Are You Ready for the Holiday Extension Rush or Going to Be Overwhelmed?

The holiday season arrives like clockwork. First, it's a whisper, then a rush of glitter, festive music, and a calendar packed with parties.

Last December, a stylist named Ashley called me in a panic. It was December 18th. Seven days before Christmas.

"I have 12 clients all wanting extensions for holiday parties," she said, stressed. "I don't know if I can do it. And I don't know what to recommend to each person."

She'd been doing hair for eight years. But extensions for holiday events? This was new territory.

"Walk me through the first client," I said.

Client wanted tape-ins for a New Year's Eve party. Just one night. But Ashley had already ordered them. $400 worth of extensions for a one-night event.

"That's not right," I told her. "Tape-ins are for clients who want extensions for weeks, not one night."

Ashley felt terrible. She'd already ordered. The client was coming the next day.

That conversation taught me that most stylists don't actually know how to match extension methods to events. They know how to install. But they don't know how to consult.

Let me show you what I've learned works.

Do You Know Which Extensions Are Right for Which Events?

Ashley's first mistake was recommending permanent extensions for a temporary need.

Her client wanted big, dramatic hair for one party. Clip-ins would have been perfect. $150-$200. Client puts them in for the party. Takes them out after. Done.

Instead, Ashley sold tape-ins. $400 for the hair plus $200 for installation. $600 total for hair the client would only wear once.

"The client is going to be mad when she realizes this," I told Ashley.

She was. Three weeks after New Year's, the client wanted the tape-ins removed. She'd only worn them for two events.

"I spent $600 on extensions I barely used," the client said.

Ashley had to explain that tape-ins weren't meant for just one night. The client left unhappy. Left a bad review. Never came back.

I had another stylist, Megan, make the opposite mistake. Client wanted extensions for the entire holiday season. Thanksgiving through New Year's. Multiple parties. Multiple family events.

Megan recommended clip-ins. "They're cheaper," she told the client.

The client bought them. Tried to do them herself at home for the first party. Looked terrible. Gave up. Came back to Megan.

"These don't work," the client said. "Can you install something better?"

Megan ended up doing tape-ins anyway. But now it was December 20th. Late in the season. The client was frustrated she'd wasted money on clip-ins first.

"I should have just recommended tape-ins from the beginning," Megan told me.

Check out Christian Michael's education programs if you want to learn how to actually consult properly.

What If They Book Too Late?

Ashley's worst disaster was a client who called December 23rd. Wanted hand-tied wefts for Christmas dinner with her fiancé's family. December 25th. Two days away.

Ashley said yes. She shouldn't have.

Hand-tied wefts take time. Custom color matching. Installation. Cutting. Blending. You need at least 4-6 hours total for the whole process.

Ashley rushed it. Installed the wefts December 24th. Worked until 11 PM. The blend wasn't great. The cut wasn't perfect. But the client needed them for the next day.

Christmas morning, the client texted photos. The extensions looked obvious. You could see the rows. The color didn't quite match.

"What do I do?" the client asked, panicking.

Nothing. It was Christmas Day. Ashley couldn't fix it. The client went to Christmas dinner with bad extensions.

"I should have said no," Ashley told me later. "I should have explained she needed to book earlier. Or recommended clip-ins that I could style for her."

Megan had a similar situation. Client called December 22nd wanting K-tips for New Year's Eve.

But Megan said no.

"K-tips take 6-8 hours to install properly," she told the client. "I don't have time to do that before New Year's. Let me do clip-ins and style them for you instead."

The client was disappointed but agreed. Megan installed clip-ins December 30th. Styled her hair. The client looked great for New Year's Eve.

"I was mad at first that she said no to K-tips," the client told me later. "But the clip-ins worked perfect. And Megan was honest about timing instead of rushing something."

That client came back in January for permanent extensions. Became a regular.

Ashley's rushed hand-tied client? Never came back.

Find a certified stylist near you who knows how to handle these situations.

How Much Hair Do They Actually Need?

Ashley made another mistake with a client who had very fine hair. Wanted long, thick extensions for holiday photos.

Ashley ordered 180 grams of hair. Way too much for fine hair.

When she installed them, the client's scalp couldn't handle the weight. By the second day, the client had a headache. By the fourth day, she wanted them out.

"They're too heavy," the client said. "My head hurts."

Ashley removed them. Refunded half the money. Lost money on the appointment.

"I didn't know how to choose the right amount," she admitted.

Fine hair usually needs 60-100 grams max. Medium hair 100-180 grams. Thick hair 180-220+ grams.

Ashley had treated every client the same. "More is better," she thought. It's not.

Megan learned this lesson earlier in her career. She had a client with thick hair who wanted volume for holiday parties. Megan used 100 grams thinking it would be enough.

It wasn't. The extensions looked sparse. Didn't blend with the client's natural thickness.

"Can you add more?" the client asked.

Megan had to order another 80 grams. Install them a week later. Annoyed the client with the extra appointment.

"I should have used enough hair the first time," Megan said.

Now she always assesses density carefully. Never underestimates. Never overloads.

