Dirty Looks Extensions | Review

DIRTY LOOKS | Extensions in 'Manhattan Highlighted Blonde' | from £69.99* | Link

If you're a fellow hair obsessive and haven't yet heard of Dirty Looks hair extensions, then where on earth have you been hiding?! There's been a lot of hype surrounding the company just recently so I was superly-duperly excited to have the chance to try them out for myself.  I've dabbled in my fair share of clip-ins since I was around 16 so it's fair to say I've got a good idea of what makes a good set (and a bad one - we've all been there, done that and got the rats tails, right?!) I have to say, Dirty Looks have thoroughly impressed me. If you're after Rapunzel-esque hair, look no further....

Colour Selection: If you've got a simple hair colour to match (i.e - block brown or black), you're pretty much sorted with every single hair extension company you'll ever come across. Sadly, for those of us with slightly trickier barnets, we have to look further afield. I really struggle to match my hair - no end! Honestly, it's such a mission. I've ordered so many sets in the past and had to take them back or just give up completely because I can never seem to get it right. Dirty Looks have plenty of options and I found it really easy to select a few colours which looked as if they'd blend in - their colour 'swatches' are some of the best I've ever come across which is really important if you're buying extensions online!  I was matched to 'Manhattan Highlighted Blonde' which matches the top and mid-sections of my hair perfectly, and although I do have darker brown bits underneath, they seem to blend in really well and once I've clipped them all in, all the different tones in my hair looks completely blended with the extensions. I was so pleased to finally have a set of extensions that weren't too warm toned for my hair - another big plus point for me as I've ordered many sets from companies in the past that have been far too warm toned or brassy. 

Length: My hair is quite long in the first place without extensions, so I opted for the 20-22" length set. I prefer volume as opposed to added length so I went for a set that would be close to my own hair. They're ever so slightly longer which I really like as it gives that extra little half an inch of length without looking false and provides tonnes and tonnes of 'oomph'. Just what I'm after! Luckily, Dirty Looks offer a range of lengths so there should be the perfect length for everyone whether you're after super-long locks or a bit of added volume like me!

Hair Quality: Dirty Looks hair has seriously amazed me.  And that's saying something to say how many sets of extensions I've tried in the past! They're easily some of the thickest extensions I've ever used, and they look so healthy and full from the weft to the tip.  The 20-22" set contains 180 grams of human remy hair - which is pretty impressive considering that most standard sets are usually around 120 grams or less.  They've stayed looking thick, smooth and tangle free since I've had them and they're so easy to style. If we were awarding points out of 10 here, they would definitely get top marks for quality! Gold star for you, Dirty Looks!

The Set/Wefts: There are 10 wefts of hair altogether including one 'quad weft'. Oh my goodness. It's amazing.  I can easily get away with just wearing the quad on it's own (which is what I'm wearing in the two photos either side on the top row of photographs above). Admittedly, I have to be careful when wearing it sometimes - I don't have thin hair but if I'm having a particularly 'flat' hair day it can show slightly at the back - however, if I've styled my hair and given it a proper blow-dry, it's perfect. The other wefts included in the set are a mix of typical 3, 2 and 1 clip sections of hair which are ideal for clipping in on the sides of your head or to help blend any layers in. To be honest, because my hair is more or less the same length anyway, even just popping in a few of the smaller sections of hair without the quad weft is more than enough! The hair is so thick anyway that you honestly don't need to wear the full set to get results. Perfect for if you're in a rush of a morning and fancy some instant volume. 

Price: Ok. So Dirty Looks extensions aren't the cheapest. But I'm a firm believer in that when it comes to hair extensions, you do get what you pay for and they're 100% worthy of their price tag.  The full set is currently on sale and ranges from £69.99 all the way up to £124.50 depending on what length you need (the 20-22" currently retails at £99.99 - *link*).  These extensions will last you ages, so you probably won't need to buy a new set for quite some time.  For the quality and ease of use, I personally wouldn't really think twice about buying another set when I need to.

Overall, I'm so, so impressed with Dirty Looks extensions. I would definitely repurchase another set in future and I'm already planning on adding a couple of their singular wefts to my basket - that's another great thing about Dirty Looks! You can purchase singular wefts so there's no need to buy a full set if you just need a couple of 'top ups' or spares.  You can also buy the 'quad weft' on it's own too - which means there's no need to buy a full set if it's simply the larger weft that you're after! They also offer thin wefts for 'layer blending' which you can clip close to the root or attach onto your existing extensions. This idea is something I've not really come across from another company before - and it's great to see that Dirty Looks have thought of everything and sell different wefts separately - meaning there's no need to buy a full-head set every time. You can find their website here.

