EXTENSION AFTERCARE
Protect your investment. Love your hair longer
A little extra care at home will keep your natural hair healthy, your extensions looking beautiful, and your maintenance appointments running smoothly. Choose your extension method below for your specific care instructions.
SEW IN WEFTS
THE FIRST 48 HOURS.
Avoid pulling your hair into tight styles during the first few days and never pick, pull, or tug at the weft or beads.
WASHING
Wash as needed based on your scalp and lifestyle. Focus shampoo directly on your scalp and gently cleanse between the rows using your fingertips.
Avoid aggressively scrubbing, twisting, or piling your extensions on top of your head.
Condition from the mid lengths through the ends, keeping heavy conditioners and masks away from the attachment area.
DRYING
Never go to bed with wet extensions.
After washing, gently squeeze out excess water and blot with a towel rather than rubbing.
Make sure the roots, attachment points, and wefts are completely dry. Leaving moisture trapped around the weft can cause tangling, matting, odor, and unnecessary stress on your natural hair.
BRUSHING
Brush daily using an extension safe brush.
Hold the hair near the attachment point for support and begin brushing at the ends, gradually working your way upward.
Gently separate your rows with your fingers and brush between them to prevent matting.
SLEEPING
Brush thoroughly before bed and secure your hair in a loose braid or low ponytail.
A silk or satin pillowcase is highly recommended.
Never sleep with wet or damp extensions.
MAINTENANCE
Your wefts need to be moved up regularly as your natural hair grows, 6-8 week move ups are REQUIRED.
Do not attempt to tighten, remove, or adjust your extensions yourself. If anything feels unusually tight, loose, uncomfortable, or tangled, reach out to me rather than trying to fix it at home.
TAPE IN EXTENSIONS
THE FIRST 48 HOURS
Give your freshly installed tapes time to fully adhere.
Avoid washing your hair or exposing the attachment area to excessive moisture immediately following installation. Avoid heavy sweating when possible during this initial period.
Keep oils, conditioners, and products away from the tape tabs.
WASHING
When washing, gently cleanse your scalp without aggressively scrubbing the tape attachments.
Allow the shampoo to move through the hair rather than piling or twisting your extensions.
Apply conditioner and masks from the mid lengths through the ends, avoiding the tape tabs.
Rinse thoroughly. Product buildup around the tapes can affect their longevity.
DRYING
Gently blot your extensions after washing rather than rubbing them with a towel.
Thoroughly dry the tape attachment area after every wash.
Never go to bed with wet or damp tape extensions.
BRUSHING
Use an extension safe brush and brush regularly throughout the day.
Hold your hair near the roots for support and work from the ends upward.
Be gentle around the tape tabs and avoid catching the edge of the attachment with your brush.
PRODUCTS
Keep oils, serums, conditioners, masks, and other slippery products away from your tape attachments.
These products are great for your mids and ends but can cause the adhesive to loosen when applied near the tabs.
SLEEPING
Brush your hair before bed and secure it in a loose braid or low ponytail.
A silk or satin pillowcase is recommended.
Never sleep with wet extensions.
MAINTENANCE
Tape Ins need regular professional maintenance as your natural hair grows 4-8 Week move ups are REQUIRED.
Do not peel, reposition, or remove loose tapes yourself. If a tape begins slipping or feels uncomfortable, reach out and I can determine the best next step.
K TIP EXTENSIONS
THE FIRST 48 HOURS
Allow your bonds time to fully settle after installation.
Avoid excessive pulling, tight hairstyles, and unnecessary tension around the bonds.
Some scalp sensitivity after a fresh installation can be normal, but persistent pain or significant discomfort should always be brought to my attention.
WASHING
Keep your scalp clean. Oil and product buildup can compromise the bonds over time.
Gently shampoo your scalp using your fingertips and work carefully between the bonds.
Condition and mask from the mid lengths through the ends.
Avoid applying conditioner, oils, masks, or heavy styling products directly onto the bonds.
DRYING
Never sleep with wet K Tips.
Gently towel blot your hair after washing and thoroughly dry the bond area.
You can air dry portions of the lengths if appropriate for your hair, but the bonds and roots should always be completely dry.
BRUSHING
Use an extension safe brush and brush multiple times throughout the day as needed.
Support the hair near the roots while brushing and work from the ends upward.
Use your fingers daily to gently separate the individual bonds. This is extremely important for preventing neighboring bonds and natural shed hair from tangling together.
HEAT + STYLING
Heat styling is completely fine when used properly.
Always use heat protection and keep hot tools away from the keratin bonds themselves.
Avoid repeatedly placing flat irons, curling irons, or other direct heat over the attachment points.
SLEEPING
Brush and separate your bonds before bed.
Wear your hair in a loose braid or low ponytail and sleep on silk or satin whenever possible.
Never sleep with wet extensions.
MAINTENANCE
K Tips naturally grow down with your hair and are eventually removed and replaced rather than moved up like a weft. Usually they can last from 2-4 months before being replaced.
Some shedding of individual extensions throughout the wear period can happen.
Do not attempt to remove K Tips yourself. Proper professional removal is important for protecting your natural hair.
A FEW RULES FOR ALL EXTENSIONS
Never sleep with wet extensions.
Always use professional, extension friendly haircare and heat protection.
Keep your scalp and attachment areas clean and completely dry.
Avoid sunscreen, self tanner, and other products containing ingredients* that can discolor or compromise extension hair and attachment points. Keep these products away from your extensions whenever possible.
Before swimming, brush your hair and secure it in a braid. Extensions should not be left loose in pools, oceans, hot tubs, or lakes. Rinse and properly cleanse your hair afterward.
Brush gently and consistently. Extensions require a little more daily attention than natural hair, to avoid damage to your natural hair.
Most importantly, don’t wait if something doesn’t feel right. Excessive tension, persistent discomfort, matting, unusual shedding, slipping, or changes around an attachment point are reasons to reach out.
KEEP THE GOOD HAIR GOING
SUNSCREEN + SELF TANNER
​Be mindful of sunscreen and self tanner around your extensions, especially blonde and lighter shades.
Sunscreen: Avoid products containing Avobenzone (Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane) and Octocrylene coming into contact with extension hair. These UV filters can contribute to peach, pink, or orange discoloration on some light colored extension hair. Choose an extension friendly mineral sunscreen when possible and keep sunscreen away from your hair.
Self Tanner: DHA (Dihydroxyacetone), the active tanning ingredient in most self tanners, can stain or discolor extension hair. Keep freshly applied self tanner away from your extensions and make sure your skin is completely dry before allowing your hair to rest against it.
Be especially careful around the neck, shoulders, back, chest, and hands, where extension hair commonly comes into contact with sunscreen or self tanner.
If discoloration occurs, do not attempt to remove it at home with clarifying treatments, purple shampoo, bleach, or other DIY remedies. Reach out to me first so we can determine the safest option.