EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MERMAID HAIR EXTENSIONS

You are probably thinking why the heck would I get hair extensions when I already had long hair? I’m going to tell you my reasons for getting them done and let you know everything you need to know about mermaid hair extensions. It was a BIG decision and I did my homework so grab a cup of coffee because I have a ton to share with you!

WHY I GOT HAIR EXTENSIONS

It’s actually pretty simple. I just wanted a change! Maybe it’s because I just turned 40 (more about turning 40 in this blog post). Maybe it’s because I’ve pretty much had the same hair style for years and years now. Sure I’ve changed the color slightly but I haven’t done anything BIG in a long time. Some people when they want to make a change will go from blonde to dark or dark to blonde (did that years ago). Others will chop and get a shorter haircut (did that and both Erik and I hated it). I knew I didn’t want to change the color and I personally don’t like my hair short so I thought why not go longer and fuller for a fun change?!

Hair extensions are something I’ve been wanting to do for years. I knew if I got them I would enjoy doing big braids, huge buns, big pony tails — you know just more options! I mean it’s nothing new that I love fashion and beauty around here right? This is what I do for a living so naturally I love all that kind of stuff. Plus this is just something I personally have been wanting to do. Some people want a tattoo. Not me. I just wanted long, full hair!

WHAT ARE MERMAID HAIR EXTENSIONS?

There are so many types of hair extensions out there. Clip ins, tape ins, hand tied and more. I was drawn to mermaid hair extensions because they don’t require any glue, heat, or chemicals which means NO damage if you take care of them.

Mermaid hair also known as i-tip hair extension is a new and improved version of the cold fusion hair extension. It uses a small bead to attach the hair extension to your hair and is clamped down to hold it in place. The best part? You get double the thickness compared to your average hair extension, double the hair AND in 1/2 the time to install. The entire process took under 3 hours to complete.

WHERE I WENT FOR MERMAID HAIR EXTENSIONS

So now that we know what kind of hair extensions I got let’s talk about who I went to. Mermaid Hair By Nicole is located in Northvale, NJ. Nicole has been doing hair extensions for 10 years and truly knows her art. From the moment I met her I could see how much she loves what she does. She is one of the first mermaid hair extension specialists in NJ.

She works out of her home and this only added to the experience. Her in home salon is decked out in mermaid decor and is so cozy, comfortable and everything so personal. No sitting around in a big salon being uncomfortable. It was just Nicole, me and a lot of mermaid hair!

THE PROCESS

Now I’ll run you through the process of getting mermaid hair extensions. To start I had to have a consultation appointment at Nicole’s salon. At the consult Nicole gave me top to bottom info about mermaid hair, answered any questions I had, went over maintenance and then color matched my hair. My original hair had quite a bit of streaks running through it and I was nervous she would have a hard time color matching. But she nailed the color. The chart above shows all the colors you can choose from and Nicole combined 3 shades to get the right color for me.

Once she color matched I had to decide if I wanted 18 inch or 24 inch extensions. Nicole put both sizes in for me to get a visual. Being I already had long hair I decided to go with the 24. I knew we could trim them down once they were installed. If you start with 18 you can’t make them any longer so in my opinion if you have long hair to start then I’d go with 24. BUT if you have shorter hair the 18 inch would probably be plenty long for you.

Nicole ordered my hair and a week later I set up my appointment for installation. I explained the process above of how the extensions are attached to my hair. Once the extensions were in Nicole cut and razored my regular hair to blend with the extensions. You cannot tell where my original hair is and where the extension is once she cuts and blends. The above photo shows what the 24 inch extension looked like before she cut and blended.

We ended up taking 2 inches off and made my extensions 22 inches. My real hair was probably about 16 inches. By adding 22 extensions we were able to add a good amount of length and volume.

Once Nicole was done she curled my hair, took some photos and I was on my way. I was out the door in less than 3 hours!

MAINTENANCE

The great thing about mermaid hair extensions is with proper care they will last a year. Your extensions will start to grow out with your natural hair so every 2 months you do have to go in for a maintenance appointment to have them adjusted. Nicole will open up the bead, brush out the regrowth (all that hair you usually pull out after a shower), move the bead back toward the root of your hair and clamp down a new bead. This process makes your extensions feel brand new again and will extend the life your extensions.

AT HOME CARE

It’s real hair ladies! So you basically do all the same things to your extensions that you would do to your natural hair. Curl, straighten, etc BUT the most important thing is to USE HEAT PROTECTANT SPRAY! Your hair extensions are not connected to your head which means you will want to give extra nutrients to your hair. Leave in conditioners and oil products to your ENDS only when hair is damp. Also, a once weekly hair mask will help keep your extensions silky and healthy.

You also don’t want to wash too often. Every 3 to 4 days is plenty. This is what I was normally doing anyway.

As for coloring your hair, you will want your colorist to only add color to the root and avoid the extensions.

When sleeping you will want to sleep in pigtails or a braid and sleep on a silk pillowcase to prevent tangling while sleeping.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?

I’ll be honest with you. I priced hair extensions out. They are definitely an investment but think about what you are getting. Not tape ins, not clips in. HIGH QUALITY HAIR that will last a year with proper care. I found Nicole’s prices to be extremely affordable considering the type of extensions you are getting. And for all my followers Nicole is giving you $300 off when you mention House of Leo at booking! *New clients only. Not available on previous purchases.

Prices with my $300 discount:

18 inch starting at $850

24 inch starting at $1000

Like with any major change I of course was nervous but honestly Nicole made the entire process not only comfortable but fun. She exceeded my expectations by a mile. After all my research I knew that mermaid hair extensions were the right ones for me. Safe, long lasting and absolutely gorgeous.

I’ll do a follow up blog post at my 1st 2 month maintenance appointment so if you have any questions leave them in the comments below or email them to me and I’ll round them up for that blog post.

And if you are ready to be a mermaid with me you can contact Nicole one of these ways. Just don’t forget to mention House of Leo for $300 off!

MERMAID HAIR BY NICOLE WEBSITE

NICOLE’S INSTAGRAM

*In collaboration with Mermaid Hair By Nicole. As always, all statements and opinions are my own.

OUTFIT DETAILS: