Posted on Jan 19, 2022.

I would bet you a trillion dollars (which I very much don’t have) that if you were to open your IG or TikTok right now, you couldn’t scroll more than five seconds without seeing someone wearing a full set of hair extensions. And honestly, I get it—after a year-plus of being stuck inside, cutting our own hair, living off of at-home hair dye, and ultimately descending into hair chaos, who doesn’t want to get instantly longer, fuller, shinier, more ~glamorous~ hair with some extensions?

The only issue: Finding the best hair extensions online, or the best brand of hair extensions that are also the least damaging can be…hard. Really hard. Like, do you go for clip-in extensions? Sew-ins? And where do you even find them? Like, are extensions on Amazon good? Or do you need professional hair extensions?

Luckily, that’s where I come in. To help you out I’ve created the ultimate guide to the best hair extensions of 2021, from the different types of hair extensions, to the best brands to try first. Yup, this is comprehensive, and yup, you’re going to thank me for it in the end. So let's get started, shall we?

What brand of hair extensions are the best?

The best brand of hair extensions is going to be the brand that fits with your budget and expectations. Sorry, but it's true—“the 'best' extensions will totally depend on your budget, your skill level, and the look you’re going for,” says Kat Lewis, hairstylist and head of extensions education at Bellami Hair. If you just want longer hair for one night, like for a wedding or special occasion, you can totally get by with some cheap $20 clip-in extensions on Amazon. But if you want your extensions to look like real hair, and you want to be able to re-wear them again and again throughout your life, you'll be better off going for high-quality, 100 percent Remy hair from a reputable brand.

What does Remy mean in hair extensions?

Remy hair, or remi hair, is just a term for unprocessed human hair that really, truly grew out of someone's head. “The top tier of hair extensions is 100 percent virgin Remy human hair, which means it’s never been dyed or processed; it still has its cuticles intact so the strands face the same way they grew out; and it actually comes from a real human,"" says Lewis. If you were to chop off a toddler's hair, for example (but, um, don't?), they'd have Remy hair.

Take note: The cuticle thing matters. Remy hair is usually gathered in a ponytail before it's cut to keep the cuticles all laying in the same direction (like they do when they grow out of your head). Mismatched cuticles means your strands will tangle, catch, and break—no good.

What are human hair extensions?

If you see ""100% Remy human hair"" (and it's from a reputable brand), you know you're getting the top-tier stuff. But if you just see ""100% human hair,"" or just ""human hair,"" it means the hairs probably came from a human (sometimes they're mixed with synthetic hair), but not all from the same head. Kind of like if you and your BFF cut your hair and mixed the strands together in a bag.

So to be wearable, non-Remy human hair needs to be stripped of its cuticles (so the strands can face either direction without getting tangled), bleached and dyed the same color, then coated with silicone to add the shine and softness back. So human hair extensions will still feel relatively natural and soft, but they won't have that healthy, true-hair feel of Remy hair (or the hefty cost).

What are synthetic hair extensions?

Synthetic hair extensions can range from manufactured fibers to wool to yarn to straight-up plastic. Kanekalon hair tends to be the most popular and well-loved of synthetic hair materials, and for good reason: It's high-quality, feels closest to human hair, and looks less wire-y and shiny. Just like human hair, synthetic hair has varied levels of quality—the lowest-tier being, say, the plastic-y wig that comes with a Halloween costume.

How much do really good hair extensions cost?

“Listen, you get what you pay for,” says Lewis. “If you want permanent, butt-length Kim K. hair that’s also 100 percent Remy, you’re not going to find that for $50—you’re probably looking at $1,000 in hair and installation.” But that doesn’t mean you need thousands of dollars of hair. “If you always wear your hair in a ponytail, you may not need 10 packs of top-tier hair for a ton of money—you might just want a ponytail extension that’s a tenth of the price,” she adds. “That's why it’s so important to actually go to a salon that specializes in extensions and have them talk you through the best options for your lifestyle, budget, and hair type.”

What are the different types of hair extensions?

Here's a breakdown of the most common types of extensions you'll hear about:

Clip-ins: pre-clipped strips of extensions that snap onto sections of your own hair right at the root.

Tape-ins: pre-taped strips of extensions that are taped or glued along your roots by a stylist.

Sew-ins: also known as a weave, these extensions are sewn to your own braided-up hair with a needle and thread by a stylist.

Keratin extensions: tiny strands of extensions that are professionally heated and bonded to tiny strands of your own hair with a keratin-based glue.

I-tips: strands of extensions that are professionally crimped to strands of your own hair with a flattened microbead, without using any heat or glue.

Original article: 15 Best Hair Extensions of 2022: Your Official Guide to Fake (and Real) Hair