How To Style Hair Extensions

Hair extensions are a fantastic way to unlock endless styling possibilities, giving you the length, volume, and body to achieve looks you’ve only dreamed of. With your beautiful Glamlox extensions in place, your hair becomes a versatile canvas, ready for anything from sleek, straight styles to bouncy curls or sophisticated updos.

To truly get the most out of your extensions and keep them looking flawless, understanding the right styling techniques and tools is key. 

The Foundation of Flawless Styling

Before you even pick up a brush or a heat tool, proper preparation is essential. These steps protect your extensions and ensure your style lasts.

Essential Pre-Styling Prep: Always start by thoroughly detangling your hair extensions. Use a soft-bristle extension brush or a wide-tooth comb. Begin at the ends and gently work your way up to the roots, carefully brushing around the bonds of your extensions (Nano, Tape, Weft, Flat, or Stick tips). This prevents knots from forming and makes styling much smoother.

Heat Protectant: If you plan to use any heat tools such as hairdryers, straighteners, or curling wands, a good quality heat protectant spray is absolutely non-negotiable. Apply it evenly from the mid-lengths to the ends of your extensions. This forms a protective barrier, shielding the hair from direct heat damage, which is crucial for maintaining its silkiness and extending its lifespan.

Dry Before You Style: Never apply heat tools like straighteners or curling wands to wet or damp extensions. Heat on wet hair can cause severe, irreversible damage. Make sure your hair extensions are completely dry, especially around the bonds, before any heat styling.

Sectioning: For easier and more effective styling, divide your hair into manageable sections. This helps ensure every strand is styled evenly and that you don't miss any areas.

The Right Cleanse: Ensure your hair is clean and free from excessive product build-up before styling. Residue can make hair sticky, dull, and harder to style, and can even burn onto the hair with heat.

Mastering Heat Styling

Glamlox extensions are made from high-quality Remy human hair, meaning they can be styled with heat just like your natural hair. However, smart heat styling is vital.

Curling: To create lasting, bouncy curls, use a curling wand or heated rollers. For best results, take small sections of hair, apply a light holding spray, and wrap the hair around the barrel, ensuring you don't wrap the extension bonds themselves. Hold for a few seconds, then release the curl into your palm to cool before letting it drop. This sets the curl beautifully.

Straightening: For a pin-straight finish, use a good quality hair straightener. Work in small, thin sections. Apply heat protectant, then glide the straightener smoothly and consistently from just below the bonds down to the ends. Avoid going over the same section multiple times.

Waves: To achieve beach waves or loose glamour waves, you can use a wider barrel curling wand, or even a straightener. With a straightener, gently clamp the hair and twist the straightener away from your face as you pull it down the strand. For beach waves, alternate the direction of your curls in different sections for a more natural, undone look.

Temperature Control: Always use the lowest effective heat setting on your styling tools. High heat can cause irreversible damage to hair extensions, making them dry and brittle. Start low and only increase the temperature if absolutely necessary.

Holding Power: To make your styles last longer, finish with a light-hold hairspray. Avoid heavy, sticky sprays that can weigh down the extensions or cause build-up.

Updos and Ponytails: Styling with Discretion and Comfort

One of the best things about extensions is the ability to create full, voluminous up-styles. The trick is to hide the bonds and avoid putting strain on your natural hair.

High Ponytail: For a high ponytail, gather your natural hair and extensions into a loose ponytail. You might want to create a small, half-up section first to hide lower bonds, then gather the rest. Use a strong, snag-free hair tie. Alternatively, for very high ponytails, some prefer to create a small, discreet bun with their natural hair at the crown and then attach clip-in wefts around it to create the illusion of a full, natural ponytail.

Braids: Extensions add incredible fullness to braids. Whether you're doing a simple plait, a fishtail, or a more intricate Dutch or French braid, ensure you incorporate both natural hair and extension strands evenly. Braid gently to avoid pulling at the bonds.

