Hair Extensions

Real Hair Extensions Cost & Prices: What to Consider? (2024)

The cost of hair extensions may vary significantly. The price range starts at twenty bucks and may go up to as high as a few thousand dollars. The final cost will largely depend on several factors. For example, the type and quality of hair, the amount and length of hair, and the application method of hair extensions.

Another important variable you need to include in the cost equation is the time required to install hair extensions. Essentially, one can expect to spend a lot more if the method of application is time-intensive.

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The price variance of hair extensions is due to several reasons. Aside from the type of hair, other factors affect the hair extension cost, and the major factors are the following:

The Weight and Length of Hair

The more and longer hair you want to wear, the higher the price that you must pay for your extensions. The ideal amount will largely depend on the volume and length of your hair. In other words, if you want to have a long head of hair, you will have to spend more than shorter or medium-length hair extensions.

What’s the Ideal Hair Extensions Length?

A good way to save money when buying hair extensions is to go for shorter lengths. We know that thirty-inch, mermaid-like hair sounds very appealing, but it’s not that necessary. You can get great length with much less.

Fifteen to twenty inches is what you should be aiming for, and it will still extend your natural strands significantly. For example, AiryHair offers 16-inch, 100-gram Remy extensions (10 pieces) for only $46. That’s very affordable.

How to Save Money Choosing Hair Weight?

You can save a few more bucks and choose extensions that are not insanely thick. The density of extensions we measure in grams, and the weights go from about 40g to 220g or even more. 220 grams is an insane volume, and although it looks cool, it’s not necessary for regular users.

Those who don’t have a lot of money to spend. Pick the weight between 40 and 100 grams, which will give you a significant amount of volume and thickness without costing a fortune.

Hair Quality

While still available in other quality grades, the high-end option we call “Remy hair extension.” While such wefts are made of authentic human hair, there’s more to the eye than you can see.

One of the distinctive features of these hair extensions is the cuticle layer that remains intact. That is the outside portion of the hair strand. Because of their superior quality, Remy hair extensions occupy the top end of the price spectrum.

How to Pick Reputable Supplier?

When shopping for high-end hair extensions, it’s hard to find healthy ones. Some retailers offer Indian or Asian hair extensions of poor quality at prices that appear to be good bargains.

If you want to get the best value for your money, it would be best that you avoid these hair extensions. Most of the cheap hair extensions will become dry and stringy on the ends.

Make sure that the seller you plan to buy hair from is trusted and transparent when it comes to their products. Good reviews will also help. There are a lot of products out there with misleading labels and information, and many stores want to sell you low-quality extensions for a very high price, so beware of that.

Geographical Location

Hair extensions are generally more expensive when purchased in larger cities, mainly because the salons have higher operating expenses. This rule applies when comparing the cost of hair extensions in more costly communities to the less expensive or lower-income sections of a city.

While it’s all about Indian and Asian hair these days, there are few alternatives. Other popular locations of human hair include Malaysia, Spain, and Brazil.

Extensions Durability

Certain hair extensions last longer than others; you must know that by now. In most cases, the high-end and more expensive ones are more durable and will normally last for more than 12 months, even with continued use.

How would one know? Your hair extension is nearing the end of its service life when the tip of the hair strands becomes stringy and dry.

Next, let’s break down pricing further by comparing two popular hair types. When thinking about how to save some money on extensions, most people believe that they need to buy synthetic or low-quality extensions.

They are known for their low price and can be bought everywhere, even on eBay and Aliexpress. The problem with that kind of hair is that it often comes from untrusted sources, the labels are usually misleading, the quality of the hair is very bad, and the extensions can’t be worn for more than a month.

Real Hair Extension Prices

The average cost of human hair extensions ranges from $20 to $500, depending on the specific type of hair that you choose. The most expensive hair extensions are created of 100% virgin human hair. This type of hair material is pure, as factories don’t treat it with chemicals.

The high-end hair extensions may require you to spend more upfront. However, you will get the best value for every dollar you spend on it. If you want a natural look that will last the longest, then high-priced hair extensions are the best buy.

Fake Hair Extension Prices

Fake hair or synthetic hair extension is the cheaper alternative to human hair extensions. This option has a price range of $5 to $50. One of the key strengths of synthetic hair extensions is that they are not easily affected by humidity and rain, as the synthetic material used has already been pre-set.

Of course, color and heat treatments are not possible with synthetic hair extensions. It may be more expensive to use synthetic hair extensions in the long run as you cannot reuse them like human hair extensions.

The hair extension cost is also dependent on the option as well as the method used in its application. Here is the breakdown of the price ranges for each of the different options and application methods.

If you want to spend the least amount of money on extensions, go for the least expensive method. That seems obvious, but you might wonder what extension type is the most affordable out of the many that are on the market today. Most hairstylists will point to clip-ins for being the cheapest. While that’s true, there are other methods!

Nowadays, clip-ins, I-tip extensions, micro rings, and tape-ins cost pretty much the same.

Another thing to consider is whether you want to install the extensions yourself or have them done professionally at a salon because that will significantly increase the price. If you’re on a budget, we recommend that you purchase weft or strand-by-strand extensions online and apply them yourself. Most of the mentioned methods are simple to get the hang of and do at home. There are great tutorials on how to do it that you can find.

