Great lengths- Hair Extension how to

It's no secret that I love my hair extensions. Yes, I know my hair is already long but it's not only the additional length that I like about them. Hair extensions also make my hair look extremely thick and full, , à la Delightfully Tacky (who does NOT use hair extensions, this is all natural!!).


This brings me to this little how-to guide for those wondering how it all works and maybe some answers to your questions.I'm by no means a haistylist, nor a pro with extensions. I write this solely based on my experience and love of different hairlooks.
1. Where did you get your extensions, and did they come with clips on them or did you make them?

I bought mine in Vancouver at a shop called Abantu. I bought the one strand of hair and a pack of 12 clips. The ladies there knew exactly what color to match my hair and were dead on at the first try. I cut the pieces myself (with the help of mom) and then sewed in the clips on the individual pieces.
This is what they look like:

I have 5 pieces total.

Some prefer 7 pieces but since my hair is already thick 5 was good for me.

length: 16"

2. Were they terribly expensive?

I paid about $100 for all. It depends on the length of the extensions and also if you go for human hair vs. synthetic. Mine are human hair that I can style as my own.

3. Where exactly do you place them on your head?

The first strand is approx. 4" and has 2 clips to attach. It belongs about 2-3" above the hairline at the base of your head.

(this should be a little lower)

The second strand is 8" and is to be placed about 2" higher than your first row. It has three clips attached.

(should be level to upper middle of ears)

My third strand is the widest one at 10" and will be placed approx. 2 " above the last. My strand has 3 clips but I think 4 would be better for a tighter grip to the scalp.

This is how it looks once clipped in:

The last two are of equal size, 2" and belong on each side of the head.

There you have it, they're all clipped in.

I'm not done here. It's time to style this mane.

I use a small "rat tail" brush and hairspray to backcomb and tease the roots to add volume.

The teasing also helps to hide the clips and should be done right above it.

(Yikes! I've created a monster!)

After I have proper volume, I style the ends so that they're not so straight. If I leave them like this you can tell that they're not part of my hair since I have wavy hair and the extensions are straight.

I probably would've used my hotrollers but as time was tight,

I used a flat iron to create wavy strands.

Once that was all done, I added a new headband that I bought at F21 that day.

And voila! That is the process I use for big, crazy hair.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. I'm trying to get to 1 hair post/week. If you have any special requests, don't hesitate as I'm open for suggestions.