Hair Extensions for Volume and Fullness

Oct 06, 2023

By Dianna Mazzone

You probably can recognize hair extensions when you see 'em, right? But what about when you don't? So many celebrities (like, so many) are wearing hair extensions that the untrained eye would probably never notice — because said extensions aren't being used to add navel-grazing length, but overall fullness.

Ah, fullness — perhaps the greatest difference-maker between what society would deem "average" hair and exceptional, shampoo commercial-worthy hair. And for the approximately 30 million of us who have reported dealing with hair loss and thinning as caused by genetics, it remains particularly elusive.

Of course, celebrities aren't immune to this phenomenon — nor are they all born with naturally thick, luscious hair. But they are ahead of the curve when it comes to understanding the versatility of extensions.

Specialist Priscilla Valles says she's added extensions to styles of all sorts — bobs, lobs, you name it — with the goal of making hair appear more voluminous. A scroll through her Instagram is case in point: You'll see the waist-long extensions she applied on Kim Kardashian, sure — but you'll also see how she used extensions to amp up Hailey Bieber's shoulder-length cut.

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Valles wasn't always able to share her work so publicly. As recently as six years ago, Valles says she was "signing confidentiality agreements left and right." Celebrities weren't keen to let the world know — or even so much as imply — that the hair on their head was not, in fact, all theirs.

Hairstylist and extensions expert Takisha Sturdivant-Drew has also had clients ask her to remain hush-hush: "I'm like, 'But don't you want people to know the truth, especially young kids who look up to you?' [Those kids] will be sitting there wondering, how can I get [hair like] that? It's better to be honest."

That said, both Sturdivant-Drew and Valles believe the veil is starting to lift, thanks in large part to Instagram. When celebrities post photos from an event, they're increasingly tagging their extensionists along with the rest of the members of their "glam squad," like their makeup artist and stylist. "That's their way of saying, this is really not me; I borrowed this hair," says Sturdivant-Drew. "It's kind of like playing dress up."

For some celebs, though, having hair extensions in is akin to having their toes perpetually pedicured — Valles says that for about half of her clients, it's part of general upkeep. (The other half seek out extensions for special occasions, like performances or photoshoots.) In that case, Valles says she mostly uses individual keratin bond extensions, a line of which she has created in collaboration with Glam Seamless. (We also like those by Great Lengths and Bellami.)

Keratin-bonded are "considered the Rolls Royce of extensions," says Valles. "They move and flow so naturally because [the bonding point] is the width of a grain of rice. You're basically building a wig on the head." Valles says she'll often use multiple colors on a single client: For example, Chrissy Teigen's multidimensional highlights require six different shades of hair.

This type of extension lasts for six to eight weeks and requires the skills of a trained professional to apply and remove — but there are also more temporary options for building volume. Sturdivant-Drew likes clip-ins, like those from her own line, TSD Hair. (We're fans of The Hair Shop and Luxy Hair, too.) To apply them, she suggests teasing hair at the root section-by-section, then clipping in the extensions (which are equipped with snaps that look resemble tiny combs) as you go. To help them blend most seamlessly with your natural hair, leave out your hairline and natural part.

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Renée Elise Goldsberry's short crop styled by Takisha Sturdivant-Drew using TSD Hair.

Should you like the look, Valles recommends bringing your clip-ins to your next hair appointment so your stylist can cut them to frame your face. If you're using multiple clip-ins versus one large piece, just be sure to label the inside of each section (left center, right front, etc.) to keep track of where to place them, she says.

And if you feel funny talking to your stylist about it, try to remember you're far from alone. "The more we normalize extensions as an extra hair accessory, or like getting your hair color done, the better it is for everyone," says Valles. "So many women are insecure about their hair. [They should know that] a lot of people in the public eye known for having the 'best' hair really have a head-full of extensions."

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