Qs for those who DIY
Printed From: HairBoutique.com
Category: Hair Extension Topics
Forum Name: Hair Extensions
Forum Description: Hair Extensions can be the quick fix for short hair.
URL: https://talk.hairboutique.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=57648
Printed Date: February 03 2026 at 3:11pm
Topic: Qs for those who DIY
Posted By: TooSense
Subject: Qs for those who DIY
Date Posted: November 07 2007 at 9:58am
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OK I've had Hairlocs for about 5 months & I really love them, but the cost is killing me. I can barely afford them & have to give up all other luxuries to keep them. So I'm considering learning how to do it myself & possibly even starting my own business. Naturally I have a bunch of questions:
1) Is it really hard to do yourself? How do you do the back of your head? How long does it take? Are your arms ready to fall off when you're finished?
2) How did you learn to DIY? Did you learn on your own? Did you go to extension or cosmetology school?
3) Follow up to Q2: I'm a complete novice--I'm not a stylist & have actually always had a government job. I've contacted local cosmetology schools & none have an extension course. I've found one-day courses but I'm thinking that's not enough for someone with as little experience as I have. Any suggestions re. how to learn?
4) For those w/your own business, how did you start? Is it enough to make a living plus pay for benefits?
TIA!
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Replies:
Posted By: metalgirl
Date Posted: November 07 2007 at 11:26am
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Hello,
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!
------------- http://www.Godiva-Hair.com - http://www.Godiva-Hair.com http://www.MetamorphosisHairDesign.com - http://www.MetamorphosisHairDesign.com |
Posted By: Poose
Date Posted: November 07 2007 at 2:32pm
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1) Is it really hard to do yourself? How do you do the back of
your head? How long does it take? Are your arms ready to fall off
when you're finished?
NO, it isn't that hard with mirco rings or wefts, I tie a hand mirror to my shower curtain rod, mirroring the other mirror to see that back. It usually takes me about 7-8 hours (I do my WHOLE head). My arms havent fallen off yet. :) 2) How did you learn to DIY? Did you learn on your own? Did you go to extension or cosmetology school?
I learned by extensive internet tutorials and this website. I have never been to a school, I did take a 2 hour class in a hotel room for pinch braids, which is a method I really don't use yet. 3) Follow up to Q2: I'm a complete novice--I'm not a stylist &
have actually always had a government job. I've contacted local
cosmetology schools & none have an extension course. I've found
one-day courses but I'm thinking that's not enough for someone with as
little experience as I have. Any suggestions re. how to learn?
How to learn what? Extensions? You tube, get a manniquin head, practice. On a side note, you cannot perform hair extensions on people without a license. A cosmetology license for Hair. Please check with your local department of cosmetology for minimum hours of schooling required to obtain license. Here in Oregon, it's about 9 months full time, and about $10,000. And most schools will not teach you anything pertaining to extensions. IMHO, keep your gov. job, and become a DIY"er! ------------- ^..^ |
Posted By: TooSense
Date Posted: November 07 2007 at 2:56pm
Thanks so much for the info! So it sounds like it's possible with a strategically placed mirror & an entire day of work. 
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?
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Posted By: malibu
Date Posted: November 07 2007 at 3:31pm
It depends what state you're in. California does not require a license to do hair extensions. ------------- |
Poose wrote:Posted By: Ms.Honey
Date Posted: November 07 2007 at 9:01pm
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Hi mal, I thought Cali requires a limited license to do extensions. They don't need anything at all?
TooSense you may want to use inexpensive beauty supply store human hair to practice with. ------------- ALL EYES ON ME |
Posted By: malibu
Date Posted: November 07 2007 at 10:00pm
I think so  ------------- |
Posted By: Ms.Honey
Date Posted: November 07 2007 at 10:12pm
ok girl now I'm confused . You think so yes they need something or you think so no they don't need anything ------------- ALL EYES ON ME |
Posted By: malibu
Date Posted: November 07 2007 at 11:29pm
 I'm sticking to my original story. No need for a license in Cali!
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Posted By: Ms.Honey
Date Posted: November 08 2007 at 12:24am
oh ok ------------- ALL EYES ON ME |
Posted By: TooSense
Date Posted: November 08 2007 at 8:45am
I asked the guy doing the training. He said you need a license in NJ if you work at a salon, but if you're independent you don't, all I'd need was to extend my homeowner's insurance for liability coverage. I'm kind of skeptical, especially b/c his next comment was "if anyone in the class asks please tell them you're a licensed cosmetician."  Working for govmt in NJ, I'm naturally paranoid about doing anything unethical or illegal. Once I actually had enough clients I'd planned to get incorporated & such, especially b/c I'd think many people would want to pay by credit card.
I need to look into this further, but there's no way I'm coming up w/$10K for a license!
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Posted By: Ms.Honey
Date Posted: November 08 2007 at 1:51pm
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You don't pay $10,000 for the license, that's thae average cost to attend cosmetology school. Check the N.J. Board of Cosmetology online for the requirements to do extensions. It maybe listed under the same category as hairbraiding because chemical services aren't required. ------------- ALL EYES ON ME |
Posted By: Poose
Date Posted: November 09 2007 at 4:38pm
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Please read this... http://www.ij.org/publications/other/national-hairbraiding.html - http://www.ij.org/publications/other/national-hairbraiding.html Check the map at the bottom!!!! New Jersey: Status UnclearNew Jersey law does not specifically mention hairbraiding, but it does include “hairweaving.” Braiding may fall under the definition of cosmetology. Braiders seeking a cosmetology-hairstyling license must pass an exam and complete either a 1,200-hour course from a licensed school of cosmetology and hairstyling or a vocational program offered through the public schools. Source: N.J. Rev. Stat. § 45:5B-3(j)(2) & (9) (2005); N.J. Rev. Stat.§ 45:5B-17 (2005).
------------- ^..^ |
Posted By: TanglesRC
Date Posted: November 10 2007 at 1:16am
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note- it says hair braiders- not extensionists!
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. ------------- Bringing beauty, one head at a time... |
Posted By: TooSense
Date Posted: November 13 2007 at 9:12am
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Hmmmm this is interesting. I did call the state board & spoke w/an extremely rude woman who wouldn't let me finish a sentence, just kept repeating "the license is the law in New Jersey."
I was trying to explain that I worked full time & there was no way I'd be able to complete 1200 hours of cosmetology school to fulfill the licensing requirements. She didn't care.
That said, this new info leads me to believe I can do it. I'm pretty well-versed in the law & if it specifically mentions braids but not extensions I think I'll be safe.
Thanks guys!
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Posted By: FinaFina
Date Posted: November 13 2007 at 9:53am
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Texas is one of those states that allows you to do just braiding with a braiding license. So I've got that puppy and can pinchbraid to my heart's content all within the confines of the law!!! Of course I install fusion on myself, thus breaking the law, I guess. . .but I haven't figured out how to pinchbraid backwards yet. ;-) |
Posted By: TooSense
Date Posted: November 13 2007 at 10:31am
 I don't think you're breaking the law if you're doing it on your own head. Look at it this way-------if you want a contractor to install new plumbing in your house they need to be licensed. But if you want to DIY to your own house no license is needed.
I should hope that applies to your own head as well!
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Posted By: FinaFina
Date Posted: November 13 2007 at 11:15am
| I know. I was just kidding. ;-) |