Hair that looks like it grew that way.

Invisible Bead Extensions (IBE®) is a patented hand-tied weft extension method. A row of small silicone-lined beads is placed along your natural hair, the weft is hand-sewn to that row, and the top of the weft flips up over the beads so the row lies flat and hidden. Nothing is glued, taped, fused or heated, and the bead never rests on your scalp. Emerald Salon & Suites in Hiawatha is an IBE® certified studio serving the Cedar Rapids area, and every install is done by the owner.

The method is built specifically to avoid the usual causes of damage. There is no glue, no keratin bond, no tape, and no heat applied to your hair, and the bead is positioned so it never presses against your scalp. Weight is deliberately distributed across rows so no single section carries the load. The most common cause of trouble with any extension method is a bad install or skipped move-ups — which is why we keep you on an 8–10 week rhythm.

No — that is the specific problem the patented flip-up technique was designed to solve. The weft folds up over the bead row so the attachment sits flat and hidden against your head, including in a high ponytail. Placement is mapped to your head shape at install for exactly this reason.

At Emerald, installation starts at $450 for one row and move-up appointments start at $175. Extension hair is quoted separately because the amount and length you need varies enormously between guests. IBE® is deliberately not a fixed-price service — your written quote comes out of the free consultation, once we have actually looked at your density and goals.

Two different timelines. Your first move-up is around week seven, then roughly every 8–10 weeks as your natural hair grows out. The extension hair itself is reusable for about 7–12 months with proper styling care and professional products, so you are not repurchasing hair at every appointment.

Fine hair is the most common reason people come to us. Because there is no adhesive and no scalp pressure, IBE® suits finer density better than most methods. The honest limit is that you need enough hair to anchor to — very short or actively breaking hair may need to be addressed before an install. We will tell you straight at the consultation.

Yes, and it is free. We cannot quote you accurately or order the right hair without seeing your hair in person. It takes about twenty minutes, there is no obligation, and you leave with a written quote.

We are at 1809 Boyson Rd Suite A in Hiawatha, about ten minutes from downtown Cedar Rapids — I-380 north to Boyson Rd, then east about a mile and a half. Free parking directly outside. We regularly see guests from Cedar Rapids, Marion, Robins, Ely, North Liberty, Swisher, and Anamosa.

Yes, most of our extension guests drive in. Marion and Robins are about ten minutes away, Cedar Rapids ten to fifteen, and Iowa City, Coralville and North Liberty roughly thirty minutes down I-380. The consultation is free, so the first trip is low risk, and move-ups are every 8 to 10 weeks, not every few days.

Yes. You wash, condition and style as usual, brushing from the ends up and drying the rows fully after every wash. Swimming and sweating are fine: braid your hair for workouts, pools and sleep, and rinse out chlorine or salt water afterward. We walk you through the full routine at install, and the products we recommend are chosen to keep the hair usable for its whole 7 to 12 month life.

Gently and quickly. Because nothing is glued or fused, removal is opening each bead and sliding the weft out: no solvent, no heat, no pulling. It happens at every move-up, where rows are taken down, repositioned and re-tied, and whenever you decide to stop wearing them.

Yes, and doing both in one place is a real advantage — your colour is adjusted to blend with the extension hair rather than fighting it. Sequencing matters, though, so bring it up at the consultation and we will plan the order of operations for you.