Cookie Policy
How we use cookies, and how you stay in control
This page explains, in plain English, every cookie that runs on hairisland.co.uk when you browse our clip-in and nano ring extensions, shop our aftercare range, or use our colour-match and salon-finder tools — what each cookie does, how long it stays on your device, and how to switch it off if you'd rather we didn't use it.
What a cookie actually is, and why we bother with them
A cookie is a small text file that a website saves to your browser when you visit it. It doesn't look inside your device or read your files — it simply lets the site recognise you the next time a page loads, so it can remember practical things like what's in your basket, whether you're logged in, or which shade you were last browsing on our Our Shades page.
First-party and third-party cookies
First-party cookies are set directly by hairisland.co.uk — for example, the ones our Shopify store uses to keep your basket together as you move from Clip-In Extensions to Accessories & After Care. Third-party cookies are set by services we use, such as Google Analytics or Meta, so they can measure traffic or show you relevant adverts elsewhere on the web.
Session cookies and persistent cookies
Session cookies exist only while your browser tab is open and disappear the moment you close it — useful for keeping checkout secure. Persistent cookies stay on your device for a set period (anywhere from a day to two years), so the site remembers your preferences on a return visit.
The four categories of cookie running on our store
Each cookie on hairisland.co.uk falls into one of the categories below. Only strictly necessary cookies load automatically — everything else waits for your say-so through our cookie banner, and you can change your mind at any time.
Strictly necessary
These run the store itself: holding your basket together while you shop nano rings and clip-ins, remembering you through checkout, keeping the site secure, and storing your cookie consent choices. Without them, pages like checkout and account login won't work, so they can't be switched off.
Functional
These remember choices that make browsing smoother — such as your currency, the shade you last viewed, or details entered into our colour-match or live chat tools, so you don't have to re-enter them on your next visit.
Analytics
Run by Google Analytics, these tell us — anonymously and in aggregate — which product pages get the most attention, whether visitors browse Nano Extensions or Clip-Ins first, and where people leave the site. We use this to fix problems and improve the shopping experience, never to identify you personally.
Advertising & marketing
Set by Meta Pixel and Google Ads / Shopping remarketing tags, these help us show you a Hair Island advert after you've browsed our site elsewhere online, and help us measure whether an advert actually led to a sale. They never appear unless you accept them.
A note on checkout cookies: because our checkout runs on Shopify's own secure infrastructure, a small set of Shopify checkout cookies is required to process your order safely, prevent fraud and apply any discount you enter. These sit within the strictly necessary category and are used solely to complete your purchase — never for advertising.
Every third party we currently allow to set a cookie
This list reflects the services actually running on hairisland.co.uk. We review it whenever we add or remove an app from our store, so it may be updated from time to time — the version you're reading is always the current one.
| Cookie name | Provider | Category | What it does | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| _shopify_s / _secure_session_id | Shopify (platform) | Necessary | Keeps your browsing session secure while you move around the store. | Session |
| cart | Shopify (platform) | Necessary | Remembers which nano ring, clip-in or aftercare products are in your basket. | 14 days |
| _tracking_consent / _cmp_a | Shopify (platform) | Necessary | Records the cookie choices you've made through our consent banner. | Up to 1 year |
| _orig_referrer / _landing_page | Shopify (platform) | Necessary | Notes which page you first landed on, used for order and support records. | 14 days |
| _shopify_y | Shopify (platform) | Functional | Supports store-level statistics and personalisation, such as recently viewed shades. | Up to 1 year |
| _ga | Google Analytics | Analytics | Distinguishes unique visitors so we can see overall traffic patterns. | Up to 2 years |
| _ga_<container-id> | Google Analytics 4 | Analytics | Maintains session state within Google Analytics 4 reporting. | Up to 2 years |
| _gid | Google Analytics | Analytics | Distinguishes users over a shorter, rolling 24-hour window. | 24 hours |
| _gcl_au | Google Ads | Advertising | Stores conversion data so we can measure whether an advert led to a purchase. | 90 days |
| IDE / test_cookie | Google (advertising) | Advertising | Used for remarketing adverts on Google Shopping and the wider Google network. | Up to 13 months |
| _fbp | Meta Pixel | Advertising | Delivers and measures Hair Island adverts on Facebook and Instagram. | 90 days |
| fr | Meta Platforms | Advertising | Helps show relevant adverts and limits how often you see the same one. | 90 days |
| Session & history identifiers | Live chat provider | Functional | Keeps your conversation open with our support team if you start a live chat and reload the page. | Up to 6 months |
| Review submission token | Reviews platform | Functional | Links a genuine product review back to the order it relates to, in our Positive Vibes section. | Up to 1 year |
Exact cookie names and durations are set by each provider and may change slightly as they update their own systems; this table reflects the setup on hairisland.co.uk at the date shown at the top of this page.
