Foxy Hair | Clip-In Extensions

Foxy Hair Extensions | #18/22 | £84.95* | Link

When I took my first steps into the world of blogging around 3 years ago, I remember hearing about Foxy hair and their range of extensions.  They've always been highly recommended - I've heard lots of good things over the years about the company and I know a couple of girls who've ordered their extensions from Foxy and have been suitably impressed. That's why I jumped at the chance to give them a whirl just recently! I must admit I do love my clip ins. I've never had any bonded extensions as I like the fact that I can have a play around and take them in and out whenever I please - the versatility and the fact they're fairly low maintenance is a massive plus point for me.  Due to having long hair to begin with, I tend to use extensions for volume as opposed to length. Having a set of clip-in pieces works well for me as I can pick and choose how I want my hair to look - I've tried my fair share of them over the past few years! Here's what I thought of my Foxy hair set...

Shade and Colour Range:

The colour I decided to go for is #18/22 - 'Medium Ash Blonde/Golden Blonde Mix.  My hair is always a toughie to match so this is one of the most important things for me when looking for a good hair company - I like a wide range of shades to choose from as 'standard' bleached blonde shades don't work for me. I don't have highlights put through my hair anymore and I tend to let it do it's own thing - so my shade of blonde is a big mix of light brown, warm honey blonde and ashy tones.  I have to be careful I don't go too light, as my hair is much darker underneath and when I'm not careful, it can be easy to give the game away! In the past, I've been known to order two shades - but after a few messages to the Foxy team, I settled on 18/22.  My hair isn't particularly ashy but i often find that extensions can be far too warm for my hair. This mix is perfect as it has a certain honey tone to it, but also has ashy bits running through which give it a nice neutral balance.  It's slightly too light for the bottom lengths of my hair but I never expect a perfect match anymore - and once they're all clipped in, the difference is minimal and hardly noticeable at all. Foxy do a good range of shades including mixed brown/blonde and ombre. You can find their colours here.

Hair Quality, Thickness and Options:

Foxy hair is made from high quality Remy hair - something I always like to look for when choosing extensions as I think it makes such a big difference to the overall appearance, quality and the actual length of time they last for before needing to replace them. The full head set which I have contains 120g of hair - pretty much what you can expect from most standard full-head sets of extensions. Upon opening the pack, I noticed the hair was glossy, smooth and soft to the touch - I've since styled mine and I have to say they've stayed very glossy and smooth.  Admittedly, they aren't the thickest set of extensions I've owned - the ends aren't as 'full' as some of my other extensions but I always trim a small amount off to give more 'body' anyway (little tip for you there if you want to make your extensions appear thicker!). This being said, for a regular full set of extensions, they're much better quality than other packs I've spent money on in the past - I've noticed minimal shedding and the ends still look lovely and smooth - no frazzled bits to be seen! If you're after something with more body then it's worth opting for a quad weft or their 'Delxue Full Head Set' which contains 160g of hair.  Personally, although I do like some of my other sets with thicker wefts, I often find slightly thinner ones like this much more practical as there's less chance of the clips/wefts showing through your own hair and they often look more natural (I don't have thin hair but it's also not the thickest so the less bulk, the better for me!).  It's all about how I feel on a certain day - sometimes, I'll often just wear a couple of pieces (again, my hair is long so I can get away with this) and I find the standard full head set more than enough for me. It all depends what sort of look you're going for - if you're a hair extension novice, a full-head set like Foxy's would be a great place to start.  You can see on the pictures above just how much hair you get - it's pretty impressive to say how bulk-free the wefts are.

The Clips and Pieces:

As with most full-head sets, there are 8 pieces to a pack. I often will just clip in the 3 or 2 clip pieces if I'm in a rush and it gives me more than enough body and volume.  I also find the 1 clip pieces so handy for hiding shorter layers around the front of my hair.  The clips are easy to apply - they're a little bigger than some of the other extensions I've tried but it doesn't really matter. They hold really well and are comfortable to wear.

