Why Your Hair Extensions Might Not Match—Yet: Understanding Texture, Trained Hair & How We Help

Why Texture Matching Isn’t Always One-Size-Fits-All

If you’ve ever held your new I-Tip extensions next to your hair and thought, “This doesn’t match,” you’re not alone. Texture matching can be surprisingly complex, especially when you’ve been styling your curls with heat or have multiple patterns across your head.

At SL Raw Virgin Hair, our expert texture concierge reviews every photo you send to help match your extensions to the most dominant texture across your head, not the perimeter, not the ends, but the 90% that defines your natural curl identity.

A Real Texture Match Example: 3B–3C Natural Hair

Meet Marie, a real customer who submitted photos for a microlink I-Tip texture match. She wanted extensions that blended naturally with her 3B–3C curls and allowed her to switch between straight and curly styles. 

While her perimeter hair appeared looser and finer in some images, our team focused on the **fuller areas around her crown and back**, where the texture was healthiest and most representative. We matched her to the Soft Kinky Curly I-Tip, which blends beautifully with natural 3B–3C coils, especially once washed, styled, and trained.

Trained Hair vs. Raw Extensions: What You Need to Know

If you regularly straighten or blow-dry your curls, your texture has likely become “trained.” Trained hair isn’t damaged—it’s simply been conformed to your styling routine. The same goes for our raw extensions: they arrive in their natural, unprocessed state and need to be washed, styled, and worn in to conform to your personal look.

The hair you receive from us will soften and shape over time, just like your natural strands. Give it 1–2 washes, wear it curly or straight, and it’ll take on the characteristics of your lifestyle.

Important: Don’t Match to Your Edges or Ends

Your ends, temples, and nape may have looser or more fragile curls. These areas have been exposed to the most heat, friction, or chemical wear. That’s why our experts **always match your texture to the healthiest, most consistent section** of your hair—usually mid-shaft through the crown. That’s where your true texture lives.

How to Submit the Right Photos for Your Match

• Send images of your natural hair fully dried and freshly washed (no product buildup).
• Include 2–3 angles: back, crown, and side.
• Avoid perimeter-only photos or wet hair shots.
• Show your natural texture—not flat-ironed or manipulated ends.

Our Expert Texture Concierge will get back to you within 24 hours with the best match for your desired look.