CLEANSING
We suggest washing your hair 1 to 2 times a week with a Kevin Murphy, Goldie Locks, or Davines Oi shampoo/conditioner. Do not wash your hair everyday, as it will shorten the life of your extension hair. Before washing, you need to brush all of the tangles out. If you have multiple rows, section the rows half up, half down so that you’re able to cleanse between the rows. Gently wash as normal and be sure to avoid rubbing the ends of your hair together. 2 washes may be necessary to thoroughly cleanse your hair and the extensions. When conditioning, only apply conditioner from the ears down, and around the face framing pieces. Avoid conditioner at the scalp and where the extensions are tied in to avoid build up. Use a wet brush or a wide tooth comb to gently brush the conditioner through before rinsing it out. After washing, always use a serum/oil & heat protectant to style your hair. This will allow your extensions to live a longer, beautiful life!
If you simply cannot go without washing daily, do the “half wash” to preserve the extension hair. Start by sectioning out the top section of your hair, then braid your extensions so they stay out of the way. Once you have your hair sectioned and ready to wash, put your head directly under the faucet/sink/shower and shampoo & condition the top section of your natural hair.
HARD WATER
Hard water is water that has a high mineral content. High mineral contents can cause extreme hair color fading, turning the extension root orange, build up and hair dryness. Install a shower head filter to keep these harsh minerals off of your hair (our favorite is Aqua Bliss on amazon)
DRYING
Gently squeeze the water out of your hair, do not rub. Spray in your favorite leave-in product. Make sure before drying you protect your hair with a heat protectant. Follow with brushing through with a wet brush/wide tooth comb. Before drying make sure each row is completely brushed out from the top of the weft, to the bottom. Before using a brush to blow dry, use your fingers only to blow dry 80% of your hair, then follow with a round brush and light tension for the last few minutes of your blow dry.
PRODUCTS
Shampoo, conditioner and other hair products need to be extension friendly – meaning they should be paraben and sulfate free. You also need to be using an oil/serum daily on dry hair for added moisture to maintain the longest life for your extensions. A moisture mask is also crucial to use once a week.
SLEEPING
We recommend to braid your hair or put in a loose, high pony tail with a silk scrunchie. It’s also best to sleep on a silk pillowcase (this is great for your face AND hair). Cotton pillowcases can cause frizz and split ends over time. Silk pillowcases are much more gentle on your hair. We highly recommend the “Slip” or “Kitsch” brand. Do not sleep on your extensions while they’re wet, it will damage your natural hair and can cause matting and mold.
STYLING
As far as tools go, you can straighten and curl your hair like normal! When using hot tools, don’t forget to apply a heat protectant before you use heat. Obviously, the less hot tools you use, the better, as it drys out your hair. We find that we have to style our hair WAY less with extensions because it holds the style SO well. With extensions, we find curling your hair once-twice a week will sometimes be just enough. This honestly saves so much time!
Brush your hair multiple times a day (to avoid excessive tangles/matting). It’s best to use a wet brush or wide tooth comb for gentle effectiveness. You can put your hair up in a high-pony or bun (IBE is the best for this! You don’t have to worry about seeing beads or tape!).
SWIMMING
The big question – Can you swim with extensions?
Yes – BUT with caution. There are minerals found in some water that can react poorly with your extensions and can cause discoloration or dry them out. To avoid this, we advise to do the following:
* Wet your hair before getting into the pool/ocean/lake, etc. After wetting, apply a leave in conditioner or hair mask.
* Comb your conditioner or mask through your hair, then braid it or put it in a tight bun or pony.
* Brush & wash your hair immediately after swimming.
* Beware of sunscreen, most brands contain ingredients (Avobenzone) that will turn your extensions a brassy orange or peach color. Goldie Locks just released their sunscreen that is safe to use with extensions, its our favorite!
MUST HAVES
*Kevin Murphy wash/rinse (Angel, Hydrate, Young Again are our favorites)
*Davines Oi shampoo/conditioner
*Goldie Locks shampoo/conditioner
*Aqua Bliss shower head filter
*Kevin Murphy Young Again Oil
*Goldie Locks serum
*Davines Oi Milk leave in
*Kevin Murphy Fresh Hair dry shampoo
* Wet Brush or Sheila Stotts brush
* Silk Pillowcase & hair ties. "Slip" or "Kitsch" brands.
* Goldie Locks sunscreen