Hair Extensions 101

This post is in partnership with Johanna Bobb-Semple and She Laughs Hair and Makeup.

Johanna has been my stylist since she was in beauty school. I have to vibe with people when it comes to my hair and nails so once I find someone I am loyal. Johanna does amazing hair so not only do we get along really well but she is a Rockstar at her job.

Over the years she has talked me out of a lot of crazy ideas. She always has something bigger and better than I imagined. During the time that she has been doing my hair it has been short, long, I have been pregnant, blonde, red, ombre, balayage and brunette.

Several months ago she started talking to me about hair extensions. Although I like to try things with my hair I am not high maintenece with daily care so I told her no. She brought it up again in January when we were planning my birthday shoot. “Just try it and if you don’t like it I will take them out”.

The Install

I decided to try it and we set up my appointment for mid February so I had time to get used to them before Disney. Johanna’s method beaded wefts extensions which meant nothing to me initially but she explained that they would be sewn into my hair so they would lay flat against my scalp and I would be able to wear them for 8 to 10 weeks before I needed to have them moved up. The biggest thing for me was that because she used the microbeads the extensions didn’t need any adhesive, bonds or glue. This means there is no damage to my natural hair.

Johanna purchased the hair for me and toned it so it would match my existing color. The hair we used was 18″ machine tied wefts of human hair. She installed three rows of hair with three wefts in each row. We wanted to add length without adding too much volume.

The install took about 3 hours which included Johanna cutting the wefts, placing them, sewing them in and then trimming my hair.

Initial Thoughts

They were heavier than I expected them to be. I had some soreness on my scalp for about two days. It also took me about two days to figure out the most comfortable way to sleep. I was surprised how easy they were to maintain and actually required a lot less daily maintenance than I thought. My extensions are straight and when I wake up I can brush them and flat iron the top of my natural hair and I am basically ready to go.

Four Weeks In

I am still in shock how easy they are to take care of. I wash every 5 to 7 day and use dry shampoo in-between washes. I have worn them up, straight and curled and it has all been easy to do myself. washing, drying and curling does take longer than it did with my short bob but I am washing it less so I think in the end it is balancing out. I am excited to try out more braids in the next few months when the heat hits.

Next Up

I will need to go back and have them moved up in the next 4 weeks or so. I didn’t know if I would want to put them right back in but now I don’t know if I can live without them.

Johanna is an experienced hair and makeup artist with 9 years in the industry. You can find her daily at EM.ME salon or on the weekends with her company She Laughs Hair and Makeup. Johanna is available for weddings, special events and photo shoots. Follow her on Instagram or at her website.