Using hair extensions for an instant transformation

With a new year comes detox, diets, renewed gym memberships and a determination that 2010 will be the year to look and feel good. But there is a simple and easy way women everywhere can look better in an instant - extensions.

Offering an extension service in the salon doesn't have to mean long appointments and a big expense for clients. Salons can offer quick transformations that will leave customers feeling like new, and for less than £100.

According to Dawn Reilly, marketing director at Balmain Hair UK, the extensions market is currently worth more than £45m and that figure looks likely to increase this year. But with Cheryl Cole removing her extensions and more celebrities wearing shorter styles, what will clients still be asking for when it comes to extensions in 2010?

"Some 75% of women in the UK want more hair not just length but volume," she explains, "So this is an area where growth will be greatest this year.

"Salons that offer a volume service can really increase their profit and build customer loyalty," she adds. Philip Sharp, managing director for Great Lengths, agrees and says the fashion for long, voluminous, bouncy hair is good news for salons.  

And it isn't just volume and length that salons can offer quickly and effectively. A splash of colour will lift any dull winter style. "One of the best ways to market extensions is for your salon team to be wearing them," adds Philip. "Flashes of colour in the hair will attract attention and are a great way to start a conversation about extensions with your current client base."

So what can you offer your clients for a new look in the new year? Here are some of the options that work well.

The Ponytail

As seen on the catwalks of: Joanna Vanderpuije

Celebrity fan: Shakira

Victor Pajak, Headquarters, Kingston-upon-Thames, says: "Ponytails are easy to create using extensions. Hair is pulled into a ponytail then a clip-in tail can simply be attached around the natural hair. I believe what used to be a bad hair day style is now seen as a really glamourous style, especially with all the celebrities now sporting ponytails. It's also a really versatile look. Heated rollers can be used for a soft curl and bouncy tail, while backcombing the tail gives it a vampy, sexy finish. Straightening irons will create a sleek, chic look and for a 60s style create a high ponytail, add the extensions then curve round using large rollers and kick out the ends."

Volume

As seen on the catwalks of: Caroline Charles

Celebrity fan: Cheryl Cole

Darren Fowler, Clipso, London, says: "If your clients would like permanent volume then you should choose bonded extensions. These can be placed in the areas where lift is needed and if the extensions are placed in triangular sections it will create much fuller and thicker looking hair. If they simply want more volume for a night out then hair wefts are perfect for this temporary look. The wefts are placed in slices and can be removed easily. If they are real hair extensions you can style the hair normally and use heated appliances, so the options are endless. The obvious advantage of extensions are twice the amount of hair to play with. For that ultra volume look like Cheryl Cole you will need to use heated rollers or curling tongs. Wind large sections of hair around the heated rollers or curling tongs and over-direct them. This will give you lots of volume and the over-direction action will stop the volume dropping. Finish with a strong-hold hairspray to keep the volume in place."

Longer Lengths

As seen on the catwalks of: William Tempest

Celebrity fan: Leona Lewis

Clayde Baumann, Saks art team says: "Real hair extensions are fantastic for creating long looks and there are so many options on the market, including wefts and clip-in extensions. These are great as a last minute solution and give the client extra length or body for one night. Extensions are really easy to style and the length offers versatility, from blow-drying and roller-setting to straightening for a soft, silky finish. Tying long hair up has never been so interesting either, with an array of glamorous clips, grips and other hair accessories to dress the hair."

 

A Fringe

As seen on the catwalks of: Paul Costelloe

Celebrity fan: Dannii Minogue

Michelle Griffiths, Michelle Griffiths, Birmingham, says: "A false fringe can be created on different lengths of hair, using different attachment methods. On short hair bonded extensions are best, keeping the bonds as small as possible to avoid detection, with taped wefts best for long hair. You can play around with the lengths, texture, and volume of hair in a fringe making it one of the most versatile accessories you can have."

Hair Colour

As seen on the catwalks of: Giles

Celebrity fan: Ashley Olsen

Karen Dodds, Cutting Room Creative, Leeds, says: "Extensions are a quick and easy way to add flashes of colour to your hair without permanently changing it. Clients could add mad purple flashes to their hair on a Saturday night and then remove them to return back to the office on Monday. Ashley Olsen shows perfectly how adding purple, green and pale blue pieces can add a grungy rock feel to hair and shows that there's more to extensions than a long glamorous hairstyle. Trends can be followed but it is always more important to make sure the c olour suits the client. When considering how many to apply less is definitely more, otherwise it can look too overdone."