Okay, so enough of the pep talk.  Let us get down to business.

Clip In hair extensions.  What are they?  These are hair extensions that come in wefts or curtains of hair that can be clipped on to your natural hair.  It is ideal for a quick hairstyle change for an event and can be used to add both length and volume.  The price range really depends on the quality of the hair extensions you want.  That saying, “you get what you pay for” applies here.  If it is something really temporary such as a style change for a night, then getting cheaper extensions might be a practical idea.  However, if you think you will be wearing them more often and for longer periods of time, you might want to invest in a high quality product.  Extensions can be made from synthetic or one hundred percent human hair.

The verdict:  It depends on how you will be wearing them and maintenance.  Clip in hair extensions are awesome to pull off a look for a dinner date or a night out.  They are also great for those who do not have the time to really maintain their extensions and want them easily taken out and put in on their own.

Mark On Madison

39 E 78 street

(between Madison & park) suit 602

New York NY, 10075

(212) 470-3604

visit www.markonmadison.com

Mark also known as Mark on Madison is an ex­pert hairstylist who apprenticed at the famous John Barrett Salon in Bergdorf Goodman. Today, togeth­er with his expertly trained staff, he cuts and styles the locks of his elite clientele at an Upper East Side beauty boutique. For every client, Mark starts his cuts wet and finishes them dry, meaning the styling is precise and the finished effect immediately appar­ent. Through subtle shaping and angling, the styl­ists here execute cuts that accentuate the best facial features. Blow-outs, hair extensions, keratin treat­ments, coloring and more accentuate the glamour, and leave just about anyone looking as ready for the red carpet as any of Mark’s celebrity clients. Mark has graciously extended a special offer to all Town representatives and clients. All new customers are invited to enjoy a complimentary deep conditioning treatment with purchase of a service. Please contact your Town concierge to schedule an appointment.

Mark On Madison

39 E 78 street

(between Madison & park) suit 602

New York NY, 10075

(212) 470-3604

visit www.markonmadison.com

I don’t really make New Year’s Resolutions. Instead, I’ve started doing something I learned from happiness author Gretchen Rubin, and picking a one-word theme to help guide my actions upcoming year. For 2013, I’ve chosen “Balance.” For a recovering addict, given to excess in the departments of workaholism, gluttony, and overspending amongst others, balance is a continuous endeavor with untold benefits. Balance means more time at home and present (not emailing writers from my phone) with my kid, a revived meditation practiceand some kind of attention to my physical health, whether that’s long walks or more vegetables.

But before I get balanced, I decided to screw all that and get some sick-ass hair and eyelash extensions. LOOOOOOONGER.

A few days after Christmas, I finally pulled the trigger on a Gilt coupon I’d been eyeing for a full head of hair extensions from Mark on Madison. (If you buy that coupon, read the fine print — you only have 8 days left to redeem it!) The $1,000 service was marked down to $385, and I had a “Gilt credit” for 200 after returning an ill-fitting pair of boots — and even though that credit is technically made up of my money, it felt like free money, just sitting around there in my Internet shopping account like it was.

Basically, I couldn’t afford not to get hair extensions.

A week later, I saw a similar coupon for eyelash extensions at eyeLure Boutique and UPGRADE 2013 began. And just so you know, independent women, this upgrade is entirely for my own benefit, because let’s be honest, no man would ever notice something like eyelash extensions. For that matter, I used to edit a men’s site and once changed my hair from red to black without a single dude noticing the difference, even when pressed. This is the gender we entrust with the keys to our nation, people.

The dudes with the warphones literally can’t tell the difference between pre-and-post haircut. Unless it’s short enough that they are alerted by the shriveling of their boners, and then they’ve got shit to say. Fuck, I think I just realized I hate men.

Except, maybe, Mark Borukhov from Mark on Madison and ONLY because he gave me long, beautiful mermaid hair and thus I feel indebted to him. (Poor mermaids, I bet some of them just want a nice, low-maintenance pixie cut.)

I met Mark at his Upper East Side salon a few days after Christmas for a consultation.

“You flat-iron?” he said, running his fingers through my still-pretty-fried-from-cycling-through-3-hair-colors-in-3-months hair.

“No, no, my boss ruined my hair,” I helpfully explained, actually pulling up a picture of how healthy and beautiful my hair once was before I went blonde for science.

I think he still thinks I flat-iron.

Mark specializes in several different kinds of extensions, but I was getting tape extensions, which are pretty much what they sound like. Hair extensions that are affixed to your roots with some kind of super-tape that allows you to wash and style your hair as normal. I don’t know, it’s science.

