This was my first time with dreads and I installed them myself so they are not prefect. Also I went with 2 different retailers with a dirty blonde with platinum tips and the platinum for it to blend better with my natural hair. I love them....I definitely would get them again. I would wash them first tho. Not that I had a issue but to loosen them up to work with. I get so many compliments and again for a first timer......I didn't do so badly, I went with the triangle pattern for installation instead of the layered brick pattern because I always do the hard one first. Watched alot of utubes as well. Only thing I would mention to first time users is that if your doing the full head, divide up the pieces so your even all the way around. The back of my head is a bit bare.