Hair accessories are a must for any salon, women’s clothing store or children’s retail store. Ladies love to use hair accessories as the finishing touch to a hair style or outfit. They provide decoration in addition to functionality. Providing a selection of everything from hair ties to headbands, to hair claws and hair extensions can help boost your business income.

There is a vast array of different sizes, styles and colors of hair accessories to choose from. Making a decision can be difficult, but it’s important to consider hair accessories pricing and costs when determining which products to offer to your customers. Keep the following in mind as you peruse through the possibilities:

1. Hair clips, ties and headbands are inexpensive but stylish hair ornaments.

2. Girls’ hair accessories in stock can get parents in the door.

3. Extensions are a popular hair accessory that all salons should provide.

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Purchase wholesale hair accessories

Must-have accessories include banana clips, headbands, barrettes, hair ties and hair clips wholesale items. These are hair accessories that practically every female uses for ease of function and style. Buying such items in bulk or through a wholesaler can make things a lot easier and cheaper.

I recommend: Find a variety of headbands, hair ties and other hair ornaments, ranging from $2 to $70, from the Sugar Network's Shop Style website. Browse the many categories at LongHairGirl, such as barrettes from $6 to $70, hair claws from $8 to $166, ponytail holders from $2.50 to $29 and headbands from $8 to $50.

Stock up on sparkling hair accessories for girls

Little girls (and their mommies) love to put beautiful accessories in their hair. The dainty items made for little girls, with rhinestones, sparkles and bright colors, provide a sense of being grown up or help the world to know that mommy is towing a baby girl on her hip.

I recommend: Lil’ Sugarplum’s baby hair clips start at $8 each, but sign up to become a wholesaler to sell their merchandise in your retail store and you will receive discounts on bulk purchases. Purchase girls’ hair accessories in packages of six for $6.50 to $9 per set from EverythingTights.

Extend hair length with short hair accessories

Many women who have shorter hair are anxious for it to grow out again or are unhappy with their new short hairdo. That's why it's a good idea for salons to carry a variety of hair extensions to make available to their clients. The extensions need to match the client's hair color as closely as possible, so it's a good idea to obtain a large selection of colors and lengths. Keep in mind that you will also need to have plenty of application tools and glue on hand to complete the process.

I recommend: Purchase KeraTip extensions from Vision Hair Extensions at $59 to $64 per ounce (approximately 40 strands of hair). They also have application tools from $7 to $50. Beauty West Services offers a variety of hair extension lengths, colors and textures from $11 to $88. Click on Tools and Swatches in the left navigation bar for a variety of application tools, ranging from $6 to $300.

Whether they have long hair, short hair, curly hair or straight hair, women love hair accessories. Versatile and fun, clips, barrettes, hair sticks and tiaras help women and girls look great and feel good about themselves. Fortunately, it's easy to find a good selection of hair accessories for your business.

Before buying hair accessories, however, consider how your customers will use them. Are your customers most likely young women wanting hair ornaments to make their prom hairdos look even better? Are they older women who want practical and functional accessories? Or maybe they’re mothers with girls and babies, who want their children to look even cuter? Consider the three basic categories of hair accessories:

1. Fancy hair ornaments, often used for weddings, proms or clubbing

2. Everyday hair accessories, which should be both practical and pretty

3. Hair accessories for children

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Go fancy for prom and wedding hair accessories

Whether you want accessories for wedding 'dos, hair ornaments suitable for proms and other special events, or unique hair decorations for clubbing, there are many hair accessory distributors who will suit your needs. Don't neglect ever-popular rhinestone accessories, and be sure to take a peek at fiberoptic options, too.

I recommend: Wholesale Hair Accessories has a great selection of fancy hair accessories, including hair gems, clips, combs, barrettes and rhinestone tiaras. Accessory Wholesale Inc. also has a good selection of bridal tiaras, pageant crowns, combs and hair clips wholesale. For something different, check out Luminence, which offers hair crystals and fiber-optic hair accessories.

