HAIR EXTENSIONS...The Good & The Bad..

Hair Extensions...a topic I've wanted to write about for a long time! I'm going to waffle on for 5 minutes now about my hair history, I promise it's relevant!

In 2009, I cut my nearly waist-length hair off into a bob, and month later, went for a pixie cut with a fringe, (basically the same style as Frankie Sandford's was.) I loved it, I couldn't believe I'd waited so long to cut it off, I found like I'd finally discovered the style I was meant to have! I kept it short up until May last year. I did a ton of hair shows, and decided that after having it cut into styles I didn't choose (all of which were amazing I must add, and fabulous colours!) I would probably be more versatile if I grew it out a bit.

So, from June to September, I left it, so it just looked a bit messy. By December, I could tie it into a tiny little ponytail! (Top Tip, if your hair doesn't grow as fast as you'd like, definitely invest in Lee Staffords Hair Growth Shampoo and Conditioner...You'll thank me later! ;]) In January I went to the Caribbean for my 21st birthday present with my boyfriend Rob, so from February I was back to normality and needed to seriously sort out my hair, because 'mullet' isn't a good enough description for what my poor hair looked like! 

I decided that I definitely wanted extensions, to get me through the worst of the growing out process, and settled on a brand called Easilocks. I would like to point out now that this is just my opinion and I am expressing my experience with them. In case you decide not to read on, I'll say it now, please DON'T get them! It's been my biggest waste of money, and caused me so much stress! A friend of mine is qualified to fit Easilocks, Great Lengths, and some others I think, but she was very excited about EL's as they are a really tiny version of Microloops, and were reusable for about 3 times. You can leave them in for 3 months at a time before you must have them redone, so I was looking at about 9 months of wear. Brilliant! Or so I thought... 

Here's some photos of me before, and once they were in for the first time:

 

So, 3 months later, it was definitely time to have them redone. My wonderful friend spent about 5 hours, painstakingly removing each one, and replacing it. But, it was made longer by the fact that once you had used the section of hair, it didn't fit into a new Lock...so they hair had to be trimmed to fit back in. We both agreed that for the amount I had paid for the hair (£360 smacaroons) there should be a better method. However, they all went back in, and I left, very pleased with the results. This, though, is when the nightmare really began! 

4 days later, I scratched my head, near a lock. And out came a whole piece of hair. I lightly tugged on the bit next to it, and it came out easier than plucking a grape off of its stalk! I thought it was bit odd, because for the whole 3 months previously, not a single one had fallen out (until the 12th week, but that was expected.) A week after, 20 strands were out. 

2 weeks after, and over 60 were gone. There were now less on my head than I had in my hand! I was devastated, I looked ridiculous, I'd paid so much money to have them all fall out, and I couldn't see what to do next! 

I rang my friend straight away, and she was mortified. I 100% do not blame her, she spent so long trying to make sure that each strand was the right shape to fit back in to be reused, but the fact of the matter, is that the hair is NOT reusable. She has tried to contact them, but no one will give her the time of day. Absolutely appalling. She will no longer be using the Easilocks method!

This all happened at the end of April. I didn't want to spend out on clip ins, as I already have some, but I needed something a little easier to contend with, so purchased a half wig. I LOVE it! So easy to quickly change your look if you fancy it! Mine is made of synthetic hair, and I purchased some fibre conditioning spray to keep it looking good! I now save it for certain jobs, or if I just fancy wearing it ;)

It looks so real, even one of my closest friends didn't realise it wasn't my own hair!

But obviously, I really needed to sort out my actual hair. Since I last saw her, my friend had taken the time to make her own bonds using a technique from Great Lengths and my Easilocks hair. This took her HOURS, but she was so cross with what had happened, she spent loads of time to fix the problem. Great Lengths works by using ultrasound technology, virtually no heat, and the bonds are flat and clear. I'm SO happy with them!

Here's the before and after...

One very happy customer! 

Do any of you have any hair horror stories? What's your opinion on hair extensions? My experience has definitely been a learning curve. If you choose a good brand, they're so great to change up a style, add some length, some volume. With mine, I can dye them too, which is handy! 

Do you guys prefer clip-ins, or do you think permanent ones are better? Let me know! 

It feels really good to have finally got that off of my chest, so thankyou, and well done if you stuck with me all the way through that! 

Sammy xo