Are hair extensions hard to take care of? 10 secret tips you didn't know
Hair extensions are a beautiful gift for women having thin hair. You can have more volume and length by simply adding some clip-on-extensions.
However, taking good care of your hair extensions is also very important as they play a vital role in adding beauty to your body. We all know they require less maintenance, but still, if you don’t take them seriously, they can even make you look bad in no time.
Just like you care for your hair, these beauties require a little care as well. Neglecting them could be more expensive as you will have to replace them and it will cost a lot.
You can avoid these situations by maintaining them and following simple rules that will save you time and money. There are many tips can increase the longevity of your hair extensions, and these tips will work on all types of hair extensions. What else do we want?
Now, let’s quickly jump to the points we will be covering up in this article.
How to care for your hair extensions:
- Brush your hair extensions properly
- Manage tangles and shedding correctly
- Dye and curl your hair extensions the right way
- Washing your hair extensions
- Drying and styling your hair extensions
- Storing them the right way
- Extend the longevity of hair extensions
- Repair your damaged hair extensions
- Products to avoid for hair extensions
- Homemade remedies to protect your damaged hair
Brush your hair extensions properly
Combing your hair is a very important step in maintenance. You can’t leave your extensions without combing for days and expect them to stay brand new. They will soon start looking ugly and unwearable.
To avoid these mistakes, you must learn how to brush them the correct way and with what type of comb.
Types of Hair Brushes:
When it comes to brushing your hair extensions, it is always best to use wide teeth steel combs. These are better than the plastic and wooden ones, as they can easily break the hair extensions and damage them. However, this is not always the case with every hair type. There are many other combs you can try for your hair extensions:
Loop Brush
This is the first choice of every hairstylist and salon, and they will recommend using this brush. Loop brush is used when you can’t pay enough attention to your hair and stay stress-free. It is great for both curly and synthetic hair extensions.
Bristle Brush or Boar Bristle Brush
The Bristle brush is used to detangle massive unruly hair. So, if you are facing a lot of tangles for any type of hair, this is the ultimate choice for your hair.
How to Brush it the Right Way?
You can brush your hair extensions whether they are wet or dry. There is no such difference, but there are certain things that you should take care of while brushing your extensions. Never brush in a rush or aggressively, as it may damage your hair extensions as well as your natural locks.
You must brush your hair regularly and a couple of times every day. While you do so, your hair extensions will last much longer and will stay healthier as well.
How to Brush Your Wet Hair Extensions?
After washing your extensions, you need to towel dry them gently. Do not rub them as it will lead to severe tangles. You can also brush them in the shower when you have conditioner applied to your extensions.
After towel drying them, you can always spray some leave-in conditioner to make your extensions more manageable and smooth.
You can also check for knots by running your fingers through the extensions and gently detangle the knot if any.
Always take small strands and start detangling from the bottom and going upwards. You need to be very gentle with them and do it patiently.
Manage Tangles and Shedding correctly
Honestly, all hair extensions tangle whether they are high-end or affordable ones. Not to forget your natural hair also tangles a lot, so it seems normal for extensions to do the same thing. However, you can avoid these facts and help yourself to get rid of these annoying tangles!
The same case is with the shedding. Your natural hair also sheds regularly and you really can’t help that. No matter how much care you show to your hair extensions, they will shed a little and will no longer last more than more months, or a maximum of a year.
The main effect is how you wash, wear, and style your extensions.
Proper Brushing Techniques
The first step is always to brush your extensions. Always carry a brush with you, and comb your hair, whenever you get the time.
Sleeping Correctly With Hair Extensions
There’s always a question in mind when sleeping with extensions. Do we tie them in a pony or braid them? Both of these methods are bad for your hair extensions as what they do is, create friction which leads to more tangles. If you have clip-in extensions, then it is best to remove them before you sleep.
Using Proper Products or No Products
In the end, you must always use good quality products when dealing with hair extensions. To prevent shedding, there no such need to wash your hair every day or use more products to protect them. The less is more is best in case of your hair as well as hair extensions.
Dye and Curl Your Hair Extensions the right way
Can hair extensions be dyed? We all know that our hair extensions are made of real hair, so it makes sense to style and dye them. However, you must not dye your hair extensions on your own instead get them done by an experienced hairstylist.
As dying them the wrong way can and will eventually destroy your expensive extensions. It is also important that the color of your hair and extensions match perfectly.
It is much easier to dye your hair with the color of your extensions. It will save your extensions from chemicals and will increase the longevity.
Can hair extensions be curled? Curling or styling them in different ways must be done occasionally. Heat tools and other styling equipment can damage your extensions over time and increase shedding.
However, using heat tools a little won’t harm much, and your extensions must match perfectly to your natural hair texture.
Washing Your Hair Extensions
This is a very sensitive and important topic as many people often make mistakes in this step.
How Many Times You Should Wash Your Hair Extensions?
You should not wash your extensions daily; in fact, they should be washed rarely. Here’s the simple reason; you wash your natural hair regularly because they get oily or greasy and dirty.
However, your hair extensions don’t have any scalp, so they do not get that dirty to be washed regularly.