Keep a great selection of everyday hair accessories

Keep a good stock of long and short hair accessories handy in a variety of styles. Be sure to have hair clips and hair sticks, as well as more trendy items like decorative pins on hand.

I recommend: Hair Utopia has a nice selection of barrettes, decorative bobby pins, bows, hair snaps and buttons, head bands and more. Hair Era offers hair claws, ponytail holders, head bands, hair combs and decorative pins. Wholesale Jewelry and Accessories carries some different products, including hair switches, head scarves, picks, bands and more; just click on the "Wholesale Hair Goods" link in the left-hand menu.

Stock girls' hair accessories, too

Get one step ahead of the competition and keep children's hair accessories on hand. Little girls love ponytail holders and bows, and mommies often like their baby girls in fancy head bands and tiny clips.

I recommend: Bizzy Bows by Barbara offers kid-friendly scrunchies and bows. Pretty Please Designs sells headbands for infants and girls, plus decorative ponytail holders. Yama Ribbons and Bows Co. Ltd. also offers wholesale children's head bands, clips and bows. Lil' Sugarplum sells no-slip baby and girl hair clips, as well as stick on bows and headbands.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When stocking hair accessories for children--especially very young ones--be sure to consider comfort. Few mothers want their babies in adorable hair clips if those clips are going to slip and slide and cause their baby to cry because they are pulling delicate strands of hair.

There are many different hair accessories types and styles, with each accessory being appropriate for certain occasions or to get desired results. Hair accessories must work for the right kind of hair, the right kind of look and the intended purpose.

Learn how to spot all the different hair accessories types and styles and when to use them. This will help you decide how best to use them in relation to your business, but first consider the following:

1. Many hair accessories are simply practical; they might be worn by males and females, and might be seasonal.

2. Some hair accessories serve no other purpose than aesthetics, such as a tiara worn for a wedding.

3. Most customers will prefer hair accessories that are both practical and fashionable.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Stock formal hair ornaments in a boutique

Formal hair ornaments are usually classy and embellished with gemstones, pearls, or rhinestones, and are used to emphasize and compliment a hairstyle and over-all look. Formal hair accessories, for occasions such as a wedding, prom or ball, include tiaras, small embellished headbands, hair clips, barrettes, hair sticks and pins. Stock formal hair accessories in a boutique that sells prom and wedding dresses.

I recommend: IVillage features a slide show of various formal hair accessories. Look through the gallery of wedding hair accessories including pins, tiaras and flowers at WeddingChannel.com.

Include bohemian hair accessories in store inventory

Bohemian-style hair accessories look very chic and can really finish an overall look; they can be dressed up when made of fine fabrics like silk and embellished with sequins or embroidery, but can also be comfortable and even practical for working with pieces like tied headbands, bandannas, or scarves. Make a clothing store a one-stop-shop for women to buy an entire outfit by including bohemian hair accessories.

I recommend: See a few different ways of tying scarves in hair at LongHairLovers.com. Find different ways for scarf to be worn around the head at HairBoutique.com.

Sell feminine hair accessories

Use the right hair accessories to get a look that is feminine and pretty. A smart barrette, clip or decorative pin can look mature and classy, or girlie and youthful; it can look casual or dressy. Young girls are the largest market for feminine hair accessories like bows and clips.

I recommend: Look through the photo album in Seventeen Magazine showing how to wear a flower clip. StyleBakery shows popular casual headbands. See girls hair accessories of all kinds from bows to clips by looking through the wholesale hair accessories at Michelle and Scott's Wholesale Imports.

Offer a useful hair accessory in your store

Many people with long hair use hair accessories solely for practical reasons; to keep hair from the face when working, during activity, or simply for comfort. The most commonly used practical hair accessories include ponytail holders, headbands, hair claws, scarves and bandannas, and are great additions to sporting good and hardware stores.

I recommend: See a gallery of casual headbands used to pull hair from the face at Short-Hairstyles.com. Find inexpensive practical hair pins and hair clips wholesale at Good Hair Days.