Multiple uses of hair extensions

Hair extensions and wefts are well established as a session stylist's best friend. Perfect for adding colour, length or volume, extensions are also the ideal tool for creating imaginative avant garde creations.

While celebrities have long embraced the trend, many clients are now ready to jump on the extensions bandwagon, but are you seizing the opportunity? Here are some examples of ways you can use extensions in your work.   

Miley Cyrus

If your clients want long hair like Miley's and don't want to wait for it to grow, add instant length with extensions. They can be cut and styled to blend in with the natural hair, offering an immediate head of long, tumbling tresses. There are many systems to choose from - with instant clip-in varieties or the more permanent bonded systems. Clip-ins are perfect for your younger clientele as they experiment with different lengths for weekends and holidays - and are a great retail item.

Cheryl Cole

Cheryl has had one of the most requested styles of recent times, and her full, bouncy bob is now the latest must-have. Getting rid of the long WAG look, she has opted for a shoulder-length bob that oozes health and shine. Extensions give fullness to short hair, making it easy to style.

Ashish

Extensions are essential items for session stylists ensuring they can create any style required within minutes. Extensions give extra length for catwalk styles, fullness for voluminous looks, and can be sculpted into additional shapes. They can also add a splash of colour to match clothes and fabrics. Plaits are a popular look this season. Adding a brightly coloured extension will bring hair to life and add an extra dimension. Simply use the extension as one of the three strands, plait and dishevel.

Session work

London-based hairdresser Darren Ambrose uses extensions in his photographic work, including his 2009 HJ Avant Garde Hairdresser of the Year winning collection. He used hair extensions to add volume and thickness to the natural hair. Hair was wrapped flat around the head (like a 40s headscarf). Next, loose extensions were prepared by straightening, applying hairspray and smoothed with flat irons. Each of these were cut into a shape. To create a fluffy texture, each extension was backbrushed from the outer edge and pinned in place. Colour was created by applying stencil shapes to the hair, and flat brushes were used to apply pigment to achieve cloud-like colouration.