Since Mark happened to have a match for my hair in stock, we went ahead and did my extensions the same day as my consult.

“I don’t normally do this….” he actually said, which made the whole thing feel sort of sexy and illicit. Also, my general oversharing tendencies get even worse around hair stylists, like I just start blurting out whatever fucked up thing I’m thinking like they’re my psychiatrist or something and I CAN’T STOP.

Like, “I used to do a ton of drugs but now I’m sober. Do you have a lot of stripper clients? Strippers have the best hair. You’re straight, right? Do women ever try to trade sex for hair extensions? Would you still make them pay for the hair? I wouldn’t want to pay for shit if I was blowing the guy. I’m guessing I can’t get my hair pulled during sex anymore, right?” SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP.

(The good news is Mark says sexual hair-pulling is fine as long as he’s not pulling on like, individual strands.)

After a quick cut, which was distinctive in that Mark had me stand up and move around so he could see how my hair falls and moves while shaping it, he put in the extensions. I had imagined an all-day affair, but it only took about an hour for Mark to tape in a full head of new hair.

Before and after, from the front.

Before and after, from the back.

I’ve never had any other kind of hair extensions before, so I can’t really compare, but my experience so far with the tape ones has been pretty great. They feel normal, you can’t see them and the only real difference is that I can’t wear a high ponytail or a topknot anymore. I’ve been washing my hair like normal, brushing it out (while holding it in a ponytail to keep from pulling at the tape), putting in some leave-in conditioner and then blow drying the roots for a few minutes while letting the rest air dry, which results in a wavy look like this:

Air-drying my extensions.

You do have to be careful to put your conditioner only on the ends of hair and not too close to the tape as it can loosen the tape bonds. I lost a piece this way, which Mark said he’d be happy to fix if I wanted to come in before my next appointment, but it’s not really necessary. The extensions last 6-8 weeks, after which you have to come back in to have them retaped closer to the root (for a fraction of the original cost). You can use the same hair up to 3 times.

I’m not sure I’ll be able to afford more extensions after I use up my discount hair, but I will say that the impact of having gorgeous fucking long hair instead of limp, splayed spaghetti noodle hair on my day-to-day psyche is not negligible, and that if the thinness or length of your hair makes you seriously unhappy, it’s worth saving up for. Or you can do like me and watch services like Gilt City or Groupon for good deals on extensions. I was doing the clip-ins so often that it seemed worth giving the real thing a shot, and it’s definitely saved me in time doing my hair in the morning.

For the second part of my 2013 Weird Science makeover, I visited eyeLure Brow and Lash Boutiquefor eyelash extensions. I chose the Lushlash package, which consists of 110 lashes per eye and costs $210 without the deal I purchased, and lasts for 3-5 weeks, with a $70 appointment in between for touch-ups.

So yeah, it’s pricey, and addictive, like cocaine, if cocaine made you better looking. There are cheaper (but not cheap) packages which you see here. But if you want to do something to improve your appearance in the New Year, this is probably the most dramatic improvement you can get in an hour.

Plus, you get to lie down in a bed and cover up with a blanket while you get your lashes applied, which takes about an hour. You have your eyes closed the whole time, and for me there was the occasional slight irritation of someone messing with my eyes, but no pain. It’s honestly super-relaxing, and you could easily take a nap if you wanted. The ladies at eyeLure are super-nice and I think were kind of excited when I said I liked a “dramatic look.” I think most people want to look — SNOOZE — natural.

On the left, my eyes all mole-like and mascara-less pre-extensions and on the right, my lashes right after application.

Before and after

The best thing about extensions is that even for a makeup addict like me, the extensions kind of eliminate the need for eye makeup. I wake up looking like a fucking Kardashian! Between being able to just throw on some lipstick and go, and my newly low-maintenance hair, my upgrades cost me money but saved me a ton of time.

The biggest rule of eyelash extensions is that you’re NOT allowed to wear mascara, which you totally don’t need anyway. Also, you have to avoid extreme heat like saunas and hot yoga classes. If you’re looking for an excuse not to go to a hot yoga class, this is a great one.

How they look with full makeup, no mascara.

For the first week or so, while I was getting used to my hair and eyelash extensions, I felt a little “Look, no touch,” but that’s kind of true of my general style anyway. Kiss me and you’re getting red lipstick smeared all over your face. Stick your fingers all up in my hair, and you’re gonna feel something weird. Take my dress off, and I might be wearing a fake butt.

I am held together by a tightly wound system of ropes, pulleys and cosmetics and I’m cool with that. If you too are comfortable with being a bit of a 6 million dollar robo-woman, allow me to heartily recommend these two procedures.

