(clip in extensions pictured above)
When it comes to beauty, let’s just say I like to experiment. Nothing permanent…I’m not about that life, but I do love to try out different styles and see what looks best on me! Last summer, I seriously started thinking about getting hair extensions. Not just for length (although that is of course an added bonus), but for thickness, volume, and long-lasting curls. I wasn’t too sure if I would like them, so I decided to play it safe and get clip-in extensions. I loved them! Clip-ins are great if you aren’t ready to make a big purchase because they average around $100-150 and last you MONTHS. It has been a year now and I still have my first set I purchased. So well worth the money in my opinion. I even danced in them y’all; I’m talking hair flips, sweat, and hours of work! They didn’t fly out of my hair! The only downside with clip in extensions is that you would have to take them out and put them in everyday…but after a while of using them you get super fast at doing this. I loved them. After having clip ins for a while, I decided I wanted to try one step up from that and get tape-in extensions!! I was so nervous/excited about these. I had a lot of friends who had tape in extensions or who have had them before, so I knew they were a great investment. I was worried that they would slip out…and hello the price shock of the whole thing really scared me off! I went to one hair stylist and she was going to charge me over $1,500 to get them! I’m sorry what?! Who has that kind of money?! Then, I went to my home salon and the cost would have been pretty high as well. I just couldn’t see spending over $600 on hair?! Just for looks? I felt too vain. So eventually, after researching a ton, I found this boutique salon where I could get all the hair and installation for less than $280!! Now THAT I can swing. So, after 2 months of weighing my pro’s and con’s and saving my money, I decided to bite the bullet and get them put in. While I was driving away, I felt one fall out. Was that normal?! After only having them in for a couple hours, 3 had already fallen out. Within the next week, 8 had fallen out. I knew this wasn’t normal and I was not going to be paying for that! I went back to the salon and my hairdresser took them out and re-installed them with NEW tape (apparently the tape was bad). These also only lasted a day or two until multiple started falling out. It was SO embarrassing having hair fall out…. I went back to the salon and had her remove them. She wouldn’t give me a refund (yeah…), but she did let me keep the hair. Which, I paid for, so duh. But in the end, what am I going to do with a bunch of hair that is in 1 inch wefts?
I wore my clip in extensions from time-to-time and then finally in the beginning of March I went to my home hair stylist (she’s amazing) and had her put their own tape on my extensions and apply them. For about 4 weeks they were perfect. In fact, they were great until I asked her to take them out.
So, why did I take them out if they were so great?
I loved having long, thick, luscious hair. Having extensions makes every hair style look AMAZING. Seriously, if you go on instagram or Pinterest or even look at celebrities, THEY ALL have extensions. Yes. 95% fact. It can be so unrealistic when you pin a photo of hair you love or cyberstalk your favorite instagrammer and then find out that they have extensions…which is the only reason their hair looks “amazing” and yours looks flat. I’m talking Little Mix, Julianne Hough, Lauren Conrad, Selena Gomez, them all! I am not hating on hair extensions because I still wear them from time to time, but they do certainly set some unreal expectations of what our hair should look like. Whether that be crazy cool braid looks, updos, top knots, beach waves, or glamour curls. I loved having my tape-ins, but my hair felt so heavy sometimes and I felt fake. I would have people (even at the gym!!) comment on how pretty my hair was and I had a hard time taking the compliment. In the back of my head I would always think “well, its not even my hair!”. My boyfriend would even tell me how pretty I looked and I couldn’t believe it because it wasn’t really me. I felt like I was living a lie sometimes. I would tell anyone who asked that I had extensions, but I just felt too…. not myself. Like I was trying to be someone I am not.
(Hair without extensions pictured above)
(tape in extensions pictured above)
I will still wear extensions if I am doing a pretty thick braid or need the extra volume for a hair style, but I’m done with tape ins…at least for a while. Who knows, maybe I’ll put them back in soon! But for those wondering about hair extensions and if I have them or if I don’t; there’s the story. I’m inserting photographs of my hair with tape ins, clip ins, and nothing so you can see the difference and compare them yourself. As always, if you have any questions or want to know more, please feel free to e-mail me at theglamorousteacher@gmail.com ! Would love to help you out on your journey so you don’t make the same mistakes I did!
Eye Lash Extensions
Ahhh these popular extensions. They are everywhere now! I LOVE mine, but they also are very unrealistic. I feel like everyone and their mother has them right now, which caused me to feel like I should get them too. Eyelash extensions are seriously SO SO SO fun. I love being able to wake up and feel just a little more put together. I can walk around town with no makeup on, but still feel like a girl. I love being able to wake up and go to the gym without worrying about putting on even concealer! It makes any makeup look I do look way more glamorous and I just feel so much prettier. I love eyelashes and for YEARS I have struggled with my lash length. They are naturally not short at all by ANY means, but I have always wanted them longer and thicker. I would put Vaseline on them every single night for months with no change. I drank so much water, had a nutritious diet….but my eyelashes were set in their ways. So, after months of contemplation and lots of questions to parents and friends that had them, I went for it. My first set was AWESOME! I had never experienced anything like them before. AND I was able to go 4 weeks until getting them filled again. Most people have to go every 2-3 weeks, but I didn’t want to pay extra haha! I have had eye lash extensions since November, making it about 5 months now and still love them.
The only cons to eyelash extensions is taking off make up and getting them refilled. I definitely had to change my makeup removing habits. You have to be super gentle with them and take extra care of your skin…which honestly is a GOOD thing. You have to get them refilled constantly because your natural eyelash (NATURALLY) falls out depending on your eyelash cycle….which can get kind of expensive. I also, of course, feel a little fake. There is no WAY people can naturally have eyelashes this long and thick…so I just feel like a fraud sometimes. And I think my boyfriend thinks they’re kind of odd….
I love the way they make me feel just having a good set on. And it is SO much easier and natural looking than putting falsies on. I think I might give my eye lashes a break though for at least a few months to just make sure they are still strong and healthy. And maybe put my money to better use once a month than on my lashes. I have loved having them on….. but again I feel so fake!
(with lash extensions pictured above)
(without lash extensions pictured above)
I would HIGHLY recommend getting eyelash extensions for any brides out there. It makes getting ready SO easy and they seriously look beautiful. You won’t have to worry about sweating off your lashes while you are dancing either!! LOL! And, they would be perfect on your honeymoon because you can wake up and feel pretty. You can go swimming and still look like you have mascara on. You can hop on the plan and still look a little put together. If you haven’t tried them out yet, I totally recommend it. Get them maybe 2 months before your big day so you can test drive them one month before your first refill and make sure you know how to maintain them. I love my eyelash extensions!
If you are a bride, going to prom, or any other big event where you want gorgeous, vivacious curls, I would totally try extensions out. No need to get tape-ins or micro beaded extensions. I would opt for the basic clip-in extensions which you can easily snap in or snap out! I love Bellami Hair extensions and my favorite blogger recently came out with her own line that I want to try!
Sorry for the lengthy post. I hope this helps you if you are looking at hair or eyelash extensions. I have tried both for an extended amount of time and really enjoyed my experience. With everything, there will be pros and cons. Its up to you to weigh your options and your priorities. Hope this helped. Again, if you have ANY questions at all about my experiences or tips, please e-mail me at theglamorousteacher@gmail.com
