Hair Extensions 101
Hair Extensions Guide:
All You Need To Know About Hair Extensions
- What are tape-in hair extensions?
- What are the best hair extensions for me?
- How much do hair extensions cost?
- How long do hair extensions last?
- Do hair extensions damage your hair?
- How do I tape in hair extensions?
- How long does it take to tape in hair extensions?
- How do I choose the right shade of L'Orvine Hair extensions?
- How do I style hair extensions?
- If I have curly hair can I still wear tape in hair extensions?
- How long does my hair have to be to wear hair extensions?
- Will hair extensions blend if I have short hair?
- What are the best hair extensions for short hair
- What are the best hair extensions for thin hair?
- Will tape-in hair extensions work for my wedding hairstyle?
- Should I get hair extensions?
- Will my hair extensions be obvious to others?
- When can I wear hair extensions
- Can I curl and straighten hair extensions?
- What products can I use on hair extensions?
- How to wash and dry hair extensions?
- How to brush hair extensions?
- Can I dye/color my hair extensions?
- Can I sleep with hair extensions?
- Can I swim with hair extensions?
- Can I play sports with hair extensions?
- Where can I buy tape-in hair extensions?
- What is Remy human hair?
- What are the different types of hair extensions?
- Who can wear hair extensions?
1. WHAT ARE TAPE-IN HAIR EXTENSIONS?
Tape-in hair extensions are the easiest, fastest, and safest way to get long, thick hair in just a matter of minutes. TAPE-in hair extension wefts come with the stickers already attached to them. This means that you can simply take the wefts and easily sticker them into your hair. Tape-in hair extensions are the perfect solution for those who are looking to get thicker hair and longer hair instantly, without the hassle, long-term commitment or breaking the bank.
2. WHAT ARE THE BEST HAIR EXTENSIONS FOR ME?
The best hair extensions are those that blend in well with your hair and also that fit your lifestyle. For example, if you shower often, dance, work out, swim, or play sports on a regular basis - perhaps it is best to consider temporary methods of hair extensions such as clip-in hair extensions, because they can easily be taken out for the duration of those activities and clipped back in when needed. Not only will this will ensure proper hygiene and will also make your hair extensions last longer, but will also be less damaging for your own hair. However if you want a more natural look and do not want to spend hours putting the extensions everyday, tape-in hair extensions are the way to go.
3. HOW MUCH DO HAIR EXTENSIONS COST?
You can expect to pay anywhere from $60-$85 for synthetic hair extensions, and anywhere from $100-$500 or more for human hair extensions. We highly recommend purchasing real virgin human hair extensions as they are much higher quality than synthetic hair extensions as you will be able to style and wash them just like your own hair. L'Orvine Hair is all virgin human hair.
4. HOW LONG DO HAIR EXTENSIONS LAST?
The lifespan of tape-in hair extensions will depend on how well you take care of them and what products you use on them. With proper care and regular wear, L'Orvine Hair extensions last anywhere from 7 months up to a year or even longer. For best tips and tricks on how to care for your hair extensions, check out our blog posts.
5. DO HAIR EXTENSIONS DAMAGE YOUR HAIR?
The type and application methods matter when it comes to hair extensions. Tape-in hair extensions are the least damaging option as they are simply sticked into your hair without heat.
6. HOW DO I TAPE-IN HAIR EXTENSIONS?
With a little bit of practice, stick-in hair extensions is very fast and easy! Simply open the sitcker and stick them close to the roots of your hair. They will stay securely in your hair without showing.
7. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO TAPE IN HAIR EXTENSIONS?
With some practice, it can take about 30 minutes to tape in the whole set of hair extensions!
If you have short hair, read how to tape in hair extensions for short hair here.
If you have fine hair, be sure to check out this blog post on how to tape in and blend hair extensions for fine hair here.
8. HOW DO I CHOOSE THE RIGHT SHADE OF HAIR EXTENSIONS?
L'Orvine Hair extensions are offered in 20 beautiful shades ranging from Jet Black to Platinum Blonde, and from Ombre to Balayage. Our extensions are made with a multi-tonal adapt coloring system, which means that there are subtle highlights and lowlights, lighter strands and darker strands throughout each set. This gives the shades movement, dimension, and depth. It also ensures that the extensions blend with your natural hair even if your hair color is a few shades off.
To choose your perfect L'Orvine shade, please email our Support team at info@lorvine.com with a recent selfie taken in natural lighting with no direct sunlight, where we can see your hair from top to bottom, and with no filters added
9. HOW DO I STYLE HAIR EXTENSIONS?
Stick-in hair extensions can be styled in a variety of different ways to help you create a thicker and longer hair style, or to even add a pop of color to a certain look (our ombre collection does a great job at achieving this).