As you can see, they're slightly lighter than the bottom layers of my hair but they seem to merge in really well and they match the top layers perfectly.  I personally like the fact that some of my lighter brown tones show through and I guess it helps that my hair is virtually the same length anyway. If it were shorter, I'd probably have to order a slightly darker colour for underneath but I didn't think it necessary (i don't like my hair being all one colour!)  They don't give huge amounts of volume, so if that's what you're after you're probably better off with a quad weft or thicker set, but for everyday wear this is the sort of look I like to go for.  I'm really not the type who likes to spend ages gripping in bits of hair of a morning!

Overall, I'd recommend Foxy hair if you want to give hair extensions a try and want to be assured of good quality and a good range of shades.  They don't offer the widest range of length or weft choices but they keep it simple and straight forward - perfect if you're new to extensions and just want to see how you get on with a standard full-head set and don't want to faff around with triple wefted or quad weft pieces along with all the bells and whistles! If it's a lot of volume and thickness you're after, it might be worth looking into the quad wefts or deluxe sets - as this standard set offers more of an 'everyday' look and not a huge amount of volume (in my opinion). If, like me, you sometimes struggle to find shades to match, it's well worth looking at their colour chart and range of mixed shades.  They aren't the cheapest at £84.95* - this was the only thing I was slightly unsure of considering you can find similar sets on the market for slightly cheaper containing more grams of hair. I do think the price point is slightly high but I guess it's competitively priced for the overall quality of hair. You can find the Foxy hair extensions range on their website here.

Have you tried Foxy hair in the past? What were your thoughts?

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?!

Meet My Advertisers | July

Afternoon ladies.  Yet again we've come to the end of another month - one that has been a particularly exciting one for me to say the least! I've been to London to exhibit at a design show and made lots of fabulous business contacts, I've jetted away to Crete for a week for some much needed relaxation and chilling out time and I've now set the ball rolling for my professional website and have a work placement next month. Cripes! It's all go for me at the moment! For those of you who are interested I promise I shall provide the link to my professional website once it's all complete (I'm a perfectionist - sorry..;)) - it's taking longer than first thought but hopefully those of you who are interested in that kind of thing will hop on over and follow me on there - it would be great to see some familiar faces! 

Ramblings aside, I have had some lovely bloggers and websites sitting over in my sidebar this month - I shall be sad to see them tottle off but I really hope you've managed to find some new reads. I also have an amazing hair extension company to check out this month - you may know if you've been reading Bird's Words for a while now that I love anything hair related and have a massive interest in hair care - so I'd definitely recommend checking them out if you're a fellow hair-obsessive like myself! I say it almost every month so I must sound like a broken record but there are some fabulous blogs advertising with me this month - some new, some more established but there's no doubt I've enjoyed reading what they have to say about all things beauty - my reading list is now bursting at the seams (and so is my product wish list)! Without any further chit-chat from me (goodness I don't half harp on!) I shall introduce you to this lovely bunch...

Steph | Captivating Beauty | *July Exclusive Advertiser*
Links | Blog |  Bloglovin' | Twitter | Instagram |

Hi everyone! My name is Steph and I write over at Captivating Beauty.  My slice of the web is very young but I have loved blogging and can't imagine my life without it now.  I started watching YouTube beauty videos a few years ago which then expanded to reading blogs up until every evening of mine was consumed by beauty blogs and videos! Which is why i decided to break into the beauty community; which I have to say is so friendly and supportive, and start my own blog.

Over at Captivating Beauty you can expect reviews, hauls, OOTN and a few lifestyle posts popped in to give you more of an insight into my life.  I can't wait for my blog to continue to grow and would love for you all to share this time with me, you never know you may eventually see my face pop up on Youtube!

I would love for you to come over and say hey or send me a tweet.  I love nothing more than chatting to people with a common interest for anything girly!

