Hi Friends!!

It has been a hot minute since I have been updating you all on life + style! I have been so extremely busy with my wedding planning which by the way is in ONE WEEK! I cannot even believe it! So much has happened and so much has gotten put together and we officially leave next week for our wedding in the mountains and to say I am excited would be a huge understatement!

So obviously we all love to prepare for our weddings in our own ways! Some of us get the hair all done up, makeup on point, big huge dress, lots and lots of little details or minimalists as well with the smallest meaningful details such as jewelry and shoes! Being a wedding photographer is great for this because literally for years I have known what I did and did not want!

Destination wedding…YES spending time and money on hair and makeup….NOPE. I knew from the very beginning that I wouldn’t want to spend half of my day inside of a salon getting my hair and makeup done. I love when brides do that but that is just not me! I knew I wanted to do my own hair and makeup.

Most of you know that I was on an acne medication that ruined my hair. It was very hard for me because I was doing so well growing my hair out and when it started to break and become very frail, I was already almost done with Accutane and the damage had been done already so I have literally been suffering from those effects since I stopped Accutane which was 6 months ago. I will make a post about my experience with Accutane after one year of being off of it!

On a happy note, I made the decision that not only will I be having a destination wedding, I didn’t really want to spend money on hair makeup so I knew I was going to get extensions! Best idea ever!

I chose a local place and I here to tell you my experience!

I have never had hair extensions in my entire life! I had no idea what to expect or even if I would love them or not! But I knew that I wanted to try them out! I ordered the 14 inch tape-in wefts and I have pretty thick hair so to be safe we ordered 4 packs of the extensions! My hair has all different lengths (not by choice) I have honesty been trying to grow my hair out for years so this is just a bummer for me at first but not to worry! My hair stylist got me! The experience overall was amazing. Effortlessly she installed all 4 boxes and made the extensions blend so well. Overall I would 10/10 recommend getting extensions of some kind if you struggle with hair loss or uneven hair for fullness, length. Girl whatever reason you want to get them, that’s your reason and I say go for it! See my before + After images below!

I do however think everyone should educate themselves and be sure that they want to take the time to put the effort into having extensions!

Things I think every girl should know before getting extensions!

1: They are a lot of work! — I mean like more work than taking care of my own hair! You have to brush them 2-3 times daily. You shouldn’t wash them for at least 48 hours and you should be aware that the first couple of days they feel tight and could give you a headache! I personally did not experience a huge headache but they definitely felt tight! You have to sleep with them up and try to use minimal heat on them so that they last because the ends can dry out so fast!

2: Sleeping on them is not easy. — I currently have pretty dry hair and pretty bad bed head when I wake up in the morning. Not too happy to admit that one! Having a silk hair net to pull your hair together prevents that! Its not a super sexy thing but definitely helps so that your extensions don’t matte because if you do not brush your hair or sleep with your hair up they will matte! I got a silk pillowcase and that has worked wonders for me! It also helps with your skin so a double win! click for the link to grab a silk pillow case! https://geni.us/bKshA50

3: Use professional products on them! — You must must must and I cannot stress it enough. Use professional grade products on these. It makes a huge difference if you want to keep them looking natural! I use Amika Products and love them! I get mine from my hair stylist!

4: Find someone who specializes in installing them! — It is super important to have someone who knows what they are doing! They need to blend and cut them well! I went to a local girl in DePere and she is absolutely amazing! Anna Maria Artistry and you can find her on my instagram page!

5: Always use a protectant spray + Have fun with them! — Of course we always should be using heat protectant on our extensions but a good hair stylist will obviously give you recommendations on what to use and also the type of products to use as well! Use products that will help protect your hair from major damage! Embrace your new hair and try out new styles that you couldn’t do before! I personally love the way I can curl my hair now that it is longer! Braids, nice halfway updos, all of the styles!

6: There is a certain way to wash your hair! — Yes believe it or not, there is a specific way to wash your hair when you have extensions! Washing shampoo only on the root of your hair and not the ends of your hair! For conditioner you should only put that on the ends of your extensions and hair so that it gets all of the moisture! Again make sure you use professional grade shampoo and conditioner so the quality of the extensions stays above par throughout the time you have them in!

Being a girl is fun and planning a wedding is one of the most amazing times of your life! Whether you get extensions just to have them or you have a life event that you want them for, I ultimately love mine so far! I think it take effortless styling to the next level and keeps your hair feeling and looking full! You cannot go wrong! Remember to have fun with them and try new things! It always feels so refreshing to have a new look + you deserve it!

xoxo!