It is advised to wash your extensions once a month if you wear them daily. It is more than enough and will save your extensions from getting damaged.
How to Wash Your Hair Extensions?
It is not necessary to leave on your hair extensions attached to your natural hair while shampooing. You can remove them and wash separately for best results. Be very gentle and scrub the braided area with shampoo to get rid of dirt.
Keep scrubbing your extensions with light hands until they get cleaned. Rinse them with cold water thoroughly. Do not forget to apply conditioner as it helps in softening the hair and improve its texture.
Rinse the conditioner with cold water as it locks the moisture. Gently squeeze the excess water and towel dry them.
There are a few things to keep in mind that salt and chlorine can damage your extensions. Always, wear a swimming cap to protect them, and rinse them with cold water right after you get out of the pool as it removes all the chemicals from your hair.
What Hair Products Should You Use?
You must always prefer good-quality mild products for your hair extensions. However, you should always check the ingredients used in the products, as you never know what ingredient might harm your extensions.
Any product with tons of chemicals or is harsh to your scalp and hair should be avoided. The more natural the ingredients are, the better results you will get. You need more moisturizing properties and more shine to your hair. For instance, baby shampoos work best for our hair.
It is also advisable to use leave-in conditioners as they lock the moisture in your hair. It will give your shiny hair and improves the texture. There are a few things you should avoid using like hair sprays and excessive use of oil.
They can ruin your hair and make you wash your hair more often than required.
Drying and Styling Your Hair Extensions
Now that we have discussed how to wash extensions the right way, the next step is to dry and style them.
How to Blow Dry Your Hair Extensions?
It is always recommended to leave your extensions to air-dry completely but, when you are in a rush, you need some tools to assist you. You can blow dry your extensions with the help of dryer keeping it on low temperature. Always, apply some heat protectant to avoid damage.
It is not as easy as you think and with extensions on, as many rules change.
- Try to remove the moisture from the roots first, from where they are attached.
- Divide your hair into smaller sections and take a single strand at a time.
- Dry your hair by keeping the hair below your hair strand and mouth of the dryer over the hair.
- Keep the air-flow downwards, and follow your brush and dryer from top to bottom, ensuring there are no knots.
- Keep following the same steps on the rest of your hair until they are completely dry.
Styling Your Hair Extensions
Your hair extensions can burn easily, just like your natural hair can. Always, remember to apply a heat protectant to avoid any further damage.
Set your styling tool to minimum temperature as possible. Avoid pausing your iron while styling, instead glides it down slowly to get evenly straight hair.
Storing Your Extensions the Right Way
This step applies to the non-permanent ones like the clip-in and flip-in. when you are not wearing the extensions, always store them in their original packing and keep them in a well ventilated and cool place.
Before using your extensions, always shake them a little. Always, brush them gently before storing and tie them in a ponytail.
Never leave the wet extensions in any package. They can easily break and could possibly build mildew. Try to store them as straight as possible without any knots to prevent breakage.
Extend the longevity of Hair Extensions
If you keep your extensions with proper care, they can last very long. The longevity of your hair extensions totally depends on how you take care of them. That is why; you must always take time and maintain them properly.
With the help of YouTube videos, you can easily take care of your extensions. You can find many hair care routines and choose that fit the best for your hair type.
Take some time from your busy schedule and treat your extensions the right way. This will help them stay in a healthy condition and will save your money as well.
Repair Your Damaged Hair Extensions
We all know, some of us have not maintained our extensions properly. That’s the reason we all are here to restore our extensions. Even if you have not brushed them, or washed them regularly, there might be some solution to save them. That totally depends on what their current situation is.
The Casual Method
It takes a lot of time and effort to repair damaged hair extensions. Let’s check some of the easiest ways to restore them:
- Use a tangle teaser as well as a loop brush to detangle the extensions. Be very gentle and patient, else you will destroy the extensions.
- You can also soak your extensions in warm water and add some conditioner to it.
- Leave them soaked in conditioner overnight to get some moisture.
- Take them out in the morning and dry them using a towel.
- Follow the hair brushing techniques and let it air dry completely.
Products to Avoid For Hair Extensions
It is very important that you must avoid products that can harm your hair in the long run. It makes a world of difference in maintaining your hair and keeping them soft and shiny.
Always make sure to check the ingredients before buying hair products, and it should not have these ingredients: Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, SLS, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Ethanol, Alcohol Denat, Propanol, SD Alcohol 40, Propyl, and Isopropyl.
Homemade Remedies to Protect Your Damaged Hair
We all want perfect hair but fail to take care of them from time to time. It could be the result of poor diet, not maintaining them, over-washing, excessive use of heat tools, or anything else.
It is always required to treat them with proper care and ensure that they are getting enough protein and vitamins that they should be getting.
A fundamental theory to get beautiful hair is to consume a balanced diet daily, as what we eat decides the fate of both our skin and hair. Ensure that your regular diet is enriched with lots of protein, iodine, and iron.
Hair Types and Their Care:
If you have alopecia or hair fall
Every woman is familiar with the term "hair fall'', as this hair disease has become too common. If you want to eradicate hair fall from your life, massage your hair with coconut oil once a week.
