NBR education and FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions: NBR Hair Extensions
What they are, how they are installed, what they cost, and whether they will damage your hair. The questions we answer every single week.
Marin County's premier extension salon
Your Dream Hair
is Our Passion
A luxury hair extension salon and Aveda Artists in downtown San Rafael, specializing in NBR Natural Beaded Rows and dimensional Aveda color.
Real hair. Real guests. Real rows.
See the Portfolio
Bilancio means balance
Hair that is built around you, not a trend.
At Bilancio, we strive to create balance with every service we provide. It is our priority to take into consideration every aspect of our guests' features; their face shape, skin coloring, and personality are all an integral part in achieving their perfect image.
We are a luxury hair extension salon and Aveda Artists, and we teach as we go. You will leave knowing exactly what was done to your hair, what to use at home, and how to keep it looking the way it did the moment you stood up from the chair.
Meet the Salon
NBR Natural Beaded Rows
The most natural, lightweight, comfortable hair you have ever had.
We use the NBR method of installation: full rows of 100% human Remy hair, attached with a bead and string technique and sewn into tracks that disappear into your own hair. No glue. No tape. No one believes you have extensions until you show them.
- No glue and no tape, so removal takes about five minutes
- Beads stay hidden straight, curled, or pulled into a ponytail
- Color, cut, and install in one appointment, about three to four hours
- Re-tighten every six to eight weeks, new hair every four to six months
- Built for fine hair, thin hair, added volume, or added length
Before and after
The moment they turn the chair around.
Length and volume
Dimensional blonde
Full transformation
Lived in brunette
Color and install
Fine hair friendly
Blonde and redStart to finishAveda color
Color that behaves like it grew that way.
We are Aveda Artists, which means plant based color, a formula built for your skin tone rather than a swatch on a chart, and a stylist who will explain every choice while she makes it. When you wear extensions, your color has to match twice over: your own hair and your hair.
Call or Text to Book Color- Dimensional Blonding 3 to 4 hrs
- Lived-in Brunette 2 to 3 hrs
- Gray Blending 90 min
- Gloss and Tone 60 min
- Corrective Color By consult
- Extension Color Match With install
- Reshaping and Cutting 60 min
- Blowout and Style 45 min
Timing is a guide. Your quote is confirmed at consultation.
How booking works
Three steps to your first appointment.
Extensions begin with an application so we can see your hair before you sit down. Color, cuts, and blowouts can be booked by phone or text any time.
01
Apply online
Tell us about your hair: current length, texture, density, color history, and what you are hoping for. It takes a few minutes and it tells us whether NBR is the right fit for you.
02
In-person consultation
One of our stylists reaches out to set up a consultation in the salon. We look at your hair in our light, talk through the plan, and give you a written quote covering extensions, color, cut, and styling.
03
Transformation day
In about three to four hours you go from consultation to complete transformation: color, cut, and installation in one appointment. You leave knowing exactly how to care for it.
Visit us
Downtown San Rafael
- Address1414 4th St, San Rafael, CA 94901
- HoursTuesday to Saturday, by appointment
- Call or text415-460-6300
The portfolio
Sixteen years of Marin County hair.
What our guests say
This is my new hair home.
"I've never been to a salon where someone has actually taught their client about what they're doing to their hair, it was such a great experience. 10/10 recommend getting your hair done here."
Cailyn H. · Napa
"She teaches you how to care for your hair as you go, and you instantly feel put at ease with her knowledge and caring energy. She won't sell you anything you don't need."
Hannah A. · San Francisco
"She did my hair extensions and I was so nervous about getting them done but she calmed me down and talked me through the whole process. I now have the most glamorous hair."
Ashley P. · Petaluma · NBR client
The hair journal
Everything we teach in the chair, written down.
Hair care
Extension Hair Care 101
You just got your beautiful new extensions, now what? Let's protect your investment and give them a long life.
NBR education and FAQs
Single Row vs. Double Row Extensions
When it comes to your dream hair, the number of rows changes everything. Here is how we choose the right fit for you.
Client education
Am I Losing My Hair, or Just Shedding?
This comes up so much when clients are in the chair, and most people do not know the difference. Here is how to tell.
Product and color education
Is Brassy Hair a Bad Thing? A Masterclass
Let's discuss what brassy hair really implies, why it happens, and what actually fixes it.
Hair tips
How to Communicate With Your Hairstylist
How to walk in with an idea and walk out with the hair you actually envisioned. Inspiration photos included.
Education for stylists
Where stylists become artists.
Bilancio has always been a teaching salon. Our owner Nina has spent sixteen years building a bench of stylists through structured apprenticeship, mentorship, and hands-on training, and we still run it that way today.
If you are fresh out of beauty school, or licensed and looking for someone to actually show you extension work and color theory instead of handing you a shampoo bowl, come talk to us.
- Structured apprenticeship with a weekly training breakdown
- Mentorship on the floor, not just a manual
- Color theory, formulation, and Aveda product knowledge
- Extension technique taught the way it is done in the chair
We are hiring
Looking for an assistant hairstylist.
We are growing, and we are looking for someone who wants to be taught. Bring the work ethic and the willingness to learn, and we will handle the rest: extension technique, color, guest experience, and a real path to the chair.
Apply to Join the TeamSend a resume and a note about yourself. We read every one.
The team
Nina, Miranda and Kendall.
Nina, ownerOn the shelf
The products we actually use on you.
Good questions
Before you book extensions.
What are NBR hair extensions?
Natural Beaded Rows are an exclusive hair extension technique created and taught by Danielle K. White of DKW Styling. Extensions are placed in full rows using a bead and string technique, with wefts sewn into tracks that blend seamlessly into your natural hair, then customized in cut, color, and style.
Why don't you post how much it costs?
Pricing varies by client. It depends on how much extension hair you need, the length you want, and the custom coloring involved. Your investment covers NBR hair extensions, seamless color, cut, and styling, and your quote is discussed during your consultation.
Do NBR extensions damage your hair?
No. There is no tape and no glue, and there are minimal contact points with your natural hair, which promotes hair health rather than working against it.
How long do they last, and how often do I come in?
With proper care, application, and upkeep, Natural Beaded Rows are intended to last four to six months. Adjustments and re-tightening are recommended every six to eight weeks.
Can I wear my hair up, or straight?
Yes. The beads stay hidden whether your hair is worn straight, curled, or pulled into a ponytail. The method was designed with discretion in mind, and the rows are near impossible to spot.
Who is a candidate?
NBR works beautifully for thin or fine hair, and for anyone who wants more volume or more length. Your hair should be shoulder length at minimum. The application is the fastest way for us to tell you honestly whether it is the right fit.
Is it real hair?
Yes, 100% human Remy hair. Remy hair keeps the cuticles intact and aligned, which is what gives it a natural look and lets us color and cut it to match you.
On the gram
@salonbilancio
Ready when you are
Let's talk about the hair you actually want.
Extensions start with an application. Color, cuts, and blowouts start with a phone call. Either way, you are talking to a stylist, not a booking bot.