When I agreed to participate as a model, I was never given a contract or given detailed terms…read morebeyond being asked to promote the extensions and follow the suggested weekly promotions. I was told the cost of the hair, that I needed a consultation, and that I would pay a discounted installation fee. While discounted, it was still a significant expense, especially when factoring in my tip, travel, and the paid time off I used from work.
I made it clear from the beginning that I live about an hour away without traffic and can take nearly two hours to get home with traffic. I also explained that I work full time and need sufficient notice to have appointments approved. We discussed this and agreed that appointments would be scheduled far enough in advance. All of my appointments through the next six months were scheduled in April 2026.
On August 8, I was asked to change my 11:30 appointment to approximately 2:30. Unfortunately, that would not work for me because of my work schedule and the traffic I had previously explained. I was then asked if I could come at 10:30 or 11:00. I said I could try, but again explained that I could not make a last-minute change without approval from work.
On August 11, I explained that getting there earlier was not going to be possible. I would have to leave around 10:30 to arrive at approximately 11:30, and I could not get approval for anything earlier. I was then told my appointment would need to be rescheduled.
At that point, I was understandably frustrated. I had booked this appointment months in advance, had taken my extensions out to make the appointment quicker, and had a photo shoot that weekend.
I was ultimately told that a full-price client had priority and that, as a model, my appointment could not be guaranteed. That full paying clients took priority. I was also told that my contract was being canceled.
This was difficult to hear because I am still a paying customer, and I had also been consistently promoting the extensions. Nothing that was communicated to me before agreeing to participate stated that full-price clients would take priority over model appointments. Had I known that, I likely would not have participated because of the distance I travel and the accommodations I have to make with my job.
I also want to share some feedback about the extensions. The hair is beautiful, and the color match was excellent. I enjoyed how it looked and felt when it was styled, which is why I am giving three stars instead of one. I experienced several issues during the time I had them. During the first installation, I mentioned that the extensions seemed very close to my hairline and that I often wear my hair in a ponytail. I explained that the extensions around my hairline felt tight and were close to my hairline. (Kind of noticeable but over all pretty good)
During the 2nd installation, I noticed more issues. Some of the beads slipped, and I had to adjust and replace some myself. Since I live so far away, I chose to correct them myself rather than make the long trip. The ends also felt tight and caused some redness and irritation. There were gaps where my brush would catch, and the placement did not always work well with how I wear my hair.
I work out a lot and wear my hair up often, so communicating how someone actually wears their hair is important when determining placement. Extensions are not necessarily one-size-fits-all, and I believe that should be considered during installation.
I experienced a lot of hair loss compared to my normal experience with this method. I understand that some shedding is normal, but this was different from what I have had with other stylists and extension brands. I had to cut my hair to make it look even again.
There was also one section where the extensions had been cut in a way that did not blend properly, which meant I could not wear my hair straight without the difference being noticeable.
I had planned to provide all of this feedback at my next apt. I was hoping we could make adjustments to the placement and installation and see if the issues could be corrected. My apts was canceled, so I never had that opportunity.
I am not sharing this experience to place blame. I have been using hair extensions, including this method, for many years, and I know what has worked well for me in the past. The hair itself was beautiful and matched my color very well. I simply experienced issues that I felt were important to share.
For future models, I suggest having a clear written agreement, appointment policies, and whether model apts can be changed to accommodate full-price clients.
I did my best to fulfill my part of the arrangement by promoting the extensions and making the apts work around my full-time job and the travel involved.
Proof is in the pictures. No threats were made. If the extensions couldn't get installed on my apt day, that would determine next steps for me. This was Not a friendship deal but a business deal.
