Summary

• Be Gentle With Extensions: Avoid pulling or twisting too tightly when putting your hair up.

• Placement Matters: Position your claw clip so it supports your hairstyle without catching directly on extension attachment points.

• Choose Enough Capacity: Extensions add extra hair and volume, so you may need a larger claw clip than you normally use.

• Comfort Is a Good Guide: If your style feels tight, heavy, or uncomfortable, loosen and reposition it rather than forcing the clip into place.

How to Put Hair Clips on Extensions Without Pulling or Slipping

How Do You Put Hair Clips on Extensions?

To put a claw clip on hair with extensions, gently gather your natural hair and extensions together, create a loose twist, and secure the hair without placing unnecessary pressure on the extension attachment points. Your exact placement will depend on the type of extensions you're wearing.

The biggest thing to remember is that adding extensions changes how much hair your clip needs to hold. The claw clip that worked perfectly before extensions may suddenly feel too small, so choosing enough capacity is just as important as your styling technique.

First, Know Where Your Extensions Are Attached

Before putting your hair up, know where your extensions sit.

Different types of extensions are installed differently, and you don't want to blindly slide a claw clip into an attachment point or pull aggressively on the areas where your extensions connect to your natural hair.

Use your fingers to feel where the attachments are located before gathering your hair. When possible, position the claw clip so its prongs aren't pressing directly against those areas.

If you have professionally installed extensions, follow your stylist's specific care and styling instructions, since they'll know which hairstyles and placement are appropriate for your installation method.

Don't Start With a Super-Tight Twist

If you're worried about your extensions slipping out of your hairstyle, your first instinct might be to twist everything tighter.

That's not necessarily the answer.

Gather your hair gently and create enough of a twist to give your claw clip something to hold onto. You shouldn't need to aggressively pull at your roots or twist the extensions until everything feels tight.

If your hairstyle only stays up when you pull everything extremely tightly, you may need a different clip size or placement.

Give All That Extra Hair Enough Room

This is where styling extensions with a claw clip can feel very different from styling your natural hair.

You suddenly have more hair.

If your regular claw clip was already close to capacity before you added extensions, trying to squeeze even more hair into it can make styling frustrating. The clip may struggle to close, pieces may keep escaping, or you may find yourself twisting your hair tighter just to make everything fit.

A larger claw clip can give your natural hair and extensions more room without requiring you to force them into place.

For this reason, someone who normally reaches for a Classic size may find that a Jumbo clip works better after adding significant length or volume.

How to Create an Easy Claw Clip Twist With Extensions

Start by gently gathering your natural hair and extensions toward the back of your head. Hold everything as you would for a low ponytail, being careful not to tug unnecessarily at the roots.

Slowly twist the lengths upward. If you have very long extensions, you may need to fold or tuck the remaining length back into the twist rather than continuing to twist tighter.

Once the hair is positioned, open your claw clip and place it around the twist, catching enough hair underneath to support the style without digging directly into your extension attachment points.

Release the clip and check how everything feels.

If there's pulling in one area, don't ignore it. Take the clip out and try again with a slightly looser twist or different placement.

What If Your Claw Clip Keeps Slipping?

More hair doesn't automatically mean a more secure hairstyle.

Extensions can change the weight, volume, and texture of your hair, which can affect how your usual claw clip sits.

If the clip keeps slipping, first check whether it's actually large enough. Then experiment with the position of your twist and make sure the clip is catching both the twisted hair and enough hair underneath to anchor the style.

Resist the urge to solve every slipping problem by pulling your hair tighter.

Sometimes the issue isn't your hair at all. It's the clip you're asking to hold it.

Be Careful With Half-Up Hairstyles Too

Half-up claw clip hairstyles can look beautiful with extensions because they keep hair away from your face while letting the additional length remain visible.

But the same rule applies: know where your extensions are attached.

Take a comfortable section of hair from each side, bring it toward the back, and secure it without pulling aggressively at the roots. A smaller claw clip may be enough because you're only holding part of your hair.

This is also a great option when you want to show off your added length instead of putting everything into a full updo.

What Kind of Claw Clip Works Well With Extensions?

Rather than looking for a claw clip specifically labeled "for extensions," think about what your hair needs now that you've added more length or volume.

Look for enough capacity to comfortably accommodate your hair, a lightweight design that doesn't add unnecessary heaviness, and a secure hold that doesn't depend on squeezing everything as tightly as possible.

Flexibility can also be helpful when you're looking for an accessory that feels less rigid during everyday wear.

Most importantly, don't automatically use the same clip size you wore before your extensions. Your hair has changed, so your hair accessory needs may have changed too.

Why Mello Can Work With Fuller Hairstyles

Mello's Clips are available in different sizes, which makes it easier to choose based on how much hair you're actually styling.

For extensions that add significant length, thickness, or volume, the Jumbo Mello Clip gives fuller hairstyles additional room. For half-up styles or extensions that add less overall volume, a Classic or Mini may be enough depending on your hair.

The Mello Clip's CloudFlex™ engineered material is designed to flex rather than feel completely rigid, while its lightweight construction and curved inward-facing prongs support Mello's comfort-first approach.

That can be especially useful when your extensions have already added extra weight and volume to your hairstyle. You don't necessarily want your hair accessory adding even more bulk.

Let Comfort Tell You When Something Isn't Right

Extensions can look incredible in an updo, but putting them up shouldn't mean ignoring pulling or discomfort.

If something feels wrong, redo it.

Loosen the twist, change where the clip sits, use a larger size, or wear your hair half-up instead. And if you're unsure whether a particular updo is appropriate for your extension method, ask the stylist who installed them before making it part of your everyday routine.

The goal isn't to force your extensions into the same hairstyles you wore before. It's to adapt those hairstyles to the hair you have now.

With a gentle technique and a claw clip with enough room, you can keep all that extra length comfortably out of your way while still showing it off when you want to.

Explore Mello Clips in Mini, Classic, and Jumbo sizes to find the amount of hold and space that works with your natural hair, added volume, and favorite everyday styles.