How To Choose Clip-In Hair Extensions

Clip-ins are, by far, the most user-friendly hair extension—but selecting the right type of clip-in to suit your natural hair can be tricky. Clip-in hair extensions vary just as much in style and quality as full wigs!

Clip-ins come in both synthetic and human hair styles, and Remy human hair extensions are becoming particularly popular, due to the premium quality hair with an in-tact cuticle layer. Every clip-in extension has its own length, color, thickness, and number of sets, and you’ll need to take these factors into account when making your decision. Read on to learn how to pick the best clip-in hair extension for you!

How To Choose the Right Hair Extension Length

Have you always been jealous of celebrities like Demi Lovato who have beautiful, luscious long locks? With the right techniques and high quality clip-ins, you can have the same look: Lovato (along with numerous other celebrities) is using extensions! Choosing the right hair extension length is essential for crafting a natural look. Most people pick extensions that are either too long or too short for them. Too long, your hair will look lopsided; too short, and no one will notice your hair change! Ideally, your extensions should be only a few inches longer than your own hair.

Consult with your stylist if you’re unsure—sometimes determining your hair length can be confusing if you have layered or curly hair. When in doubt, always buy longer clip-ins that can be trimmed: that way, if your clip-in is too long, you can simply have it cut and re-styled!

How To Match Your Hair Color To Extensions Online

Color matching is difficult enough in-person—trying to do it online without a stylist to help you can be truly nerve-wracking. To make the process a little easier, experiment with these simple solutions:

● If you are unsure about which color is the closest match, go with the one that looks slightly darker, rather than one that looks lighter, as the hair below the crown is sometimes darker. This is because of sun bleaching that occurs to the hair on top.

● Determine your hair color based on your hair ends (rather than your roots). This is the part of the extensions that you will see the most. You can always switch things up and go with something out-of-the-box if you're not one to color inside the lines!

● Try the two-toned look! Choose contrasting colored extensions that complement your current hair.

● Get a personal consultation! Our client care specialists help with color matching every day. So give us a call 800-581-2001 | M-F 8:00am - 6:30pm (CST).

Generally speaking, the more variations of your natural hair color that you include, the more natural your extensions will look. Most women’s natural hair color varies depending on whether you’re looking at the roots, the middle of the hair, and the ends of the hair.

Blend your locks as much as you can! One caveat: if you’re looking to better highlight a particular color in your hair, definitely select a clip-in hair extension that matches that hair color. People’s eyes are easily drawn to differences!

How To Choose the Right Set

When selecting clip-in hair extensions, you need to think about what’s right for your schedule, your beauty regimen, and your hair’s thickness and texture. I like my getting ready routine to be quick, so for me, synthetic clip-in hair extensions are the way to go! They’re quick to install and remove, and because I use clip-ins that match the style and texture of my natural hair, I never have to bother much with styling. However, if you want more flexibility, human hair extensions might be right for you! Human hair is generally more versatile: you can dye, style, and use heat tools on your extensions as much as you like.

Most human hair clip-ins will also mention whether they’re designed for thin, medium, or thick hair. Easihair’s beautiful one-piece extension, for example, best suits long, fine hair and is available in a variety of colors.

Product shown is 18" easiVolume Remy Human Hair Extension

Don’t despair if you prefer synthetic hair, though! Some synthetic hair is heat-friendly, like this eight-piece set by Hairdo. You can personalize these and style them exactly how you choose with heat tools set to no higher than 270° F - 280° F. Most sets feature varied widths to allow you to change your look each day. Remember, you never have to use all of the pieces in a set—experiment with the pieces to see how many you need to achieve the volume and thickness you want!

Which extensions are your favorite? Let us know your secret in the comments section!