Journal · Methods

Tape-in, keratin bond, weft or clip-in: which method suits you

2 November 2026 · 5 min read

Four methods, four different routines. How each one is fitted, how long it lasts and whose hair it suits.

The short answer is that it depends on three things: your own hair, how you live, and how often you want to be in the salon. Each method is a different answer to those three questions. None of them is the best one in general.

This is how each method works, who it tends to suit, and what it asks of you once it's in. Your consultation is where the decision is made, but it helps to arrive knowing what you're choosing between.

Tape-in

Tape-ins are thin wefts of hair with a flat adhesive strip along the top. We place them in rows, sandwiching a fine section of your own hair between two tapes, then cut and style the lengths so they blend.

Who it suits. Fine to medium hair. Because the tape lies flat against the head, it doesn't create bumps under fine hair, and the weight is spread along each strip rather than gathered at a point.

What it asks of you. A move-up every six to eight weeks. As your hair grows, the tapes move down with it. At a move-up we remove them, re-tape the same hair and refit it higher.

The hair itself can usually be refitted across several appointments, up to three fittings for our tape-ins.

Fitting time. About 90 minutes.

Tape-in extensions · Tape-in fitting in New Farm

Keratin bond

Keratin bonds are individual strands of hair, each with a small keratin tip. Each strand is bonded to a small section of your own hair, one at a time.

Who it suits. Anyone who wants the most freedom of movement. Because every strand is attached on its own, the hair falls and moves the way your own hair does, and you can wear it up without a row of wefts showing. It's the method to ask about if you wear your hair in ponytails and updos.

What it asks of you. More time in the chair at the start, and less afterwards. Bonds last three to four months before they come out, and each application is used once.

Fitting time. About three hours.

Keratin bond extensions · Keratin bond fitting in New Farm

Weft

A weft is a continuous curtain of hair, sewn or attached along a fine base. We offer two kinds. A hand-tied weft is made of many small, fine sections, so it lies flat and flexes with your head. An invisible weft is a very thin base with no hair folded back over the top, so it stays discreet at the parting.

Who it suits. Medium to thick hair, and anyone whose main goal is volume. A weft carries a lot of hair in a small footprint, and thicker hair hides the base easily.

What it asks of you. A move-up every six to eight weeks, like tape-ins. Our hand-tied wefts can be refitted for up to four fittings, and our invisible wefts for up to three.

Fitting time. About two hours.

Hand-tied weft · Invisible weft · Weft installation in New Farm

Clip-in

Clip-ins are wefts with small clips sewn along the base. You put them in yourself, in minutes, and take them out at night. No salon visit, no maintenance appointments.

Who it suits. Anyone who wants length or volume for an occasion, or who isn't ready to commit to a fitted method. They're also a useful way to try longer hair before you book a fitting.

What it asks of you. A few minutes each time you wear them, and gentle storage between wears. With care, a set lasts around a year.

Seven-piece clip-in set · Wrap ponytail

The four side by side

Questions that decide it

If you're still between two methods, these are the questions we ask at a consultation.

How fine is your hair?

Fine hair needs a method that spreads the weight and lies flat. That usually points to tape-ins or bonds. Thick hair can carry a weft comfortably, and benefits from the volume it gives.

How do you wear your hair most days?

If it's up more often than it's down, bonds are the most forgiving. Tape-ins and wefts suit hair that's mostly worn down or half up.

How often do you want to come in?

Tape-ins and wefts mean a visit every six to eight weeks. Bonds mean a longer first appointment and then a few months between visits. Clip-ins mean no visits at all.

Is this for every day, or for an occasion?

For a single event, clip-ins are usually the right answer. For a season of events, such as a wedding and the months around it, a fitted method can make more sense. We've written about planning for a wedding separately.

What your consultation checks

Choosing on paper only gets you so far. At a consultation we look at your hair's density and condition, check that it can carry the method you're considering, and match your shade in natural light. Then we recommend a method and a quantity, and order your hair.

If you'd like to know more before you book, read what happens at a consultation, or compare the methods on the experience page.