Hi babes! I hope you’re having a good week so far! It’s been soooo beautiful this week, a little toasty, but the sunshine & blue skies has been amazing! Yay for summer!
Anywho, I did a Q&A box last weekend on my IG stories, and it turned into like 95% hair questions! So, I thought it would be a good idea to do a blog post with all the deets in one place, so it will be easy to refer back to for forever!
I got sooo many great questions about my hair, color, products used, who I go to, etc. I rounded up all the questions and answers below!! I also included any and all links to products I use and love! I hope this is really helpful and answers all your hair questions ๐
Let’s Chat Hair…What’s the 411?!
Q: What brand are your extensions?
A: I have @Jzstyles.co hair extensions. I’ve worn this brand for about 2+ years, and they are by far my favorite!
Q: What’s your extension length and how many grams?
A: For the past 2+ years, I’ve had 20″ hand tied extensions. However, @jzstyles.co just launched her own line of extensions that go as long as 24″, so I HAD to try the 24″ length and I am obsessed! I got them put in late March and have been loving the long mermaid hair!! As far as grams go, I get 2 packs of hair so it’s 120grams.
Q: How many rows do you have?
A: Right now, I have 2 rows. In the past, I had 3 rows, but as my natural hair has grown, the 3rd row hasn’t been needed as much. Also, it’s a bit harder to put my hair up and style it different ways with 3 rows. So for now, 2 is perfect!
Q: What’s the color name of the extensions? Do you get them colored?
A: Right now, I have The Desmon: Toasted Almond (#8/8/18). In the past I’ve had The Colly, The Graham and The Kendra. I honestly loved them all, but as I have been transitioning back to my natural color, The Desmon has been the best match. And for coloring, I do not color them. I specifically got this shade to match my natural color which my stylist said is a level 8. I’m not a hairstylist, so I can’t speak on coloring them, but when you go to an extension consultation, they will order the right shades for you and color as needed ๐
Q: Who does your hair? I’m local and looking for someone.
A: I go to Carissa, @hairmotty. She’s located in Old Town Scottsdale. I found her on IG and immediately booked an appointment. I LOOOVE her style and vibe. She is incredibly talented and she did exactly what I had been envisioning for years! She has her own method for balagyage/melt, and I can’t recommend her enough! #GOALS
Q: What color and cut do you ask for?
A: When I first starting going to @hairmotty, I told her I wanted to embrace my natural hair with adding in some dimension and “money pieces” to the front/bang area. I just let her do her thing, she’s the expert! If you’re looking for something specific, I would bring in photos for inspo to show your stylist. Then, they can figure out which colors will work on your hair, etc. As far as cut goes, she usually just trims my natural hair first, then installs extensions and then just blends it all. I would say, longer layers and face framing layers.
Q: What’s the cost of extensions and maintenance?
A: This is a tricky answer because price varies SO much. So I can’t speak for every company or style. It will probably require some research on your end. It really depends on the hair, color, stylist, etc. The hair I get is $320 per pack (60grams), so $640 total just for the hair. Then, you will pay for the service (install, cut, color, etc.). At your first appointment, you’ll get charged for a full head install (1-2 rows) depending on what your stylist thinks is best for you. After that, you’ll be charged for move-ups which also varies based on 1 or 2 rows.
For a full extension package, prices may be anywhere from $800 – $3,000. Again, it really varies. For maintenance, it may vary from $150 – $400. To narrow down price, I would recommend reaching out to your stylist or an extension certified stylist and get a consultation on the books. Then, you can figure out the exact price based on what type of extensions, how many rows if you’re doing hand-tied, any coloring that my need to be done, etc. It is an investment in time and financially, but if you are happy with them it is an amazing way to treat yourself to something that makes you happy!
Q: Do the extensions get tangled or matted easily?
A: Not for me personally, but they absolutely can. I’ve seen some crazy photos from stylists over the years of matted extensions. That really only happens if you don’t take care of them, just like your normal hair. I brush them in the mornings, sometimes during the day if I need a refresh and ALWAYS before bed! It really hasn’t been an issue for me at all!
Q: How do you wash them and how often? Is it hard?
A: Washing them can be tricky at first. I started to notice my scalp wasn’t getting fully clean between my rows, so I started sectioning my hair off in the shower with a clip. I just throw the top half up while I shampoo the bottom half and really get in between the rows. I also love using this scalp brush. Then, repeat with the top half. Doing it this way has helped so much! I used to wash every 2-3 days, but now I go like 4ish. Basically only twice a week. But depends what I have going that week!
Oh, and sometimes, if I’m not wanting to wash my whole head, I’ll take the top half and just wash that! Your hair looks good as new and will help extend it a few more days ๐
Q: Have you seen your natural hair grow with having extensions?
A: YES! Omg you guys, it’s insane how much my hair has grown over the years. I’ve shown some bleach pics on IG stories lol, but years ago I decided I wanted to be bright blonde – so I went blonde. I started to notice my hair breaking off and getting shorter and shorter. My hair naturally was long, like down to my belly button long. And, all of a sudden the top half of my hair just started breaking. I started noticing these tiny fragments of hair and was like WTF. I had never experienced anything like this. I asked the stylist about it because I knew something was wrong. I realized it was the bleach and my hair just couldn’t handle it. I also think it was from the tape-in extensions. I felt my hair thinning out sooo much, it was not good.
Eventually, after some trial and error, I found another stylist who started the process of getting me back to my natural color. She immediately was like no more bleach and no more tape-ins. I then switched to hand tied extensions and just grew my natural hair out. From that point on, things were looking up! I immediately saw growth in my hair, and to see how long my hair has gotten now, it’s honestly incredible! So, back to the main question – I have seen amazing growth with my natural hair while wearing hand tied extensions. Find someone who is certified and a specialist in the field. If you do the right color formula and go to the right person, you should not have to experience any type of damage to your hair.
The photos below show a difference in my natural hair growth over the years. The one on the left is from 2019 and the one on the right is now, 2022.
Q: What are the cons of having hair extensions?
A: I really don’t think I have any bad things to say about them. The only “annoyance” may be how long it takes to blow dry my hair, wash, etc. But its completely worth it in my eyes! Like I said I only wash about twice a week.
Q: Can you wear your hair up in a high pony or bun without seeing the extensions?
A: YES, I can wear my hair up in a high pony or bun. You can NOT see the beads when I put my hair up. If you’re having issues with this, I would chat with your stylist and see if he/she can place them differently for you to be able to wear your hair up!
Q: What shampoo and conditioner do you use?
A: I love to rotate my products and try new ones, but here are 3 brands that I’ve been loving!
Kevin Murphy Repair Me Shampoo & Repair Me Conditioner
Pureology Strength Cure Shampoo & Conditioner
Pantene Miracle Moisture Boost Shampoo & Conditioner
Q: Best oil and heat protectant?
A: You 1000% need this Kenra Dry Spray – it helps protect your hair, makes it nice and shiny and cuts the blow dry time down. For oil, I use this Morrocan Oil.
Q: What curling iron do you use?
A: I swear by the Bio Ionic 1″ Long Barrel iron. I’ve used it for years. I have the heat setting on 360.
Q: How do you get so much volume?
A: TEXTURE SPRAY. I recently found a cleaner texture spray from Moroccan Oil & I’ve been loving it! Shop it HERE!
Okay, that was a little long winded, but I hope that answers ALLL of your hair questions and explains a-lot more than I can over Insta stories! Of course, if you do end up with more questions, you can always comment below or reach out to me via DM’s over on Insta or Tik Tok (yes, I finally made a Tik-Tok) and I will always try my best to answer all the questions I get!
Xx