How our cookie banner works, and how to change your mind
The first time you visit hairisland.co.uk, our cookie banner asks you to choose which optional categories to allow. Nothing beyond strictly necessary cookies is set until you respond.
Changing your mind later
You're never locked into your first choice. You can update your cookie preferences at any time by:
• Clearing your cookies for hairisland.co.uk in your browser, which will show the banner again on your next visit
• Browsing in a private or incognito window, which never keeps cookies between sessions
• Contacting us at hello@hairisland.co.uk and asking us to note your marketing preference directly on your account
Withdrawing consent is just as easy as giving it
Under UK data protection law, withdrawing consent must be no harder than giving it in the first place. If you accepted analytics or advertising cookies and later change your mind, simply reopen your preferences using any of the methods above — we won't ask you to jump through extra hoops.
Controlling cookies directly through your browser
Every browser lets you block, delete or be notified about cookies, on top of the choices you make in our banner. Here's where to look:
Google Chrome
Open Settings → Privacy and security → Cookies and other site data. From here you can block third-party cookies, delete existing cookies, or block cookies from hairisland.co.uk specifically.
Safari (macOS & iOS)
On a Mac, go to Safari → Settings → Privacy, and adjust "Prevent cross-site tracking" and cookie settings. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings → Safari → Privacy & Security, and toggle "Block All Cookies" or "Prevent Cross-Site Tracking".
Mozilla Firefox
Go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data. You can choose "Standard", "Strict" or "Custom" tracking protection, or manage exceptions and delete cookies for individual sites.
Microsoft Edge
Go to Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Manage and delete cookies and site data, where you can block third-party cookies or remove cookies stored for hairisland.co.uk.
Please bear in mind that blocking strictly necessary cookies through your browser (rather than our banner) may stop parts of the site working properly, including adding items to your basket or completing checkout. Independent guidance on managing cookies across all major browsers is also available at ico.org.uk.
Cookie lifespans, at a glance
Durations vary by purpose. As a general guide, here's how long each broad type of cookie remains on your device before it expires on its own:
Session
Deleted automatically when you close your browser. Used for basket security and checkout.
Short-term
24 hours to 14 days. Covers basket contents and where you landed on our site.
Standard
90 days to 13 months. Typical for advertising and remarketing cookies.
Long-term
Up to 2 years. Used by Google Analytics to recognise returning visitors.
The UK law behind this policy
As a company registered in England and Wales selling to UK customers, Hair Island's use of cookies is governed by the following legislation and regulatory guidance.
What governs how we use cookies and your data
- Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR)
- The specific UK rule requiring us to get your consent before setting any non-essential cookie, and to tell you clearly what each one does.
- UK GDPR & Data Protection Act 2018
- Sets out how personal data linked to cookies — such as browsing behaviour tied to your device — must be collected, stored and protected, and gives you the rights described in our Privacy Policy.
- Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024
- Strengthens UK consumer protection online, including rules on fair trading and genuine customer reviews — reflected in how we handle the reviews shown in our Positive Vibes section.
- Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) guidance
- The ICO is the UK's independent regulator for data protection and cookies. If you're ever unhappy with how we've handled your data, you can raise it with them at ico.org.uk.
These rules sit alongside our wider consumer protections under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, covered in full in our Terms & Conditions.
Company details & how to reach us
Hair Island Limited
Hair Island is the trading name of Hair Island Limited, the company responsible for this website, your orders, and the personal data described here and in our Privacy Policy.
| Company number | 16790985 |
| VAT number | GB522646694 |
Registered address:
19-20 Bourne Court, Southend Road, Woodford Green, Essex, IG8 8HD, United Kingdom
| Monday – Friday | 09:00 – 17:00 |
| Weekend & bank holidays | Closed |
The rest of our policies, in one place
Last updated and effective from 6 September 2026. Hair Island is a trading name of Hair Island Limited (company no. 16790985, VAT GB522646694), 19-20 Bourne Court, Southend Road, Woodford Green, Essex, IG8 8HD, United Kingdom.