It’s a story as old as time: you get the itch to change up your look and decide a lob is just what you need, only to experience hair regret the next day. But unlike a breakup, short hair doesn’t have to be forever. And also unlike a breakup, when your past comes knocking at your door, we say go for it! What’s a girl to do? The answer: clip-in hair extensions, with which you can enjoy the best of both worlds—short hair and long hair—with absolutely no commitment and no damage to your own hair.
To bring you the best tips and tricks on how to clip in and blend hair extensions with short hair (even a lob), we’ve enlisted the help of Pia Muehlenbeck, one of our favorite travel and lifestyle YouTubers. Pia’s infamous lob (long bob) is part of her identity, but if you follow her on Instagram, you’ll notice that her hair length changes from short to long instantly between photographs. Using hair extensions, Pia brings back her long hair whenever she wants, and has mastered the art of blending hair extensions with her short hair.
If you have trouble with hair extensions for short hair, view the video below or scroll down for step by step instructions how to go from short hair to long hair seamlessly.
8 hacks to blend hair extensions with short hair
1. Use a thick set
Pia uses two sets of different colors and blends them together with her natural hair. She uses the 220g Ombre Chestnut and 220g Ombre Blonde Set, layering wefts from each set on top of each other to create a mixed effect. Regardless, if you are using a single set, always opt for our heaviest 220g set, since you will require more hair to transition from the shorter pieces to longer pieces seamlessly.
Make sure to brush your hair out using a Loop Hair Extensions Brush before clipping in your extensions.
2. Pin the bottom section of your hair away
This is a really great hack for blending hair extensions with short hair to hide those pesky telltale shorter pieces at the nape of your neck. Section your hair so only a tiny bit of it is left at the bottom, and clip the rest of the hair away. Back comb this remaining section and twist or braid it, then pin it flat against the nape of your next with some bobby pins. This is where you’ll be clipping in your first weft of extensions.
3. Mix and match colors for added dimension
Pia uses two sets of Luxy Hair extensions: 220g Ombre Chestnut and 220g Ombre Blonde. With these sets, Pia tackled two major extensions challenges: how to blend hair extensions with short hair, and how to blend hair extensions with highlights or multi-toned hair. Using two different colors tricks the eye by adding dimension and depth to the hair. Another option is to try out balayage hair extensions for added color.
If using two colors, simply alternate the two colors when clipping the extensions in to achieve a seamless blend. A bonus? This creates natural looking sun-kissed highlights without spending any time out in the sun!
4. Tease the roots for added grip
You may find that you need some added hold at the roots, especially if you have finer hair. To add grip to your natural hair, tease it by back combing the strands.
5. Go higher than usual
Keep in mind, when you are clipping in your hair extensions for short hair, your goal is to cover as much of your natural short hair as possible. This means that you will find that your extensions will sit a lot higher on your head, which is totally fine. Continue clipping in the rest of your hair extensions until you’ve reached the top of your head.
6. Create a super long mega-weft to cover short layers
Once you have reached the widest point of your head, which will be in line with your eyebrows, clip in two 3-clip wefts side by side. You will be laying them beside each other, and they will overlap slightly in the back. In Pia’s tutorial, she creates one long mega-weft that lays across the whole back of her head, covering up all her shorter layers.
Clip in your last four clip wefts the same way at the back of your hair. By doing this, you can lock down all the other wefts you have clipped in your hair and allow you to have one cohesive weft that covers all the rest.
7. Add face-framing pieces in the front
Pia cut both her 3-clip wefts so that the sections towards the front of her face are shorter. This creates face framing layers, which blend into shorter layers more naturally. Since Luxy Hair extensions are made with 100% remy human hair, they can be cut and styled just like your own natural hair, however, we recommend to take your extensions to your hairstylist to be cut by a professional!
Additionally, finish off by clipping in your individual clip wefts at whichever place you feel needs more volume and length. Pia likes placing a few right behind her ears. Make sure to put in the dark ones in first, and then place the lighters one closer to your face.
8. Add waves and curls
A time saving tip is to curl your extensions before hand. Use a Hair Extensions Carrier, to clip your extensions on for easy and quick curling. If you do this before, the hardest part is pretty much done! You’ll just need to touch up with a few curls to blend your natural hair with the extensions. Once you clip your wefts in, curl each shorter strand with a piece of the longer strands, and use a straightener if need be to curl any shorter ends inward. Finally, curl your top layer of hair to achieve a smooth, seamless transition.
Do you have short hair? What are your best tips when it comes to wearing extensions? Let us know in the comments below – we love hearing from you! If you try this technique be sure to share your before and after transformation by tagging us on Instagram @luxyhairlove and using the hashtag #luxhairlove for a chance to be featured.