Hair Extensions

Our resident expert gives some great advice about caring for your hair extensions to keep them looking good and a list of items you will need.

1. Proper Hair Extension Brush Nylon Bristles.
2. Hair Scrunchie to tie hair up at night.

3. Quality Shampoo.
4. Quality leave-in conditioner to be used in the morning and at night.
5. Quality Hot iron Heat Protection Spray when straightening hair

It is important that you don't wash your hair for the first 5 days after having your extensions applied. In the first week your scalp may itch, spray with leave-in conditioner.

Sleeping with extensions
It is recommended that you wear a soft Scrunchie and tie your hair in a bun when you go to bed, to keep it from tangling. Never go to bed with your hair damp. Brush hair using a specially made hair brush for extensions. This will help to keep your hair extensions in longer and reduce pulling on the extensions when grooming.

If hair is slightly matted, start at the end of the hair and gently brush down moving up the hair until it is untangled.

How to wash your extensions
Before washing your hair, brush it until all knots are removed. Keep hair dry and apply shampoo to dry hair. Leave for 10 minutes, and wash out in straight strokes under the shower. Avoid getting roots saturated more than once a week. Be gentle when shampooing and drying hair. Shampoo with your head tilted backwards under the shower or create a centre split and shower from side to side. NEVER tilt hair over the bath or basin. (unless you are just washing the front of your own hair and not the extensions). Use medium heat to dry roots first (especially if you have had hot or cold bond application). Make sure you completely dry the inter-weaved section first, in order to soak up the weight of the water

Conditioner: you may use wash in, wash out conditioner on the ends of your hair for added hydration. Do not wash hair everyday, this will encourage premature loosening of your hair extensions. Try to stay away from greasy products, they have too many chemicals in, which will strip the hair and make it very dry.

Using Straighteners
It is best to use a straightener that has a temperature gauge and try not to use them everyday.

1. Before you start, give your hair a good brush.
2. Section your hair and spray each section just before you apply your straighteners to it.
3. Clamp straighteners and with one single firm slow stroke move it down your hair.
4. Do this throughout to achieve sleek straight look.

Swimming or going on holiday
It's a good idea to visit your hair extension technician before you go on holiday to ensure your extensions are well fitted. Hot or cold bond techniques do not fare well in very hot climates.

Before you go swimming if you don't want to wear a swim cap, try the following suggestions:

1. Pull hair tight into a pony tail at the lower part of the head and place a band very tightly around it. :

2. Plait the remainder of your hair very tight and place a band at the end so that it will not come undone whilst swimming.

When you have finished swimming and want to loosen your hair:

1. Keep hair plaited and shower for 5 minutes until you feel all the chlorine and salt has been washed out.
2. Remove first band at the end of your plait and slowly loosen the plait.
3. Add shampoo to that section only and squeeze it through until you have a lather.
    (Do not rub).
4. Wash out until water clean.
5. Remove second band and gently part hair with fingers
6. Add shampoo and gently squeeze through hair.
7. Wash out under shower keeping hair straight.
8. Apply shampoo over your whole head keeping every thing straight, gently stroke
    through and wash out.
9. Wrap towel around hair to soak up excess water, then gently brush hair to remove any
    minor tangles.
10. Dry naturally or blow dry with medium heat.

Extensions need regular care
Hair extensions are a luxury and fashion accessory. There is no such thing as wearing quality hair extensions for 6 months without any maintenance or re-tightening. Furthermore not having your hair attended to at least every 5-6 weeks is very bad for it.

Consider this? When you have your hair coloured you have to return at least every 6-8 weeks to have the roots touched up. In order to maintain lovely hair extensions you need to invest in them and your own hair for that continuous flawless look.

They are temporary and are used to give volume, colour, length or to solve a problem be it short term or long term. Having your hair extensions professionally maintained by your qualified technician will ensure you have no problems. You will need to visit your hair extension technician at least once a month.

Article by Heather Bell.

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