How to Care for Your Hair Extensions

Just like your natural hair, hair extensions require care and maintenance to keep them looking their best. Even the best hair extensions can start looking dull and lifeless if they’re not properly cared for.

Taking care of your hair extensions isn’t the same as washing your natural hair. You need to understand what kind of care different extensions require to ensure you keep them looking great.

We have some useful tips to keep your locks looking luscious.

Know Your Hair Extensions

While this guide is a general one for all hair extensions, it’s important to understand the kind of extensions you have. For instance, human hair extensions should be treated like your natural hair, only more gently and with extra moisturising treatments.

How your extensions are attached can also affect how you care for and maintain them. For example, keratin bonded extensions should be blow dried on a cool setting so you don’t damage the bonding.

Washing

Just like natural hair, washing your extensions is vital to keep them looking and feeling great.

When it comes to extensions, use a moisturising shampoo without sulphates. Sulphates can dry out the hair, making it brittle. If you have permanent or semi-permanent extensions, wash them gently to avoid pulling them out. For temporary extensions, like clip ins, take them out and wash them in a sink full of warm water.

Once you have shampooed and rinsed, work in the conditioner. For permanent or semi-permanent extensions, you should take care to avoid your roots as vigorous activity around the roots can cause the extensions to fall out. Look at different types of hair extensions.

If you have curly extensions, you may like to use a leave-in conditioner to keep them looking luscious and glossy.

Drying

Once you’ve finished washing your hair, it’s important to dry it properly. Even if you don’t have extensions, you should never go to bed with wet hair. Damp hair is a great way to cultivate fungal

growth.
Instead, use a hair dryer to dry your hair completely. As mentioned above, use a cooler setting for keratin-bonded extensions.

If you have removed your extensions to wash them, lay them flat on a dry towel overnight.

Brushing

You should regularly brush your hair to not only get rid of tangles but also to spread those essential oils that make your hair gleam. Use a paddle brush or a brush specially designed for extensions.

Always brush gently and avoid brushing your roots as this can pull your extensions out. Brush downwards to maintain the shape of your extensions.

To reduce the number of tangles you have to deal with, plait or tie your hair up when you go to sleep. Silk pillowcases can also help prevent knots.

Follow Your Stylist’s Advice

When your stylist attached your extensions, they should have given you lots of great care and maintenance advice. Since they’re the experts, you should follow any tips they’ve given you. And don’t be afraid to contact your stylist if you have any questions about looking after your extensions.

By taking good care of your hair extensions, you can ensure they last and look as good as the day you got them.