Babe Hair Extensions have been around for a little while now—not that we’re old or anything. In the years that we’ve been in business, we’ve seen lots of changes in the industry that we occupy, including a wider acceptance of hair extensions as a normal and even popular method for increasing the length, volume, and wow-factor of clients’ hair. Now, celebrities unabashedly share their hair extension stories, magazines and online publications give their readers hair extension-related advice, and we can’t help but wonder...are hair extensions common knowledge now?

In some ways, they kind of are. The mystique that used to surround hair extensions has all but vanished, replaced by studies estimating the value and projected growth of the hair extension industry. There aren’t any more extension scandals, really, partly because hair extensions are not surprising to beauty audiences, and partly because celebrities are able to select from a wide pool of stylists to get the job done right, avoiding the unsightly mistakes of early adopters. The most telling indicator of extension “commonality” is how extensions are now mentioned in the same breath as hair care products and tools, where once they were considered closer to plastic surgery (in the sense of artificial body modification).

On the other hand, it’s worth noting the proportion of hair extension-related content online. It’s not exactly a “trending topic,” and celebrities don’t necessarily go out of their way to mention that they’re wearing them. By nature, hair extensions are still designed to be concealed. Even when they are brought up, though, it’s unclear whether audiences see them as an obtainable commodity. Beauty enthusiasts might see hair extensions as an acceptable or desirable phenomenon, but they also might view them as a luxury—closer to an expensive spa outing than a beauty staple.

Of course, “common” is a loaded word. Some stylists might read it as a low and undesirable thing—you territorial trendsetters and hipsters out there might scoff at the idea of your niche becoming mainstream. Others might read it as good news—a kind of recognition that’ll bring your specialty to the forefront. Regardless of how you feel about the current place of hair extensions in the beauty world, it’s important to ask yourself these kinds of questions and investigate the general reception of your work so you can tailor your marketing to your new and developing audiences. Things are changing out there—it’s your job to make the best of it. None of this “for the worse” nonsense.

Do you think hair extensions are becoming a common phenomenon? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments below, and stay tuned for next week’s blog post, where we’ll talk about branding your extension services in more detail.