The weather is getting colder this time of the year and the season of protective styling is upon us. This means that we would be making decisions about which protective styles we want for our hair, in order to keep our kinky curls moisturized and avoid the frequent build-up of dirt.
When deciding on which protective styles to go for such as natural hair wigs, sew-ins, natural hair clip ins, or bundles, the decision making can become an arduous and challenging process considering our hair budget.
To help you make better protective styling decisions, we will explore how many bundles of natural hair extensions you need to rock several bundle hairstyles.
Bundles
The bundle hair extensions are often more pricey than the regular pack extensions. However, they are less prone to shedding, and with good maintenance and appropriate installation, they can be reused for years. Bundle hair extensions allow experimenting with different styling options -from adding color to cuts or highlights, the experience is the same as styling your own natural curls.
When shopping for natural hair bundles, hair texture preferences is an important factor to watch out for. Bundles come in a variety of density and textures. You can get your natural hair bundles from 3B- 4C hair textures, ranging from the Afro Kinky, Kinky Coily, Kinky Curly, And Kinky Blow Out Texture. Going for these textures means that you will not require so many bundles to pull them off.
You can get your bundle hair extensions in either the synthetic or human hair types. If you desire a more natural-looking hairstyle, the human hair bundle extension is a more convenient option.
Bundle Hairstyles
There are two ways you can install your bundles. You can either opt for a sew-in, which is easier to maintain, more affordable and can typically last for about six months, or the glue and tape methods. The glue method involves the use of liquid adhesive directly on the hair. And for the tape method, one to two wefts with double-sided tape is attached to the hair.
Whether you are going for a sew-in or any other hair extension styles, knowing how many bundles you need to achieve various bundle hairstyles is a key factor.
A pack of bundles is usually a full 4 ounces, and the amount of bundles you will need is largely dependent on the desired style, preferred volume, and the quality of the bundles itself. Also, if you want a shorter length, you won't require as many bundles as you would if you are going for a longer style.
Kinky Curly Sew In
The kinky curly sew-in gives you a natural look, its Z curled ringlets blend in amazingly well with your own natural hair and you typically do not need a lot of bundles to achieve this style. Getting the kinky curly sew-in will usually require 2-3 bundles of hair extension. For a 14" inch style that is shoulder length, you should use 2 hair bundles. But if you are going for a longer length, 3 hair bundles are recommended in order to get full coverage for your sew-in. To achieve the Kinky Curly Sew-in look, you can shop for Kinky Curly bundles, perfect for both 3B-3C hair textures.
Curly Full Sew In With Bangs
Curly hair usually has more density and does not necessarily need so many bundles to get a full look. For a full natural look, 2-3 bundles can be used. If you are going for a longer length, you should opt for 3-4 bundles. Unlike other sew-ins, curly tracks have little space between them, this means that when you get a full sew-in without using the required amount of bundles and it isn't full enough, you will begin to see your braids in between the spaces. Also, the curly full sew-in with bangs style allows you to be versatile in styling your hair in a variety of ways.
Partial Sew In
To achieve a partial sew-in style, you will need 2 bundles of natural hair extensions. Partial sew-ins give you a more natural look, as sections of your natural hair will be left out in the front, the entire crown of the head, or sometimes in the back. Partial sew-ins allows for flexible, more natural styling options. For standard lengths, they would require a maximum of two bundles and three bundles if you are going for lengths longer than 24".
If you are not in the mood to get a partial sew-in, a great go-to natural hair extension is the U-part wig. The U-part wig has a u-shaped opening on top, which allows you to cover up the tracks with your own natural hair. The best part yet about the U-part wig is the way it blends in and matches your hair texture perfectly.
Straight Sew In
Straight hairstyles are less dense than curly styles and would require more bundles to achieve a fuller look. Depending on the length, 3-4 bundles are recommended in order to pull off a straight sew-in look. If you are going for a straight sew-in frontal with a length over 22", you will need to use a maximum of 3 bundles. This is because lace frontals are 13x4 inch and will require fewer hair bundles than the lace closure which is 4x4 inch. To achieve a full look, you will need from 2-3 bundles with a lace frontal and from 3-4 bundles with a lace closure.
Whatever bundle hairstyles you decide to on, keep in mind that bundles are great investments, as they typically last for much longer and allow you to experiment with a variety of desired hairstyles.
If you want to learn more about how many bundles you need to achieve any bundle hairstyles, this simple tutorial by @Sade is a great place to start: