Extensions made from real hair can change your entire look by adding volume and length to your hair. Celebrities use extensions to achieve glamorous hairstyles in just one day. If you are interested in using extensions, learn how to take care of them so that they can fully support your appearance.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Washing Permanent Real Connected Hair
Step 1. Treat the extensions like your natural hair
If the extensions are sewn together, using the microlink or taped-in technique, you can wash them together with the natural hair. Wash your hair gently so that the joints don't become loose. If you wash your hair harshly, the extensions won't last long.
- Make sure you use a shampoo that contains a moisturizing formula. The higher the moisture content, the better for the hair.
- It's best not to wash extensions that are attached with glue or bobby pins together with real hair. You have to take them off and wash them separately.
Step 2. Use a shampoo that doesn't contain sulfates
Sulfate is the cleaning detergent in shampoo that causes foam to form. Sulfates are effective cleansers, but they can strip your hair of the natural oils it needs to protect it. Your body is constantly producing new oils for your natural hair, but extensions don't have a direct supply. So, be careful not to let the extensions dry out.
- Sulfates can cause split ends.
- Sulfates can make hair look dry and brittle over time.
Step 3. Use conditioner
Each strand of hair has a protective cuticle layer. This layer of cuticle not only protects the hair, but also reflects the sun's rays to make hair shiny. After a day, the cuticle layer will break down, making the hair look limp and dull. The use of conditioner will restore the integrity and shine of the hair by releasing positively charged particles that will stick to the negatively charged parts of the hair and repair the cuticle layer.
- Make sure you apply the conditioner all the way to the roots of your hair.
- If you have long hair in braids or curls, use a leave-in conditioner during the day.
Step 4. Wash your hair extensions three to five times a week
It is recommended not to wash it every day. Just like your natural hair, extensions will dry out if you wash them too much. When you're not washing your hair, gently rinse the extensions and apply conditioner.
- How often you should wash your extensions will depend on their thickness, oil content, and how much product you use to style your hair.
- For example, someone who has thick, dry hair but doesn't use too much product doesn't need to wash it as often as someone who has thin, oily hair and uses styling products every day.
Step 5. Dry the hair
Dry your hair completely with a blow dryer before going to bed. Never sleep when the permanent extension hair is wet. Wet extensions will clump together and cause tangles. When you move around in your sleep, the tangled extensions will get caught and pull on your natural hair, causing breakage.
- If your natural hair is braided under extensions, also make sure that it is completely dry. Otherwise, your hair will get moldy and smell bad.
- To make sure the hair is completely dry, it is recommended to sit under a hooded dryer (a dryer shaped like a helmet). The time it takes to sit under the dryer will depend on the thickness and texture of the hair, as well as the density of the extensions.
Part 2 of 3: Washing Straight Curled Hair
Step 1. Prepare the bath to wash the extensions
Pour a teaspoon of moisturizing shampoo in half a cup of warm water. Stir until well blended. After that, fill the sink with warm water and pour in the diluted shampoo.
Be sure to use a shampoo that doesn't contain sulfates
Step 2. Insert the hair extensions
Dip your hair into the water slowly. Previously, comb your hair several times to remove the tangles. Soak the hair for about 10 minutes.
- When combing extension hair, start at the ends, then at the middle, and finally at the roots.
- Do not swirl the hair in the water to clean it. This action will make the hair tangle.
- Try to keep the top of the hair stitched together with the pins dry. The top braid of hair can bulge, making it uneven and the pins will rust.
Step 3. Rinse hair
Gently lift hair from the sink and rinse under running tap water. Make sure the water temperature is cold so that it will lock the moisture in the hair extensions. Squeeze out excess water and spread hair evenly on a clean towel.
Step 4. Apply conditioner to the hair extensions
Apply the conditioner directly to the hair. Use a comb to spread out the conditioner. Do a sweep from the top seam to the bottom. Put the extensions back on the towel, then roll them up. Leave it for about an hour.
- Make sure you comb your hair in only one direction at a time. Otherwise, the hair will lose its shape.
- Never comb hair extensions that are still soaking wet as this will tangle them.
Step 5. Dry the extensions
Rinse the conditioner from the hair. Lay your hair flat on another dry towel, then roll up the towel. Let it dry naturally overnight.
After the extensions are dry, do another brushing to straighten them
Step 6. Wash clip-on extensions at least once every six weeks
Since you don't sleep with them on, they don't need to be washed as often as permanent extensions. However, if you wear it all the time, it's a good idea to wash it more often.
Part 3 of 3: Caring for Connected Hair Between Shampooing Schedules
Step 1. Comb the hair extensions with a hair brush
This treatment not only removes tangles, but also spreads the essential oils evenly across the hair strands. Brush your hair extension daily to soften it and give it a healthy shine.
Use a paddle brush and brush gently
Step 2. Make your own hair freshener
Mix some of your favorite essential oils with a little water in a spray bottle. Carry a spray bottle with you when you are out and about during the day and spray your hair whenever it starts to dry out.
Coconut and rosemary oils are great for extension hair
Step 3. Use a heat protectant spray
The heat protectant spray provides added moisture to the hair while retaining its natural moisture. Don't forget to apply a heat protectant before blow drying or before you step out of the house on a hot day.
The heat protectant spray forms a shield around the hair cuticle, giving it a shine
Step 4. Put on a swimming cap
Chlorine and salt water are very damaging to hair. If you're going to swim with your hair tied, don't forget to always wear a latex swim cap. Wash your hair immediately after swimming in chlorinated water just in case the chemicals manage to penetrate the hat.
Step 5. Change the hair extensions
You should change your stitched extensions every eight to ten weeks. If you leave the extensions in place longer, the natural hair that grows underneath will become limp. You can continue to wear bobby pins as long as they look healthy and keep their shape.
- When you want to remove the extensions that are sewn into the hair, it is advisable to ask for the help of a professional hairdresser.
- Store bobby pins in an air-breathing material such as cotton to make them last longer.
Step 6. Done
Tips
- Use a sasak comb to make hair texture before wearing hair pins. That way, the results look more natural.
- Braiding extensions that are sewn before bed can prevent them from getting tangled.
Warning
- Never use hair products that contain alcohol as they can damage the extensions.
- Never store bobby pins in plastic packaging as this can dry them out.