IMAGE Hair | Luxury Real Hair Extensions
Links | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ |

At IMAGE we pride ourselves on supplying the best clip in hair extensions at great prices, so you can look gorgeous on any budget.  We believe strongly in only using the highest quality Remy human hair, ensuring that all of our human hair extensions are sleek, smooth and shiny.  Our hair extensions are available in a wide range of lengths, colours and weights and we have an interactive colour chart to make picking your set easy, the only thing we want you to worry about is looking amazing! So come over to our website and have a nosy and if you see some clip in hair extensions you like, don't forget we offer great customer service and a full return guarantee. 

Liv | FashStyleLiv
Links | Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Bloglovin' | 

Hi Lovelies, It's wonderful to say hi to all of Bird's Words blog readers and I know you all are big fans of Bird's Words because her blog is fresh and she stays true to herself and us her lovely readers plus she has amazing photos.  My blog is FashStyleLiv and I have been blogging since March.  FashStyleLiv is mainly about Beauty and Makeup products but I usually dabble into posting about other areas such as Photography, Iphoneography, Lifestyle, Food, Travel, etc.  It would be lovely if you had a little nose around my blog and let me know about yours too because I am a massive fan of blogs.  Thank you.. xxx

So there we have it - another month and another bunch of fabulous new websites and blogs to tickle your fancy! Don't forget that I also have other lovely ladies sitting over in my sidebar if this selection isn't enough to expand your reading lists this month. Don't forget I also have a giveaway running through the first half of August - if you haven't entered yet - bet sure to head over. You can find it here.

If you'd like to feature here in August or September then do get in touch - birds.words@yahoo.co.uk. You can have a nosey at my advertising packages here.

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.

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?

Bobbyglam Hair Extensions | Review

Bobbyglam Triple Wefted Hair Extensions in 'St Tropez' | 20-22" (180g) £89.99-£104.99* | 

A few weeks back, I was contacted by the lovely team over at Bobblyglam asking if I would like to try one of their triple wefted sets of hair extensions. Just recently, my hair has been behaving quite badly to say the least; it's shedding quite a bit due to being on and off medication, so clip-in hair extensions are something that I really could do with and I jumped at the chance to try a triple wefted set.  If you know me, you'll know I'm a massive fan of big, bouncy hair and lots of volume, so the fact that these hair extensions are super thick makes them perfect for me and what I would use them for.  This post will be quite lengthy (pardon the pun ;)) so I apologise in advance, but if you're new to extensions or fancy reading up on what Bobbyglam has to offer then grab a cuppa, get comfy and have a read.

| Colour & Choice |

After a great deal of umming and arring, I settled on the shade 'St Tropez'.  You will see from the photos in the tutorial section of this post that my hair is a multitude of shades and is light on the top sections, but quite mousey and dark underneath.  It is very much a backwards ombre... And the ends are darker than the very top of my hair.  This makes choosing colours rather difficult for me, as my hair is naturally blonde and I don't have any bleach in it - so getting a colour that's light enough without looking bleached often proves difficult.  St Tropez is the perfect shade, as it matches the lengths of my hair (which is where the extensions will sit and blend), yet also doesn't look mismatched compared to the top section. For reference, my hair is very similar to Lauren Pope's hair colour from The Only Way Is Essex - it's blonde, but with brown/toffee and caramel colours running through it and it looks almost brown underneath. 

Bobbyglam were very helpful helping with shade selection, and you can send a photo of your hair to them to be matched up by their team of experts.  I found the shade range available very good - for blondes or highlighted hair I know it can be a pain to get extensions to match, but they offer a good range of mixed shades and multi-tonal blondes so there should be something there for everyone. If I can find my perfect shade, then trust me, it will be a doddle for you! There is also a choice of length. I opted for the 20-22" simply because my hair is already quite long, but there is also the option of 16-18" for those of you with mid-length, shorter hair.

| Packaging |

The packaging really impressed me with this product.  If you're familiar with extensions then you will know the bog-standard way of packaging them.  Once opened, you're pretty much stuck with them even if they don't match your hair. I have definitely been there and got the 'gutted' tshirt when it comes to opening a shade that doesn't match - being stuck with a pack of hair you can't use and a purse that's one hell of a lot lighter in the process!  Bobbyglam have been very clever here and eliminated the problem.  The set comes with test weft - which is just as carefully packaged as the rest of the hair, but is separately contained in a little box so that you don't have to break into the pack and void any chance of return.  This is so useful - you can actually clip the hair weft into your hair and see very clearly whether or not they will match - something that proves quite difficult with other extensions I've had in the past. 