Tape-in hair extensions can be styled in a bun, ponytail, braid, and even curls! The options are endless.
10. IF I HAVE CURLY HAIR CAN I STILL WEAR TAPE IN HAIR EXTENSIONS?
Yes! Even if you have curly hair, you can still wear tape-in hair extensions. L'Orvine Hair extensions are made of 100% straight Remy human hair, therefore, the hair will naturally come straight. In order to achieve an ideal blend, we recommend to have your hair straightened or relaxed in order to match the texture of the extensions.
Alternatively, your extensions can be curled to match the texture of your own hair.
When curling your extensions, we highly recommend to use a heat protectant spray and to only use a low heat setting of 120C/250F, as anything higher runs the risk of damaging the hair. The reason why we recommend opting for a lower heat setting is because it will prolong the lifespan of your set. While our own hair may be able to handle a high heat setting, our hair is also constantly getting revitalized from the scalp, whereas hair extensions don't get that sort of nutrition.
11. HOW LONG DOES MY HAIR HAVE TO BE TO WEAR HAIR EXTENSIONS?
For L'Orvine to blend naturally, we recommend that your hair be at least 6-7 inches long, which is about shoulder length. The reason for this is because if your hair is too short, the wefts may not be able to stick sturdily into the hair or they may show through your short hair.
12. WILL HAIR EXTENSIONS BLEND IF I HAVE SHORT HAIR?
As long as your hair is at least 6-7 inches long, which is around shoulder length, they will blend. The reason why this is the recommended length is because your hair needs to be long enough in order for the tapes to secure to your hair sturdily, and to ensure that the tapes do not show through your short hair.
13. WHAT ARE THE BEST HAIR EXTENSIONS FOR SHORT HAIR?
For those with shorter hair, we recommend opting for a 40 - 60 pieces set to ensure there are enough wefts and hair to create an ideal blend with your short hair. The reason why we recommend to opt for more pieces is because if a lighter set is chosen, the extensions may look unnatural or appear stringy-like when stick in.
14. WHAT ARE THE BEST HAIR EXTENSIONS FOR THIN HAIR?
All our hair is specifically designed to cater to those with finer hair.
15. WILL TAPE-IN HAIR EXTENSIONS WORK FOR MY WEDDING HAIRSTYLE?
Yes! Tape-in hair extensions are a great resource for helping you achieve your wedding hair dreams. They are great for adding more volume, length, and even color to your desired hairstyle. Click here to shop hair extensions for your wedding.
Whatever you want your wedding hair look to be, you can achieve it with the help of hair extensions.
16. SHOULD I GET HAIR EXTENSIONS?
There are many reasons why you should get hair extensions.
Length
If you experience hair loss or have difficulty growing out your natural hair, hair extensions help you achieve long hair again, and do not hinder hair growth in the meantime.
If you got a bad haircut and want to cover it up, hair extensions will do just that.
Color
If you want to change up your look and add in highlights/lowlights or ombre, but don't want to damage your natural hair or don't want to fully commit to the look, hair extensions will allow you to be experimental with your hair without the full-time commitment.
Volume
If you suffer from hair loss or thinning hair, hair extensions will help you achieve the volume you once had.
If you simply want to opt for a more voluminous hair look on special occasions or even for everyday use, hair extensions will create your hair dreams.
Style
If you want to change up your look, hair extensions will help make any hairstyle more fuller and longer.
No Damage
Hair extensions allow you to get experimental with your hair and different looks, without hindering your hair growth or causing damage to your natural hair.
Ease of Use
Hair extensions are super easy to use - they can be sticked in and out of your hair in a matter of minutes! To find out how, click here.
For a more in-depth look as to why you should get hair extensions, click here.
17. WILL MY HAIR EXTENSIONS BE OBVIOUS TO OTHERS?
If taped in properly, once your hair extensions are taped in, they are virtually undetectable. The base of each weft is thin and flat, and all wefts come with sturdy stickers with a silicone grip to keep each weft in place. The wefts are taped in between layers of your own natural hair, to blend naturally and seamlessly.
18. WHEN CAN I WEAR HAIR EXTENSIONS?
Stick-in hair extensions are a quick and easy way to achieve long, full, thick hair in just minutes, with no damage to your hair. You can wear a full set, or just a few strategically placed pieces, depending on your hairstyle...the possibilities are endless!
19. CAN I CURL AND STRAIGHTEN HAIR EXTENSIONS?
Yes! Hair extensions that are made with 100% virgin human hair can be curled, straightened, blow-dried and styled, just like your own natural hair.
