Great Lengths Ireland Hair Extensions: My experience.

Great Lengths are a global hair extensions brand favoured by the Hollywood elite and available in salons nationwide. The majority of the models I work with have them done and rave about how they are still glossy and glam even 7 months on. When I style press and portfolio shoots the importance of bouncy natural looking hair with a sheen cannot be overstated, the only hair extensions I have witnessed that fit the bill are Great Lengths. They are internationally renowned and worn by celebrities like Ashley Tisdale, Selena Gomez and the creme de la creme of the Irish modelling circuit. I had my Great Lengths extensions put in this week and I am honestly so in love. They are so natural and glamorous. They are a real confidence boost! Needless to say I am a convert.

This is my before picture:

I used a special Great Lengths deep cleansing treatment the night before that removed any oils and product residue in my hair that would hinder the longevity of the bonds. I got my hair done in the Great Lengths HQ in Dún Laoghaire. Great Lengths Ireland is the distributor, educator, marketing and advertising for Great Lengths 100% Human Hair for the use of professional hair extensions. They use the finest 100% human hair of guaranteed origin and ethicality and are considered globally as the Roll Royce of hair extensions. They are a sought -after luxury brand. With more than twenty years of experience and a product portfolio to rival others, Great Lengths hit the Irish Market in 2011 with David Gold’s sister, Katie-Jane Gold taking the reins. Katie-Jane is the C.E.O of Great Lengths Ireland under Katie-Jane Gold enterprises.“Many a time when I would be in my brother David’s house in Rome he would get a phone call from one of the worlds top celebrities, like Whitney Houston or Lisa Marie Presley’s agent looking for hair extensions immediately! It was very exciting at the time!” Says Katie-Jane.

Upon arrival at the salon I had a clear idea in mind of what I wanted. I craved more volume than anything. I wanted my hair to have body and bounce while looking healthy and well shaped and not too much length. I went for the 30cm length in a variety of blonde tones. I had a colour consultation upon arrival. I am naturally blonde and I have been trying to grow out my hair I haven't dyed it in 3 months but that wasn't a problem. That was taken into account and a variety of bright, honey and golden blondes were used in my application. My extensionist was Liz Reilly. I was in good hands! Liz is a sought after hairdresser that has vast industry experience both in a salon for many years and styling hair for glossy magazine spreads. Liz was brilliant at applying the extensions. While getting my extensions done over the space of a few hours I learned a lot about the Great Lengths brand, the application process and aftercare involved. Check out what the keratin bonds look like - they are very small and applied in a manner that they are totally masked by your own hair. I got three inches off mine in the back upon completion as It was my preference for them to be shorter.

During:

I was already a big fan of the products and had been trying them out for the past few weeks. The brush is fantastic as you can brush gently through the extensions as you would your own hair to keep it detangled and prevent matting. At nighttime you can put your hair in a loose plait also to prevent that too and therefore have a soft wave. What is great for me is that the hair extensions have a natural kink or wave so if you pat your hair dry and let it dry naturally as I did this morning you get this gorgeous loose wave. My friends and family have said that they love how real it looks. They complement your own hair and won't cause breakage. I have had bad experiences with other methods and brands so it is a relief to find that my Great lengths Extensions are in a class of their own. I use a special Great Lengths shampoo and conditioner in order to elongate their life and protect the bonds - this is a must. The extensions last anything from 3-7 months based on how you take care of them.

Here is what the back of my hair looked like after my Great Lengths application by Liz Reilly.

And below is the full look! I am so pleased with the result and I would strongly advise that if you are going to get extensions these are such a gorgeous option. The hair is very good quality and you can style it as you please.

You can click here to check out the other girls in the salon on the day and how their transformations went. In terms of prices it is based on the quantity and length of what you require. You need a consultation to determine the pricing. Prices start at €250 but depend on the length and volume of extensions requested – all salons offer free consultations to determine the amount of hair required. What I have gotten done is worth over the €400 mark. For a special occasion like a birthday or Wedding or even just for you - when it comes to feeling confident it is better to go for high quality and get the best rather than pay a smaller amount and have hair that sheds and damages your root and stunts long term hair growth while sliding out in weeks as opposed to lasting for months like Great Lengths do. It is important to me when blogging to be fully honest, and I don't promote a product or service I receive that I wouldn't personally love and be excited about. I think that with saving up it is undoubtedly the best present you can give yourself. There are Great Lengths salons nationwide to find one nearest to you just use their salon locator by clicking here. If you want to find out about how to train to be a Great Lengths extensionist or where to order their products click here. There is free shipping nationwide in the ROI. If you have any queries, or want to speak to an expert, visit www.greatlengthsireland.com also you can find them on Facebook. I will be doing a follow up blog showing a hair diary of how I style my Great Lengths, whether wavy, poker straight, curly, crimped or in an upstyle.

I am pictured above with the lovely Liz Reilly receiving her certificate

If you are looking to get 'Great Lengths' done I can't recommend Liz Reilly enough. She made me feel like a new woman! She is Dublin based and you can get in touch with her on facebook by clicking here.

Great Lengths training

Also, I am styling the big 'U Magazine' competition very soon. The coveted 'Dream Debutante Makeover' from 'Caris Closet' + 'Great Lengths' that is gracing the pages of popular Irish glossy 'U Magazine'. You can win a "Dream Debutante Makeover" worth over a staggering €2500 with thanks to Great Lengths & Caris Closet. It is truly a match made in heaven. I will be styling the winner! You can click here to find out all the details.

xo L

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I am a Fashion Stylist, Radio Reporter and Journalist.

My blog 'Lipstick Gossip' showcases what I get up to. 

'Lipstick Gossip' has behind the scenes snapshots from shoots with Ireland's hottest models and top photographers + news backstage at fashion shows, product and service reviews, events and press previews.