Have you tried extensions from Dirty Looks? Were you as impressed as me?!

International Giveaway! | Win a set of ClipHair Extensions (CLOSED)

Last week, I posted about a set of ClipHair extensions and was really impressed with the quality and colour choice available (I won't go on like a broken record but you can find that post here if you missed it!). For me, extensions are a must-have for that extra bit of glamour and I simply cannot have a night out on the tiles without a little bit of added 'woomph'. ClipHair extensions are all human Remy hair - meaning that they remain tangle free and softer for longer, at the same time as being superly-duperly simple to apply. The handy clips mean that it's a great way to try out thicker or longer locks without having the commitment of permanent extensions - you really can just 'whip' them in and out as you please (cue a bit of Willow Smith ;))

I've been lucky enough to be able to offer my readers the chance to win a set of ClipHair extensions themselves - yippee! I said it in my recent review but I shall say it again - I was really impressed. They really do have one of the largest colour selections I've ever seen from a hair extension company and there is a set to match even the most awkward of barnets. Without any further rambling from me, I shall get into the nitty gritty ins and outs of this giveaway and attempt to keep it short and snappy...

To enter, all you have to do is be a follower of my blog. Sound simples? Of course it is! And there's also a few other things you can do to earn yourself a couple of fruity-bonus entries. Because we all love fruity-bonuses.

The giveaway is open internationally and will run for 2 weeks starting from today, meaning that the giveaway will close at midnight on Sunday 11th August 2013.  After the giveaway has ended, both me and ClipHair will be in contact and the lucky lady will be able to select her set of extensions and colour choice.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck fellow birds!

I will choose the winner via the Rafflecopter form and will be in contact pretty sharpishly - however the winner's entry/s will be moderated and checked to make sure there's no wool pulling over anybodies eyes ;) We can't have any of that! I will contact the winner and if I receive no reply within 7 days the winner will be picked again.

Bird's Words has been shortlisted in the 2013 #CosmoBlogAwards in the 'Best Established Beauty Blog' category. If you enjoy reading my blog, it would mean the world to me if you voted for Bird's Words - You can cast your votes here.

ClipHair Extensions | The 'DIY' Set

ClipHair Extensions | DIY Clip-In Set - 24" in 'Light Golden Blonde | £54.99* | Link

One thing I spend a great amount of time on is my hair.  Whether it be simply throwing it up into a messy bun or curling it for a night out, I never feel content unless my hair is done in some way.  I have relatively thick hair although just recently it's thinned out quite considerably due to health reasons - so keeping my hair looking thick and healthy has been a bit of a kerfuffle to say the least (there's only so many volume shampoos a girl can use!) Clip-in extensions are never far from my grasp - they come in handy for nights out or 'bad hair days' when you just need a little bit of a boost. And let me tell you -  I have been needing one heck of a boost of late! My hair is quite long now as I've been growing it for a number of years, so extensions are something I reach for if I want volume as opposed to length.

When ClipHair offered me the chance of sampling one of their hair extension sets, I knew straight away I wanted to try one their 'DIY' sets.  I've had my fair share of extensions in the past, and one thing that always niggles me is ready sewn sets of hair. Don't get me wrong, it saves a great deal of time and effort and spares you the fiddly little job of sewing the clips on yourself, but I like my extensions to fit a certain way and I like to choose the length of the pieces I wear - not everybody's head circumference is the same! I also opted for the 24 inch length - which is the longest length I've ever gone for with a set of extensions - but I also wanted to cut them myself so that they appeared slightly thicker.  I like my extensions to match the length of my own hair, so I figured if I went a little longer, then I could cut an inch or two off so it matched my own hair perfectly. A few stitches and a couple of snips later and voila - hair extensions that matched my needs exactly.

The colour I decided to go for was 'Light Golden Blonde' - which I have to say is a pretty good match.  I've said it before on my blog but my hair colour is a right pain to match - it's light but has darker blonde bits running throughout it, without any bleach throughout the longer lengths, so I always choose a shade that looks light enough to blend with the top, but natural enough to blend with the bottom.  This shade does just that - and blends seamlessly into my hair.  One of the best things about ClipHair is the range of colours they stock - honestly, i was blown away by the array of shades and colour mixes they offer and it has to be one of, if not the best colour choice I have seen from a hair extension company so far.  They also offer a choice of length ranging from 10 to 26 inches, as well as a choice of singular or double wefted sets - meaning that there really is something there for everybody. 