| Hair Quality & Wefts |

I've had my fair share of extensions so I know the difference between remy-hair and standard 'market' hair.  The hair is very delicately packaged in little hair nets, so there's no snagging or breakage when you remove them from the packet.   It's very soft and smooth, and the ends are as thick as the top of the wefts.  The amount of hair you get is also fabulous - the triple wefted sets provide you with 180g of hair - well above the weight of a lot of companies 'deluxe' weights, meaning you get one heck of a lot of hair for your money and with less clips.  I love the way the triple wefted sets are bonded together - making them only slightly thicker than a standard singular weft.  I really don't like thick wefts with a passion  I wear my hair pulled to the front, so big thick bands of hair running around the back of my head just look awful on me and other people seeing you're wearing extensions pretty much defeats the object for me.  Bobbyglam cleverly bond their wefts together (as shown in the photograph) so that they sit flat to your scalp.  In my pack, I received one 4 clip weft (middle of the head), two 3 clip wefts (back of the head, nape of the neck area) and four 2 clips wefts (sides of the head). This makes up the full set and it is completely up to you how many you wear at one time.  You can also choose between double wefted, triple wefted or QUAD wefted pieces (cripes, now that's volume for you!) amongst other hair-related goodies. It's also worth mentioning that Bobbyglam hair is ethically sourced.

As you can see, the triple wefts add so much body and volume to what is usually flat, straight hair.  I couldn't believe how seamlessly they blended despite my cruddy-hair colour and dodgy multitones - you can also see from the back view that they are virtually undetectable.  The texture matches my hair perfectly, and they don't look overly shiny or false. The ends also look very full as they are cut slightly blunt - no rats tails over here! Yippee!  The triple wefts do feel heavier than your average extensions set, I can't sit here and tell you that they feel weightless - they don't.  But they don't feel uncomfortable at all.  As I've previously explained, I would wear the full set for a night out or special occasion, but on a day to day basis I would probably use half the amount of hair, meaning the weight is virtually no different to any other hair extensions - and the fact that there are less clips means there's less chance of you giving the game away. It also makes application very speedy.

Overall, I'm really impressed with Bobbyglam. I'm planning on curling them soon so that they blend in with my everyday hairstyle (you can view my tutorial for my curly hair here if you're interested) - I will try and post some sort of photograph or FOTD post once I've made them work for my waves.  To say they provide this much volume when straight leaves me to think that they will simply blow me away with the volume when I curl them! Cheryl Cole.. eat yer heart out ;)

Have you tried Bobbyglam extensions?
You can have a nosey at their website here.

Halo Hair | The Halo Review

 Halo Hair Extensions | 'The Halo' in 'Dark Blonde' (20inch) £99.99* - www.halohairextentions.com

A while back, I had the chance to try some hair extensions from the lovely folks at 'Halo Hair' and was so excited to give their infamous 'halo' concept a whirl. I've tried clip-in extensions in the past and I love how much volume they provide, but hate how much of a 'faff' they can be - The Halo is glue-free, clip-free and sits on the crown of your head without the need for spending ages on application.  If you wish to read my first impressions and learn a little more about the concept then you can read my previous post here.  I thought I would take the chance to answer a few questions I had at the beginning, offer an all round general opinion and hopefully help some of you decide whether or not the Halo is for you. If you want to learn more about application then there are videos and step-by-steps provided on Halo's website here.  

Is application as easy as it looks?
Yes. Although it is best applied on completely tangle free hair (I use my tangle teezer before applying). I also find it is best to style your own hair after you have secured the Halo in place so as to avoid having to pull any curls or waves over the wire.  If you're a fellow curly-barnet fan like me, bare this in mind.  It does take a little getting used to and if I'm honest it took me a good while to get the 'knack' - I find it best to start pulling hair through with a tail comb at the back of my head and working up towards the sides. I also find it easier when I haven't got any hairspray already in my hair - the smoother you own hair is, the better.