Clip-in and Flip-in Style Extensions Cost

Flip-ins don’t require any skill at all. Place the wire on your head, and it’s over. Clip-in extensions, on the other hand, could cost you a few dollars, in case you ask hairstylists to do it. However, since the whole process takes less than 20 minutes, the prices are never steep.

To save money, check some tutorials online and install these yourself. It’s easy!

Can Install Yourself? Yes

Price Range: $0 to $50

Micro Ring Loop and I-Tip Hair Extensions Cost

This application method involves the stringing up of the hair with tiny copper coils. You insert hair extensions into hair and clamp down the copper coil with a special tool that will keep strands and your natural hair in its original position.

No chemical is used in the procedure, and the tension on the hair is kept to a minimum. The price range for this option depends on your preferences.

Can Install Yourself? Yes

Price Range: $0 to $500

Weave and Weft Hair Extensions Cost

One of the methods that many prefer is the application of hair extensions. These wefts are woven or braided into your hair. This is the most appropriate method if your primary reason for using hair extensions is to fill out the thinner portions of your hair.

Depending on the hair stylists’ experience and salon, prices are not that bad. It’s faster to get weave extensions installed that rely on strand-by-strand types.

Can Install Yourself? No

Price Range: $200 to $600

Keratin and Hot Fusion Hair Extensions Cost

This option makes use of a polymer, a keratin-based ingredient used to attach hair extensions to your hair. This procedure is gentler than hot fusion bonding and lasts up to 6 months.

That’s also the main reason why the procedure is at such a steep price. The overall range for this option is from $500 up to as high as $1,000.

However, you can switch to glue and make it a slightly more economical method. The procedure involves the use of hot glue to attach the hair extensions to your hair.

Can Install Yourself? No

Price Range: $350 to $1,000

Tape-in Hair Extensions Cost

The cost of installing tape-in hair extensions is not that great. Not only can you install these tresses yourself, but salons won’t charge you that much to begin with. Mostly because the method itself does not require hundreds of strands.

Instead, you have 40 to 80 tapes that are super easy to attach and remove. If the salon nearby charges you anything more than a few hundred bucks, go to the next one. Even better, learn with your friends how to install hair on your own.

Can Install Yourself? Yes

Price Range: $0 to $200

Another important aspect of hair extension cost relates to its care and maintenance. You may need to visit the salon monthly for the proper care and upkeep of your hair extensions. A visit to the salon may cost you around $50 to $100. The amounts cited here are generally the average values for each of the cost components. Most extension methods are easy to master, so it’s safe to do it by yourself.

The price can easily escalate and can even run up to $5,000 if you plan to use the high-end and exclusive salons, like the ones frequented by known celebrities such as Jessica Simpson, Paris Hilton, and Britney Spears.

Hair extension business and profit margins are a subject that many stores will avoid. How much does it cost to buy strands from hair donors and then turn all that into wefts? You might think that hair factories are racking millions, but that is untrue. The beauty business can be brutal on margins, but extensions are a different beast altogether.

Most hair factories will go bankrupt within the first year. That’s how thin their profits are. Hair suppliers compete with one another and, more often than not, sell hair for a loss! Why? They believe in long-term success, will try to destroy competitors, but since there are so many new factories opening for business, these never survive long enough to reap the benefits.

On average, retailers buy extensions for prices that are surprisingly close to the original selling cost. The trick here is to offer additional items and try to cover the costs.

The average price of hair extensions is about $80. You can get hair for as low as $30, assuming weight or length is not an issue. It is in accordance with thousands of our clients. Most women will buy 20″ length hair extensions weighing 100 – 150g.

Here is the current price list (source: AiryHair) for strand by strand extensions:

16” (40 cm) (40g) – $28.93
16” (40 cm) (80g) – $44.30
16” (40 cm) (100g) – $49.18
18” (45 cm) (50g) – $35.85
18” (45 cm) (80g) – $45.11
18” (45 cm) (100g) – $51.13
20” (50 cm) (50g) – $37.90
20” (50 cm) (70g) – $43.33
20” (50 cm) (100g) – $54.06
22” (55 cm) (50g) – $39.95
22” (55 cm) (80g) – $51.78
22” (55 cm) (100g) – $59.26
24” (55 cm) (70g) – $53.89
24” (55 cm) (100g) – $63.00
24” (55 cm) (140g) – $77.15
26” (60 cm) (50g) – $45.69

The profit margin is no more than 5% on any of these; 3% is average. This business does not create millionaires. Unless you build a global brand and sell the same hair quality for twice or 4x the price. I’m sure you’ve heard of all these big brands by now.

Conclusion

If you find the prices of hair extensions way over your budget range, then you may consider using clip-ons, the cheapest alternative. You can easily attach this hair extension yourself using the built-in clip of the hair extension.

If you would like to order quality hair extensions, click here to check our store.

Sam Fisher

Sam has been working in beauty and health industries since early 2000s with some of the world’s most popular brands. You probably have some of these products at your home right now. With almost 20 years of experience, Sam has a deep understanding of hair extensions, wigs and all things beauty as well as nutrition, fitness, teas and topics of similar nature.

View Comments

  • Great post!!!
    It is very much useful to check cost and quality before purchasing any hair extensions. These above given points will definitely help us in getting a best human hair extensions . Always prefer to try online hair extensions.

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