How to Expertly Color Match Hair Extensions

Perfectly matching your hair extensions to your hair colour can be quite difficult, especially if you are new to this experience, or if you’re only using photos as reference. Hair, after all, is quite unique and its colour can be perceived quite differently depending on the lighting, the angle of a photograph, and even the hairstyle! If you are new to the magical world of hair extensions, you may be wondering: how do I pick the perfect colour for my hair? With over 70 shades available, it can be quite confusing, I get it.

But don’t worry – choosing a beauty product shouldn’t be a daunting task, and the Cliphair team is here to help you find the perfect shade so that you can purchase with confidence. Ready to colour match? Here’s everything you need to know about it. 

How To Match Hair Extensions In Person

Using a Color ring to find the correct shade is the most accurate way to color match human hair extensions. The colour swatches on the ring will be exactly the same as the product you will receive.  

Always match the colour to the mid-lengths and ends of the hair. This is especially important in recent times as Balayage and Ombre styles are so popular. If the hair extensions are darker than the ends of the hair there will be a band creating a noticeable line where the real hair ends and hair extensions start, which we can all agree is not a good look! 

 Make sure you physically hold the swatches against the lengths of the hair to compare the colours, when you find a colour that blends well it should be tricky to see which is the real hair and which is the swatch. 

Cliphair Colour Ring: Solid Shades

If you’d like to do this on your own or if your trusted hairdresser doesn’t have their own Cliphair colour ring yet, you can get your own. The solid shades colour ring provides you with all the beauty and quality of our 100% human hair Remy hair extensions, showcasing our blonde, black, brunette, and red solid colours. Keep your colour ring safe and undamaged so that after you’re done with the consultation, you can easily return it (within 30 days) and get your money back. Awesome, no?

Cliphair Colour Ring: Mixed Shades

If you have a stunning mix of highlights or lowlights, you may think that finding the right shade for you is a little more difficult. For this purpose, we have crafted and launched a mixed shades colour ring, so that more and more of our beloved clients can find their perfect match. This also includes our stunning balayage hair extensions! Just like with our solid shades colour ring, you can make a purchase to find the right colour, store it safely in the meantime, and then return it.

 Find out more about our Return Policy here.

Not sure about your next best hairstyle? Get the bundle with both Colour Rings and save 10% on the total! 

How To Match Hair Extensions Online

What if you don’t want to order a colour ring, or simply would like more guidance by hair experts? Well, the answer is easy – just pop us a message! The Cliphair team features hair stylists and salon professionals that can help you find the right type of hair extensions and can match you to the right shade as well. The process is quite easy as well, and can be done in a few minutes from your phone. Pop us a message on Instagram or Whatsapp, or simply visit our Colour Matching Service page to know more. Getting matched to one of our 70+ gorgeous shades is completely FREE of charge, without any purchase being mandatory. 

Whether you’re after a fresh set of clip in hair extensions for a special occasion or you’re looking to step into the stunning world of permanent hair extensions to change your look long term, our experts are happy to help you and guide you to find the right product for your hair type!

When sending in a photograph of your hair to get colour matched by our team, keep these simple do’s and don'ts in mind:

Do's

 - Send at least 3 clear photos of your hair.

 - Show your hair down from the roots to the ends (the ends and mid-lengths are the most important part to show).

 - Make sure your hair is clean, dry and smooth if possible.

 - Send at least 1 photo of your hair from the back.

 - Make sure you are in a light room, as dark photos can be hard to analyse!

Don'ts 

 - Don't use a flash. This can make your hair look lighter than it is!

 - Don't use filters. We know it's tempting guys, but we can promise you the hair expert on the other side is not fussed about how airbrushed your make up looks! Filters can completely change the tone of your hair, so please steer clear of these when sending photos for a colour match so that you can get the best results.

 - Don't send photos taken in direct sunlight. Again, the sun can make the hair look a lot lighter/redder than it is, misleading the final choice.

