DIY: Making Your Own Clip-in Extensions

Length, volume, color, and styling options are amongst the reasons women choose to wear extensions. Most of the ladies I know use clip-in extensions primarily for volume. You can find ready-made clip-ins at beauty supply stores in various lengths, colors and textures, or you can make your own using the hair of your choice by following the steps below—trust me, it’s super easy.

1. Hair Extensions

• Purchase the hair in the length/texture/color you are going for.
• Shampoo or prep the hair as you normally would.
• Section off the area of your hair where you want the extensions, and measure.
• Cut the hair extensions to suit your measurements.

2. Hair Clips

• You can find hair clips at your local beauty supply store; Sally Beauty Supply sells a pack of 3 for $1.99. They come in different colors, so purchase the color suitable for your hair.
• The length of your track will determine how many hair clips will go on it.
• Sew into the holes of the hair clips making sure the part that snaps open is facing the right direction (where your real hair will go).

3. Preparing Your Real Hair

Clip-in extensions like many other forms of styling can cause breakage if not handled properly. The point where your hair and the clips meet can become fragile because of the constant pressure. Here are some tips to consider that will help ease the strain:

• Moisturize the area where you will be clipping the extensions onto.
• Rotate the positions of your extensions to avoid continuous pressure on the same spots.
• Remove them gently to make sure they don’t get caught in your hair.
• If you comb them while they are in your hair, place one hand on the track while combing to prevent them from tugging at your roots.
• Don’t sleep with your clip-ins because rolling around at night will cause stress between the hair clips and your hair, which can only result in one thing: breakage!