I don't think any type of hair extension is really hard to learn, but just like anything, getting good at it takes practice.  However, there are some fundamentally important things to understand about application, placement, sectioning, proper care, and safe removal.

 

Also, since there's a lot of hair extensions products to choose from it either takes a lot of experience or a great forum like this one where people talk about their real experiences to sift though which products  / tools are the best for a particular hair type / lifestyle  and will make your hair extension result a success.

 

I am not a DIY person, I am a professional hair extensionist.  I prefer to have someone else do my extensions because it is more difficult to apply some methods to one's own head correctly. 

 

 For bonded or taped wefts, that method is really easy to apply to your own self, with some time, patience, and a good mirror to see the back of your head.  As for any strand method, where plament, proper sectioning, and even hand position is crucial, I think it is a lot  harder to do on one's own head.  However, a lot of people here do do strands on their own heads, so it can be done.

 

I personally went to cosmetology school and in the sixteen years since then, I have taken at least a dozen hair extension courses and spent thousands of dollars on hair extension training.  With the Internet today, you can learn a lot without having to spend that much money, but my extension training was largely 'pre-Internet', so I didn't have that option.

 

If you found a one day course that is willing to instruct an unlicenced person, then that is a good start.  Each class varies depending on what method they are teaching and the actual experience of the person giving the class.  I have paid a lot of money for some terrible classes that really didn't teach me anything due to inferior product or lack of instructor experience.  If you are paying for a class, I would want to ask them in detail about their own experience and ask for a detailed syllabus of what exactly you are going to be taught.  And remember, classes associated with a particular brand / company will swear their product / method is the best, because they are essentially there to sell their product.

 

Getting started in any new business is always hard.  I was already working in a salon doing 'regular' hair services.  When I decided that I wanted to do extensions exclusively, I moved to a nice salon where I could have my own room for privacy, spent a lot of money on newpapaer and phone book ads and have two websites.  It did take some time to build it, especially since I am located in a semi-rural area.

 

What really helped is that I wear extensions myself and have been the whole 16 years.  I have tried just about everything.  There's nothing like first hand experience as the best teacher.  And wearing extensions yourself  is also one of your best sales advertisements that you could do.

 

I think if you're good at what you do (that comes with experience), are good with people, set reasonable prices, and use a good product, you can build a good hair extension business.  By the way, there are so many poorly trained hair extensionists out there that if you are good and reasonably priced, the word gets around, trust me.

 

I make a great living doing extensions full time  I also do hair color too, since most extension clients are color clients too.  Now, my prices are on the low end for my area, but I keep it that way on purpose because I want to provide a good value for the customer. 

 

Depending on your state, most people who do extensions professionally are self-employed, independent contrators.   So with that comes a lot of business overhead.   You have to factor in salon rent, supplies, salon insurance,  advertising, and  merchant processing / bank fees, phone fees.  And of course you must pay all of your own taxes, health insurance, and there is no such thing as 'sick pay'!

 

So with all of that, my overhead is in the thousands per month, but I still take home a good comfortable living.

 

Good luck to you on whatever you decide!

 

 

 

I think I will go ahead & take the one day course.  It's $498 for the FLHair method, but I think that'd give me a good base for microrings also.  It includes the practice head so I'll practice practice practice until I feel I've got it down, then I'll try it on my first victim.   Errr, client.  Preferably a friend or family member.

 

Maybe I'll keep the govmt job w/the free pension & health benefits & do this on the side for some extra income.  I'll check into the licensing--haven't heard about it in NJ but being the most beauracratic state in the country I'm sure such a thing exists.

 

Now, does anyone know where I can get some cheap practice hair?

 TooSense you may want to use inexpensive beauty supply store human hair to practice with.

so in  arizona, kansas,california  conneticut, maryland, michigan, minnasota, mississippi, north carlolina and in washington state, if you do JUST braids you do not need a license, however if you do ANY other type of hair extensions, you MUST have a license! Other wise you are doing extensions illeagally!!!

also if you work in a salon and are not licensed, that is illegal too!

In california, if you work in a salon even as an assistant or shampooer, you MUST have a state board of cosmotology license.