Tape-in, weft or clip-in: which hair extensions are right for you?
Every method uses double-drawn cuticle hair, and tape-ins and volume wefts are super double drawn. What changes is how it attaches, who fits it and how long it stays in.
| Method comparison |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| How it attaches | Pairs of adhesive panels sandwich a thin section of your hair. | Sewn onto a row of micro beads, with no glue or heat. | Sewn onto a row of micro beads like a genius weft, with twice the hair in each row. | Small clips snap onto your own hair close to the roots, with no glue, heat or salon visit. |
| Fitted | By your stylist | By your stylist | By your stylist | By you, at home |
| Refit | Every 6–8 weeks | Every 8–10 weeks | Every 8–10 weeks | None: clip in and out as you like |
| Hair lasts | 12 months+ | 12 months+ | 12 months+ | 12 months+ |
| Reusable | Yes, re-taped at each refit | Yes | Yes | Yes, every time you wear them |
| Best for | Fine to medium hair; quick fitting | Medium to thick hair; seamless volume | Thick hair; the fullest finish in fewer rows | Length and volume for a day, a night or a weekend |
| Each pack | 20 pieces, 2.5g each (50g) | One weft, 50g | One weft, 100g | One full-head set |
| Hair | Super double drawn | Double drawn | Super double drawn | Double drawn |
| From | £99 | £125 | £245 | £125 |
| Shop | Shop tape-ins | Shop genius wefts | Shop volume genius wefts | Shop clip-ins |
Wear times depend on your aftercare and how often you refit. Your stylist will advise on the best method for your hair.
The four methods, explained.
Tape-in extensions
Thin panels with a strip of adhesive at the top. Your stylist sandwiches a fine section of your hair between two panels. Tape-ins are the lightest method and the quickest to fit, so they suit fine to medium hair and first-time wearers. Refit every 6–8 weeks. Shop tape-ins.
Genius weft extensions
A very thin machine weft that can be cut to width with minimal shedding. It is sewn onto a row of micro beads, with no glue or heat, so it lies flat on most head shapes. Genius wefts suit medium to thick hair and give seamless volume. Refit every 8–10 weeks. Shop genius wefts.
Volume genius weft extensions
Twice the hair on the same thin track: 100g per weft, super double drawn. Volume wefts suit thick hair and give the fullest finish in fewer rows. Refit every 8–10 weeks. Shop volume wefts.
Clip-in extensions
Pieces of hair with small clips along the top. You clip them in at home in a few minutes and take them out before bed, so there is no stylist, glue or heat. Choose Seamless for a thin, smooth PU top, or Invisible for a thinner top again that suits fine hair. Shop clip-ins.
Method questions
Which extensions are best for fine hair?
Tape-ins. Each panel is thin and light, and the weight is spread across many small sections, so they sit flat on fine hair. Start at the lower end of the pack guide, 100–150g, and add more at your next refit if you want extra fullness.
Which method lasts longest between appointments?
Genius wefts and volume genius wefts are refitted every 8–10 weeks, tape-ins every 6–8 weeks. The hair itself lasts 12 months and more with care, whichever method you choose.
What is the difference between seamless and invisible clip-ins?
Both clip in the same way; what changes is the top of each piece. Seamless clip-ins have a thin, smooth PU top instead of a sewn track, so each piece lies flat. Invisible clip-ins have a thinner, flatter top again, for fine hair and partings that move. Seamless comes in 18 to 24 inches and Invisible in 18 to 22 inches.
How many packs of hair extensions do I need?
Most people need 100–150g for natural fullness and 150–200g for a fuller finish. Fine hair sits at the lower end, and longer lengths need a little more to stay full at the ends. Tape-ins and genius wefts come in 50g packs and volume genius wefts in 100g wefts, each with a calculator on its product page. Clip-ins come as a full-head set.
Will hair extensions damage my own hair?
Problems usually come from poor fitting, leaving extensions in too long or skipping aftercare. Have them fitted and removed by a qualified stylist, keep to your refit schedule and follow the care routine, and choose a method that suits your hair: tape-ins spread the weight on fine hair.