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Over time, your virgin hair extensions may feel greasy, weighed down, or lifeless. Does you hair start to misbehave and feel heavy all of a sudden? Does it start to look and feel limp? If so, then your hair extensions are full of product buildup. Read on for steps on how to clarify your hair extensions.
THE 3 GOLDEN RULES
1 – No pulling!
2 – No upside down head!
3 – No oily or wet roots!
LIST OF THINGS YOU NEED
1. Shampoo: Clarifying Shampoo (for oily hair type) or Volume Shampoo (regular or dry hair types). Never use a moisturizing shampoo or a shampoo for ‘dry damaged hair’ etc. Never ever use Pantene, Tresemme or Timotei or other supermarket shampoos.
2. Conditioner: Use a lightweight good-quality conditioner on the ends of your hair only (never on the root).
3. Moroccan Oil or Serum: Use Moroccan oil (the best) or a nice serum on the ends of the hair extensions to protect them from heat styling. (Heat protection sprays are not advised).
4. Brush: Use a Tangle Teaser (for the ends) and a Soft Bristle brush (for the top). Never use a brush with baubles on the end, or a comb or any hard brush.
5. Hairdryer: Your hair extensions need to be very well dried especially at the root, make sure you have a good quality, effective hairdryer.
How to Clarify
Step 1
Before Washing: Brush through your hair (starting at the ends) with the Tangle Teaser and remove any tangles.
Step 2
Washing: Hair Extensions cannot be left to go greasy at the root. Wash your hair regularly – enough to keep it clean and not allow it to go greasy. Only ever wash your hair in the shower (never the bath). Use a Clarifying shampoo or a Volume shampoo and lather the shampoo on the top of your head where there are no extensions. Allow the water and shampoo to wash down from the roots to the tips of your hair and use downwards strokes only on the hair extension connections. DO NOT scrub or rub your bonds/rings in a round motion. However – do not be scared to wash your hair as not rinsing properly can lead to product build up. Rinse for double the amount of time you do normally. Use conditioner on the ends of your hair only.
Step 3
Towel: Never put your head upside down. This means that you cannot wrap your hair in a turban.
Step 4
Drying: Hair Extensions NEED to be dried at the root within 30 minutes of washing. The extensions cannot be left wet for long periods of time. . Do not tip your head upside down to blow dry your hair. Also, try to blow-dry the hair using your fingers to begin with and only use a brush when the hair is 80% dry. Brushing your hair aggressively when wet can lead to loss of extensions, and too much tugging on your own hair (i.e. dangerous). Also – it is a good idea to finish the blowdry with a cool blast on the bonds/rings to harden them up (they go a bit soft in the hot shower).
Step 5
Volume: You can treat your halo section (the section at the top that has no hair extensions) as you normally do, and use volume products and blow-dry it with a round brush etc. But, don’t try to get volume or root lift in the sections that have hair extensions attached.
Step 6
Styling: You can use any heat styling tools. However, we advise that you use a curling tong (like a Glamour Wand) to create a wave, rather than using a straighteners. This is because you need to pull the straighteners through your hair to create waves, whereas a wand does not need to be pulled through. The less pulling and tugging on your roots the better.
Step 7
Brushing: when brushing your hair you should use two hands – one to hold your hair just below the extension connection area and the other to brush gently with a tangle teaser or soft bristle brush. You should only brush over the area where the ring/bonds are with a soft bristle brush (not a tangle teaser ).
Step 8
Sleeping/Gym: You must tie your hair in a low plait or ponytail when you go to sleep or do exercise.
Step 9
Up-dos: You cannot tie your hair up in a high ponytail, top knot or high bun ONLY low ponytails are allowed.
Step 10
You can dye your T-section as normal. However, DO NOT put any dye on the small sections of hair that enter each hair extension. The dye can get inside the ring and over-process. This causes damage to your root area and has long-lasting consequences. Most clients only need to touch up their T-section.
Further Tips
For those with damaged/bleached hair: If you want to condition the top of your head you can do so; but you cannot allow the conditioner to wash down onto the rings/bonds. Instead, wash out the conditioner from your halo section over the front of your face.
For those who have an oily hair type: Make sure that you wash your hair extensions regularly. Leaving your hair to go greasy will mean they will fall out (rings) or go soft (bonds). Use a strong clarifying shampoo to get rid of the oiliness.
Going on vacation: if you are going away to a hot country and will be in and out of the swimming pool, we advise clients to put their hair into a low plait or pony tail to go into the sea or the pool. Once out of the water we ask you to take your hair out of the plait/pony tail and let the sun dry your hair. Please do not put a hat on as your hair needs to dry as soon as possible. Rinse any chlorine or sea water out of your hair to prevent discoloration.
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