How to Put In Clip-In Extensions (Step by Step, With a Weft Map)

Clip-ins look complicated the first time and become a 5-minute routine after a week. This guide is written for our 22-inch set, which has 7 wefts and 16 clips, so you'll know exactly which piece goes where. If you have a different set, the steps are the same; only the number of wefts changes.

Step images are illustrations, not photos of our product.

Where each weft goes

What you need

• A rat-tail comb or any comb with a pointed end, for clean parts
• A few hair clips or claw clips to hold sections up
• A teasing comb or brush, plus a little dry shampoo or texturizing spray (optional, but it helps clips grip silky hair)
• A mirror, and a hand mirror to check the back

Step by step

1. Brush everything. Brush your own hair and gently brush each weft from the ends up, so nothing is tangled before you start.
2. Make your first part at the nape. Use the comb to draw a straight, horizontal part about an inch above your hairline at the back of your neck. Clip all the hair above it out of the way.
3. Give the clips something to hold. Lightly tease the roots right along the part, or mist a little dry shampoo there. Clean, silky hair is the main reason clips slip.
4. Clip in weft 1. Open all three clips (press until they pop open). Hold the weft against your head just under the part with the comb side facing your scalp. Close the middle clip first, then the two sides. Each clip should snap flat against your head.
5. Drop a layer and part again. Let down about an inch of hair, make a new horizontal part above it, and clip the rest up.
6. Clip in weft 2, the wide 9-inch piece, across the widest part of the back of your head, middle clip first.
7. Clip in weft 3 about an inch higher. Leave at least an inch of your own hair between this weft and your part so the top layer covers it completely.
8. Add the side pieces (4 and 5). Part above each ear and clip one 3.5-inch weft on each side. Keep them a little back from your face so they don't show when your hair moves.
9. Fill in with the minis (6 and 7) near your temples, or anywhere you see a gap. Skip them if your hair looks full already.
10. Let everything down and blend. Brush through from the ends up. If you're curling or waving, style your own hair and the extensions together so they move as one.

If the clips slip or show

• Slipping: tease a little more at the root, or add dry shampoo, and make sure the clip is closed all the way. Second-day hair holds clips better than freshly washed hair.
• Visible clips at the top: move weft 3 lower. The top layer of your own hair needs to be thick enough to hide it.
• A visible line where the weft ends: curl or wave your hair and the extensions together, or move the weft a little higher so more of your own hair falls over it.
• Ends look thinner than your hair: you probably need more hair, not better placement. See how many grams you need.

Taking them out

Work from the top down: unclip the minis and side pieces first, then wefts 3, 2 and 1. Hold your hair near the root while you open each clip so you don't pull. Brush each weft and lay it flat (or back in its bag) so it's ready for next time. Don't sleep in them.

How long it takes

Expect 10 to 15 minutes the first few times. By the end of the first week most people do it in about 5 minutes. On busy days, wear only wefts 1, 2 and 3 for length and skip the small pieces.