You could be a hair extensions virgin or veteran and still not know how much you should be paying for hair extensions - knowing how much hair extensions cost will not only have you looking good, it'll also be good for your bank account too.

There are numerous styles of hair extensions available to the market in this day and age, not just the style of hair either, how their applied comes into play as well. However, the most common types of hair extensions are virgin human hair, remy human hair and synthetic hair extensions. Styles you can apply at home or by yourself are clip in hair extensions, halo hair extensions and ponytail hair extensions. A few styles that require a professional to apply in your hair are tape hair extensions, flat tip hair extensions and weft hair extensions but the list doesn't end there with your options but those are what are available to you here at Hey Stacey.

It isn't just the type of hair and the applications that follow that are to be taken into consideration with the cost of hair extensions, another big consideration for hair extensions cost is to include the length of the hair, its weight and colour. If you're shopping for remy human hair extensions which are the most commonly purchased graded hair extensions in clip in's, the average costs around $100 and can cost up to around $1000 or more.

Purchasing hair extensions can be super easy and you can do it online or you can go into your local salon or hair & beauty store. Just like your cult skincare or haircare products that come with a hefty price tag, the cost of hair extensions will come down to quality.

Knowing how hair extensions will fit into your lifestyle and what you'd like from hair extensions can ultimately play a role in how much they cost as well. Paying for the quality of a set of hair extensions that you can wear and style like your own natural hair is understandably going to cost more but will last you longer in the long run and that's where you get more bang for your buck. Purchasing hair extensions of a lower quality means purchasing hair that will have less flexibility and versatility when it comes to styling as well as its texture and the ability or lack thereof to colour.

When you're determining how much hair extensions might cost for you, you need to look at a few key points to really know how much you're willing to spend as well as how realistically that set of hair extensions will cost you. Ask yourself; how often will you wear them? Would you prefer something you can take out and put in daily? Or something that is permanently in your hair? Do you want long hair extensions or rather short? Do you want one colour or an ombre/dimensional effect? Will you use heat to style your hair extensions or wear them as they come? It might feel like you're filling out what your ideal partner is but all the questions above will really determine how much the ideal set of hair extensions suited to you will cost. 

The answer is in the name... synthetic hair extensions can and will come in any length, style or colour imaginable. They can be ponytails, clip ins, halos, bangs - you name it! Synthetic hair extensions can also be made from a variety of artificial materials and contain absolutely no human hair at all! Don't be surprised when the super low price catches your attention because synthetic hair extensions can start from as low as $15 because they do not cost a lot to manufacturer. For a higher quality set of synthetic hair extensions, you can expect a cost around $60 and more.

If you've ever wandered what synthetic hair extensions are made from, you can know that they can be made from fake fibres such as nylon, polyesters or acrylics. These used materials are heated and then sent through a tiny micro tube so that it mimics the look and feel of hair strands. Synthetic hair extensions can also be labelled something different entirely, for example; NextGen faux fibre, Vegan synthetic fibre from Japan, 100% high heat synthetic fibres are just a few examples we can name.

A dead give away for synthetic hair extensions is the shine and this is because synthetic hair is made from artificial material and can look just like the hair you find on Barbie's head which is overly shiny, stiff and reeks of plastic! Overall, synthetic hair extensions will look a lot less natural and can be a lot more noticeable when worn. Synthetic hair extensions are definitely on the cheaper side of hair extensions regardless of cut, colour and style but depending on how often you wear them, maintain them or style them, you could find that you're having the replace them more often than you would compared to a set of human hair extensions.

The average lifespan of synthetic hair extensions can be around 1 to 3 months. They're not typically heat resistant and can only tolerate a very low heat setting if any heat at all. We think it's important to note that when purchasing a set of synthetic hair extensions what you see is what you get. You can't only not heat style synthetic hair extensions but you also cannot colour them or apply styling products because it'll cause build-up and won't sit on the hair like it would on your natural hair. Not to mention, washing synthetic hair extensions isn't something you should be doing because it can cause tangles and knots that could cause the synthetic fibres to loosen from its hold. 

Human hair extensions can be made from a variety of human hair, from Indian, Asian to European. In Asia, India and China are the largest exporters of human hair where the majority of European hair comes from Russia, Ukraine and Romania. There are also different grades to human hair depending on how the hair was collected, treat and then sorted. Virgin hair is hair that has never been chemically treated before its collection and is the golden egg for human hair extensions and then there is Remy human hair.

