Can You Colour Hair Extensions?
If you have hair extensions and you’re thinking about a colour change, it’s a fair question — can the extensions be coloured too, or are you stuck with the shade you’ve got? The short answer is often yes, but it’s not as simple as colouring your natural hair, and it’s very much a job for a professional. Here’s an honest guide from the team at Wisteria Avenue in Abingdon.
Why it’s not a DIY job
Colouring extensions is trickier than colouring natural hair, for a few reasons. Extension hair reacts to colour differently from the hair growing on your head, and getting an even, natural result that blends with your own hair takes real judgement. A professional can assess the hair properly, choose the right method, and use colour products suited to extensions — rather than risk an uneven or damaged result that’s expensive to put right.
It depends on the hair itself
Before colouring extensions, the original colour and texture of the hair matters. Going darker is generally more straightforward. Going lighter is harder — it can require pre-lightening first, which, as with any lightening, can damage the hair if it isn’t done carefully and correctly. The quality and type of the extension hair also makes a difference to how well it takes colour. This is exactly why an honest assessment in the salon comes first: it’s not always a simple yes, and a good stylist will tell you straight what’s realistic for your particular extensions.
Different extension types, different approach
How your extensions are fitted affects how colouring works. Clip-in extensions are usually best removed and coloured separately — that makes it easier to apply colour evenly and avoids staining the clips. Tape-in or sewn-in extensions are more involved, as they’re attached to your hair, and the colouring needs to be done with care to protect both the extensions and your natural hair. In every case, it’s a job to leave to a professional rather than attempt at home.
The honest advice
If colouring your extensions is important to you, the best approach is to think about it before you have extensions fitted — that way the colour can be planned from the start. If you already have extensions and want a change, don’t make any decisions alone: book a consultation and let a stylist assess what’s possible. It may well be achievable, but it’s worth getting an expert eye on it first.
Book a consultation in Abingdon
If you’re thinking about colouring your extensions, or considering extensions and colour together, come and talk to us. Book in for a free, no-obligation consultation and we’ll give you an honest view of your options. You can also have a look at our price list to see what’s involved.
