I was born with a full head of hair. Yes, I was not your garden variety bald baby. And yet, in the last 22 years I’ve managed to destroy this genetic superpower one strand at a time. I think this had something to do with using heat tools every week since the age of 16 and then having my hair bleached, smoothened and coloured multiple times. So it’s safe to say that my hair (or what little is left of it) will take very long to look thick and voluminous again. Or will it ever?
Introducing hair extensions.
They are either real or synthetic strips that you can have taped, glued or clipped on to your existing strands for instant length and volume. Parul Gulati’s pitch on Shark Tank India 2 of her brainchild (or scalpchild) Nish Hair has managed to stir up some conversation about hair extensions. You can use scalp toppers to cover up bald patches, single clip in pieces to add colour or length, or scrunchies to add body to your messy buns–and these are only the temporary kinds.
So here’s are the all the basics before you step into the world of hair extensions.
Real VS Synthetic
Hair extensions come either with real hair or synthetic hair that mimic the appearance of real hair.
When it comes to the real kind, they will blend in with your natural hair very seamlessly and make it easier for you to style them with heat to your liking. However, they are significantly more expensive than synthetic extensions, and you’ll have to deal with them frizzing up and tangling like natural hair does. Synthetic ones on the other hand have a plastic-y look and can stand out against natural hair. But they are much cheaper and easier to manage.
Types Of Hair Extensions
There are different ways in which hair extensions are adhered to your natural hair. Keratin bonded hair extensions are individual bunches of hair that are ‘glued’ onto your scalp using a keratin-based dry adhesive or micro beads. These last in hair the longest (about 12 weeks) and blend seamless with you natural hair. They are also fairly low-maintenance.
The band of sewn in hair extensions are, of course, sewn in with a needle to your hair and can last up to three months. They are less noticeable than clip on or glue ons, and also less damaging than the latter. Taped hair extensions are pasted onto the hair right below the topmost layer. And lastly, clip-on hair extensions have a clip on one side and hair on the other. These are the quickest and the most temporary kind.
Coming to longevity and durability, temporary hair extensions can be use day-to-day or on a weekly bases. Semi-permanent hair extensions like the sew-in ones can last for upto eight weeks. And permanent hair extensions like the keratin bonded ones can last upto 3 months. In India, temporary clip-on hair extensions are all the buzz. So, here are a few brands that caught my attention-
One Hair Stop
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1 Hair Stop has been in the business of hair extensions for over 13 years. Their entire organisation is built on the backbone of women. They aim to provide affordable, high-quality human hair extensions, and make beauty accessible to all.
Nish Hair
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Parul Gulati’s Nish Hair is fairly new to the market but has a lot of eyes on them. They deal with 100% human hair extensions in forms of strands, bangs, scalp toppers, hair scrunchies and more.
Hair Originals
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Hair Originals is another company that has landed an investment from the sharks at Shark Tank India 1. They offer both, permanent and temporary hair extensions, along with installation salon for your convenience.
Gemeria
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Gemeria too has been in the hair industry for over 10 years. The have a wide assortment of temporary hair extensions like clip-ins and wigs, and permanent hair extensions like professional keratin bonded tips and machine wefts.
Diva Divine Hair
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From Aavriti Choudhary to Sakshi Sindwani, Diva Divine Hair has been providing hair solutions since 2008. They also have a network of over 1000 salons and 500 trained stylists across India in Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mumbai.