The quality of the hair is also really good.  They feel really smooth and silky to the touch and also style really effectively.  I always curl my extensions as I rarely wear my hair straight, so a set of extensions that hold a hairstyle is important for me.  What I really love about their website is that they offer FREE worldwide delivery - which is excellent (don't we all hate dreaded delivery charges!) I've been really pleased with the DIY set (link) - it's perfect for those of you who want to experiment with their extensions a little more, or find readily sewn-sets a bit off a faff at times. It's made applying hair extensions that little bit quicker for me. I'll definitely order off ClipHair again - their website has really impressed me and the range of colour, length and weft choices is really extensive.  But don't just take my word for it! You can have a browse on the ClipHair website here.

Have you tried ClipHair extensions? Is a 'DIY' set something you'd like to try?

Halo Hair | The Halo | First Impressions & Information

Halo Hair Extensions in 'Mixed Blonde 18/22' * - www.halohairextensions.com

One of the things I'm really passionate about as a lover of all things beauty, is hair products and styling. Ask anybody who knows me and they will tell you the same thing - I'm obsessed.  I like to take good care of my hair and I like it to look good. I'm sure most of you, like me, will have dabbled in hair extensions in the past, and found them to be absolutely amazing for adding volume and/or length to your hair. I've only ever tried clip-ins, and although I like the fact they're so versatile, the only thing I didn't like was the faff of applying them. So, when I was given the chance to try 'The Halo' concept from the lovely team at Halo Hair Extensions, I was superlyduperly excited to say the least. The thought of hair extensions without clips or glue, or hours of painstaking application intrigued me, and I thought I would give you a little run down of my first impressions and experience so far. 

Colour Matching & Service:
Firstly, I just want to say that the service I have received from Halo Hair has been amazing. From past experience, I'm aware that my hair isn't the easiest colour to match. I'm sure you've all seen my hair colour in previous outfit posts, but it's quite light on top, with a mix of different blondes through the mid-lengths, and a dark mousey brown on the bottom. I sent Halo an email with 3 different photographs of the different tones in my hair, and had a reply within a few hours from John, who suggested 2 colours for me to have a look at. He was really helpful, and assisted me in choosing a shade to best match my rather awkward blonde hair.

My package arrived the next day and I was so impressed with the delivery and way in which the whole parcel was presented. Inside, you get a little envelope containing the instructions for application depending whether you have opted for the clip-ins or 'The Halo', and a little bottle of shampoo and conditioner - which is such a lovely little extra. I did notice that the colour was a little too light for my hair - although I think my barnet is impossible to match exactly anyway due to the mix of shades running through it (in the past i've ended up having to opt for a shade slightly darker or lighter and tinting it to blend in perfectly). I exchanged a few more emails with John regarding the colour, and after removing the hair from it's packaging I've come to realise it actually does blend in fairly well. If anything, it's a little bit too warm for my ashy blonde. I've been reassured that dying the extensions is perfectly fine, so I'm going to attempt to tone the colour of them down slightly next week. Overall - I was just so chuffed with the service. The team at Halo are honestly so helpful. Being the little pest I am, I sent a couple of further emails regarding the colour, but each time I had a reply within a few hours and each time I had my questions answered.

The Hair:
The hair is 100% human remy hair - which means that the weft has all of the hair cuticles intact and running the same way, which prevent any tangles or matting. The longevity of the hair is improved and the appearance is smoother and more natural looking. You get a choice of length (16", 20") depending on how long your natural hair is - I opted for the 20" -  because my hair is fairly long to start with.

The Halo:
So what exactly is 'The Halo?' i hear you ask. Well, it's a weft of hair - similar to what you would get with clip-ins but slightly thicker, attached on a thin piece of transparent wire that you place around your head and adjust accordingly (you can see the adjustment wires in the photographs above). If my description completely baffles you, then Halo have an array of videos on their website that you can view here. I must admit, I found adjusting the Halo a little tough at first - it takes a bit of wiggling to get the wire moving but I managed to get it to fit in the end. Once on your head, the wire is completely invisible - which is the main thing I was unsure of.

I know you all want to see pictures of the Halo in action. Fear not my pretties, my next post will include photos of the hair styled after I've dyed them to match my own hair completely as at the moment I don't think I could show them to their best potential! I also need to curl them to match my usual hairstyle.. But I do hope you've found this post helpful in some way. Please do keep your eyes peeled for my next post - where I shall be giving you a more in-depth review of The Halo after I've dyed them and styled them, and how I'm getting on with application/wear.

In the meantime, if you fancy a nosey at Halo Hair, then head over to their website. 
The Halo retails for £89.99 (16") and £99.99 for the 20".

Have you tried Halo Hair? Do you have any questions for me to answer in my next post? 

 ♥