Remy hair is when the cuticle is kept intact and isn't stripped during collection and is aligned in one direction to mimic that of natural hair. This process will ensure that the hair in the hair extensions remains smooth, shiny and tangle-free throughout its lifespan. During the manufacturing process, the hair is then treated to achieve a certain colour and for the most part, the integrity and strength of the hair will remain. Remy hair is the most desirable type of hair for hair extensions as it is made of the same material as natural hair - keratin, which makes for it to be the most natural blend.

Human hair extensions can cost anywhere from $100 to over $1000 and can last from 3-12 months or more depending on how well they are maintained and how often they are worn. Human hair extensions, particularly remy human hair extensions have the same feel and movement of natural hair and won't have the plastic doll hair feel shine that synthetic hair does. Human hair extensions can be styled using heat and can hold the style for several days beyond that as well. 

A pro about human hair extensions is that they have the ability to be dyed darker or coloured to create a balayage look. Human hair extensions will deliver versatility in colour and styling because products can be used just like you would with your natural hair. Human hair extensions are abled to be washed once a month or less depending on how often you wear them without damaging the hair extensions. It's important to note that hair extensions don't need to be washed regularly if you are not wearing them regularly. 

To put it simply, human hair extensions will cost more than synthetic hair extensions because they are better quality and use raw materials that are stronger and better than the fibres found in synthetic hair extensions. Human hair extensions offer more styling versatility as well as looking and feeling a lot more natural than synthetic hair extensions with the pro point of them lasting longer also.

A classic example of temporary vs permanent hair extensions are Tape-in hair extensions vs clip-in hair extensions. Tape-in hair extensions are what we consider "semi-permanent" and will need to be installed by a professional in a salon and they can last in your hair for around 4-8 weeks before the tape hair extensions need to be changed or reapplied. Because tape hair extensions require a professional to be applied, this will add a fee on top of the hair extensions themselves. Tape hair extensions will require more ongoing upkeep as the tape hair extensions will grow further from your roots and will need to be either replaced or reapplied.

An average fee for tape-in hair extensions can range anywhere from $150-$800 with an additional cost of a professional to apply them which can start anywhere from $100 and more depending on the service. It's safe to say that tape-in hair extensions will cost more than a temporary style like clip in hair extensions.

Clip in hair extensions come with everything you need with clips already attached to the hair extensions. What this means is that you can literally take the weft pieces and easily clip them into your hair by yourself, without any additional costs of professionals or long lengths of time. The average cost for clip-in hair extensions is between $100-$700 depending on length, colour and quality.  

Halo hair extensions are another temporary style of hair extensions that are easy to apply. Halo hair extensions come in human hair, synthetic and remy human hair options. Halo hair extensions are another option that will not cost as much as a full service for tape-in hair extensions and this is because of how easy they are to use from home with no help to apply - think of putting on a headband, that's how you would apply a halo. Halo hair extensions are especially great for beginners to hair extensions. Halo hair extensions will have a similar cost to clip-in hair extensions. 

The weight of hair extensions are measured in grams and when referring to thickness it is not referring to how thick each individual strand is but rather how much of the hair is attached to each weft in the set of hair extensions. The higher grams means there is more hair in each set. When you're considering weight, there are two factors you should consider and that is thickness and length. The thicker the hair or the heavier the set will equal to a higher price.

Colour plays an important role in the cost of hair extensions as well. Matching your natural hair colour to your new set of hair extensions can sometimes be tedious and tricky. The team here at Hey Stacey are always on hand to assist you with colour matching should you ever need help otherwise you can find solace in knowing that we use dimensional tones and colours to replicate that of natural hair with subtle highlights, lowlights, dark strands and lighter strands for dimension. Having this sort of dimension and depth means that finding your perfect match will be ten times easier because it'll blend more naturally with your hair. 

Like we said earlier in this blog, remy hair and human hair extensions are pre-treated so they can achieve their colours, shade and natural shine. Hey Stacey hair extensions are also available in piano tones and balayage styles to allow you the effect of a hair colour service without actually using any chemicals to achieve the colour. Don' be surprised when you see a balayage style hair extension piece costs a lot more than a darker, blonder tone - these styles of hair extensions require more treatment to achieve its colour.  

In the end, the cost all adds up and comes down to what you want and need out of your hair extensions. If you are someone that is looking for thickness, volume or length, the number of grams will play an important role/factor in your overall budget. If you're looking for a set of hair extensions that are easy to apply from the comfort for your own home, clip-in and halo hair extensions will be your go-to and you can expect to spend anywhere from $150 to $800 depending on the above dot points we mentioned earlier. Overall, the durability and versatility of human and remy human hair extensions will cover the cost of needing to replace your hair extensions often and will quite literally make your money last longer. Other factors that come into things is your personal hairstyle as well as your lifestyle. Rest assured, there is a set of hair extensions for every budget!