In order to preserve and extend the lifespan of your L'Orvine Hair extensions, however, we suggest to always use a heat protectant spray or natural heat protectant prior to styling your set.
Additionally, we recommend to only use a low heat setting of 120C/250F, as anything higher runs the risk of damaging the hair. While our own hair may be able to handle a high heat setting, our hair is also constantly getting revitalized from the scalp, whereas hair extensions don't get that sort of constant nutrition. Using a low heat setting will prolong the lifespan of your extensions. Better yet, try out heatless ways to style your extensions!
20. WHAT PRODUCTS CAN I USE ON HAIR EXTENSIONS?
Since hair extensions do not get consistent nourishment from the scalp like natural hair, it is important to choose the right products to keep your extensions looking and feeling luxurious.
When selecting products for your hair extensions, we recommend to use organic hair products whenever possible. If you are unable to get fully organic hair products, we recommend to at least choose alcohol-free and sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners, as these ingredients can dry the hair out, leading to frizziness, matting, or tangling. We recommend to use high quality products specifically formulated for dry and damaged hair, as they will help keep the strands healthy and nourished.
We also highly recommend to use a heat protectant spray prior to heat styling your L'Orvine Hair and nourishing hair oils or serums, which will prolong the lifespan of your extensions. Here is a list of our top 3 natural heat protectants.
21. HOW TO WASH AND DRY HAIR EXTENSIONS?
Since hair extensions do not receive natural oils from the scalp like our own hair, they do not need to be washed very often.
We highly recommend using sulfate-free and alcohol-free hair products, as these ingredients can dry the hair out, leading to frizzy, tangly hair.
You can wash your L'Orvine Hair extensions the same way you would your own hair. Apply shampoo first, rinse off, then apply a generous amount of conditioner from top to bottom, working the product through the hair. Rinse off the conditioned, then rinse the extensions again in cold water to lock in moisture. Next, apply a deep conditioning hair mask throughout the extensions, to restore smoothness, nourishment, and shine. Here is a list of our favourite DIY hair masks. Brush each weft with a wide tooth comb from bottom to top to work the hair mask through the hair and remove any tangles. Leave the hair mask in for at least 4-6 hours or overnight for best results! Finally lay each weft flat to air-dry on top of a towel on a flat surface.
22. HOW TO BRUSH HAIR EXTENSIONS?
Just like your natural hair, hair extensions can and may tangle, as all long hair does. We recommend to brush your extensions with a paddle brush or detangling hair brush. When brushing your extensions, we recommend to brush the hair from bottom to top to gently loosen and smoothen any tangles in the hair.
23. CAN I DYE/COLOR MY HAIR EXTENSIONS?
Yes! Since L'Orvine Hair extensions are made of 100% remy human hair, they can be dyed a darker color or toned by a professional hair colorist, who has had previous experience in working with hair extensions.
We strongly do not recommend getting hair extensions colored a lighter shade, as it will require them to be bleached. Bleaching is a harmful chemical process that can alter the quality of your set, and even damage it.
If you are in-between shades, we recommend going for the lighter colour and taking your set to a professional hair colourist to have them dye your set a darker shade in order to achieve an overall match. Similarly, if you have highlights, we recommend going for a shade that matches the lightest highlight in your hair, and having a professional hair colorist add in lowlights to your set.
If you do decide to get your L'Orvine Extensions dyed, we recommend for one piece of extension to be tested first prior to dyeing or toning the full set, to ensure that you are satisfied with the results.
24. CAN I SLEEP WITH HAIR EXTENSIONS?
Of course, L'Orvine Hair extensions are designed to be worn all day and night.
25. CAN I SWIM WITH HAIR EXTENSIONS?
Chlorine from swimming pools, salt from ocean water, and dirt in all bodies of water can be damaging to your hair extensions. However if you would like to wear your extensions in the water, make sure to brush them afterwards.
26. CAN I PLAY SPORTS WITH HAIR EXTENSIONS?
You can do any physical activity with your extensions taped-in.
27. WHERE CAN I BUY TAPE-IN HAIR EXTENSIONS?
You can buy tape-in hair extensions online on our website at www.lorvine.com. It's fast, easy, and you get it shipped right to your door. If you have any questions, you can consult our help page or contact our support team at info@lorvine.com, who is always here and happy to help you.
28. WHAT IS VIRGIN HUMAN HAIR?
Virgin human hair is the highest grade of real, human hair, which is a preferred choice for hair extensions, hairpieces, and wigs because it achieves the most natural look and can be styled and washed just like your own hair.