Browse Christian Michael's product collections to see different weights and options.

Do You Warn Them About Texture?

Ashley had a client who wanted 20-inch straight extensions. Looked at photos online. Loved how long they looked.

Client had naturally wavy hair. Ashley didn't explain that straight extensions would blend differently with wavy natural hair.

After installation, the client was confused. "Why don't my extensions look as long as in the photos?"

Because straight hair on straight hair looks longer than straight hair on wavy hair. And if the client styles her natural hair wavy, the extensions look even more different.

"You didn't tell me this," the client said, frustrated.

Ashley hadn't thought about it. She did now. But the client was already disappointed.

Megan handles this better. She always shows clients what extensions will look like styled to match their natural texture.

"If you usually wear your hair wavy, these 20-inch extensions will look about 18 inches when styled wavy," she explains upfront.

No surprises. No disappointment.

When Should They Actually Book?

Ashley's biggest problem in December was that most clients booked too late.

Client wants extensions for December 31st? Books December 27th.

Client wants extensions for Christmas? Books December 22nd.

Not enough time. Not enough hair in stock. Rush jobs that don't turn out great.

"Why do they all wait until the last minute?" Ashley asked.

Because nobody told them not to. Nobody explained they need to book 4-6 weeks in advance for permanent extensions.

After her disasters in December, Ashley started educating clients earlier. In October, she posted on social media: "Holiday extensions book up fast. Schedule your consultation by November 1st to guarantee availability."

She filled her December schedule by mid-November. No more last-minute panic.

Megan does the same thing. "If you want extensions for Christmas, book your consultation in early November," she tells everyone in October.

It works. Her December is fully booked by Thanksgiving. No stress. No rush jobs.

Visit Christian Michael's website to learn more about their products and education.

Can You Turn Holiday Clients Into Regular Clients?

Ashley's problem wasn't just the December disasters. It was that none of those holiday clients came back.

They wanted extensions for one season. Ashley gave them what they asked for. They left after the holidays. Never returned.

"How do I make them come back?" she asked.

By talking to them about what's coming next. While they're in your chair for holiday extensions, ask about their spring plans. Summer vacations. Upcoming weddings.

"A lot of my clients have weddings in the spring," Ashley told me.

"Are you telling your December clients that?" I asked.

She wasn't. She was just doing the holiday extensions and saying goodbye.

Megan does this better. While doing holiday extensions, she asks: "Do you have any big events coming up this spring? Weddings? Trips?"

Half her clients mention something. Megan notes it. Follows up in February or March.

"Hey, you mentioned your friend's wedding in April. Want to schedule your extension consultation now?"

Her holiday clients become year-round clients.

Ashley started doing this too. Her December clients started booking again for spring and summer events.

"I was treating them like one-time appointments," she said. "Now I treat them like the beginning of a relationship."

Check out Christian Michael's services page for ideas.

What About Thin Hair Clients?

Ashley had a client with very fine, thin hair. Wanted thick, full extensions for holiday parties.

Ashley was worried. Thin hair can't always support heavy extensions.

"I don't know if your hair can handle this," Ashley told the client honestly.

"Other salons said they could do it," the client said. "Why can't you?"

Ashley felt pressured. She did the extensions. Used tape-ins with minimal weight.

But even minimal weight was too much for the client's very thin hair. After two weeks, the client called. Her hair was breaking. The stress was too much.

Ashley removed them. The client's hair was damaged. Ashley felt terrible. The client left a bad review.

"I knew it wasn't right," Ashley said. "But I felt pressured to do it anyway."

Megan had a similar client. Very thin hair. Wanted extensions.

"I can do extensions, but we need to be very careful about weight," Megan told her. "And you need to commit to extra-careful maintenance."

She used very lightweight K-tips. Spread them out to distribute weight. Used only 60 grams total.

It worked. The client had volume without damage.

"The key was being honest about what her hair could handle," Megan said. "And not overpromising."

What Actually Matters?

After talking to Ashley, Megan, and dozens of other stylists about their holiday extension disasters and successes, here's what I've learned:

Match the method to the need. One-night event? Clip-ins. Whole season? Permanent methods like tape-ins or hand-tied wefts.

Say no when clients book too late. Rushed work turns out bad. Better to offer an alternative than ruin your reputation.

Use the right amount of hair. Fine hair needs less. Thick hair needs more. Don't guess.

Explain how texture affects length. Straight hair looks longer than wavy hair at the same length.

Make clients book early. 4-6 weeks before their event for permanent extensions.

Turn holiday clients into regular clients by asking about future events while they're in your chair.

Don't do extensions on hair that can't support them. Be honest even if it means losing a sale.

Ashley learned all this the hard way. December was a disaster. But January through March, she had no disasters. She followed the system.

Megan learned early. Has great holiday seasons every year. No panic. No rush jobs. Happy clients who come back.

Both said the same thing: "I wish I'd known this before my first holiday rush."

Now you do. Ready to handle the holidays without disasters? Contact Christian Michael Hair Extensions to learn more about their products and education.

Christian Michael Hair Extensions Team
Christian Michael Hair Extensions