Most of us grew up buying hair the same way. You go to the market, you feel the hair, you argue a little about the price and you go home with it in a nylon bag. Or you leave it to your stylist and hope she picks well.

So the first time you try to buy hair online, it can feel a bit uncomfortable. You cannot touch it. You cannot ask the seller to bring out another colour. And you have to trust that a parcel will actually show up at your gate.

The good news is that it gets easy very quickly. Once you know what to look out for, an online order takes a few minutes. And in November, it can save you a lot of money, because many stores put their biggest discounts online.

Here is everything I would tell a friend before her first order.

Why is November a good time to try buying hair online?

Because the discounts are real and they last longer than one day.

Black Friday 2026 falls on Friday 27 November. But a lot of Nigerian stores no longer squeeze their deals into one day. Lush Hair Nigeria, for example, is running its sale for the whole month, from Sunday 1 November to Monday 30 November 2026. This year it includes:

• 60% off best-selling hair extensions
• 50% off all hair care combos
• A free LushNova pyjama set when you spend N50,000 on Lush Nova premium hair
• Free delivery and a free gift on orders of N25,000 and above, anywhere in Nigeria

A month-long sale is perfect for a first-timer. You do not have to rush. You can take your time, compare, and order when you are ready.

How do you make sure the website is real?

Type the address yourself and read it slowly before you shop.

I know this sounds basic. But it matters most during Black Friday. Back in November 2023, Nigeria's consumer protection agency, the FCCPC, warned that fake online stores could rise by as much as 135% during the Black Friday period. These fake sites often copy real brands and change one or two letters in the name.

So before you put anything in your cart, check three things. Is the web address spelled exactly right? (For Lush, it is nigeria.lushhairafrica.com.) Did you type it yourself, or come from a link you trust, rather than a random WhatsApp forward? And does the site have proper policies, like a shipping policy you can read?

If any of these feel off, close the page. No discount is worth losing your money.

What should you look for on the product page?

Read the whole page, not just the price and the picture.

This is where online shopping actually beats the market. A good product page tells you things a market seller might not. Look for the length, the weight, how many packs you need for a full head, and any care notes.

For example, Lush lists Jumbo Braid as 82 inches long and 330g per pack. Curly Braids says you need 2 packs per head. And Bouncy Wave clearly says not to use heat on it. That last one is worth knowing before your stylist reaches for the hot water.

One more thing about colours. They can look different on a phone screen. If you are trying to match an outfit for a wedding or owambe, pick a shade slightly more neutral than the one you think you want.

Not sure where to even start? The Lush hair Quiz asks a few simple questions and points you to hair that suits you.

How many packs should you buy?

Buy what the product page says, then think about one extra.

Running out of hair halfway through your braids is a special kind of stress. Your stylist is waiting, half your head is done, and now someone has to rush out to buy one more pack at full price.

Here is how the numbers look in the Lush sale. Curly Braids needs 2 packs, and at N8,136 each, that is N16,272 for a full head. Mol-T crochet hair also needs 2 packs, so N4,068 in total. French Curls Short from the Lush Nova range needs 3 packs for a full look or 2 for a lighter look, at N9,000 each.

If you like your braids very full or very small, add one more pack while the price is low.

Is it worth spending N25,000 to get free delivery?

Only if you were going to buy those things anyway.

Free delivery and a free gift kick in once your order reaches N25,000. If you are a little short, it can make sense to add something you already need. A good example is a hair care combo for wash day. The Wash Day Bundle is N6,245 in the sale, down from N12,490, and it covers shampoo, conditioner, leave-in and hair food.

But do not fill your cart with things you will never use just to reach the line. Sometimes paying a small delivery fee is the cheaper choice.

Should you choose delivery or pickup?

It depends on where you live and how soon you need the hair.

If you are in Lagos and your appointment is close, self-pickup is the easy win. You choose it at checkout, and your order is ready for collection 24 hours later.

If you choose delivery, plan ahead. Lush's normal delivery time is 4 to 10 business days within Lagos State and 15 to 20 business days to other states. Business days do not count weekends or public holidays, so the real wait can feel longer than the number suggests. You can read the full details in the Lush shipping policy.

So if your braiding appointment is in early December and you live outside Lagos, do not leave your order until late November.

Also note that three of the hair care bundles are Lagos pickup only: the Crown Revival, Soft Life Starter and Soft Life Pro bundles. If you are outside Lagos, pick a different bundle.

What should you check before you press pay?

Give your checkout page two calm minutes.

Check that every item is the right product, colour, length and number of packs. Look at your total and see if it has reached N25,000, if you were aiming for free delivery. Make sure your address and phone number are correct, and add a landmark if your street is hard to find. Confirm you picked delivery or pickup the way you planned. Then count the business days and ask yourself honestly whether it will arrive before your appointment.

Finally, pay only through the website's own checkout. If anyone ever asks you to send money to a personal account through a chat, stop there.

What happens when your hair arrives?

Open the parcel the same day. Check that the colour, length and pack count match what you ordered. Then keep the hair in a clean, dry place until your appointment, and read the care notes again before your stylist starts.

That is it. Your first online hair order is done.

Quick answers to common questions

Is it safe to buy hair online in Nigeria? Yes, if you buy from a real, trusted website. Check the address, read the policies and pay only through the site's checkout.

How long does delivery take? With Lush, it is usually 4 to 10 business days within Lagos State and 15 to 20 business days to other states. Lagos pickup is ready in 24 hours.

Do I have to wait until Black Friday to get the deals? No. The Lush sale runs all through November 2026, from the 1st to the 30th.

The bottom line

Buying hair online for the first time is a lot like your first time doing anything new. It feels strange once, and then it becomes normal. Check the website, read the product page properly, buy enough packs, plan your delivery and look over your order before you pay.