Updos: For buns, twists, or intricate updos, your stylist can show you how to place your bonds so they are completely hidden. The key is to avoid pulling hair too tightly at the root. Use hairpins that match your hair colour for extra security and invisibility.

Half-Up, Half-Down: This style is fantastic for showing off length while keeping hair out of your face. Ensure the section you pull back is high enough to completely cover any bonds or tapes underneath.

Comfort is Key: Always be mindful of pulling and straining your extension bonds. If a style feels too tight, loosen it to prevent discomfort or damage to your natural hair and the extensions.

Simple Styles and Volume Tricks

You don't need a special occasion to make your extensions look amazing. Here are some simple ideas for daily wear.

The Power of Volume: To add extra lift at the roots, gently backcomb your natural hair around the crown before blending it with the extensions. You can also use a volumising spray or dry shampoo at the roots for a quick boost.

Quick and Easy: Sometimes, the simplest styles are the most effective. A sleek, straight look, loose waves, or a classic low ponytail can be achieved quickly and still look incredibly polished with the added length and thickness from your extensions.

The Perfect Blow Dry: Mastering a salon-worthy blow dry at home can make your extensions look their absolute best. Use a round brush to smooth and add volume. Always direct the airflow downwards to keep the cuticles flat and enhance shine.

Texturising Tricks:T For a more relaxed, natural look, use a texturising spray on dry extensions. Gently scrunch the hair to enhance natural waves or create a soft, tousled texture without heat.

Simple Sophistication: Hair extensions provide a foundational elegance. Even leaving them down and simply brushed, the added length and fullness naturally exude sophistication, allowing you to look polished with minimal effort.

Tools and Products

Having the right tools and products is crucial for both effective styling and preserving the health of your extensions.

The Right Brush: Invest in a soft-bristle extension brush (like boar bristle or a loop brush). These are designed to glide over extension bonds without snagging or pulling, preventing damage.

Extension-Friendly Products: Stick to sulphate-free, paraben-free, and ideally alcohol-free shampoos and conditioners. For styling, choose lightweight serums, mousses, and hairsprays that won't cause build-up or weigh down your extensions. Avoid heavy oils or products directly on the bonds.

Heat Tools: A good quality hairdryer with a cool shot setting, ceramic straighteners, and a versatile curling wand are excellent investments. Remember to always use them on low heat with heat protectant.

Holding Sprays and Finishes: Opt for flexible or light-hold hairsprays. These will help your styles last without making the hair stiff or sticky, allowing for natural movement.

Your Essential Styling Kit: A good kit includes your extension brush, sectioning clips, soft hair ties, a heat protectant spray, and your preferred styling tools.

Tips for Healthy Hair and Lasting Looks

How you style your extensions doesn't just affect your look for the day, it impacts their long-term health and lifespan.

Minimising Heat Damage: Reduce the frequency of heat styling where possible. Embrace air-drying, heatless curling methods, or simply wear your hair in a low ponytail or braid on non-wash days. This gives your extensions a break and helps them last longer.

Avoiding Over-Styling: Constant brushing, backcombing, or complex styling can put stress on the hair. While extensions are durable, giving them a break from excessive manipulation contributes to their health.

Protecting Your Investment: Gentle styling equals longer-lasting extensions. Being mindful of bond areas, using the right products, and applying heat wisely are small habits that make a big difference in preserving your Glamlox hair.

Brushing Frequency and Its Impact: Regular brushing is key, but be gentle. Over-brushing or aggressive brushing can cause friction and damage.

Your Glamlox hair extensions are a fantastic asset for exploring new styles and boosting your confidence. By following these practical tips and treating your extensions with the care they deserve, you'll ensure they remain beautifully styled, healthy, and a true joy to wear for many months to come.

Ready to unleash your creativity? Explore the full Glamlox hair extensions collection today and discover your perfect match for enduring style.