With a rich content of lauric acid, coconut oil retains the natural hair protein and protects both the hair roots and strands from breakage. If you suffer from hair fall owing to hair breakage, then make coconut oil your best friend!
Dandruff
Are you fed up of dandruff flakes ruining your perfect hairstyle? If you suffer from dandruff, apply a moisturizing hair mask of onion juice to your hair. Onion juice is traditionally known to be an active fighter of dandruff.
Oily hair
On the other hand, some girls constantly complain about their oily hair. Oily hair is caused when the scalp secretes excessive sebum.
To make your oily hair normal, switch to a lemon-based natural shampoo. Shampoo 3-4 times a week to get rid of the sebum.
Straight hair
Poker straight hair has always been a fashion trend. From the old times, poker-straight hair has always had a unique craze. If you have such hair, congratulations!! I do not have any special tips for you as your straight hair is naturally gorgeous!
Curly hair
Curly hair needs to be given extra attention, as it tends to form knots very easily. Brush your hair with a hard hairbrush 3 times a day to get rid of any annoying curls or knots.
When curly hair becomes dry, it automatically turns into frizzy hair. To get rid of this, you can apply a moisturizing hair mask made from the fluid extracted from hibiscus petals.
This will effectively combat the frizz and nourish both curly hair and frizzy hair. Do not skip the conditioner after you shampoo, if you have frizzy hair.
Split ends
Split ends are something that we encounter on an annual basis. To prevent split ends, get a haircut three or four times a year, depending on the rate of your hair growth.
If required, take Vitamin-C supplements after consulting your doctor, as Vitamin-C deficiency is one of the key reasons for split ends.
Dyed hair
Care for colored hair involves the usage of hair care products that have been specially formulated for colored hair. Avoid much exposure to sunlight to retain the perfect shade of the color of your colored hair.
Damaged hair
Damaged hair requires special care and attention. Minimize the usage of hair-dryers and harsh chemical-based hair care products as a first step to healing your damaged hair. If your hair persistently remains damaged, consult a doctor to cure your damaged hair.
Natural Hair Masks to Try
A. DIY Hair Mask to Cure Both Dandruff and Hair Fall:
Ingredients:
- Neem juice, 200 ml
- Organic Extra-virgin Sesame oil, 100 g
How to make:
Heat a mixture of the above ingredients on a low flame. When the juice evaporates leaving behind only the oil, strain the mixture.
How to use:
- Apply the oil to the fingertips of all your 10 fingers.
- Then massage your scalp with your fingertips.
- Repeat this process until your hair is wholly and uniformly oiled.
- If you are concerned about yours or a closed one's persistently dry hair or dull hair, consider applying a 2-ingredient DIY hair mask.
B. DIY Hair Mask for Fresh and Hydrating Scalp:
Ingredients:
- Freshly sourced rose petals
- Clean Water
How to make:
Put the petals into a large bowl. Now fill half the bowl with water. Heat the bowl until some oily substance appears on the water surface. Now strain out the rose petals with a sieve and put your homemade rosewater inside the fridge to cool.
How to use:
- Take rose water (in the same quantity as you take your conditioner after applying shampoo to your hair).
- After washing your hair massage this rose water on your hair using your palms and fingers.
- Leave it for 5 minutes, and then rinse your hair.
- Repeat this process twice a week to get the best results.
Rosewater effectively hydrates the dry hair or dull hair, giving the hair a very natural luster and bounce. So, say goodbye to dull hair or dry hair with rosewater!
C. Egg Hair Mask - Both for Dry Hair and Damaged Hair:
Ingredients:
- Egg Yolk (1 if your hair is short and thin and 2 if your hair is long and thick),
- Water
How to use:
- After you dissolve the egg yolk in an adequate amount of water and make a creamy paste, apply the paste to your fingertips.
- Massage your scalp with your fingertips and then apply the paste uniformly to the entire length of your hair.
- Leave your hair undisturbed for 10-15 minutes and then thoroughly rinse your hair with water.
This egg hair mask is rich in both the nutrients- fats and sulfur, so it hydrates the hair while reversing any damage done to it. If you have either dry hair or damaged hair or both, this egg hair mask is for you.
D. Hair Mask for Hair Growth and Thickness:
Ingredients:
- Crushed 'Suhaga' ('Tankan') Flower petals, 5 g (1 teaspoon)
- Pure Coconut Oil, 5 ml (1 tablespoon)
- Yogurt, 15 ml (3 tablespoons)
How to use:
- After mixing the above 3 ingredients, divide your hair into sections.
- Then apply this mask to your hair uniformly to each section.
- Ensure that no part of your hair is left out.
- Leave for 15-20 minutes and then rinse your hair.
This hair mask for hair growth and thickness is enriched with the goodness of both coconut oil and yogurt, making it a rich source of the vital nutrients required for quicker hair growth. To get longer and thicker hair faster, this hair mask for hair growth and thickness will help you to a huge extent.
The Bottom Line
Spare some time to try these tips and let your hair get the goods they want. Let us know what tip worked best for your hair type!
If you want more beauty tips do not hesitate to visit our beauty section.