Product review: Great Lengths Hair Extensions @ Inanch Salon

Hair extensions are one of those beauty treatments that are quite puzzling. On one hand, the idea of long lustrous locks is very appealing, on the other you're wearing somebody ELSE'S hair upon your head. If you can manage to accept that strange fact, then you may be interested in the process involved in application.

I decided to try out the Great Lengths Hair Extensions, in a quest to replicate the Barbie like hair of my childhood. But would they look lovely, or would I become an extra from Girls Aloud?

I've loved long hair ever since I was a little girl, but years of abuse with hot tools and a bad diet have depleted the keratin stores in my head, meaning my hair now reaches a certain point and then breaks. This happens to everyone as they age- but everyone has different breaking points, and mine happens to be shoulder length- not ideal for someone with Rapunzel-esque dreams.

To start with I had a one on one consultation with Inanch, the lovely salon owner. She talked me through the type of extensions on offer (cold fusion/Keratin glue etc) and we opted for Great Lengths as she told me that they're her favourite type as they look so natural.

There was an amazing selection of colourways to choose from, with 17 shades of blonde alone. They use 100% human hair, ethically sourced from India, and you can choose from straight or curled, depending on your mood. I opted for straight 21 inch blonde strands, in 2 shades of blonde for a more natural finish.

The hair was ordered in, and then 2 weeks later I was at the salon, raring to go. To start with my hair was washed and dried, as you need a clean base to attach the strands to. Then it was cut slightly as well, to get rid of any split ends. Normally I can't stand having my hair cut, but knowing it was going to get longer made me relax.

We'd ordered in 150 strands- the max is normally 300, and the idea was to add some thickness as well as length to the hair. Each strand is made up of a number of hairs with a protein polymer bond along the top. This is attached to the hair with a heated tool, which is pressed against it firmly, and then folded around the hair. Inanch deftly applied them, telling me that 'the heat is very easy to get used to'.

She applied the hair in sections around the crown, about an inch below the hairline, so as to make it comfortable to sleep with them. Previous extensions I've had have been placed higher, and have led to a night of agony when getting used to them. The bonds folded around the hair, leaving a rounded seal which makes them easier to separate and as more hair got attached I was impressed at how the colours blended in with my own. Great Lengths hair has a slight wave to it, which is great as it means I won't have to straighten my own hair every day.

It was all over surprisingly quickly, as they were all applied in under an hour and a half- debunking the myth that extensions take forever to put in. I was extremely happy with the finished result, swinging my hair Barbie like over my shoulder. Inanch trimmed it slightly so the layers looked natural and then I was ready to go.

I was told to only brush my hair with a bristle brush and make sure I slept with it in a side ponytail so it wouldn't get too tangled, and to make sure I deep conditioned. Two weeks on and my hair is still going strong, with no fallout or major tangles. I'm very impressed with the system and love how natural it looks. Eat your heart out Cheryl Cole...

I tried out Great Lengths Hair Extensions at Inanch Hair Design , 220 Great Portland Street, Regent's Park, London W1W 5QP. T: 020 7383 7607. E: info@inanch.com. A full set would cost from £450.

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