Few things can be a bigger mood spoiler than a bad hair day. But one of the latest rage in beauty hacks — hair extensions — is coming to people’s rescue. Apart from people opting for it as a solution to their hair loss problem either due to diseases or lifestyle, it is helping them to style their mane the way they desire. From imitating a desired celeb style to going for a style that’s hard to create or maintain on natural hair, hair extension is the most popular hack for most hair woes. With the festive season already here and people getting their hairstyles sorted to match their outfits to get the complete look right from head to toe, Dipali Ahalani of Posh Kitten takes us through some popular styles starting from the classic and classy to the trendy:

(From left) Mumtaz’s black outfit with red lips was complemented with a classy chic look where coloured hair extensions added volume and luscious appeal to her own hair. The best part? Not having to damage your own hair with the chemicals of hair colours. One can also change the colour of the strands as per their desired look.

For people with short or shoulder-length hair, getting the curly look right alone with curling devices often doesn’t give great results. In this evening look on Mumtaz, with bold lips, Dipali suggested tight curls, a party or festive night favourite. The hair was pinned on one side and curled with a curling device. Then the long tight curl extensions were used on the side to add volume and highlight drama. An added advantage of this style is to get a linear look of the face.

Braids can never really go out of style for us Indians. The classic appeal it has complements ethnic as well as western look. Long braids, a much-desired hairstyle for many, are often hard to achieve without the hair growing up to a certain length with enough volume. Here hair extensions can come to your rescue! Dipali suggested the school-girl long neat braided look, where the multiple hues add style to the look and create a boho chic vibe overall.

Dipali Ahalani

Since childhood, I was into fashion and style. I loved observing people’s hair and nails and what they wear. While growing up I saw my mother also so well groomed. I was always into it. It was in our family. So, I wanted to do something in the fashion, beauty and wellness sector. We travelled around the world for work during the late Nineties and early 2000s and saw people doing different styles. I wanted to do the same for the local people. So I opened my salon Posh Kitten in 2013, where everything is available within an economical range,” said Dipali Ahalani of Posh Kitten.

Talking about the craze for hair extensions, she explained: “Hair extensions are a popular styling choice now. Firstly, because of pollution and secondly, due to a stressful lifestyle, our skin and hair are suffering. Everyone loves looking more groomed. So, people are going for hair extensions. People can try different hairstyles also for the festive season through hair extensions. Once the festivities are over they can get rid of it.”

Talking about how the process works, she said: “The pricing depends on the different quality. We work with the natural ones. They are made according to a person’s forehead, texture of the hair and hair colour. Four to five different lengths are available according to height and face. And it is styled according to lifestyle, looks and hair structure.”

She also provided some caring tips for extensions. Ahalani said: “People either come for volume or length and it is easy to use. There are different ways to put it — glue-ins, tape-ins, sew-ins and clip-ins. The permanent ones are put on by our hairstylists. People can shampoo it and go for treatment like they go for their own hair to keep it soft and shiny. We ask for a replacement every six months. One should comb it, go for Keratin treatment and treat it like their own hair. It is easy to use. We help people to learn about it also at Posh Kitten Academy, where we teach hair extension styling and provide eyelash extension training also.”

“Since we all begin experimenting with our hair early on in life, the damage gets worse. So Rapunzel takes a merry walk out of the window. Who said so? That is exactly where extensions come in. They become a part of your habit, and you wear them like any pro. The volume gets a fillip as does length. This shoot attempts to partially educate people to embrace it for excellent results. So, basically, these days if you have very fine or thin hair, the days of feeling embarrassed or not having glory-hair days are completely gone,” said Jeena Mitra Banik, stylist.