Clip-in Cult: How at-home hair extensions are going the length

The global hair extension market is growing thick and fast across both professional and consumer markets, driven by demand for instant volume and length without the long-term commitment and years of growth.

Valued at US$2.6bn in 2023 (Cognitive Market Research), the hair extensions industry is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.6% from 2023 to 2030.  

Between TikTok tutorials, express services in salons and a wider focus on hair health, temporary extensions are in a prime position as a fast, damage-free option to upgrade your hair, with the global clip-in market valued at $220m by Data Market Insights.

As consumers seek out versatile solutions that adapt to their lifestyles and personal styles, clip-in hair extensions are becoming a permanent fixture in hair routines – with pressures for brands to innovate to suit these evolving needs and expectations.

Gone are the uncomfortable clips whose closures felt like a thump on the side of the head, and no longer are nights on the town taken away from by constantly pulling from a clip-in that just will not sit right – which much of this shift to a new-generation clip-in extension down to both the change in client needs and the uptick in education and information consumers have about the products.

Hair stylist and founder of clip-in brand Curated, Hadley Yates, tells Cosmetics Business that “clients are more knowledgeable than ever and often come in asking about non-permanent options”.

Yates adds: “Many are blending different extension types – for example, wearing professional installs for events and clip-ins for in-between maintenance. 

“There is a growing awareness that clip-ins can look just as refined and natural as in-salon applications when done well.”

Dina Demitriou, Beauty Works’ Education Manager, has also seen a shift in the demand, adding:“When Beauty Works launched, clip-ins were seen primarily as an occasional or entry-level solution.