What are you doing to upgrade your insides or outsides in the New Year? I also got a facial at Bliss, got a massage and took a nap (!) at Yelo Spa, and got a new tattoothat was going to be small but somehow spread to cover my whole right arm.

I want 2013 to be a whole new year, one where I strive to balance taking more time for myself and still meeting the demands of an ever-changing constantly on the go schedule. Spending so much time last year in the hospital made my hair change a bit because of everything I went through including the crazy meds. So honestly when this opportunity opened up it was a total no brainier for me. And so I decided when I agreed to take it that I would truly let the salon go nuts and make my hair over totally.

Although true to my nature I did do my research!

About Mark on Madison:

Mark landed an apprenticeship with world-renowned hairstylist John Barrett at his Bergdoff Goodman salon (and you can best believe that the iconic salon located on the penthouse floor of Bergdoff Goodman in the heart of Manhattan must have been one amazing training ground as the women there expect no less than the best!)

Mark boasts quite a roster of celeb clientele (I won’t name drop here, but you can check out his site www.markonmadison.com for a list).

Mark has worked with publications such as Sports Illustrated and Vanity Fair!

He has also worked a wide variety of high profile events including The Academy Awards, New York Fashion Week and Good Morning America

Here is my Before

Left: Ascending Butterfly, Right: Mark Borukhov of Mark on Madison Salon, NYC

I arrived with well below my shoulders curly hair! The first thing he told me was ‘throw out your flat iron!’ – As a life long wavy girl I wasn’t sure at first how possible that would be for me as I normally prefer to wear my hair straight.

Here is my During:

Mark styles Ascending Butterfly at Mark on Madison Salon in New York City

Mark created long side parted fringe layers instead of bangs! He also blew out my hair in what has to be an Olympic Record Speed, and showed me how to section my hair for not only faster results, but also less breakage!

Mark finalizes the style and the look is complete! Mark on Madison Salon, NYC

With all the choices and different types of hair extensions readily available to consumers today, choosing one maybe daunting. Having a hair consultation with your hairstylist is extremely important. He or she will have knowledge of how much hair extensions you need but prior to this decide on the look you will go for on your wedding day. This determines the length and number of wefts or strands you will need. The kind of hair you purchase will really depend on your personal preference. You will have a choice between synthetic hair and human hair.

If you are only going to be using your extensions during the course of the wedding ceremony and the reception, you can opt for cheaper synthetic hair or clip in extensions that are easy enough to put in and remove. In this case, you can even opt for easy to attach clip in hair pieces.

It will also appease you to know that not only will hair extensions enhance your beauty but it will also hold your hairstyle in place longer compared to a full head of natural hair. Book a consultation today.

Although, hair extensions are known to be a temporary fix to hair dilemmas, if they are cared for properly and if applied the right way can last more than expected. This can be a pro or a con in itself. Disadvantages and advantages vary greatly on the technique your hair extensions are applied.

Clip In or Clip On Hair Extensions

Pros:
-by far the easiest to put in and take out
-do it yourself, saves money
-does minimal to no damage at all
-takes no time at all
Cons:
-hairstyles you can do with it are limited
-can fall out if not clipped and pinned securely
-takes time to get used to as they are a bit uncomfortable

Bonding and Sealing Extensions

Pros:
-sturdiest hold to your real hair
-can be almost unnoticeable when applied properly
-the proper bond is safe to use on the hair and scalp
-comes in plenty of options
-pre-bonded extensions lasts the longest and are the most resilient
-plenty of styles can be achieved since they can be unnoticeable
Cons:
-expensive
-takes hours to apply
-can only be applied and removed by a salon professional as there are special tools that need to be used

Micro Loop or Micro Ring Hair Extensions

Pros:
-no damage to the hair
-secure attachment to your real hair
-looks natural
-styles that can be achieved are limitless because they look natural
Cons:
-labor intensive
-not advisable for those who have short hair because the micro rings can be noticeable

Fusion Bonding Extensions

Pros:
-fuller hair
-lasts longer
-looks natural
-can be styled freely

Cons:
-can damage hair
-can cause a headache
-labor intensive so it takes time to do
-can cause “traction baldness”

Sewn in or Tracking Hair Extensions

Pros:
-outlasts other techniques
-does minimal to no damage
-you can do more activities as if you had no extensions on
-affordable

Cons:
-can get tangled if not maintained properly
-can cause some thinning if you brush too hard

Tape In Extensions

Pros:
-probably the fastest to apply and takes only minutes
-easy maintenance
-can last up to twelve weeks
-affordable

Cons:
-most are low quality extensions
-since there are thicker wefts, hairstyles are limited