4 Reasons Why Your Client’s Extensions Are Showing & How To Fix Them
Short hair poking through, K-Tips slipping, mangled threads, inconsistent flat corners—we could go on about everyday extension mishaps. Even if you can’t spot an install mistake initially—a weft corner poking or a K-tip poking out of your client’s face-frame a week later will damage your future appointments, and your client’s trust.
From the first-timer to the extension veteran, there’s something worth the scroll through in this list of extension tips and solutions for EVERYONE.
1. Nape & Ear Blending Is In The Placement, Not The Coverage
If your clients are getting compliments like, “Oh, I like your extensions”—you’re going to need a new install method. Seamless extensions do not just start at the root, especially if you’re filling a client’s short hair. Covering a lot of ground is needed when installing a short-to-long transformation, but it does not need to be done in a straight section…ESPECIALLY around the ears and the nape.
Using the “staircase method” shown below allows for any type of K-tip or beaded extension method to build body and volume along the natural curves of the head for an optimal blend instead of packing on density where it is not needed.
Take a look below for the demo:
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Spoiler alert—if you want a perfectly flat weft corner, do not make your bead sectioning even.
Here’s how:
- When applying your first two beads in a section, instead of placing the third within an equal distance, use half of the amount of the previous two sections to place two beads.
- Once it’s time to stitch the weft to the head, begin your first stitch (on the third bead) as close to the bead as possible, making one stitch on either side of the bead.
- Then, follow these anchor stitches by going BEHIND the bead with a locking stitch.
Here’s why:
Because the (third) bead section was made to be smaller and allocates two beads, you’re better able to control the fall of the hair. Meaning, there is NO overdirection happening within the bead section that will hold the corner of the weft.
When overdirection does occur, the final stitch on a weft does not have a close enough bead to hold onto. Minimizing your section spacing for your final stitches will keep hair in its natural fall and allow the weft to lay cleanly against each section instead of leaving an overhang on the corner.
Watch the entire step-by-step demo here from Philocaly Hair™ Educator Pamela Adam (@pameladoeshair).
Learning more than you expected? Check out Philocaly’s online and in-person education schedule for 2024.
3. Prevent K-Tips Slipping By Adding A Crimped Root
Never thought to add a hot tool into your extension install, did you? Adding a light crimp to your client’s roots can add a subtle grip to fine hair, making the bond more secure during adhesion.
3 things to keep in mind:
- CLEAN partings are a must. Once the hair is washed and styled post-install, all placement should mimic a clean install without a jagged parting.
- Use the LOWEST temperature on your crimping iron. You don’t want a lot of texture inside of the bond, just enough of a bend to add grip.
- Utilize the crimping iron to create a small bend rather than a structured wave.
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4. The Fastest Way To Manage A Knotty Thread
This quick tip will save you time and the headache of stopping your service just to untangle your thread.
Grab your flat iron on a LOW setting and do one pass over your thread. The low heat will straighten your thread, lightly mend the rough edges together and create a seamless working thread that will not fold over on top of itself. If you have three spare seconds, you have the chance to never deal with a tangled weft thread again.
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