The Cost of Hair Extensions.
I am asked on a daily basis “How much do hair extensions cost?” or “Can you give me a basic estimate?”.
This is why it’s difficult to do that without an in-person consultation.
The price of hair extensions depends on quite a few things.
I will talk about fusion/keratin tip hair here because it is what I do the most.
(please note, I do not do sew-in weaves at all)
First, what about your own hair?
Length: The shorter your hair is the more extensions you will need to create the illusion of length. If your hair is thick and shorter you will need more hair. If your hair has a blunt cut, you will need even more hair. Hair shorter than 4″ may not be long enough to cover the bonds and create a believable landscape of long hair.
While I *can* do extensions on short hair they are more susceptible to being visible. If you have less than 5″ of hair, you will need at least 125-150 fusion strands and the thicker your hair is the more you will need.
Thickness, Texture & Density: Most clients are looking for thicker and longer hair. A lot of my clients have
People with very thick, wavy, curly or coarse hair will need 2-3 times as many fusion strands. If your hair is very full and lifts off of your head naturally (does not lay flat) you will need many more strands.
Another consideration is texture. If the client wants long straight hair and their own hair is very thick and wavy/curly, I most likely can’t help you and you would be better off visiting a stylist that specializes in better options suited for more textured hair. Fusion and tape-in hair extensions are not protective styles and the client’s hair is left to fall along with the actual extensions. Otherwise, if extensions are possible upon having a consultation, I would typically quote 150-300+ strands depending.
Condition: Having extensions installed because your own hair is overprocessed or broken is a great way to “hide” your own hair. The first 1.5″ of your hair MUST be healthy enough to accept the hair attachment. If the damage is severe and the texture of the hair is fuzzy or crinkled the difference in the texture of the extensions and the client’s hair may be too extreme and noticeable. Some clients don’t mind and are desperate for hair. Realistic outcomes are explained and if the pros outweigh the cons it is possible.
High-quality hair extensions have an extremely healthy texture and adding to natural hair that has a damaged texture will look unnatural and fake. This also applies to people who have chemo hair grow out. The hair is usually fuzzy and curly. It isn’t very strong hair and the texture can be difficult to match not to mention the length is most likely short. However, I can and have done extensions on chemo grow out hair.
Color: The darker your hair is generally the less expensive your extensions will be. Dark hair is easier to blend and camouflage so less hair might be used. Lighter hair is more expensive because it has to be bleached and then dyed.
It is extremely rare that a person is cutting off their 20″ natural blonde thick beautiful hair and if they are you will pay at least $1000 for an ounce of that hair (labor NOT included). Inexpensive hair extensions that are blonde are bleached very quickly and are often damaged and almost unwearable. I have access to beautiful blonde hair that is lightened slowly and with the utmost care but it is much more expensive.
Sometimes extensions do not come in the shade or effect needed and must be colored by hand. This can sometimes be a risky thing to do depending on the quality of hair chosen. Only the best quality hair can be colored like your own hair with good results.
If you have more than 4 or 5 different colors in your hair the cost will be more because more bundles will need to be ordered to fulfill the color expectations vs just the strand expectations.
Hair Extension Brands, there are so many out there!
Quality: This is where it’s all at, the QUALITY of the hair. I deal with SO many hair distributors. I didn’t get certified by one company and only use their hair. There was no certification when I started doing extensions and not even for 20 years after that. I know who has the best hair and who has the not so good hair.
I can spot a Chinese reseller in a heartbeat and I know a hair scam immediately. Every day I am bombarded with emails/phone calls/blog spam replies/text messages from Chinese sellers. This is the cheapest and lowest quality hair. I would never want to put this hair on anyone’s head. This is the hair you find in local beauty supply stores and at Sally’s.
There are people out there that simply do NOT want to pay for good hair no matter what and they will wear the cheaper hair. It is from many different heads and sometimes it is hair swept up from floors. It is dipped in acid to remove the cuticle and then coated with silicone.
If you wear this hair it will be ok for a couple weeks but once the silicone is washed off the hair bunches up and mats. I have had hair act this way from some hair suppliers which is puzzling and they always blame the stylist/client. There is never a refund.
I have NEVER had this happen when I purchase hair from the very best suppliers.
People are desperate for hair but don’t want to pay for good quality so this is what they get. Hair that lasts a month or so. Extensions that must be flat ironed constantly or worn in a ponytail. Sometimes it becomes so tangled it must be cut out. It can never be reused, ever. If you don’t want to buy
They offer a money back guarantees and the hair can be reused at least once. I KNOW that I don’t have to worry about it even if my client abuses the hair. It is not cheap and it is totally worth it.
I understand that extensions are expensive but wouldn’t you want hair that is going to look good and be reusable vs inferior low-quality hair that you can barely wear for one month just to save a couple hundred?
I was booked solid when I was living in Seattle and left behind a large number of people that still need me to do their hair. I travel back every couple of months to take care of them and Bee Louise Salon is closed while I do so.
I am keeping my prices on the lower side while I build up my clientele in Pittsburgh. The demographics are drastically different but so is my overhead.
I love what I do and want to help people so keeping prices lower has always been my mission. I could charge 1k-3k like a lot of the higher end salons but I refuse to do that. I like to stay down to earth with the regular folks. I’d rather have a bunch of people with smiles vs just a few who can afford it!
Keep in mind that I have been doing this type of hair extensions for over 30 years.
They say 10,000 hours makes you an expert… I think I’m way beyond that 🙂
Price estimates based on 100 fusion strands/extensions or 20 tape-ins and includes labor.
Quoted is the minimum amount that would provide length.
Some clients need less and some need more.
(This is for the Pittsburgh price list only)
Cheapest fusion hair 18″ – $400
Best quality fusion hair 18″ – $800
Cheapest tape-in hair 18″ – $400
Best quality tape-in hair 18″ – $700