How To Look After Hair Extensions

Now that you have your new luscious locks, it’s time to talk aftercare. As your Lacy Locks hair extensions are made of 100% human hair, it means that they require just as much love and care as your natural locks. While this does mean that you need to take a little bit of time out of your day to ensure your hair care routine is perfect, it does mean that you can continue with your everyday styling and washing without having to worry about treating your extensions differently.

Good quality hair extensions can last up to 9 months, depending on the type of extensions you have and how well you care for them. You will need quick maintenance appointments every 6-8 weeks on top of caring for your extensions at home to ensure that they look as good as new. Without the proper care, you could find that the extensions begin to slip, get tangled at the bonds or damaged at the ends. So, to make sure that you maintain that glamorous look no matter how long it is until your next maintenance appointment, here is our guide on how to look after hair extensions.

How To Look After Hair Extensions: Our Guide

As your hair gurus and having provided you with luscious hair extensions in Milton Keynes for many years, we thought it was only right for us to give you some tips to make sure that your extensions look as good as new even at the end of their lifespan. Everything from the way you wash your hair to the way you style it will impact the condition of your extensions, making it wise to design a hair routine that does more than making your hair smell insane.

Whether you’re new to the hair extensions world or are well on your way to mastering the art of styling your new locks, then here is everything you need to know to keep them in tip-top condition:

• Hair Extension Aftercare
• How To Look After Clip In Hair Extensions
• How To Look After Hair Extension Weaves
• How To Look After Bonded Hair Extensions
• How To Look After Micro Ring Hair Extensions

Hair Extension Aftercare

You probably already do these five basic hair care tasks, but when it comes to looking after your hair extensions properly, using the right techniques and products is extremely important. Not to worry: as professional hairdressers in Milton Keynes, we have put together some advice that will help you transform your locks with minimal changes to your current hair routine! All of these tips must be carried out alongside regular maintenance appointments to be effective.

• Shampooing
• Conditioning
• Drying
• Brushing
• Styling

Shampooing

We all know that it has to be done, but bringing ourselves to wash our hair on a Monday morning is more torture than pleasure. But did you know that the way you wash your hair and the products you use will have a big impact on how your extensions feel and look? Well, shampoo is a product that helps to clean and cleanse your hair and scalp of all that nasty bacteria, excess oil and product build-up. However, this means that there are lots of strong and damaging chemicals inside many shampoo products that could be causing more harm than good. When looking for shampoos, always try and opt for those that do not contain sulphate, which is a harsh chemical that can cause your scalp to become dry and flaky. If you’re not sure which shampoo to use for your hair, then take a look at Good Housekeeping and give some of their recommendations a go!

Along with your new shampoo, you should also master your washing technique – yes, there is a technique to washing your hair. Luckily, it’s pretty simple to get the hang of, as all you need to do is massage your scalp. You will first need to make sure that you wash your hair upright, as washing your extensions upside down can tangle them. Use your fingertips to get between the attachment areas and gently put pressure on your scalp, rubbing in circles and moving from your forehead round to your neck. By doing this, you can remove dead skin and dirt build-up from your scalp, which will help your natural hair to grow and makes your hair feel lighter. Unless you have managed to get last night’s dinner in your hair, try to avoid over-shampooing the ends of your hair, as this can dry it out, leaving the hair to feel brittle and frizzy. But if you do need to give them a thorough wash, then gently smooth the shampoo down the hair extensions to avoid pulling them out.

Many believe that washing your hair more often means cleaner hair, but this can be damaging to your extensions. You will need to train your hair to last a little longer if you currently wash it every other day, as we recommend washing your extensions around 1-2 times a week.

Conditioning

Unlike shampooing your hair, conditioning is designed to nourish and replenish the hair to keep it healthy and shiny. However, instead of applying conditioner to the roots of your hair, you should only lather the ends of your extensions with conditioner. This is especially important if you have nano or micro ring extensions, as the conditioner could end up causing the rings to slip down the hair – and we don’t want that to happen! Whether you are applying your usual conditioner or a deep conditioning hair mask, apply the product from the bottom of your ears down to the ends of your extensions.

Using conditioner is a great way to keep your hair looking and feeling good while also adding that extra bit of shine and, of course, a luscious smell! You can apply several different types of conditioner to your hair, from hair masks to leave in ones. There are conditioners with a range of oils in them to nourish your hair, such as Moroccan and argan oil. You can find the best hair conditioner based on your hair type and needs on Cosmopolitan.

Drying

It’s easy enough to get out of the shower and be tempted to tip your head upside down and rub your towel on your head to dry those locks, but PLEASE do not do this! It can cause significant damage to your hair, so you need to take a little more care when drying. When the hair is damp, apply some Regal Envy argan oil and then dry the extension attachment area first using the cool setting on your hairdryer – never use the hot settings as this will melt the adhesive over time. Once the attachment area is dry, begin sectioning off the hair and dry using a round vent brush, pointing the dryer at the floor. The hair extensions can be left to dry naturally as well, but avoid doing this before bed!

