When are extensions more than just that?

Let's talk extensions.

For the past six weeks, I have had beautiful, long, dark brown and maroon extensions in my hair.  They were a fun shade of maroonish-pink and hung all the way down my back.  I'm sure it's taboo to write about something artificial that one has attached to one's body...but heck, I'm not shy about such things! Girls do all sorts of things to enhance, heighten or otherwise alter our appearance.  With all that effort, we may as well talk about it and get five more minutes worth of use out of the experience. 

Putting the extensions in took EIGHT hours.  That's right.  Eight.  My amazing friend Clarissa Chatterton laboriously put them in, strand by strand, piece by piece.  When she was done, it looked incredible!  And, even better, with long, thick hair like that all over my head, I felt pretty dang (feel free to insert a stronger word than dang...because pretty sure that's how I felt..) sexy. 

The problem, though, with having all that extra hair on my head comes with the maintenance of it.  It wasn't too awful to comb, and when I wasn't out and about I would keep it in a braid or a pony tail.  I thought I was doing really well with keeping it all clean and combed and arranged (and if you saw it and thought differently, don't tell me, I don't want to know...).  The last few days, however, I've been feeling like it was about time to call my hair extension adventures quits.  Lately the sewn in ones have been sagging, the keratin ones yanking out clumps of hair, and the hair in between rows matting.  So, tonight on my way home from work, I stopped at Sally's Beauty Supply and bought myself a bottle of pure acetone.

Now that they're out (2 1/2 hours later....), I'm amazed by how little hair I actually have--and how short it is!  Already, I'm looking for ways to fluff and spray and puff it up to at least make it look a little fuller.  I'm thinking about going for the sexy "just out of bed and a little messy" look. 

So, now, here's my question:  What lengths does the average woman (you) go to to feel beautiful?

I consider myself a to be a fairly mid-maintenance woman.  Beauty and extras beyond fixing my hair and a quick spritz of makeup are recreational--I definitely enjoy it, but it's not necessary to my existence and happiness.  I know that some girls spend hours each week painting their nails or with face masks or other things--which is awesome if you choose to spend your time that way...but at the heart of it, what are we hoping to gain? 

For me, I love feeling sexy.  I know...I know...that's kind of awkward coming from a girl my size...but I feel that every single day of your life you should, as a woman, feel sexy and beautiful and desirable no matter how your hair looks or what you're wearing. 

Another question: At what point does "trying" become trying too much and turn attractive into "un"?  And what can a single working girl do to combat such ill-fated choices in beauty?