Remy hair is considered to be the finest quality of human hair because the cuticles are kept intact and not stripped, like in most non-Virgin varieties. Preserving the hairs’ cuticles and aligning them in a unidirectional fashion creates extensions that are completely natural in appearance. This process ensures that the hair remains soft, shiny, silky and tangle-free throughout its lifetime.
Tape in L'Orvine Hair extensions use only the finest quality of Virgin human hair, which means that the hair has been carefully sorted after collecting from the hair donor to ensure all the cuticles are intact. It is by far the best quality of stick-in human hair extensions on the market because of the care that is required and the time it takes to sort the hair so meticulously. Click here to see how and where our products are made.
What is the difference between synthetic and human hair extensions?
Hair extensions made from human hair can be dyed, styled with hot tools (curled or straightened), washed frequently, and treated just like you would your own natural hair.
On the other hand, hair extensions made from synthetic hair are sensitive to the sun, are difficult to style and blend with your own hair, and typically don't have the same lifespan as human hair extensions do. Human hair extensions can last up to a year or longer if they are properly cared for.
29. WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF HAIR EXTENSIONS?
Micro link/Micro bead/Micro-ring/Loop Hair Extensions
This type of hair extensions is applied by looping the single-strand micro-bead extensions through your own hair and clamping down with a pair of pliers and a metal bead to finish. So pretty much, your entire head is covered in these little beads. You need to go to a professional for the application of micro-bead hair extensions.
Sewn-in/Weave Hair Extensions
Sewn-in hair extensions are only a good fit for those who have super thick, coarse, or naturally super curly hair. Your own hair is braided tightly into corn rows throughout your entire head, and the extensions are then attached using a needle and a thread. A pro about these hair extensions is that they work super well for girls who have tons of hair that is thick and a coarse, however, a con is that the tight braids seriously strain your scalp, therefore they are not advisable for those who have thin hair. Also consider hygienic reasons - it may be difficult to wash off the sweat and dirt in the scalp because the entire scalp is covered in cornrows. You need to go to a professional for the application of sewn-in hair extensions as well as consistently visit the salon (even six weeks or so) to ensure that the extensions are still sewn in correctly into place and if the braids need to be tightened up again.
Clip-in Hair Extensions
Clip-in hair extensions is the fast, easy, and least damaging type of hair extensions which you can apply all by yourself without having to go to a professional. Clip-in hair extensions are a temporary method of hair extensions, which means you can clip them in and out whenever you want. Clip-in hair extensions are ideal if you are looking to add length and volume to your hair without the commitment or breaking the bank. Clip-in hair extensions are a popular choice among women all over the world for bridal and bridesmaids’ hairstyles as they can greatly enhance any hairstyle. You need to take off your clip-in hair extensions when you shower, sleep, or swim, however, clipping them in takes only about 5 minutes. Always choose real remy human hair extensions as you will be able to heat style and wash them just like your own hair. High quality clip-in hair extensions will last you anywhere from 3-6 months up to a year or even longer, depending on how often you wear them and how well you take care of them.
Tape in Hair Extensions
Tape in method of hair extensions involves taking each weft and literally taping them onto your own hair. The wefts are connected by wide bonds of tape and your own hair is placed between them and clamped around the strands. Pros to this method of hair extensions is if you wear your hair extensions without a break, these can last in your hair for 6-12 weeks before reapplied.
Glue-in/Keratin Bond/Pre-bonded Hair Extensions
These hair extensions are attached to the hair with keratin bonds that are on top of the extensions, which are fused with a hot tool. This technique requires heat for application, and consistent visits to the salon to maintain them. They can look great, however, it is best to voice using oils, conditioners or any hot styling tools because this can weaken the bonds and make the extensions come out.
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Regardless of which type of hair extensions you choose, overall, be sure to have a few consultations with hair extensions technicians to understand the full scope of getting permanent hair extensions and if they are right for your hair type. Always be sure to check how they look both dry and wet, to understand how the hair will react on a daily basis. Always make sure that the extensions aren’t applied too tightly to your scalp as that can cause stress to your scalp and damage to your hair.
30. WHO CAN WEAR HAIR EXTENSIONS?
Just about anyone! Tape-in hair extensions are safe for men, women, and even children to wear of all ethnicities.
We created our Instagram page to showcase all of our beautiful customers who wear their L'Orvine Hair extensions. This showcases how our customers vary in age, hair type, and ethnicity.
For anyone experiencing severe hair loss, however, we recommend to consult a doctor first prior to purchasing tape-in hair extensions to ensure it is safe for you to wear.
