Quality hair extensions can cost a pretty penny. So, it only makes sense to preserve them and make sure they serve you for as long as possible. In today’s article, we will show you how to take care of hair extensions.
These babies are your investments and if you do right by them, they retain excellent resale value! Who knows? Maybe when next you’re in a bind, one of your hair extensions could come through for you.
By the way, we’ve got a very comprehensive guide on human hair extensions. You can click here to see all the different types. But for now and without further ado, here’s how to take care of hair extensions.
Table of Contents
1. Comb Your Hair Extensions Correctly
If you’ve ever had to suffer through the nightmare of matted or tangled hair extensions, you know that sucks. Oftentimes, it’s because the owner of said extension isn’t brushing correctly.
Extremely dry hair and the weather can also contribute to tangling and matting.
So, make sure you brush all the tangles out every day and each time you take out your extensions.
Be extra careful if it’s curly hair. It’s best to comb curly hair when it’s wet and conditioned, specifically using a wide-toothed comb.
Plus, whatever hair you’re combing, always begin from the tips and gradually move up to the roots.
2. Sleeping in Hair Extensions Is Off the Table
I know your favorite celebrities wake up “like this.” “This” being them all glammed up and with perfect hair. But sleeping in your hair extensions will cause them to tangle, which ruins the hair. So, never sleep in them, and don’t forget that you must comb them each time you take them off.
As for sewn-in extensions, obviously, you can’t take them off. What you can do, instead, is sleep with a silk scarf or silk bonnet on. This will keep your extensions from getting all frizzy or tangled.
3. Use the Right Hair Products in the Right Amount
Different kinds of hair extensions require different types of hair care routines.
For straight hair extensions, you actually don’t need a lot of hair product. Straight hair holds up pretty well regardless of the circumstances. So, with a heat protectant, shine spray, and some dry shampoo, you should be good. Then use a paddle brush to comb your hair for that sleek, luscious look.
If, on the other hand, your hair extension is wavy, then get a wave spray. Or if it’s curly, then a curling mousse will do. Curly hair, especially, does not need a lot of manipulation because that can destroy the curls. So, usually, with a bit of finger combing, you should be fine.
4. Don’t Use Harsh Shampoo or Conditioner on Your Hair Extension
Hair extensions need a lot of tender loving care. One of the ways to do that is by using mild shampoo and conditioner. Preferably, you want to use shampoo and conditioner that are mild enough for color-treated hair. This is because most extensions come color-treated in order to give them that perfect hue.
That said, be extra careful if your hair extension is made from human hair. Human hair extensions typically need high-end shampoo and conditioner to keep them feeling soft.
And since we’re on the washing tip, you want to keep washing frequency to the very minimum.
For sewn-in extensions, you can wash once every two weeks. But for clip-ons, monthly washings are best. This might feel like a long interval but don’t forget that hair extensions do not have natural oils like your hair does. So, frequent washings could dry them out and make them brittle.
5. Heat Tools Are Bad News for Your Hair Extensions
We will repeat this till we’re blue in the face: do not use heat tools on your precious hair extensions. Again, this goes back to the fact that hair extensions do not come with natural oils. If you use heat tools on them all the time, you could destroy them.
So, how do you style your hair now that you can’t use heat tools? Well, there are many heat-free styling options you can try with texture spray and curling rods.
6. Keep Your Hair Extensions Consistently Moisturized
For sewn-in extensions, it’s quite easy to keep them moisturized. Since the hair is sewn onto your own hair, it absorbs your hair’s natural oils which keeps it quite moisturized. Clip-ons, on the other hand, dry out rather quickly since they are not exposed to your hair’s natural oils.
So, if you want to keep them moisturized and healthy-looking, be sure to apply some leave-in conditioner to your extensions, at least, once every week. But make sure you don’t use excess conditioner since that could make your hair extensions really greasy, which could ruin the hair altogether.
7. Store Correctly
Always make sure you store your hair extensions correctly. As you can probably tell, this is supposed to help keep your hair from tangling.
Now, how do you store your hair extensions? You can place them carefully in an empty box, making sure to bunch the wefts together and tie the hair into a ponytail. It’s important to do this so the clips don’t snag on the hair and cause the extensions to tangle.
One Final Tip About Color Treatments
So, there you have it! We hope this comprehensive guide on how to take care of human hair extensions helps you treat your hair right.
But one final thing before we go.
I know you’ve probably considered coloring your hair. If you have, and you’re wondering if that’s possible, well it is. But it’s best to leave it to the professionals because, though, coloring is easy, it can be tricky for a first-timer.
You can bleach your knots on your lace frontal, though. That one is easier for a beginner and we have a guide that can help you out with that. Click here to read that.
Conclusion
This concludes our guide for today. If you’ve got more tips and tricks on taking care of hair extensions, be sure to share them with us in the comment section. And if you’ve got questions, feel free to share them too. We’ll answer them as soon as possible.
Till next time, be good to your hair, and be sure to check out our Product Finder for high-quality hair extensions and hair care products.