Salon customers are very specific on their hair extension choice. Hair extensions have become a go-to solution for clients seeking to add volume, length, or even a pop of color to their natural hair. As a salon professional, it’s crucial to guide your clients in choosing the right hair extensions that match their hair type, lifestyle, and beauty goals. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you offer the best advice to your salon clients.
1. Understand Client’s Hair Type
Before diving into types of extensions, the first step is to assess your client’s natural hair. Different hair types require different extension solutions. Consider the following:
- Thin/Fine Hair: Opt for lightweight extensions, such as tape-ins or hand-tied wefts, to avoid stressing the client’s natural hair. Heavier extensions can cause hair breakage or discomfort for clients with finer hair.
- Thick/Coarse Hair: Clients with thicker hair can handle heavier extensions like weft or sew-ins, which blend seamlessly and add volume without looking unnatural.
- Curly Hair: For clients with textured or curly hair, you’ll want to recommend extensions that match their curl pattern, such as clip-ins made specifically for curly hair.
2. Choose Between Human Hair vs. Synthetic Hair
There are two main types of hair extensions: human hair and synthetic hair. Here’s how they compare:
- Human Hair Extensions: Made from 100% real human hair, these are the best quality extensions, offering a natural look and feel. They can be styled, colored, and treated just like natural hair, making them a popular choice for clients who want versatility and a long-lasting solution.
- Synthetic Hair Extensions: These are less expensive and come pre-styled. While synthetic extensions can look good, they can’t withstand heat styling or coloring. They’re best suited for clients who want a low-cost, temporary change.
3. Determine the Right Installation Method
The method of application is key in ensuring your client’s hair extensions look and feel natural. Here are popular methods of application and the clients they suit best:
- Clip-ins: Ideal for clients who want temporary extensions or like to switch up their look frequently. They’re easy to install and remove at home, but they aren’t a long-term solution.
- Tape-ins: A semi-permanent option perfect for clients who want a longer-lasting solution. They’re lightweight, discreet, and easy to blend with natural hair. However, they require maintenance every 6-8 weeks.
- Sew-ins/Weave: Best for clients with thick hair, this method involves braiding the natural hair and sewing the weft extensions into the braids. It’s long-lasting but can put tension on the natural hair.
- Fusion/Bonding: Small sections of extensions are bonded to natural hair with keratin or glue. These last for months and look very natural but are more expensive and time-consuming to install.
- Micro-beads/Micro-links: Extensions are attached using small beads that clamp onto sections of hair. This method is best for clients who prefer a heat-free installation process and long-term wear.
4. Match the Color Perfectly
A common mistake with hair extensions is mismatched color. To avoid this, always use a color ring to compare the extension to your client’s hair under natural lighting. Human hair extensions can be colored if necessary, but synthetic ones cannot, so color matching is especially crucial for synthetic options.
5. Consider Maintenance and Client Lifestyle
Ask your client about their lifestyle before recommending hair extensions. For example:
- Active Lifestyles: Clients who exercise regularly or swim often should avoid bonded or glue-based extensions as they can weaken with exposure to moisture. Clip-ins or micro-beads may be a better choice.
- Low-Maintenance Clients: If your client prefers a low-maintenance routine, suggest tape-ins or clip-ins that require minimal upkeep and can be easily styled.
6. Educate Your Clients on Aftercare
No matter which type of extensions your clients choose, proper aftercare is essential to maintain the quality and longevity of the extensions. Ensure your clients understand:
- How to brush and wash their extensions properly to avoid tangling.
- Recommended products, such as sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners.
- Heat-styling precautions to avoid damaging the extensions.
- How often to come in for touch-ups or reapplication, especially for tape-ins or micro-beads.
7. Test for Allergies or Sensitivities
Some clients may have sensitivities to the materials used in certain types of hair extensions, such as the adhesives in tape-ins or the metal in micro-links. Before a full installation, it’s wise to do a small patch test to ensure there are no adverse reactions.