Natural vs Mermaid: Pro Tips on Choosing the Right Length for You
When most people think of extensions they think of long mermaid hair- kissing the lower back.
No one really thinks about a more reserved natural look. Extensions can vary and have evolved over the years. They give life back into hair that has lost its vibrancy in volume due to health conditions, stress or chemical damage. Length is a very personal choice and we have seen it all. We have seen the woman who comes in knowing she wants 24” to 26” of extensions installed. She can rock them and she knows what she’s doing. There’s another type of woman who comes in and wants it so natural that no one would ever know. We have others that come in thinking they want length and end up coming back in a few days to have us carve off more so she can feel a bit more comfortable and vice versa.
Length is not just length and hair is not “just hair”.
It can be a truly important and personal decision. We always give guests suggestions on length and here’s our top three things to keep in mind when your artist has her shears ready to chop:
Tip #1- Decide how long you want to wear this set of hair
If you are a six month wearer or a nine month wearer or over a year- will determine what length we should choose. Going longer is always better if you plan on wearing your extensions for nine months to a year since your hair is cut at every move up appointment. Naturally the extensions will become shorter and shorter with age and shedding.
Tip #2- How tall are you?
Our rule of thumb has always been 5’7 and shorter = 18 inches or shorter. 5’7 or taller = 18 inches or longer. But this will really vary on chest size, weight and what you personally like.
Tip #3- Are you a wake up and go girl or a get ready and style girl?
I tell most of our guests if you don’t like styling your hair every day, 22 inches can look a bit too fake. Instead go with the safe route of 18 inches that will give you a bit of length and volume and less maintenance to handle later.
Investing in a new set of extensions around September-October is always a perfect option for keeping extension ends in good shape. This way at the end of their life span, when extensions are aged, you can wear them in the summer months (the most harsh season on extensions) knowing that your hair can be replaced afterwards.
We will go over your options and what the best length will be for your lifestyle and the look you were wanting to achieve.