Brushing

Brushing is one of the most important things when it comes to your hair care, as it removes tangles and keeps those locks looking clean and healthy. Without brushing your hair, it is likely that the top of your hair will start to wrap around the rings or wefts of your extensions, which can ruin their lifespan and make it incredibly hard to remove the extensions. To ensure that this does not happen, you will first need to make sure that you have a trusty hairbrush designed for extensions – we recommend the Regal Envy detangler. A detangler is best for brushing your hair as it gently removes tangles without pulling on the hair, meaning that it is less likely to pull out the hair extensions. Begin by brushing the bottom of your hair and then working your way to the top. When you get to the top, run your fingers between the rings to make sure that the hair is not wrapped around them. If you have just washed your hair, then we would advise using a wide-tooth comb to brush out those extensions.

Styling

You’ve probably been told multiple times that a heat protector is any extension enthusiast’s best friend but have never actually gone out to get some! If you style your hair with heated tools, whether that’s a hairdryer or curling wand, you should always apply a heat protector to the hair. A heat protector acts as a layer between the hair follicle and the heat being applied, minimising the damage caused to your luscious locks. Alternatively, we would advise trying out some overnight hairstyles or updos that can be used to style your hair instead of using heat, as this can help to give your hair a break.

How To Look After Clip In Hair Extensions

Clip-in extensions are designed with a simple clip mechanism at the tip, enabling them to be seamlessly slotted into your natural locks. The clip lies flat against your scalp, meaning that these extensions are virtually undetectable and do not prevent you from laying down, though we recommend that you don’t make a habit of sleeping with them in!

Since you can easily remove and reapply clip-in hair extensions yourself at home, we recommend removing them and shampooing, conditioning, and brushing them separately from your natural locks. This will allow you a better view of what you’re doing and make the task far easier!

How To Look After Hair Extension Weaves

At our hair extension salon in Milton Keynes, we offer the LA Weave, a hair extension method inspired by the traditional weave. In this method, weft extensions are sewn into the natural hair and secured by micro rings. Since this method requires no heat or glue, it is not damaging to the hair. The tight braids of a traditional weave may protect kinky hair but can be damaging to non-kinky hair, which is more suited to the LA weave.

Since the weight of the hair extensions is distributed around the circumference of the scalp, the LA weave is the gentlest hair extension method and requires very little maintenance to protect your hair, both natural and extensions. Just follow the advice in this article, and you’ll have beautiful, luscious locks for months!

How To Look After Bonded Hair Extensions

Pre-bonded hair extensions are a traditional type of extension which are bonded to the natural hair with keratin bonds, which are heated to seal them to the natural hair. Unlike other methods of glueing, keratin bonds cause no damage to the hair and are quick and simple to remove. Pre-bonded extensions are extremely subtle and allow you to wear your hair up without giving away the secret to your thick and luscious locks! They are also very lightweight, meaning that they are suitable for those that have hair that is too thin or fragile for micro ring extensions.

This type of extension is very resistant to slipping, making it low maintenance and perfect for those that are always on the go! However, this does not mean that you can slack off when it comes to washing and caring for your hair! While it is important not to allow the scalp to become greasy, since this can soften keratin bonds, overwashing will also harm your extensions. As mentioned previously, you should use a sulphate free shampoo because sulphates can also break down the keratin bonds. Be gentle when brushing and washing hair to avoid causing breakage, and take care to separate the bonds with your fingers daily to prevent tangles and matting.

How To Look After Micro Ring Hair Extensions

Micro ring extensions are extremely popular at our hair salon in Milton Keynes, as they are virtually undetectable once applied, even when your hair is in a ponytail. They are attached to the hair by small copper rings with silicone linings which are clipped around both the natural hair and the extension hair. Since this type of hair extension requires no glue, heat, sewing, or braiding, damage to your natural locks is minimised.

Caring for micro ring extensions is relatively straightforward. We would recommend that you take extra care not to apply conditioner or hair oil too close to your roots, where the copper bonds are located, as this can cause them to slip over time. Taking care to brush out your hair properly is also important to prevent your hair from getting tangled up with the bonds. As stated earlier, it is best to use a specialist extension brush. Much like bonded extensions, you should also separate the bonds with your fingers daily to prevent tangling and matting!

Keep Your Locks Maintained

Healthy-looking, glossy locks can be the secret to unlocking your confidence, so it’s important to make sure that you maintain them properly to keep up that wonderfully glamorous feeling. We hope that the tips in this article have equipped you with the knowledge you need to properly maintain your extensions, from which products to buy to the right techniques to use when washing your locks. Follow our advice and book in for regular maintenance appointments, and you’ll have the stunning head of hair of your dreams.

If you are interested in getting hair extensions in Milton Keynes, why not get in touch with our team of award-winning stylists today? If you’re wondering how long your extensions will last and how you can make them last longer, you can check out our previous article for our professional top tips and advice!