Hair Extension Dos and Don'ts

 

Hair Care Tips For Maintaining Your Hair Extensions

By Melissa Bustamante 

 

“The hair is the richest ornament of women.” —Martin Luther

Hair extensions are like art they have a life of their own the color, form, line, shape, space, texture, and value. Would you buy a Monet, Van Gogh, Fishlock or Banksy and just leave it on a shelf in your garage, not protected or cared for- I think not!

Hair extensions look gorgeous from the moment you leave the salon, but keeping them that way will require some attention on your part.  Here are a few tips on how to maintain your hair extensions to keep that fresh, out of the salon look, flawless. It is important to make sure that you put in place an aftercare routine, so we’re here to fill you in on our top tips of what to do and what not to do to help boost the longevity of your extensions.

Top 3 to do’s:  

1.        Brushing - You can brush your extensions while your hair is wet or dry. The process is very similar and interchangeable. General rules are to be very gentle and careful. You should under not brush aggressively or pull on the strands! This can lead to damage to both the extensions and your natural locks. The brushing process should be repeated daily and a few times a day. If you comb it regularly, tangling will be a thing of the past! We love the Wet Brush for hair extensions.

 

1.        Hair protectant -is a definite yes when asked should you use. Use a thermal protectant spray (our FAVORITE is Redken Iron shape) before styling with hot tools to prevent frizz and heat damage. Set your curling or flat iron to about 350 degrees, but do not let yours exceed 380. Instead of pausing your iron on a clamped section, let it glide through strands quickly to avoid scorching effects.

 

 

2.        Moisturize- Your natural hair is being fed with a constant supply of natural oils, keeping it nourished even if you have a laid-back haircare routine. However, your extensions are only bonded to the root and unfortunately; they do not receive any of these natural oils. So, to keep them filled with moisture, super smooth to maintain that gorgeous shine, you should always schedule a weekly conditioning treatment. Check with your stylist for which Kerastase or Redken treatment they recommend.

Top 3 not do do’s:  

1.        Never sleep with damp or wet hair moisture will cause tangling, knotting and slippage over time. Air dry instead this will put less stress on your natural roots.  The best way to sleep with your hair extensions is by wrapping them in silk or sleeping on a silk pillowcase to prevent dryness.

 

2.        Avoid applying heat directly to the adhesive or bonds. After getting out of the shower, let your hair air-dry for about 10 minutes, and apply a heat protecting spray before blow-drying. If possible, just air-dry altogether. The less heat used on your extensions, the better! If you must use a blow dryer, use it on the lowest setting, and if blow-drying curly extensions, use a diffuser

 

3.        Despite what you might think, you should not wash your extensions often.  In fact only very rarely. The reason why you wash your natural hair so often is oils that come from the roots of the hair and make it greasy. Extensions do not have a scalp so there is nothing that makes them oily or dirty.

Nothing beats having full authority on what looks good on you and having the ability to get what you want. And we all know that good hair makes us feel like we can run the world! The take away- Nobody has time for bad hair, get what you want, feel the best you deserve to feel, and knowledge is power!  You have the knowledge we are sharing to be empowered to take care of your extensions so they can stay flawless for months to come.

Love  is in the hair – Melissa