One of the most regular compliments I receive here on the blog and on social media is about my hair. My hair {and my extensions} are also one of the most frequently-asked questions I receive from y’all weekly.
So, today, I am FINALLY answering all your most-asked hair questions, and giving you a little back-story on why I wear extensions + my history with wearing extensions. If there is anything you are wondering that I don’t answer in this post, please feel free to email me at lauren@editbylauren.com.
First things first :: Why do I wear extensions?!
I started wearing extensions {glue beads} a few years after college, after a “dramatic” summer of my hair breaking off due to over-bleaching it. {I was going for the “Jessica Simpson” blonde that was popular back on her days of the “Newlyweds” TV show.} and over styling. I learned that too much bleach + too much heat from straightening irons were not a recipe for hair health! Needless to say, my hair kept thinning and breaking, and a stylist at my salon at the time recommend glue in extensions.
I’ll be honest…extensions are addicting! Once you go from shorter hair to longer hair, or thinner hair to thicker hair, it’s hard to go back!
So fast forward, over the years, I have tried ALL kinds of extensions from glue in to a weave to tape-ins. Although I always enjoyed the length and fullness, every extension type I tried kept breaking and tearing out my hair…thinning it more and more.
Until I found NBR…!
Why Natural Beaded Rows ?!
I had heard of NBR for a few years and had some friends in the blogging industry do it with amazing results, but I didn’t know anyone local that knew the process. When Luz Swan, certified NBR stylist and owner of Davao Salon in Milton, reached out last Fall, I was ecstatic!
At our first appointment removed my tape-ins and highlighted & toned my entire head, as well as the new extension hair, so that the color is seamless. She even “roots” the extension hair so that they blend with your natural roots. This process keeps the extensions unnoticeable, even when hair is worn up or when the wind blows.
Speaking of wearing my hair up, I had NEVER been able to wear my hair in a high-pony, a top-knot or half up with any kind of extension before NBR. It’s truly life-changing to be able to wear your hair any way you want, without fear of extensions showing.
Want proof?! See the pics below, all taken with my NBR extensions!
How often do you have to have NBR extensions moved up?! Once installed, NBR extensions are moved up approximately every 8 weeks. This process only takes about an hour {sometimes two, depending on how many rows you have}. This is the perfect time to also get color done!
Can you re-use the hair?! YES! One of the best things about NBR is that you can keep re-using the hair. Once you make the initial investment in the hair and installation, you can keep using the hair for a year or more. I am still wearing the hair I had installed last Fall, and 9 months later, it’s still going strong!
It’s difficult to articulate how much money this saves long-term until you have bought tape-ins or beaded glue hair in the past. These techniques might seem a bit less expensive up front, but long-term, the constant buying of hair for each install really adds up! {Trust me, I know from personal experience!}
Is NBR damaging? No, it’s the least damaging of all extensions since there is no tape or glue used! In fact, my natural hair has been able to start growing thicker and longer now that I have been using this technique. See pics at bottom of the post!
How much is NBR?! This is one of the most-asked questions, and the answer is…the price truly depends on your current hair and your goals for your hair, AKA how many rows you need. If you are staying a similar length to your current hair and want to add fullness, you may just need one row. If you are wanting to drop the length, you will need more! I have two rows + one mini in my hair.
Because every persona and head of hair is unique, my stylist, Luz, prefers potential clients fill out this form for a custom quote/estimate! What I love is that Luz’s rates include the hair, seamless color, installation, cut and styling! You get a lot of bang for your buck!
As a returning client, you can expect to spend $250-$600 for touch-ups ever 8 weeks or so. This includes a color-touch-up as well.
Can NBR work for textured hair?! YES! One of the stylist’s at Davao has very curly red hair and is able to sport her NBR extensions flawlessly. It’s really unbelievable how Luz can achieve these seamless blends. Head over to Luz’s Instagram @fixhairupper and click on her Before & After Highlight to see tons of transformations!
Last but not least, I wanted to show my personal “before” pic, so that you can truly appreciate how NBR has dramatically transformed my hair!
The pic on the left is my hair when I first saw Luz. Hair is broken and damaged from years of tape-ins. Pic on the right is four months into wearing NBR. You can see my hair is growing thicker and longer, with less breakage!
Here is one more pic of a friend/follower who saw Luz per my recommendation. She initially got one row, and then went back for a second row. I think this is helpful to see the difference!
Top left :: Hair before, Top right :: Hair with ONE row, Bottom center :: Hair with TWO rows
I’ll conclude with saying that I truly believe that investing in your hair is one of the best personal investments you can make. You wear your hair each and every day, and I know personally what a confidence builder it is to LOVE your hair!
If you are on a tight budget, it’s hand-down worth sacrificing buying clothes and accessories, to invest in your hair.
You are worth it, and life is too short not to have the hair of your dreams! If you live in or around the Atlanta area, going to see Luz is 100% worth it. She is worth the drive and worth the investment! Luz is passionate about making her clients achieve the hair of their dreams, and is one of the kindest people I know. Her salon and staff will make you feel right at home, too.
If you have any questions at all about the extension process, please feel free to email me at lauren@editbylauren.com or to fill out your no-obligation NBR application here.
Stylishly yours,
P.S. If you are not in the market for extensions, but are looking for an amazing salon for color and/or color correction, I cannot more highly recommend Davao. I am amazed by story after story, picture after picture, of clients whose hair color and cuts have been perfected.
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