How to Talk to Your Stylist About Hair Extensions

So you’re thinking of getting extensions but what to have it done by a pro? When it comes to getting the most precisely applied, long lasting hair extension options there’s no one better than to give you the hair of your dreams than a professional hairdresser and certified extensionist. But while your stylist may be a great listener, cheerleader and confidence booster, they are NOT a mind reader. Before you go for the extensions plunge, you need to make sure they know exactly what you’re looking for and most importantly that the type of hair extensions will work for your hair or life. 

You need to take the time to properly talk to your stylist about extensions and we’ve rounded up some of the best questions to ask them, things you need to communicate and why to ensure a happy result!

Questions To Ask Your Stylist

Will you be using real human hair? Remy hair? 

This question is important because if you’re going to the expense of getting extensions you want them to last, but also not matte or tangle on you. 100% Human Indian Remy hair is known the world over for being thin and strong, meaning you can color it, style it, perm it, smooth it, basically do anything you can do with your own real hair.

What kind of extensions are right for me?

If you haven't had a chance to check out our beginner's guide to hair extensions, we highly recommend you do so! There are many different types of extensions and solutions to give you the hair of your dreams. Your stylist can ask you leading questions to determine the right extensions for you based on how you want to wear them, how much maintenance you want to commit to and even the style you want or how you like to part your hair. 

• Fusion Hair can be done either with a warm or cold technique, where warm means heated keratin bonding it to your hair or cold means uses special beads to tie them to your natural hair.

• Wefts come in 4 different types, hand-tied wefts, machine wefts, hand-tied rows or beaded rows. Unlike fusion where you have singular strands, wefts come in long rows like curtains or panels. They’re thin, discrete and durable. 

• Tape-Ins are strips of hair that are sandwiched around your natural hair. They’re fast and relatively commitment free in terms of wearability in comparison to Fusion or Wefts which are designed for longer, lasting wear. 

• Clip-Ins are some of the versatile hair extensions out there! A full set can be applied in minutes and allow you to create a whole new look for a day or an evening. High quality clip-ins can even be worn daily with you able to simply remove them at night before bed. 

What color is right for me?

This question (if your stylist doesn’t ask you first) is key because it really depends on what YOU want to do. Maybe you want to create a hair color effect by have a balayage-like look, creating dreamy dimension, or perhaps you want to just add volume, length and density that matches your own hair color. Check out our hair color guide to get a head start! The best stylist out there will work with you to determine what kind of hairstyle and hair color combo you want and will recommend the appropriate color(s) to achieve it. 

How long will they last?

Different types of extensions last for different periods of time, but in between removals and reapplication to keep them looking great and your hair health, how long you can use the hair is also in your hands. Maintenance of your extensions is so incredibly important as they require the right hair care products, and even brushing them daily is important. Anything that can and will damage your real hair can damage your extensions, so make sure to listen to your stylist when they explain the care, maintenance and schedule to come back into the salon. If you can’t commit to daily care of fusion, wefts or tape-ins, clip-ins are always a good option that require less of your time each day. Just be honest with yourself about what you can do daily!

Will they damage my hair?

If you have any concerns or doubts, never be afraid to ask them! There’s a lot of misinformation and hair fails that pop up on social media, and concerns such as traction alopecia spotted on celebrities are from them failing to properly care for their own natural hair. Extensions are only damaging when they’ve been improperly cared for, or have been improperly applied…which leads us to…

Are you certified for extensions?

Always, always feel free to ask even a stylist you’ve known for a long time if they’ve been trained by the company who makes the hair extensions they are going to install on you. It’s your money, your investment AND your real hair and scalp health, so you want to be confident that they’ve been fully trained to give you the best hair of your life!

How much does the service cost?

It’s always awkward talking pricing, but it’s better that your first experience with extensions be a good one, all the way down to being aware of what you’ll pay for it. If you’re on a budget and maybe committing to a full head of extensions isn’t for you, even a few pieces of hair to give you volume in the back, or face framing layers can allow you to affordably enjoy the first time experience. 

Questions Your Stylist Will Ask You Before Installing Extensions

Your stylist will do a consultation before installing your extensions where they ask you some leading questions to determine what you’re looking for. As there are many different types of hair extensions that they can recommend, the solution needs to fit the kind of style or desire you have. So many of the questions they ask you will help them recommend the RIGHT solution for you.

While you most likely will want a combination of length and volume and/or color enhancement, their job is to assess your expectations and compare these to what you are able to manage in terms of maintenance. 

Have you worn extensions before? If you have, what kind have you worn? What did you like or not like about them?

They often ask this question to determine if you already know the drill when it comes to what happens during an application and what home care maintenance you need to commit to. It’s also your opportunity to share what you did or didn’t like about the ones you’ve had before. Maybe you were a fan of beads and wanted something to sit flatter against the head? In that case they may steer you towards a panel weft. 

Are you getting these for an occasion?

You may be asking for extensions if you are planning them for a special event (such as a wedding), in which case you may not know that if you didn’t want to wear them BEYOND the wedding that clip-in sets could be a good way to get a look for the occasion only. Another reason you may be asking is that you may have noticed some extra hair fall or thinning due to a health condition or even the start of genetic hair loss. We know how terrible this is for you, and while you may not want to talk about it, your stylist is the professional! Tell them what you’re upset about and why you’re asking for extensions. They can help take away your fear and anxiety by explaining a roadmap of different solutions for you over time that keep you hair confident.

What is your personal style?

They ask this question to decide what kind of extensions you need, proper placement and then how best to cut and blend it afterward. If you have a new hairstyle in mind, it’s best that you bring in some inspiration beforehand or accurately describe the kind of look you’re going for. 

They may also ask: 

• Do you wear your hair up or down?
• Do you wear glasses, which may affect extension placement?
• Do you participate in any regular activity that may affect your ability to maintain your extensions?
• Are you open to making adjustments to your hair color prior to the application to ensure proper color matching?
• What do you really want? Length? Volume or a color change? All of the above?

Have you had any life changes in the past few months?

Sometimes health complications, stressors, surgery, or even COVID can take its toll on the body, weakening scalp health and leading to fragile hair follicles that need to be left be while your body heals. During this period the last thing you want to do is add weight by adding extensions to damage the root of your hair while you heal. In situations like this, extensions aren’t ideal, but clip-ins used sparingly or (depending on degree of hair loss from medication, surgery or chemotherapy) units like topper or even wigs are a great way to give you a great hairstyle. 

That’s it! Remember that even when NOT getting hair extensions, the key to getting the hairstyle you crave is just being open with your stylist about what you like, don’t like and what your hair dreams really are.