter. Go for 1.5 to 2 wefts at 100 grams each.

It can sometimes be difficult to choose the right color of hair extensions from suppliers who only have tiny pictures or small, low-quality photos. AiryHair takes care to use high-quality photos in direct sunlight using professional equipment. Use our hair extension color guide to find the right color for your extension!

As for which color will work best for you, this is entirely up to personal preference. Our only note is to remember the rule of thumb: lighter colors tend to make people look younger while darker colors lend a more mature look.

[View Hair Extension Color Guide]

We’ve been in the professional hair extension industry for over 11 years, and the truth is there is no such thing as hair extension grades. That’s simply a marketing tool. Suppliers use it ambiguously label their products in a way that expresses—often deceptively—quality.

Since these grades are unregulated and without actual quality standards, ratings such as AAAAA+, 7A or 10A doesn’t mean a thing.

In other words, ignore this marketing fluff and rely on real facts. Look for weight, whether the hair extensions are genuine Remy, and customer reviews.

The picture above denotes the difference between single drawn and double drawn hair extensions. The main difference is that double drawn extensions are trimmed by hand to eliminate shorter hair, giving your hairstyle a more defined look.

An example we like to use is that if you were to take 28” single drawn hair extensions and cut the thinner last 6 inches off the end, you would end up with hair that is of similar thick ends as you receive with a 22” double drawn hair extension.

[Read More]

10 Common Questions

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Conclusion

Hair extensions are wonderful and an incredible tool to enhance your look or change it completely, to give you the long, luscious locks you’ve always wanted, and to add thickness to your hair. If you inform yourself beforehand and choose the right products, you will have a great experience and be very happy with your extensions.

Now that you have finished reading our FAQ, head over to AiryHair home page and select your preferred fusion type!

Get Your Perfect Hair Extension Look!

Are you ready to put your knowledge to work and pick out the perfect hair extension for you? Shop now in our comprehensive online hair extension store!

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