Anyone have hair extensions?

abc

I've been incredibly unhappy with my hair since I trusted a new stylist earlier this year to give me a new look and he completely chopped off my hair. As in above my ears. Ugh. Several months of growing it out and I still have a long way to go (at least now it covers my ears). It doesn't help that DH prefers long hair...

I've been looking into hair extensions but would like some real world input from people I trust (the internet is full of pro and con stories so it's hard to know who you can believe).

Anyone with experience that can offer input?

Thanks!

abc

12 years ago

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11 replies

Latest reply was from kellygirl

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

Don't cheap out on them. I've seen woman that have them, and put their hair up in a pony tail or bun and you can see the glued on bits. I think it looks really tacky that way.

12 years ago

kellygirl

Veteran

I think glued on is old school. I think most salons use the crimped on versions these days. A friend of mine had them done five years ago--it was real hair and the results were amazing. They do thin out over time but if the hair is in good shape, they can be re-used. The hair is very pricey though. My niece had a less successful experience--she has super fine hair and the results were sketchy. She's also a soccer player so there was a lot of pony tails and washing going on. My initial thought when I saw her with the extensions was "you paid someone to do that?" Of course, I didn't say that but I wouldn't have wasted my money.

Your hair looks super sassy in your Brazil photos. How much longer are you planning on going?

12 years ago

abc

Veteran

@Anna, thanks, I think you are right and onto something. The method of attachment is very important. I'm learning more about the options. It's frustrating bc there seem to be a handful of ways, but of course some companies seem to want to make you think theirs is some patented method when it's just a marketing thing (as far as I can tell). I want to stay far away from glue and chemicals. I don't mind the idea of crimping and I'm undecided on sewing. I want to limit any damage to my own hair, basically.

@kellygirl, I am adding some photos so you can see the progression.

Photo 1-5: day of bad haircut. Stylist did it the other direction than I normally do, should have been a clue. Only way to make it even was to style the other direction but I felt like I didn't have my V8 with the hair going that way. I quickly realized the cut was uneven.
Photo 6: so bad...maybe a month after cut? I feel like it looks like my hair is pulling my face, I guess the cateye makeup doesn't help. Terrible, horrible pic. Ugh. Can't believe I'm posting it. Alas. This was the worst phase; I wore headbands nearly every day to try to make something out of it but it was awful. Just awful.
Photo 7: Windblown and messy but growing out. Big sunglasses help, haha.
Photo 8-10: midway through growout. Natural air dry (so you can see my natural wave/curl causing it to flip up).
Photos 11-12: more recent, FINALLY getting to a decent length; blown fairly straight here.
Photo 13: I took the time to style it here and felt pretty good. Since then the last haircut has grown out and I feel scraggly again.
Photo 14: on the beach in Brazil a few weeks ago. Not styled, but you can see how it looks when I put little effort into it (which is pretty much every day).
Photo 15: my long hair that I regret cutting. Post-baby hormones, grr. This was in Sept 2011.
PHoto 16-17: my naturally curly hair, longer than now but not as long as the 2011 pic. After having 2 babies I'm not 100% certain I have the same curl.
Photo 18: mid length.

Of course photos 16-18 are about 7 years and 50 lbs ago, too, which makes a difference. (self observation, dang I have aged a lot in those years!)

I used to have an angled, inverted bob (almost exactly like forum member Aussie Deborah) and loved it, but I am now realizing with my WFH 75% and MOTG lifestyle, I don't take the time to wash/blowdry/style my hair on a daily basis so I need something that takes less effort. It's funny, when I had long hair I thought it was too time consuming but now the shorter I go the more work it is, I'm realizing.

I guess I should just be patient and let it grow, but it is a quality I am not known for. When I decide I want something, I want it now! I'm pretty much over letting my hair grow and these in-between stages are so painfully slow and unflattering, it makes me feel so un-pretty. But I know extensions can be damaging and expensive so I'm not 100% sold on them.

If anyone else has input on (A) extensions and (B) which hairstyle is most flattering to my face, it would be great.

Thanks for hanging in there with my rambling.

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12 years ago

kellygirl

Veteran

First off, let me just say that you are so pretty! Call me crazy but I really love your hair in 1. I think it needs a little texturizing in 3/5--to reduce the volume on the one side.

You have the perfect face for short hair and I prefer it to the long locks in 15 (I'm ducking.) I also really love it in 14.

