How to Choose the Right Hair Extensions Specialist
Diving into the world of hair extensions as a new client can be overwhelming, but I’m here to put some of your mind at ease and arm you with everything you need for the process!
Assess your hair for color/damage.
It’s so tempting to just dive into the extensions stylist search but the topic of color/damage WILL come up pretty much immediately. So let’s dive into it a little bit.
Color:
Before any stylist can install hair extensions, they’re always going to color-match your strands with a swatch/hair extensions they have in salon. The question is, do you love your current hair color? This is going to come up in your consultation or even your application process prior to the consult. If you don’t love your hair color, are suffering from color damage/need a color correction, this needs to be addressed before you get hair extensions.
Cause think about it. If you don’t love the color of your hair right now, do you really want more of the color you don’t like?
So here’s what you can do. If you already have a colorist you know and trust, book an appointment with them first so that your hair color is all set and ready to go for extensions. If you don’t, many hair extension specialists are prepared to discuss color with you and could possibly offer color services along with their extension services. Be sure to bring this up during consultation or any forms you may have to complete to apply for hair extensions.
Damage:
If you suspect that your hair is damaged — whether it be chemical damage, breakage, hair loss, buildup issues, medical changes causing the damage — this is going to need your attention first. Installing hair extensions on severely compromised hair isn’t the wisest decision. If your hair is already prone to breakage/snaps easily, it will be that much more difficult for your hair to anchor the weight and addition of even more hair.
Your hair health may need to be addressed first if the damage is too compromised and the hair needs TLC asap. Seeing a hairstylist first to assess the damage and what can be done for treatment and prevention is gonna be your best go. Luckily, this is something that hair extension specialists see often in their chairs and can go over options with you of what’s possible in your specific case.
After all, hair extensions are a relatively long-term investment so you want to be sure that your foundation is strong and healthy before embarking on a months/years-long hair journey.
2. Start with this checklist to search for your specialist.
I’m gonna give you a brief but solid checklist to screen your potential hair extensions specialist.
Major factors include location, professionalism, credibility, and work.
Location:
Since hair extensions are an investment, it’s a good time to ask yourself what you’d be comfortable doing in terms of travel if you did find a solid specialist. Some women are comfortable taking a flight if they are obsessed with a particular stylist’s work, values, or salon experience. Some are only comfortable taking a drive for an hour/handful of hours to achieve the look they want. And some women prefer to stay as closely as possible to home without compromising on quality, if it can be avoided.
You’re gonna want to search for hair extensions either in your city or in your county first to see if you have a handful of specialists already in your area. There could very well be an awesome specialist right in the neighborhood that offers the transformation you’re looking for! If you don’t love what you’re seeing or you’re not sold on any stylists in your area, then you may want to explore neighboring options in a statewide search. Just remember, proximity is something to consider in the long run when choosing a stylist you’ll be returning to for maintenance appointments and new installs.
But you know yourself better than anyone — so do what feels right for you!
Professionalism:
Aside from the knowedge and application of hair extensions — the actual experience is everything! Nowadays, most hairstylists have Instagram, Facebook, or a website to stalk before you make any decisions. You can gain a lot of insight about them and their personality, the way they conduct their business, what other clients are saying about them and much more. Since everyone’s different, preference is subjective, so you can assess if you like their workspace/salon, even see their pretty faces, hear them speak, see how they interact with clients, and even the overall tone in their content/website. Though none of this is required, a little digging can help put your mind at ease and help you become more familiar with their business practices and what kind of experience they create for their clients.
Credibility:
We all know it’s easy for anyone to talk a good game or say that they’re your go to specialist right? But what is out of the stylist’s control and is often very, VERY helpful in creating trust and realistic expectations is reviews! It can be really easy to find these since most specialists do provide public feedback from their clients via social media/Google profile/website. Google is a great way to find out how people really feel about their experience with that stylist. If Instagram is your go-to, you can look for reviews on their highlight bubbles, potential videos they’ve posted of happy clients, or even scrolling in their comments to see how clients interact with them publicly! This is usually a game-changer for most of us when we’re deciding whether or not we wanna give a business our coins.
Something else to consider and even a bonus, is when a stylist provides insight into how dedicated they are to their craft and experience for their clients. It’s not about perfection, it’s about the effort and charisma. There are amazing extension specialists who invest lots of time and effort into updated training, refresh their business practices, and pour thoughtfully into their clients. It’s usually very apparent on their website, social media and even clients who sometimes express their admiration for that particular stylist’s craft and efforts.
Work:
This is a no-brainer, but for the sake of having a complete checklist, let’s talk about it. Pictures and videos of a specialist’s work are always gonna be the hallmark of their hair extensions business. Make sure the stylist you’re working with produces good work! While some stylists post more than others, the frequency in posting isn’t necessarily a factor in a specialist’s extensions work because managing a social media platform is a full-time job in itself. Not every incredible stylist is savvy in their digital marketing practices but at the very least, the work they do show should be neat, clean, and professional. After all, it will give you a pretty solid idea of the work they will be producing on you right? So let’s make sure we’re not booking without seeing some footage.
3. Where to actually find your hair extensions specialist.
Most extension specialists hang out on these popular platforms — Instagram, Facebook, and Google.
The beauty of these three search engines is that they give you a more personal search for the specialist you’re looking for for different reasons.
Facebook:
We all know Facebook is a highly interactive platform that’s been around for a good while now. The beauty of Facebook is the very direct social interaction people get with businesses and customers alike. There are also Facebook groups for all kinds of interests people have, especially local businesses (like your hair extensions specialist)! Some clients like Facebook for the interactive element that is always very present on that platform. Doing a quick search in the search bar for local groups, local hairstylists, or even hair extensions groups can be a great way to discover new stylists in your area!
Instagram:
Instagram is highly known as we know, for portfolios/work! Most stylists are showcasing their beautiful work on Instagram and also showing their face, their salon/suite, and their personality in general! It’s a great platform to ‘get to know’ stylists on a more intimate level.
Google:
Google is going to be the most practical way to find your hair extensions specialist and this is what I mean. Google does a great job of taking care of the logistical questions you might have. For example, the exact address/location a stylist is located at, their hours of operation, a service list, a website, who and what people are actually saying about the experience/business overall, and a phone number/direct booking link.
My suggestion is to cover all these search engines to find a stylist if it’s possible so you can get a really thorough assessment of them and what they have to offer.
And there you have it! Now you are thoroughly equipped/well informed to start your search for hair a great hair extensions specialist.
If you are located in New York or Long Island NY and are interested in getting hair extensions, you’re in luck because I’m currently accepting new client applications! All you have to do is click this link to apply.
Happy searching!
— Leah the Stylist
Long Island Hair Extensions / Curl Specialist
