I couldn’t help but notice how flat and discrete these extensions were. Each bond took only 60 seconds to apply, and the stylist said a full head application could take less than an hour. In my 10 years of wearing extensions, I had never seen anything like it.
I will never forget going to the salon in 2012 for a blowout and noticing the woman next to me was getting “tape-in extensions” installed. I was instantly fascinated. As a long-time clip in hair extension wearer, and someone who had tried beaded wefts, keratin bonds, I-tips - you name it - I couldn’t help but notice how flat and discrete these extensions were. Each bond took only 60 seconds to apply, and the stylist said a full head application could take less than an hour. In my 10 years of wearing extensions, I had never seen anything like it. Turns out, these so called “tape-in hair extensions” were brand new – they had only just become a thing around 2010. I fell in love with the idea, but the ones this salon offered were way too expensive; so I immediately went home and attempted to find them online. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any extension company that would sell to me online; and that is where my idea for Glam Seamless was born.
In 2012, from my little 2 bedroom apartment in Weehawken NJ, I started my journey with tape-ins with just 2 colors - 1b and 60. I attempted to apply them to my hair myself, but as soon as I went to brush them they started falling out one by one. In that moment, I realized I needed a professional stylist to apply them. After a few more failed attempts to bond them myself, I finally found a professional to help me! From that day in October 2012, I was officially obsessed with tape ins.
The evolution of tape in hair extensions has changed the hair extension game for me. Semi-permanent extensions that cost only a fraction of keratin extensions and take less than an hour to apply? Hair that is 100% reusable and can be applied with no damage to my own naturally fine, fragile hair? Yes, please!
So, why are tape-ins still my favorite after all these years?
Daily confidence
Semi-permanent extensions are the ultimate confidence booster. After you have a taste of waking up with thick gorgeous hair every morning, you will never want to go back. You’ll carry yourself differently, even on those not-so-great hair days. Clip ins and halos are great if you are going to a wedding or on the occasional night out. But once you’ve tried tape-in extensions, you will never want to go back to ready-to-wear. There’s nothing like the feeling of an effortless full head of hair and the fool-proof styling ability you’ll have with semi-permanent extensions.
They’re Affordable
Tape-ins are only a few hundred dollars to have installed and the hair is 100% reusable for up to an entire year. If you’re really on a budget, you can add volume or even transform your hair color with zero chemicals using just one pack of Remy tape-ins. Keratin extensions are expensive and can be damaging to your own hair if done improperly. Excessive color changes become expensive over time, too. You can 100% change your hair color just using hair extensions by mixing 2-3 different colors. The transformation can be incredible at a fraction of the cost.
Lifestyle friendly
Tape-in hair extensions are perfect for everyday wear, even if you have thin or fine hair. You can wear your hair up in a ponytail, get a blowout at the salon 2x + a week, and go to the gym all without the extensions slipping or showing (that is, if they are applied correctly and maintained every 8 weeks). Also, don’t worry about your significant other feeling your extensions, these are super discreet. It will take them a while to catch on. Personally, I am not a huge fan of clip-ins or halos anymore. I do wear them in between my tape-in installations, but I just don’t love them the way I love my tape-ins! Oh, and just as our little secret… I don’t love weft extensions, either. They’re a bit too thick for me. I know people LOVE their weft extensions these days. Truthfully, they do look great, and there is zero chemicals or bonding with glues - I get it. But tape extensions are 100% safe as well, and my favorite ones do not leave residue or damage (the glam seamless ones, anyway - I can’t speak for all!) I have tried plenty of other brands though, and they left residue in my hair.
Mix & Match Options
Now that I’m not a struggling recent college graduate, I can finally afford a full head of keratin extensions. Honestly, I prefer a full head of keratin extensions because I can actually afford them and they are the creme de la crème of extensions. I used to say I hated them, but that was really because I didn’t have the money for them! Now that I’ve had them, I’m pretty obsessed with them. However, I am a CEO and a mom of two who doesn’t have 3 hours to sit in the salon. This sparked my newest mix & match combination- the hybrid tape in method. With this method, I get only tape-ins installed in the back of my head, with 2 packs of keratin bonds installed in the front. You can mix tape-ins with many other methods- keratins, i-tips, flat-tips and more. You can also cut down on time and installation costs this way, by playing around with similar combinations! Keratin bonds are nothing short of the Rolls Royce of extensions, but the epitome of keratin extensions luxury is the collection Priscilla Valles created with Glam Seamless recently. This collection is the BEST hair I’ve ever seen on the market. If you are ever looking to treat yourself, I can’t gush enough over these extensions by Priscilla. The quality and color selection are immaculate! Ok, ok I’ll stop obsessing! I just love the versatility of these extensions.
Time Savers
Tape extensions are the fastest hair extension installation method; you can get a full head of semi-permanent extensions in under an hour with no tools or heat necessary. I hate sitting in the salon for hours, I like to save time! Like I said before, I am super busy these days and I don’t always have 3 free hours to maintain keratin hair extensions. So, the hybrid installation I mentioned helps me have the hair I want in way less time. Ultimately, tape-extensions save tons of time which will save you tons of money, too!
So that’s it, the verdict is out. I still love tape-ins as much today as I did when I first got them 10 years ago! They’re the #1 seller at Glam Seamless for a reason, and they will forever be the #1 semi-permanent method in my book. If you are a clip in junkie like I was, it may be time to upgrade and see for yourself what the obsession is all about!