Is the wire completely invisible?
It is completely undetectable in your hair and as long as you pull enough hair over towards the crown of your head.  I've just realised I have no close-up photos of the top of my head.. but trust me, it isn't noticeable in the slightest.

Does it feel secure?
This is the bit I was most worried about. When you first place it on the head it feels a little strange. But once you begin pulling hair over it feels completely secure and even if you tip your head backwards there is very little movement. The weight of your own hair will keep the Halo secure and in place, and even in windy conditions it will be just as secure as clip-ins.

Can you dye the extensions and how good is colour match?
This is the bit I struggled with slightly. I have dark blonde hair that has about 4 different tones running through it and I always struggle finding a perfect match if I opt for extensions.  I had to dye mine to get them to match as the Dark Blonde shade was a little too warm for my hair and also a little light for some of the light brown tones I have.  I applied a gentle dye to tone the warmth down, and then highlighted/low lighted sections so that they blended more with the mousy tones I have towards the bottom of my hair.  The quality hasn't been ruined - just make sure you use a good conditioner and that you don't use heat to dry them afterwards! If you're worried then ask a hairdresser to colour match them to your hair - I recommend using a dye that's only a shade lighter or darker.  Halo offer a colour match service so if you send them a photo of your hair colour in natural light they will get back to you with the closest match.  This is what I found most helpful - I had so many questions about colour and they were so helpful and patient with me.

Can you see the extensions in your hair/feel them on your head?
No you can't. Although people with thinner hair might find clip-ins a better option as the weft is quite thick.  I have thick hair and had to backcomb around the sides and at the back so that it was undetectable. The only bit I found a little 'niggly' was the side where I'd adjusted the wire - it can come up slightly and show through a teeny-tiny bit at the side but I often tease my hair so I didn't find it to be too much of a problem - and a little bobby pin underneath the hair will do wonders. As for feeling them on your head, you can - but hardly! No more than clip-ins.. if not less so! The wire doesn't hurt - you can't feel it and they don't feel heavy or itchy.

Can you style it as usual?
As with most extensions - the Halo can be styled with heat just like your own hair.  I try not to spray mine too much with hairspray but they brush through and curl like a dream. 

How about quality?
Halo hair is really soft and looks so sleek and frizz-free (human remi-hair is the best quality hair available as all the cuticles are still in tact and running in the same direction).  Even after dying mine twice and applying a bleach they remained in good condition.  Treat them like they're your own hair and you won't have any problems. I also haven't experienced any shedding, which I've found to be a massive problem with cheaper hair extensions.

What about length?
There are two options in length - 16", 20" and 24" (in certain shades). I opted for 20" inch as I have fairly long hair to begin with. In fact, the Halo is more or less the same length but I liked it because it added so much volume!

Do I prefer the Halo to clip-ins?
The Halo is fabulous for nights out and when I need a lot of volume in my hair. The hair is really thick and luxurious and blends in perfectly whilst adding a lot of 'oomph' to the lengths. I must admit I personally like clip-ins due to the fact I can choose how much to put in and where to place them on my head but on the other hand it's great to have a one-step option. The quality of Halo Hair has been amazing and they look so natural at the same time as being easy to maintain and style. I guess I'm still undecided as to whether or not I prefer the Halo - I think I prefer each one for different things and occasions.  For nights out it looks incredible and achieves volume I very much struggle to get with clip-ins. The only thing I had trouble with was colour match - I think there needs to be a cooler toned dark blonde, as those with 'in-betweeny' shades like me might struggle to find a perfect match between the lightest brown and the darkest blonde if they haven't got a lot of warm tones in their hair. Overall though, I've been impressed. The site is easy to navigate, delivery is speedy and customer service is fabulous.

Have you tried Halo hair? What are your thoughts on the concept?
 ♥

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? 

 ♥