I’m sitting in a salon chair, and my hairdresser is twirling my shiny, smooth hair between her fingertips. “What do you think about your new hair?” he asks. “It’s beautiful,” I said, smiling as I felt the silky texture myself.
A typical successful salon trip, right? Well, not quite. You see, the hair I’m stroking doesn’t come from my own hair follicles and isn’t even attached to my head right now.
Hair extensions have been on my “never again” list for a long time, so this is a bit of a surreal moment. I’m still traumatized by a repeat of the mid-2000s. After five sleepless nights with the rock-hard glue digging deep into my scalp, I had to admit defeat and remove it. I still can’t decide what hurt more: the tug, the financial hit, or watching Cheryl Burnett shrivel up like an overcooked soufflé.
And that’s how I maintained my mindset over the decades until chemicals and curling finally caught up. After a boring but basically problem-free life, my hair stopped working at all. Beyond ear length, they become rugged, brittle, and frustratingly resistant to style. You can manage to shape it by applying extreme heat, but the more you use tongs or a straightening iron, the more the edges will become damaged and break. Trimming off 4-inch strips proves to be of no use as the fraying just heads upwards like the fuse of a lit bomb. I’m really in trouble.
Lynn Hyland
The ends of Rin’s hair showed signs of heat damage and bleaching.
As party season approaches, I consult Domenico Casella, hair whisperer at London’s elite salon Neville, for midlife crisis advice. I complain about the unkempt ends and make uncertain noises about the bob that skims my chin. “Or…” he says. “Have you ever thought about extensions?”
What, that excruciating event that gave me insomnia in the 1990s? “Not so these days,” he says. “We’re going to do tape extensions, which are a game-changer for middle-aged women. They’re lightweight and fit snugly to the head, so they’re comfortable and don’t put unnecessary stress on your hair.”
The tape, he explains, is a 4cm wide weft of real hair with a pre-glued band that is pressed onto the roots using a special tool. Amazingly, a full head application takes less than an hour. You’ll need to remove the tape after 6-8 weeks (it will move down as your hair grows), but it can be reused up to three times. “The tape doesn’t require any heat, it melts the medical grade adhesive and gently peels off, so there’s no damage to the tape,” Domenico reassures me.
Lynn Hyland
Pre-adhesive tape is sandwiched between natural hairs and applied using specialized tools without heat.
Here, if the tape is of low quality, applied incorrectly, left on for a long time, removed incorrectly or not properly cared for, it can damage your hair, so we recommend We would like to strongly warn you of the importance of having your equipment consulted, fitted and maintained by a qualified professional. If you have progressive hair loss, you should go to your general practitioner rather than a beauty salon.
neville
Rin in the middle of speedy treatment
In my case, Domenico says it helps my fracture heal. “Your hair is stuck between the tapes, so when you heat style it, you’re protecting your hair.” Like putting a screen protector on your phone? “That’s right,” he says. “They’re also very careful. We use the latest show pony tape, which wraps the hair over a bonding band so no one can see it up close. However, we have many middle-aged clients who use extensions on their hair of all lengths, primarily to add volume. You don’t even need to know.
Lynn Hyland/Neville
The show pony tape used on Lin has an almost invisible joint
But this is exactly the time when you want people to know that you’ve put in the effort, so when the fitting day comes, you feel the urge to go and see something that no one can afford to miss. Domenico expertly installs shiny 20-inch extensions across the head, and I’m tempted to keep it full length. “Imagine this at a work Christmas party,” I think.
Lynn Hyland
Lin admits that maintaining the full length was at one point an appealing idea.
But Domenico gently advises that they are too long and need to be cut to blend in with my hair. It still feels embarrassing until you have a reality check and realize that a wispy mane on your waist makes you feel a little self-conscious. Do I really want to feel like I’m doing a Rapunzel cosplay? After all, there’s a fine line between dressing up and playing dress up.
Therefore, we adopt Domenico’s recommendations for maximum hair. The hair is a more realistic length and its thickness blurs out my fine ends. In some cases, less really is more.
As he cuts your hair, he explains the basic rules. To preserve the adhesive, use sulfate-free shampoos, brush gently, avoid pulling or high ponytails, and protect your hair from heat. “Remember, it’s real hair, so it can be damaged,” he says.
neville
Domenico trims the extensions so they blend into Lin’s own hair
I stormed out of the salon with stunning new hair and sunglasses, hoping to be mistaken for a passing superstar. (This is Belgravia, so that can happen.)
neville
Links before and after tape extension
As promised, the tape is not uncomfortable to wear, but there are transition weekends where I am acutely aware that it is there, just as I am aware that it is there when I put on my hat. Some salons will let you try a test tape, which isn’t a bad idea.
Walking into the GH office on Monday, it was easy to see why the tape was called Showpony. Because you’ll be stroked and examined right away. I half-expected to be fed a lump of sugar while my co-workers patted me on the head and searched for an almost invisible, perfectly color-matched piece of tape. I’ve been told many times, “You look amazing, like you’re a different person.” Thanks – I agree!
Realistically, we don’t have the budget to keep this as a centerpiece of my administration forever, but I’m glad we’re now out of the cycle we’ve been stuck in. My new behavior is minimal and surprisingly easy to maintain. heat styling. Sure, it takes longer to dry gently, but I only have to wash it once a week, and (because most of my hair isn’t mine) my waves last for days instead of hours. .
Lynn Hyland
Having a good hair day every day is a great confidence booster. And while I know this mane is pure fantasy, I want it to be a route back to a reality I never appreciated until I lost it. If you reluctantly let go of your Hollywood hair, “boring but okay” is enough.
It’s a long game, so my plan is to reuse the tape and allow my natural hair to rest and eventually grow back naturally to whatever length it is. And you know what? Chic and healthy, the bob will be a big hit in 2025.
• National prices for hair extension tape vary widely from salon to salon. You can pay from £300 per half head. At Neville Hair & Beauty, Showpony’s ethically sourced hair extensions start from £450.
