Best Hair Extensions for Your Hair Type

When it comes to hair weaving, there’s really one rule: “make it work,â€� to quote “Project Runway” star Tim Gunn. But it’s hard to make it work when your hair extensions don’t quite match the natural hair type you’re weaving them into. Mismatched hair extension textures can leave a woman looking a hot mess instead of a marvel, with kinky hairlines shrinking up in front of too-straight half wigs, mysteriously bouncy curls hanging amidst otherwise bone-straight tresses, and disastrously wavy ponytails sitting on top of hair that’s anything but. So here’s three simple guidelines for “making it workâ€� with hair extensions: Match it, Mix it, or Reinvent it.

Match It

Simply put, this means work what you’ve got. If you have kinky hair, get kinky weave; if your tresses are straight, get straight weave. And if it’s curly? You’ve got it: curly weave. Today’s hairstyles embrace different hair textures a lot more than even twenty years ago. Afro-textured hair extensions are widely available these days, as are plenty of curlier styles, from very tight 3b ringlets to loose, 2b-type waves.

The trick is to find the right method for installing your hair pieces. Fortunately, matching textures gives you the most options, as there should be little difference between your hair and the hair extensions, other than length or volume. Fusion hair pieces, clip-on hair extensions, ponytails, bangs, half wigs, full lace wigs—you name it, it all works.

Mix It

This approach requires more patience and planning. However, since every head of hair has different hair types on it, it’s not impossible to mix a few different hair types with your extensions, too.

The key is making sure that the new hair texture you’re adding isn’t too vastly different from your natural one. Wavy and curly hair types can blend together fairly well. Just be aware: try deeper waves with looser curls, not the other way around. Similarly, you can mix very curly, or Type 3c, hair pieces with kinky hair for a carefree, Bohemian look—but not so much with big, Type 3a ringlets and tiny, Type 4b zigzags. Try to use textures that sit next to each other on the spectrum.

Mixing hair types this way can be done through several methods, including clip-on hair extensions and ponytails, tracks, bangs, and full-lace and half wigs. In the case of half wigs or fusion applications, where a good deal of your natural hair is still out, try to use wigs or hair pieces curlier than your natural hair, to keep the transition smooth.

Reinvent It

Why not change the game completely, though? Who says you can’t go from the lengths of Pocahontas to the heights of Angela Davis—or the other way around? Extreme texture changes are always possible, thanks to wigs, hair pieces, and hair extensions.

However, it’s not going to be easy. Drastic differences in hair texture call for complete installations—think full lace wigs, skin weft hair, full-head weaves, and other hair extensions that completely cover your natural locks. Avoid fusion or partial weaves, especially if your natural hair is curlier than the hair extensions, because it can frizz, curl, or puff up for an odd, tiered look.

Even if you use chemical services like relaxers or permanent waves, pay attention to just how curly or straight your hair gets with each application, and how quickly it reverts or grows out. If it’s resistant or easily goes back to its natural state, don’t chance it. Either use partial wigs, ponytails, clip-on hair extensions, etc. for short-term, quickly changed hairstyles, or go in for the long haul and cover your hair completely.

For the best results, get your natural lengths braided or wrapped away, and sew, glue, tape, or pin on wigs or human hair tracks. Closures, skin wefts, and full lace wigs give you plenty of style options, including ponytails, parts, and updos.

So what are you waiting for? Get styling!