Your Comprehensive Guide To Microlink Hair Extensions

The world of hair extensions is vast. From clip-ins to tape-ins to sew-ins, girlies who want to add length or volume to their hair have plenty of options. If you happen to fall into this camp, you should also know about a moderately new and majorly viral hair extension technique known as “microlinks.”

With one scroll through #microlinks on TikTok, which has amassed over 38,000 posts, you’ll find thousands of women swishing and swaying their luscious lengths for the camera. Revered for their natural finish, silky smooth texture, and impressive staying power, these extensions have risen in popularity over the past few years — and still haven’t lost their sparkle in the eyes of Black and Brown women today.

Here’s everything to know about microlink extensions, straight from the pros.

What Exactly Are Microlinks?

Microlinks are a type of extension where a small amount of hair is attached to a client’s natural strands using a tiny silicone-lined microbead, says Sesley Alexander, licensed hairstylist and extension specialist. There are two main types of microlink extensions: I-tips and wefts.

I-tips involve using a microbead or ring to attach free strands of hair to your natural strands, while the latter utilizes microbeads to attach wefts — a bundle of human or synthetic hair sewn to mesh or cloth — to your hair shaft.

Someone with a finer hair texture may choose to go with I-tips because their strands are not equipped to withstand the weight of a weft. On the flip side, thicker textures have more grip to them and are therefore compatible with both techniques.

When settling on which option to go with, it’s important to discuss your hair goals with your stylist. “If you’re trying to add length, you want to do something where you can add a lot of hair,” says Ashley Marshall, licensed cosmetologist. In this case, a weft install would be perfect. If you want to maintain your length but increase fullness, I-tips are an ideal way to add volume to any style.

Pros & Cons

Not only are microlink extensions super versatile, natural-looking, long-lasting, lightweight, and low-tension, but they’re also kind of sustainable. After they’ve grown out, a stylist should have no trouble reusing your extensions for a refreshed look.

Another major plus is that they work on all hair types and textures.

That said, there are some downsides to consider. For one, microlink extensions are not a protective style. If cared for properly, they can facilitate growth — but if left unchecked, matting, damage, and breakage are pretty much inevitable.

Another potential con is the style’s cost. Because microlinks are regarded as a high-end luxury service, the installation price typically sits between $700 and $1,200 depending on a stylist’s experience and reputation.

The Installation Process

Microlink installations are super straightforward. After getting that mane nice and clean, your stylist will blow dry, flat iron, and then install the extensions. From start to finish, the process takes about four hours.

While most stylists will provide the bundles for their client, it’s important to make sure that your extensions have a similar texture to your natural hair. “If you’re a type 4 girly, even if you plan to wear your locks straight, you want to purchase textured hair,” says Marshall. This way, if your roots begin to revert back to curly as your style ages, your extensions won’t look out of place.

Maintenance 411

For a salon-worthy finish that lasts, it’s imperative to stock up on your lightweight humectants, detangle every day, and wrap your hair in a satin bonnet every night, says Alexander. To refresh the look, wash and restyle your hair every two to three weeks.

Maintenance appointments are crucial in keeping your natural hair healthy and your extensions looking their best. While clients who opt for weft microlink extensions should come in for a maintenance appointment every four to six weeks, those with I-tips can wait until the eight to 10-week mark before coming in for a visit. In these appointments, your stylist will tighten your extensions by inspecting each individual microbead that's slipped down the strands and repositioning it back into place.

Removal

When your microlink era is over, simply book a removal appointment with your stylist (do not attempt at home). To take out the extensions, your trusted pro will use pliers to open each microbead and gently slide them down the hair shaft. But, just like your favorite situationship, it’s very likely that you’ll be back.