Hey ladies!! Okay, we all know by now that I am not afraid to experiment with new things when it comes to hair and beauty. When it comes to my hair, I feel like I am constantly on the hunt for the next best thing, the miracle product, or something to transform my hair from eh to YAAS! This is where hair extensions come in. I have tried my fair share of hair extensions, so I feel like I am pretty experienced in this department. I first started with clip-in extensions, then I upgraded to tape-in extensions, and finally, I have now tried micro-bead extensions. Comparing all different types of hair extensions, these bead extensions are by far my favorites.
If you are just starting to get into the hair extension field, you should totally try out clip in hair extensions first. This is a great way for you to test out if you even like having hair extensions. When I first started, it took me a while to get used to saying, “yes, I wear extensions”. I thought for sure my boyfriend would think I was an alien. I thought some of my friends would judge me. LOL. So, I decided to just test the waters and see if I liked the idea of having extensions. Dancers, yes, I danced in these clip ins! Wasn’t terrible, but definitely not something I wanted to do long term.
After I knew I liked having extensions, I decided to try tape ins. If y’all are interested in learning more about that, check out my review on them here. I won’t bore you with the details for this post ;).
Let’s chat about micro bead extensions! I have received numerous amounts of questions about what extensions I have and if I like them. In short: YES, I LOVE MY EXTENSIONS. Honestly, I don’t know how I went so long without these bad boys. Especially being a dancer, you don’t have time to constantly keep re-curling your hair for games. Not only does it save me time, but it helps keep my own hair HEALTHY, which is one of my biggest goals.
What are Micro-Beads?
Micro-bead extensions are tiny strands of hair that are bundled up into a “bead” or link. Then, your hair dresser puts them in your hair and they are clamped tightly so that they don’t “slip” or fall out of your hair. One typically goes 6-8 weeks before going back to the salon to get them moved up (your hair grows…haha). Because of the nature of these extensions, they are one of the least damaging semi-permanent hair extensions out there!
Are they natural looking?
In my experience, these are the most natural looking extensions. When I had clip ins and tape ins, it almost looked wig-like. Not in pictures or in a braid, but when I was moving around (especially dancing!!), they didn’t really move with my hair, or at least how my real hair moves. HA! Because these are small links, they have a lot more movement. They are also extremely easily blended into your hair. It is virtually impossible to tell what is your real hair vs. your extension. People are always shocked when I mention that I have extensions!
How do you wash extensions?
Just like you would your normal hair! Haha! But, let’s break it down. I typically wash my hair every 3 days. Dry Shampoo is your BFF. Every hair type is different, so try out a bunch of different dry shampoos until you find the one that feels best with your hair and scalp. When it comes to shampooing, I scrub the top part of my head where there are NO beads. That’s easy. Then, in order to get into my hair and wash everywhere else on my scalp, I gently run my fingers through the bottom of my head and up. Just be smart. It’s really not hard. AND, in my experience, easier than when I had tape ins because those wefts were so much larger. This just takes some practice!
Then, when you condition your hair, simply put conditioner mainly on the middle of your hair and down onto the ends. Not gonna lie, I do put a SMALL amount on the top of my head because then my hair gets way too dry and brittle. Usually after I’m done conditioning the ends, I just use the last bit on my fingers for my top real fast and then rinse.
So basically, you wash your hair the same as you would without extensions! It’s super easy. AND with extensions, I feel like I can go much longer without washing my hair, which is better for your hair anyways! A Win-Win!
Can you put your hair up?
YES! But, maybe not how you are used to. I wear my hair in braids a ton, or low/mid pony tails. I have definitely tossed my hair up into a top knot a time or two. Sometimes, you can see a few beads, especially the ones on the bottom layer of your hair. This doesn’t really bother me because I am not ashamed of my extensions! But if it does bother you, just check before you leave the house! You can hide them.
Working out with Extensions?
We all know I am a lover of all things fitness. SO YES, I work out with them. I try to workout at least every day during the week, and then do something on the weekends. There is no way I would wash my hair everyday! Again, invest in a good dry shampoo! Sometimes what I do after a workout is I will put dry shampoo alllll in my roots. Then, without brushing through it, I throw my hair on top of my head and wash my body. After the shower, I will take my hair down and blow dry my roots (upside down). This will dry the sweat and help the dry shampoo do it’s thing. 😉 Now that I’ve started doing this, I actually like my hair best day 2 or 3. CRAZY, right?!
Keep your extensions looking healthy
I get asked about this a lot, too. Washing them less will help, sleeping in a braid will help, and being gentle with your hair will help. But what else? Another tip I love doing is putting hair oil into my extensions! I use so many different types of oils. A great one to invest in is this one. A little bit goes a LONG way. I’ve been using the same bottle for over a year!!! I’ll put this stuff in before I blow dry it and then on day 2 & 3, I’ll put it in my ends before I braid it and go to bed. It is amaaaazing!
Also, don’t forget a good deep conditioner treatment. I love It’s a 10, but really any will work. Just put it in your ends once a week before you shower!
Styling your Hair
When it comes to styling, this is also super easy for me! I usually wash my hair every couple of days. When I do wash my hair, I actually let it air dry about 70-80% before blow drying it. The main reason I got these extensions was in order to keep my style lasting for days without having to retouch it!! Because I dance, I can’t keep re-curling and re-curling my hair every 30 minutes..haha! My curls have to last through hair flips, sweat, and tons of cardio! With these extensions, I never have to touch up my hair..which is HUGE for me! Such a blessing and saving my hair!!!
Summary
I love my extensions. I definitely believe that QUALITY is what is important when thinking about extensions. I’ve had my fair share of bad experiences with extensions, so do your research and INVEST IN YOUR HAIR. Yes, it is more expensive than Sally’s clip ins, but also, do you want Sally’s clip ins? Sorry if that is harsh….but y’all. TAKE PRIDE in yourself. Treat yo’ self. You will end up saving money if you invest in something FIRST than if you buy cheap stuff and have to keep re-buying stuff. Just saying.
If you are in Dallas, you should go to my hair lady! She is AMAZING, sweet, and so talented. She does EVERYTHING from color, cut, style, and extensions. If you say my name (blog name or just my name…haha!), you will receive 20% off any service. That could be cut, color, style, or most importantly, HAIR EXTENSIONS!! Such a great deal. What are you waiting for?!
Check out her Instagram here & her website here ! Remember, you can get 20% off anything using my name!
