Wedding Day Hair Extensions : Do's and Don'ts
Styling your hair for the wedding is no ordinary feat – it really should be the best
hairstyle you’ve ever had, to compliment your overall look. You invested so much
money and time into your appearance for the day – the hair should get just as much
attention! If you are looking at bridal hairstyle pictures, dreaming of an elegant bun,
cascading curls, or a sculpted braid studded with diamonds throughout... help is at
hand!
There are lots of ways of achieving beautifully voluminous hair for your
wedding day – with hair extensions!
Where To Start From?
Bonded extensions are commonly used, but can be expensive and are not the best
option if you want to wear your hair up – the bonds may become visible when you
lift the hair, and that’s not a good look for a bride! They are used mostly for hair
that’s worn down.
If you go for this option, have your trial run first so you know how your hair is going
to be put up and let your extension specialist know about this
so they can figure out where to put the bonds and which areas they need to avoid to make them invisible.
A better option may be clip-on extensions – they can be added to your hair in
strategic places, just where you need them, so you can wear your hair up, or half-
up-half-down, and still get some fabulous height using them only at the back to
create length and thickness.
Clip-on have a great advantage of the option to take them out at the end of the day,
so whether you’re planning an action-packed safari honeymoon or just an
occasional dip in the pool at your luxury resort, the one thing you won’t have to worry about is having to deal with all that extra hair!
What about the curls?
You might be shocked at how much shorter your hair looks with even the softest
curl...
If you’re happy with the length of your hair when it’s straight but would like a curl in
your hair on the big day... don’t panic – invest in a couple of wefts of hair
extensions, curl them first and then add them to your own curled hair starting just
above the hairline at the nape of the neck moving up to the crown, section by
section. The extensions can be trimmed as needed to a length that’s just right for
you. This way you can keep the length of your hair and have a curl and extra
volume too!
If you have super soft hair and you’re worried about the clip-on extensions slipping
out, try backcombing the hair a little just at the root, or even better – invest in a
product by Schwarzkopf called Osis Dust It. This is a texturizing product ideal for very soft limp hair, giving it a matte finish, extra styling control and lots of volumes.
Sprinkle it sparingly in the hair at the root, just where the clip will sit and then clip in
your extensions – they will not move at all!
You can get great hair extensions anywhere these days, in stores as well as online.
My advice would be to get real hair instead of synthetic. Synthetic hair is less
expensive and you may even get a great colour match – but the downside is that it
reflects the light too much, and in flash photography looks a lot shinier than your
own natural hair, giving it a really obvious false look. Even if your professional
photographer doesn’t use flash, you can bet your guests will, and you probably
don’t want to draw attention to your fake hair. It’s better to invest in the real hair
extensions for this reason.
Are you finding it difficult to narrow down just one hairstyle for your wedding? If
your ends are dry and brittle, it’s probably a good idea to invest in some quality
hair extensions for the big day. Not only will they give you a lot more variety in
terms of hairstyles, but also fill out the rest of your hair. Take some of our tips and
suggestions into consideration while you’re searching for that perfect hairstyle to
stay ‘I do’.
DO: Invest in high-quality hair extensions
Do your research and find the kinds of extensions that work for you. There are four
main types of extensions which include clip-in, bonding, weaves and micro-rings.
Depending on your needs, you’re looking at spending between $100-$1500 for a
good pair of extensions, minus the labour it takes to put them in.
DON’T: Cut them yourself
Even if you’re planning on wearing clip-ins, head to your hairdresser and get the
extensions professionally cut. Despite saving a bit of cash on the side, it isn’t wise
to cut your own hair – especially for your wedding!
DO: Experiment with your hair before the wedding
Hair extensions need to be treated with more care, so don’t use heat or styling
products on them constantly. If you do have an idea of the type of style you want for
your wedding, trial it on your hair beforehand.
DON’T: Color extensions yourself
Just like cutting hair, leave it to the hairdresser. They will match the extensions to
your own natural colour, and make it all blend in seamlessly. If you’re going for the
balayage look, pop on your hair extensions before going to the hairdresser.
DO: Wear your hair up.
People often think that hair extensions can’t be worn in a bun or ponytail. Take care
in hiding any signs of clips, micro-rings, or even glue holding the hair together.
Choose a hairstyle which will make you feel confident about yourself on your
wedding day.
DON’T: Avoid going over the top
It’s easy to get carried away and add way too many hair extensions onto your
natural hair. This look will often seem fake, and won’t blend into your natural hair.
Make sure you are happy with the thickness of your hair, without adding too much
into it.