How to Use Clip-In Hair Extensions

Ever look at celebrity hairstyles on the red carpet and wonder: How on earth does she have such voluminous, flowing, lust-worthy hair? Or, how did her straight chin-length bob turn into a long, wavy look? They are, as you might assume, fake as in they couldn't be achieved without the help of hair extensions.

I've always stayed far away from clip-in hair extensions. I recently discovered that several of my friends keep clip-ins handy for getting thicker, longer-looking hair for a night, and they always look good—but I still wasn't entirely sold on the idea of wearing something in my hair.

That all changed when I read the tips of hairstylist Ken Paves.
Now check the tips of hairstylist Ken Paves....


Create a good base  You need to give the hair some grip so that the combs on the back of the extension have something to hold onto and don't just slip out. Paves recommends spraying a medium- to strong-hold hair spray and using a comb to tease the area where you'll apply the clips.


Be a master of disguise  Fine-haired ladies like myself need to be more careful that the top of the extension doesn't peek through our natural hair. Teasing the section of hair just above the clip and just below it will provide the necessary coverage and also give you some extra hold.

Use your heat tools  The most important step is to blend your natural hair and the extension together. Paves wrapped both my hair and the extension around his flatiron, to make sure they flowed into one another and to ensure that each layer had the same loose, wavy texture. Use a large-barrel curling iron for bigger curls or, if you want everything to be superstraight, run a flatiron over both your hair and the extension in the traditional way.

Shake it up  When you're finished, use your fingers to shake your hair and the extension, allowing it to fall naturally into place.