Hair Extensions Are A Girl's Best Friend... How An Added Boost Can Make A Huge Impact

I'm back!  I'm back to being Jeannine Morris, the beauty blogger with long, full hair and I love it!  If you're a consistent reader of BeautySweetSpot you know that I've always toyed with hair extensions, from glue in to clip on and of course, the creme de la creme... Great Lengths.  I've been relying heavily on my clip ins for the past year, because with all of the on camera work I do, added hair is always an added bonus.  A visit to the Jeff Chaistain Parlor two weeks ago pushed me over the edge when my colorist, Jan Marie Arteca convinced me once again that it was time... go big or go home.  

That first salon visit ended in adding depth to my single processed chocolate brown hair with lighter brown highlights.  I loved it.  Dimension was needed, but now, so was more hair.  I'm addicted.  Jan put in the order for Great Lengths like she did before (see post) and I found myself back in her chair two weeks later.

Blending the two shades to continue the added depth she already started, she worked quickly and strategically and five hours later (yes, five hours and that's quick) I had the hair I always wanted.  Isn't it funny how much we let our hair define our image?  I mean, look at my before and afters!

I will say that if I wasn't on camera I wouldn't have gotten them.  My hair is long, but very fine.  When on camera it looks finer.  With the way my career is heading (and I hope it continues to steer this way), if added hair can help, I'm adding hair.  Don't let people trick you.  It's not just a celebrity thing.  Everyone in TV adds hair.  Check out the post I did on Kelly Ripa's new hair.   The added boost makes a huge impact.

Now let me tell you about Great Lengths.  I've had them twice before and fall in love with them over and over again.  The quality of the hair is the best I've ever come across in all of my experiments with extensions.  It comes from India and it's real.  Yes, it can be washed and styled and last about three months.  The bonds are made of keratin and don't damage your real hair, but care is crucial.

If you're looking for a boost, I would recommend starting with clip in extensions made of real hair.  They work so well and can be washed and styled.  I got mine at the Helena Collection in NYC.  They match your color and texture so well and can easily be popped in and out.  My only fear with the Great Lengths is that I'll be revolving my workouts around my blowouts!  That's what tends to happen.  Not this time I keep telling myself.  Not. This. Time!

I have to thank Jan Marie for always making me look fab!  The Jeff Chaistan Parlor is located at 29 W. 17th St. NY, NY 10011.

Long, Full Hair is Mine Thanks to the Ted Gibson Salon & Great Lengths

I'm so excited because I just got home from the Ted Gibson Salon where Jan-Marie Arteca hooked me up with Great Length extensions!  I feel like whipping my hair back and forth!  Yes, I noticed I'm using a lot of exclamation points already, but I literally just got home and am that happy. As you know, I've expirimented with extensions before and have taken a break for quite some time.  Most recently, I've been wearing clip in extensions for TV segments and spokesperson gigs to add fullness and length to fine hair.  I feel like having good hair makes a big difference in how I carry myself.  Therefore, when having the chance to get Great Lengths I jumped!  In case you're unfamiliar, Great Lengths are real human hair that's bonded to hair through a protein bond.

Jan used six bundles and three hues to seamlessly blend all of the hair into my natural hair.  "If you take care of them properly, they're not damaging to your real hair," she commented.  Since hair sheds as it grows out, it's important to brush it several times a day to free up loose strands from the bond so they don't become matted.  The proper brush is also important.  A Mason Pearson is perfect, but any mix of nylon and boar bristle paddle brush will do.  I can wash my hair regularly with a sulfate free shampoo (which is about three to four times a week) and make sure to keep conditioner away from the bond.  Another important tip is to make sure to dry the bonds as soon as I get out of the shower so they don't slip.

After all of the hair was added, stylist, Eugene Smith, cut a few inches off and added shape to them so they really look like my natural hair.  For people who don't know me, they'd never be able to tell I'm wearing extensions.  All in all, I added about four inches in length and a ton of fullness.  My Great Lengths are expected to last about three to four months depending on how well I take care of them.  Let me tell you, I'm going to baby these beauties!

*All of my before and afters will be up on my Glamour.com column soon!  Stay tuned!

My Latest Addiction: Great Lengths

I've never had long hair.  When I say long, I mean half way down my back.  It's something I've always wanted, and for years, my stylist tried to convince me to get extensions.  About two months ago, Anne Hathaway's stylist, Ted Gibson, convinced me to try Platinum Seamless extensions, which last only about two months, just to see if I liked them or not. Skeptical but curious, I took the leap and they changed my life. This week, my two months were up and I ran back to my stylist, Naomi at Gemini 14 who took my hair to another level and introduced me to the Rolls-Royce of extensions: Great Lengths.  He's been trying to convince me to get them for about four years so this was a huge deal for both of us.  The before and after pics are unbelievable... my hair grew six inches in three hours.

Gemini 14's known for doing Miley Cyrus' extensions and Naomi's known me and my hair forever so I felt like I was in the best hands for the job.

The main differences between Platinum Seamless extensions and Great Lengths are the way they're done, the movement and amount of time they last.  The Platinum Seamless are perfect for the person who is looking to add volume or length for a few special events that are all happening within a month or two.  They're about two-inch horizontal strips of hair that are adhered to your root, where as Great Lengths are individual strands of hair that are bonded to your root with heat through a keratin bond.

I am a huge fan of the Great Lengths.  For me, they will last longer and look and feel more natural.  And yes, I can wash and style it regularly.  For anyone considering extensions, both types are great, but for different people and reasons.  Here are photos from when I had the Platinum Seamless extension makeover.