How Can I Expand the Life of Hair Extensions?
If you're going to invest in hair extensions, it's important that you know how to look after them. Just like your normal hair, hair extensions can become tangled and broken if they're not properly cared for.
In this blog, The Knot Dr.® will give you the best advice on how to wash, brush and care for your hair extensions so you can expand their life.
What Type of Hair Extensions do you Have?
It's important to identify what type of hair extensions you have to look after them. Hair extensions can be attached to your hair via beads, adhesives, and strips, or they can be clip-ins that you can remove. There are two main types of extensions:
- Synthetic Hair – synthetic hair extensions are often much cheaper than human hair extensions and are made of a plastic blend. They are created to look very similar to human hair, but due to the materials they're made from, they're only compatible with low heat and can't be dyed or bleached. Synthetic hair extensions are often very shiny and don't have much elasticity
- Human Hair – human hair extensions are made from donated hair. They can be bleached or dyed just like your natural hair and can also be styled and blow-dryed at high heat.
It's vital you know what type of hair extensions you have, as synthetic hair behaves differently from human hair. High heat could damage synthetic extensions beyond repair, while heat styling devices (like hairdryers and straighteners) are safe for human hair extensions.
How to Wash Hair Extensions
Hair extensions attached to your hair through bonds or strips will require washing just as you would your regular hair. However, clip-in extensions require less maintenance and do not need to be washed as often, especially if they are not being worn regularly.
Synthetic Hair – to wash synthetic hair, we recommend giving it a 'shampoo bath'. To do this, place the hair extensions in a warm bath filled with water and shampoo, allowing them to sit for 10-15 mins. Once the extensions have soaked, rinse them off with cool water. Allow it to dry naturally.
Human Hair – when washing human hair extensions, you can treat them just as you'd treat your natural hair. Start with a clarifying shampoo and follow up with a nourishing conditioner. If your hair feels extra-dry, pop on a deep-conditioning treatment to refresh your locks.
Human hair extensions will naturally have a longer life than synthetic hair extensions, as synthetic can't be repaired like human extensions. Human hair can be deep-conditioned, but synthetic doesn't have the capability to absorb the moisture from the conditioner.
How to Brush Hair Extensions
Hair extensions have a reputation for tangling easily, so it's vital to understand how to keep them knot-free if you want to expand their life.
For clip-in extensions, it's often easiest to lay them flat on a surface like a table and brush through them, holding them at the top, so they don't move.
For fixed hair extensions, you'll want to use a detangling brush to very gently brush through the hair. You must be gentle when brushing, as you don't want to rip out an extension accidentally.
To avoid split ends and ruined bonds, we recommend you use a dedicated detangling brush like our The Knot Dr.® Pro to detangle and get effortlessly sleek, soft hair. Our brushes have many fantastic features that make them kind to hair but tough on tangles. Shop our full The Knot Dr.® range and expand the life of your hair extensions now!
