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The Hair Extension Tools I Created Just Won A National Award
- Christina Bonner
- Aug 25
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 3
We ALL know the pressure of delivering flawless results while working with the wrong tools.
I spent years mastering my craft, investing thousands in education, and still felt completely limited by the same outdated systems that slowed me down and damaged my clients' hair.
That frustration is what moved me, as a working stylist from a small town, to innovate something the hair industry had never seen before.
In August 2025, the ILIGHT LED Hair Extension Kit was named the Best Hair Extension Innovation in the United States of 2025 by Best of Best Reviews.
Hearing that felt surreal.
Not because I chased an award, but because I built this in the trenches, for real stylists and real clients. And this award is proof that change in our industry comes when pro artists create solutions for each other.
Why ILIGHT is Different from Other Hair Extension Tools
Traditional V-Light hair extension systems rely on outdated UV methods that can cause damage, feel bulky, or limit where extensions can be placed.
UV systems are simply harsh.
Placement that fought me at the crown and sides, results that were good but never great, burning sensations on some of my clients' sensitive scalps, the toxic chemical smell... I knew there had to be a smarter way.
Here’s the plot twist. I stopped trying to force old methods to do new things and built my own solution instead.
The Real Breakthrough
I didn’t set out to just make noise about the ILIGHT as a top hair extension tool. I set out to solve a pain point for extension artists and their clients alike... the results from V-Light just were not good enough.
So I created an LED system that bonds invisibly and securely in eight seconds.
No UV. No bulk. No limits on placement where it matters most.
The key benefits:
✨ Extensions that last 6-8 weeks.
✨ Invisible bonds that look like hair is growing from the scalp
✨ Safer, no heat application with LED lights instead of traditional UV.
✨ Eight second applications that protect your hands and your calendar
✨ Seamless volume at the crown and sides where other methods struggle
If you want to learn more about the benefits of ILIGHT, check out this page.
Why I Had To Include Education
The truth no one tells you is that a tool alone won’t change your business. Education and a clear plan forward is what actually makes the difference.
That’s why I built the mobile app Extension IQ to host our complementary ILIGHT course and certification: because I wanted other hair extension artists to have ongoing training they could actually use between clients and in their pocket, not just on a random weekend.
What makes our training course Extension IQ different:
✨ Short, practical education you can apply the same day
✨ Gamified learning that keeps you moving forward
✨ Real business strategies to move from generalist to specialist
✨ A community that shares what actually works behind the chair
Why This Award Matters
It's simple.
Because it proves that safer, smarter, kinder-to-your-body solutions belong in our industry.
Clients deserve results that are beautiful and comfortable to wear. Point blank. I know this because I've been paying attention to what actually makes the difference for clients in my 25+ years of being a top-rated premium extension artist. Innovation belongs behind the chair, not just in a lab
The future is not busier. The future is better.
I built ILIGHT and Extension IQ to give stylists options that honor their skills, their bodies, and their time. If you’ve been waiting for a sign to shift how you work, consider this it.
Want to learn more?
✨ Check out our Facebook group, Hair Extension Master, where thousands of stylists are sharing wins, asking about ILIGHT, and learning how to build booked-out extension businesses.
And don't forget to:
👉 Visit www.studiosheacademy.com.
👉 Follow us on IG for education and updates.
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