The first hair extensions were made from extraneous sailboat rigging, which often led to confusion and longhaired lasses being tied to the hulls of schooners. Avoid nautical misadventures with today's side deal: for $150, you get 50-strand hair extensions from Shear Designs by Becca in Scottsdale (a $450 value).

Shear Designs is a one-woman hair extravaganza helmed by the venerable stylist Becca Smith. With fingers as nimble and quick as a jackalope, she's mastered the delicate art of the hair extension. Becca utilizes tiny cylinders in her extension work, which means the treatment is free from the damaging properties of heat, wax, and glue. For up to three hours, Becca will spin and weave strands of 100% human hair into your preexisting mane. Color will be matched exactly according to a color chart that was harvested directly from a rainbow. The strands are a blend of Spanish, Italian, Scandinavian, and Russian head-yarn, and come in textures ranging from stick straight to tightly curled, ensuring a seamless match for any hair bearer.

The 50-strand extension amount is used for adding body to hair, not necessarily a lot of length, making it ideal for bulking up patches where hair looks particularly thin. Roughly 150 strands are needed for adding both substantial length and body. If you want to purchase additional hair at the time of your appointment, 75 strands cost $675, 100 strands cost $900, and 150 strands cost $1,350.

Reviews

Kudzu reviewers give Shear Designs by Becca a full fives stars:

• If you are considering extensions to achieve the look you want, do yourself a favor and go see Becca. She creatively blends her natural talent and extensive, specialized training to bring the best out in each and every client. – blondeboss
• I would recommend Becca to anyone, espiecially [sic] to someone who's looking for extensions. – rkm22couture
• Becca is a true artist, with an eye for the right style for each client. – marion123