Extensions tested: I finally wanted to have long hair again – now I've taken the shortcut

Specialist Stephanie Weißmann can also customize the color of the bondings, which can be ordered from the manufacturer Great Lengths. "It usually matches the color of the extensions exactly. However, with dark roots like yours, it's recommended to match the bonding color to your natural color. This makes the bondings even more discreet and unnoticeable as they grow out."

I'm surprised at how soft even the platinum blonde Great Lengths hair feels, which Weissmann shows me in the salon. The specialist explains: "This is Indian human hair in Remi quality. Remi hair is chemically untreated human hair, where the cuticle layer is still completely intact and oriented in the same direction of growth for each individual hair, i.e., from the root to the tip. This prevents opposing scales from tangling and causing the hair to mat. The hair is gently bleached using a technique specially developed by Great Lengths – which is why it isn't as damaged as conventionally bleached hair. The strands are then dyed with fabric dye. Unlike traditional hair dye, it hardly fades."

You're spoiled for choice when it comes to length. With eight different strand lengths ranging from 20 to 60 centimeters, no hairstyle will go unfulfilled. "Even custom-made pieces up to 80 centimeters long are possible with a little waiting time," the expert tells me. In my case, we opted for a 45-centimeter extension—making my hair longer than I've ever had before.

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Five days later, the highlights have already arrived at the salon and are ready to be applied. We meet at 10 a.m. I have to admit, seeing my hair lined up like that, I'm a bit skeptical. How the expert is supposed to mix my hair color from the three quite different shades is beyond me. But I trust her skills.

My new hair: The expert mixes these three tones together to capture the highs and lows of my highlighted hair.

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Ready-mixed: By halving and then combining the strands, I create tailor-made extensions that match my hair color exactly.

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Extension specialist Stephanie Weißmann of Visage Haardesign explains: "I'll partially split the bonds in half, blending the lighter hair with the darker, so we can perfectly capture your fine strands. The gradient strands are very light at the tips. I won't use too many of them, but I'll place them precisely where your natural hair is lightest." So, the hair extensions will be tailor-made for me.

Step by step: How to create hair extensions with bondings

First, the hairstylist cleanses my hair with a deep cleansing shampoo to remove any residue from care and styling products. "This is important for optimal bond hold," she explains. Then the expert gently detangles my hair and dries it. Time for before photos.

Before: My hair reaches just above my shoulder blades and is cut in slight layers. The ideal starting length for extensions.

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Before: My hair is very fine, especially at the ends. This is an advantage for extensions because the expert doesn't have to layer my natural hair to blend the transition. So, I don't have to leave any hair.

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Stephanie Weißmann cuts the individual strands in half with scissors and reassembles them using ultrasonic tongs. "This makes the result even more natural because we can capture the exact pattern of your strands—your hair is much lighter in some places than in others, and somewhere in between in others."

The expert attaches the extensions using an ultrasound device. It doesn't tug or get warm.

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The bonds are folded flat around your own hair, which ensures maximum comfort.

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The expert then uses the same tool to attach the strands to my natural hair. It doesn't tug. And the tongs don't get hot either: "In the past, extensions were usually applied using heat to melt the bonds and practically fuse them to my natural hair. Even today, far too many salons still use this outdated technique. It's not exactly gentle on the hair and, incidentally, is also the reason why many people think all types of extensions damage hair ," explains the hair extension expert.