Brushing
Brush your hair extensions gently 2x a day using a wet brush or your weft brush to avoid tangling. Be careful not to pull on or yank your extensions. When brushing make sure to always brace the tops of your rows with your other hand to avoid unnecessary tension. Section and brush in-between your rows to avoid matting. Brushing should be done with extra care as to not harm the integrity of your hair extensions. When brushing, hold your extensions at the base to avoid pulling on them. Do not brush directly at your scalp as this can cause snagging at the base of your extensions.
washing
Wash your hair 1-2 times a week with the recommended shampoo and conditioning treatments. Your shampoo and conditioner must be Salon quality Sulfate & Paraben free products. Before jumping in the shower, brush all the tangles out so that your extensions don't become more tangled in the shower. Clipping your rows up ensures you are cleansing in between your rows well and makes washing MUCH easier. Wash section by section starting at the nape of your neck working up. This ensures your scalp and hair are properly cleansed. Sandwich the wefts in between your index and middle finger and scrub along your weft line to avoid buildup on the scalp. Do not rub the ends of your extensions together. Often shampooing the scalp twice to get a good lather and to ensure your scalp and hair is clean is needed. DO NOT shampoo your ends twice, just your roots. Only use conditioner from the ears down and around the face-framing pieces. Avoid conditioner at the scalp where your extension base is. Use a conditioning mask once a week to keep your hair moisturized. A clarifying shampoo can be used to eliminate product build-up and minerals once every two weeks. Be sure to completely rinse away shampoo and conditioner to avoid build-up. If you have a detachable shower head use it to get in-between those rows.
Drying and styling
After showering and washing your hair, gently squeeze the water out. Do not rub your ends together. Use a terry cloth towel wrap to help soak up excess water in your hair. Apply 4-5 sprays of your leave in conditioner to towel dried unbrushed hair, yes apply your products before brushing. Apply 2-3 pumps of oil on top of your leave in conditioner then brush. Layering your products in this order seals all that moisture in and helps to gently untangle your hair. Do not use slippery, oily, or conditioning products where your wefts are attached.Use a wet brush to detangle your extensions, avoiding the base of your extensions. DO NOT snag the tops of your extensions with the brush, this will cause damage to your wefts and your natural hair. Make sure you are bracing the tops of your wefts with your hand to avoid excess tension. A lot of damage can occur when brushing your hair wet. When your cuticle has water in it, it is in its MOST fragile state. Be overly gently when your hair is wet. Air drying your extensions is fine, however, you MUST dry the tops of your extensions to avoid matting, swelling of the weft base and molding. Yes, molding. After working out you must dry the base of your extensions even if you are not washing to avoid damaging the base of the hand-tied wefts. Having a good-quality hair dryer will help with drying time and extend the life of your extensions. Clip your extensions up and dry one row at a time, starting at the top of your extensions. Use your wet brush to smooth your extensions out while drying. Once your extensions are 90% dry you can use a round brush to further smooth them out and assist with drying. A heat protectant and a hair serum is also necessary to increase the longevity of your extensions .Protect your hair from the sun, excess heat, chlorines, & salt water to maintain the color of your extensions.
SLEEPING
Always dry your hair and the base of your extensions before bed. Sleeping on wet hair can cause matting and molding. Sleep with your hair in a braid, pig tail braids, or a low pony when sleeping. I highly recommend using a silk pillowcase. Silk pillowcases cause less tangling and damage to your extensions and your natural hair. Using a head wrap or headband designed for extensions can protect your scalp for you crazy sleepers (you know who you are). Apply an oil or serum in your hair before bed and brush it out.
mUst haves
Wet Brush Epic Brush or Wet Brush Pro Shine Enhancer
Sam Villa Signature series round brush
Silk scrunchies
A quality blowdryer, my favorite brands are BaByliss & Dyson
BaByliss PRO NanoTitanium Pro Curling Iron, 1 or 1.25 inch
Hard water filtering shower head
Things to avoid
Sleeping on wet extensions.
Using products not recommended by your stylist.
Not brushing hair 1-2 times a day.
Blondes, avoid getting sunscreen on your extensions that contains AVOBENZONE. This chemical can turn extensions pink/orange. Use a mineral based sunscreen. Mineral based sunscreens that are extension safe (Sunbum mineral sunscreen, Barerepublic mineral sunscreen, Target Up&Up mineral sunscreen).
Avoid river and lake water if possible. Most rivers and lakes have minerals in them that can cause discoloration to your extensions if you are blonde.
Avoid ponytails that sit in the center of your head. This can place too much tension on the anchor beads. Stick to high or low ponytails.
