The $180 Secret To Kim Kardashian's Updated Half-Up, Half-Down Hairstyle

Kim Kardashian is no stranger to a half-up, half-down hairdo. Her go-to hairstylist, Chris Appleton, is famous for giving the KKW Beauty founder — among other celebs — the super-snatched, glamorous style. But as of late, the pro has been working alongside celebrity hair extensions expert Priscilla Valles. Whether you noticed or not, Kardashian’s made subtle changes that have taken her look from fabulous to off-the-charts exceptional.

How, you ask? Well, the mom of four has traded her Glam Seamless Invisi-Ponytail for individual keratin bond extensions from the Glam Seamless x Priscilla Valles collection. Instead of adding more hair to the top of her head, Valles’ technique involves attaching the keratin extensions underneath the hair to add length and thickness. The result is a look that's more natural and low-key than half-up, half-down hairstyles of the past.

One sneaky way to spot Kardashian's half-up, half-down hairstyle evolution is by seeing if you can spot her hair elastic. She used to prefer concealing by wrapping the aforementioned clip-in extension around the ponytail’s base. These days though, she's embracing the simplicity of showcasing the clear rubber band. It gives off the illusion that she casually threw together the look and makes recreating our own extension-free versions less complicated.

These days, Valles tells WWD that her celebrity clients have leaned away from thick extensions, in favor of thinner, longer styles. “Now, it’s about, ‘How do we have extensions, but also make it look natural?’” This insight informed her Glam Seamless collab, which also includes nearly invisible luxe clip-ins and hand-tied tape-ins.

This past June, Kardashian took to her Instagram Story to congratulate Valles on the collab’s launch. “Oh my god, you guys, I just got Priscilla’s new hair extensions,” she told her followers. “I’ve been using Priscilla for the last, like, six months. And I’m obsessed. I don’t know how I’ll ever go back. She has the most amazing hair, and look at all of these colors!”

If you’re sold on the Keratin Bond Extensions, they come in three lengths: 17”, 21”, and 25”. The only downside for beauty aficionados is that Valles doesn’t recommend you try this at home. She “strongly” advises that only certified professional stylists use the application tool. But it could be worse, right? After all, there are much worse things than making a hair appointment.

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