The curls in 16/17 really suit you too. I would think your hair would be curlier than it looks in 8/9/10. Perhaps you will just have waves now? What about a long shag? Something like Pil has now (or me.) If you had layers, can you scrunch and let it air dry?

I don't mean to discourage you from extensions. I've only seen a few examples--one good, one not so good. Hope others will chime in!

12 years ago

abc

Veteran

Oh kellygirl, thank you so much for your kind words.

And you know what, this is really helping me. Going back through old photos made me start looking more critically at my hairstyles and trying to figure out what is most flattering and how much work each style took. Plus it is making me really analyze if extensions are right for me (I have a hunch I won't do it, but this is good for me not to be so impulsive and spend the $ to regret it later).

I agree, pics 1-3 some how *look* ok but you have to remember, that was after the stylist blew it out straight and worked his "magic." It never looked that good after the cut. In fact, it basically looked like crap every day until it grew out until the length shown in pic 7. So I will never willingly go that short again, I'm afraid. Plus, months later and DH still reminds me of how much he hated that haircut

I think for ease of styling I'd be best off with something maybe around shoulder length (length of pics 16-18). I do recall the last few times I've grown out my hair it seems to be hard to get it past the shoulders (though obviously I did, look at pic 15).

I will look for pics of PIl, can you point me to some recent pics of you? I'm interested in the shag you mention. And yes, I think I can scrunch and air dry. Usually I did well with doing some drying with a diffuser and letting it air dry the rest of the way.

I'm curious how much curl I will have once it grows out a bit. In Brazil I let it go curly a few days and it did bounce back so maybe I haven't lost all of the curl post-babies. I will just have to experiment, and a lot of it depends on the product (luckily I still have some stuff that worked in the past).

Thanks for checking back in, kellygirl

abc

12 years ago

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

You know I've only seen extensions with straight hair in real life. Something to consider. I did thing about once for me, but it's really expensive, not just the initial investment but also the upkeep.

12 years ago

abc

Veteran

Yeah Anna, that is another thing I need to talk to them about (straight vs wavy).

To be honest I think I am talking myself out of it the more I come back to update this thread. I think it is just my impatience flaring up again.

I could use a haircut - though I don't want to lose any length. I know I need it to be reshaped to take the weight out of where it is now. I think I will probably hold off and just suck it up for another 9-12 months while the hair grows out again. I am probably over the worst part anyway. I can almost make a ponytail now!

12 years ago

Gaylene

Veteran

I'm seconding Kelly in loving the short cut in #1-4 on you because I think it really focuses attention on your gorgeous eyes and cheekbones. You have lovely hair, though, so I can see why you like to wear it longer to show off its lovely color and shine. My second favorite is the length in #13-14; I actually think this length looks fresher and more modern than the pictures of you with longer hair.

12 years ago

kellygirl

Veteran

Yes, what Gaylene said. You remind me of Martina McBride, in fact. I can't find the picture I'm looking for but these are the general idea. I think Pil's hair texture is probably closer to yours than mine--mine is stick straight.

I was thinking shorter layers around your face to highlight your eyes and cheekbones with a little length to appease your hubs. Seems like you have the natural wave to make this work.

I'll keep looking for the picture but this is the general idea, more or less. HTHs!

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12 years ago

abc

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@Gaylene, thanks. I just could not pull off 1-4 in real life. Unless I had someone willing to blow out my hair on a daily basis. And the time to do that (not possible with 2 kids and a FT job). IRL it looked horrible on me, like pics 8-10 only even shorter. No thanks.
I like your feedback on 13-14, and the more I think about it, I think I am just feeling crappy from being very overdue for a haircut. The reverse bob has always flattered me. It takes more time than I'm currently devoting to my hair, but I could stand to up the ante a bit, so that cut is back on as a contender. I think I've talked myself out of the extensions BTW.

@Kellygirl, you were definitely helpful, thanks so much! Martina McBride, huh? I've never heard that one before! I used to get feedback that I looked like Natalie Maines a lot when we shared the same haircut and color (short and blonde). Thanks for sharing the pics, visuals always help me. I haven't had much luck with a lot of texturizing like those pics, I think it is bc I have naturally curly hair. I think I might stick with the inverted bob, something like these pics.

THANKS SO MUCH, LADIES!

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12 years ago

kellygirl

Veteran

You can't go wrong with the inverted bob. I had one of those too. I loved it. Can't wait to see it on you Good luck.

12 years ago

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