Great Lengths pros and cons

Screen Shot 2014-08-25 at 19.10.09I have previously written about Great Lengths before, and now that I am onto my second set of extensions, I thought I would up date you on how I have found Great Lengths hair extension. While there are so many good things about Great Lengths, it is important to give you the downside of these extensions too.

IMG_3176There are many extensions out there on the market, but what makes Great Lengths stand out above all others is the bonds. Great lengths extensions use keratin bonds to apply the hair. Keratin is the same substance that is found naturally in our hair. It is applied to the hair using hot and cold heat. The hot heat only touches the bond, while the cold heat touches your hair. This means that there is no heat at all being applied to your hair and therefore no damage. The bonds are absolutely tiny. You can’t see them in the hair unless you go search and even at that they are so well blended into the hair. They don’t feel heavy on the head, like some extensions can. In fact apart from the fact I they give you gorgeous hair, you wouldn’t know you had them in your hair at all.

IMG_3188The two main reasons people get extensions is for length and volume, and my god Great lengths give that it the bucket full. I went for 40cm extensions this time, but there are lots of different lengths to choose from and they can also be cut into your desired length and style. As you can see from the pictures, my own natural hair blends in beautifully and the extensions give a gorgeous mane of full volume hair. The hair is also really easy to style. You would think with extra hair it would take longer to do your hair, but once it is dried, it takes a style really well and not only that, it holds the style.

hairGreat Lengths last longer than most other hair extensions and don’t damage the hair. When I got my first set taken out, I genuinely couldn’t get over the condition of my hair. Due to the fact I wasn’t using as much heat on my natural hair, it got a chance to grow and repair. Great lengths, when applied properly and taken care of should last 6 months. Yes they are more expensive than most hair extensions, but most hair extension only last 3 months and end up costing the same amount when they need to be reapplied so soon.

DSC_1752Great lengths take a lot of work . You need to wash your hair with a special shampoo and conditioner to prolong the life of the bond. If you don’t you run the risk of the bonds sliding out of your hair. The Great lengths shampoo stops the bond breaking down and prolongs the life of the extensions. Not only do you have to use a special shampoo, but you have to use a special brush. This brush is normally included in the price of your extensions. The brush helps you brush through the bonds, as if you don’t do this they can matte. This of Britney Spears hair during her hard time. Once you follow these steps, your extensions will last and look great.

Price is also an issue. The price of these extensions differ from person to  person due to the length and volume that they need. While I can’t give the price here, I will say, they are not as expensive as you think. It is worth going to a Great Lengths salon for a consultation and they will tell you how much it would work out for you.

hair 2For me the most important part of getting your extensions looking their best is how they are applied. While I am not going to go into too much detail, I had a very bad experience with my first set of Great Lengths. Not because of the extensions themselves, but rather how they were applied. Due to the fact the bond was cut too short  and wasn’t sealed properly during application, the extensions began to shed within a month. I mean lumps of hair was coming out. Within two and a half months, the hair had gone so bad and thinned out so much I wanted them out. Long story short, Great Lengths looked after me. I went to a different salon and I got them cut to make them look better and came to terms that they wouldn’t last the length of time there should have. After 3 and a half months I was loosing actual bonds and come 4 months I couldn’t wear my hair down anymore. In fact after about 6 weeks I couldn’t wear the hair down unless it was curled. It was a bit of a disaster if I am honest and I feel I didn’t get the Great Lengths experience, due to bad application. I chalked this whole thing down to a bad experience and as you can see it hasn’t put me off Great Lengths and my latest set are amazing. My advice would be to go to a salon that does Great Lengths on a regular basis and has a good reputation. I went to Rachel Byrne in Rush this time, as she applies a serious amount of Great Lengths every week and also works for Great Lengths training people in how to apply them. Her work is flawless and her reputation precedes her. I can’t recommend her enough.

IMG_3177For me the only real problem with Great Lengths is that I never want to be without them.

 

 

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