How To Match Curly Hair Extensions

For curly-haired beauties, the process is the same. However, you don’t need to straighten your hair to get the perfect match: in fact, check your texture pattern so that it matches the one of your curly hair extensions! You can read more about choosing the right type of curly clip in extensions on this blog: Ultimate Guide To Curly Hair Extensions.

Curly patterns can be quite deceiving when it comes to finding the right shade, so it is advised to leave this to a trained hair professional. Come and visit our Colour Match Service page to get a free match!

Can I Match My Hair Extensions Before Dyeing My Hair?

It’s not advised to purchase your hair extensions before getting a dye job, especially if you’re looking to alter the colour of your hair extensions too. It would be cheaper (and a healthier option for your hair extensions!) to simply get your hair coloured first, and then match the final results. Don’t get tricked by the words and numbers on a selected hair dye brand: some companies will call a certain shade of brunette “5” or “Medium Brown”, but won’t necessarily match the definition of “5” or “Medium Brown” of another brand – let alone a hair extensions company. 

Can I Use Website Photos To Pick A Color?

Yes and no.  In some cases, such as with Jet Black hair extensions, the choice can be fairly simple. It doesn’t get any darker than that, am I right?

But, although a lot of work goes into making sure our website photos are as close to the real-life colour as possible, there can be a slight difference due to lighting, angles and style of hair. If you are struggling to choose by the website pictures its best to use our FREE colour match service or order two colours to compare at home. The one that doesn't match can be returned for free and a full refund will be issued out to you! 

Matching Rings In Permanent Hair Extensions

If you’re going for a set of professional hair extensions such as nano ring hair extensions, matching the hair isn’t the final step to achieve a gorgeous transformation. When choosing the rings to apply your individual hair extensions, you will also need to make sure you get the right type! If you have platinum blonde hair, for example, you’ll want to avoid black rings at all costs. The actual hair colour of the ends is where you need to match to, with the rings you want to match these to the shade of the root. 

Imagine the hair is light on the ends but dark on the roots, similar to an Ombre or Balayage. The rings will need to match the root area, if you have light blonde rings to match the blonde ends applied to dark roots they will be very noticeable when the hair separates. 

You can shop our range of Nano rings at Cliphair specifically for Nano Tip hair extensions and choose among three different shades.

I Have Bought The Wrong Hair Colour. What Now?

Provided that the hygiene seals are still intact and the hair extensions haven’t been used/styled/covered in product or altered in any way, you can return your hair extensions and exchange them for the right shade. Visit this page to find out how our returns and exchange work.

If your hair extensions are only slightly off, there are ways that you can repurpose them or get them to blend in more harmony with your natural hair. Speak to your hair stylist to discuss the possible options!

Can I Dye Hair Extensions To Match A New Hair Colour?

Yes, provided that you are dyeing your hair extensions in a darker shade, yes. For example, if you have a set of clip in hair extensions that you have recently purchased and want to go from blonde to brunette, you can get the same dye job on your tresses without having to purchase a new set. If you’d like to know more, you can check out our dedicated blog: How To Dye Hair Extensions.

Now that you’re a pro at Colour matching your hair extensions why not have a browse through our colour collection here at Cliphair, we've got a wide range of lengths and over 70 shades to choose from including our Balayage colours!

Can I Bleach Hair Extensions To Match A New Hair Colour?

No, bleaching hair extensions is never advised, as Remy hair extensions are treated and coloured already. This can lead to patchy bleach jobs, not to mention how bleach can irreparably damage your tresses, leaving you with dry and brittle hair extensions. If you’re going lighter, speak to your hair stylist and find out what you can do with your hair extensions. Alternatively, if you’re planning on bleaching your hair soon and you haven’t purchased your new extensions yet, you can wait and get colour matched once you’ve got the job done. 

Conclusion:

Now that you know everything about matching your hair to a fresh set of hair extensions, why not explore our collection of permanent hair extensions and clip in hair extensions? Once you’ve shopped for the perfect hair for your new look, don’t forget to get your essentials. Explore our Quench The Thirst: Hair Care collection to find the best shampoo and conditioner for hair extensions, and deeply nourishing hair mask that will take care of your tresses from the inside out, extending their lifespan.