The quality does come at a price; the halo styles range anywhere from $199 for natural fullness to $449 for the longest, densest layers. There are three styles available for purchase on the Hidden Crown website: Daydream, which has the lightest weight and less length; Hidden Crown hair, which offers more fullness at the ends; and Hidden Crown Layers, which have the most length and fullness. There are 28 hair shades to choose from too, and if you're not sure of your best match, you can email a photo of yourself to the brand, which will help you determine the right color for you. (Alternately, you can find them in person at a participating salon.)
The hair color has been the most challenging aspect, since it's never exactly the same unless it's coming from a box. "It’s not a dye number. It’s all done by eye," Goodstein says, which is why they have master colorists on hand to help. But even so, it's possible to order the same shade and receive one that's slightly different. "Every time you get your hair highlighted or colored, it’s never the same," she says. "It could be humid out, or maybe the cuticle is damaged and more porous."
And Hidden Crown does now offer clip-ins ("That’s what people start with," Goodstein says), though they're still far easier than what she had on set at her modeling jobs. Instead of nine clip-ins, these come in a pack of three. "I love this because it, again, makes extensions feel less intimidating," Marjan says. "With one pack, you only need to apply one clip to each side and one in the back."
Clip-in extensions are also better for certain styles than the halo, according to Leake. "Clips are easier to hide with an updo, but the halo can be used for braids, low buns, and half-up hairstyles," he explains.
Even with the runaway success, Goodstein is insistent on being hands-on, which is part of the reason she keeps the company small. We're talking really small: She has just four employees, two of whom are part-time. It allows her to know exactly what's happening within her company. "When I sent these out myself, I’d package them and think, I hope she loves this as much as I love this product," says Goodstein. "Our hair—short, medium, long—is what shows us off as women. It's kind of a big deal."
Deanna Pai is a beauty writer in New York City. Follow her @deannapai.
