The 101 on Keratin Extensions

Say hello to Philocaly's newest addition- Keratin Tips. While new to us, keratin extensions are certainly not new to the extension market. In fact, they are one of the oldest and trusted extension methods available. Use keratin tips for full applications or as a hybrid method with Philocaly wefts to fill in smaller sections, such as the front hairline and nape. 

What are keratin bonds?

Keratin bonds, also known as k-tips, are small 1/2” by 1/2” individual extensions. They have a piece of keratin on the top that gets melted down into the hair using the Philocaly melting tool, creating the bond that seals to the hair. These small bonds are attached strand by strand. Once finished, the bonds lie completely flat against the head and are covered by the upper layers of hair.

Will Philocaly keratin bonds be comparable in quality to Philocaly’s other methods?

YES! Our keratin tip hair extensions are made from the same quality of 100% double drawn, cuticle intact remy hair! It is the same quality you know and expect from all of our hair extensions, backed with our 6-month warranty!

How are Philocaly Keratin bonds applied?

Keratin bonds are applied by melting down the keratin that lives at the beginning of every strand with our Fusion Tool. They are individually melted into the hair making your average install time longer than any other method. 

How often do I need to have my Philocaly keratin bonds maintained?

Although keratin bonds are a semi-permanent hair extension method, they are quite different than any other hair extension method. You do not come in for routine maintenance appointments like you would with weft or tape-in extensions. Typically k-tips last in your hair for 3-4 months with no maintenance. You or your client would come into the salon for your installation 3-4 months later to have them removed and a fresh set installed.

How much are Philocaly keratin bonds?

We currently stock 18” keratin bonds with 25 pieces per package). Custom orders can be made for longer lengths up to 32". The number of packages and length selected will determine the price of keratin tip extensions. We recommend booking in for a consultation with a Philocaly Verified Stylist to determine overall cost.

How much can I expect to pay for the application?

Installations vary from artist to artist and depending on what region you are in. We can never say an exact amount as typically the cost of the installation varies on how many packs you get installed and if your bonds are cut down in size. An installation can range from $125-$1000 depending on if you are getting k-tips to add a little thickness to your hair or if you are doing a full transformation! 

Recommended # of packages

The total number of packages required is dependant on your client's natural hair. We recommend the following as a guideline

Volume application: 2 packs or 50 grams

Fine hair (full application): 4-5 packs or 100-125 grams

Medium hair (full application): 6 packs or 150 grams

Thick hair (full application): 8 packages or 200 grams

What are the main differences between Philocaly k-tips and our other methods?

The main difference between our keratin bonds to our other methods is the fact that k-tips are so customizable, making them universal for almost anyone. Let’s start with the fact that they are installed individually, strand by strand in your hair. Next up is that they can be cut to match the density of your hair. Stylists compare full-size bonds (how they come) and make sure that would be best suited in your hair. If that full-size bond looks too big they can then go in and cut it into half, third, or even quarter size bonds! 

This is great for clients out there with very fine hair that is not a suitable candidate for other methods. The fact that you can cut down each bond size and customize it to your client’s hair, makes it easy to hide in clients with thin hair, or for those bangs you dread growing out! 

Lastly what makes keratin bonds so unique is the fact that they pair well with a few other methods on the market. The most popular way you will see people wearing keratin bonds these days is actually wearing what is called a hybrid method! This means you would wear two different methods at the same time! Most of the time people wear 1-2 rows of hand-tied wefts and at the nape section and around your front hairline you would wear your keratin bond hair extensions.