Caring for your extensions
If you plan on keeping your extensions long term, make sure you get them tightened every 4-6 weeks. Tightening prices vary and can be seen under the prices menu. Even if they feel fine, book an appointment so we can make sure there is no tangling or other problems that you may not be able to see on your own. You can also book an appointment for a conditioning treatment to give your hair that extra boost and make it last longer.
Heat protecting gloss and leave in conditioners will make your life so much easier. With any extensions, Store bought brands are a NO NO!! I only really recommend using the Milbon products which we have at the salon because from experience it's the best brand I've used for extensions. Pureology, and Aveda are also good brands. You should always check ingredients. NEVER use products with alcohol or sulfate. Those ingredients dry out the hair immensely. Store bought brands are PACKED with chemicals and can sometimes damage the hair instead of making it better.
Metal flat irons and curling irons are BIG no no also. I recommend getting Ceramic products. My favorite is the Hai flat iron which can straighten hair and curl the hair, and we sell it at the salon.
Know how to brush your hair. Expect tangling. Remember you're used to your short hair, and soon within a few hours you're going to have a full head of hair. Brush your hair gently from the bottom working your way up. if you hear tearing or ripping, brush the bottom again and make sure it is tangle free before moving up.
Brush your hair before showering and do NOT bunch up your hair when shampooing. Shampoo in a downward straight motion the same way your hair grows. Bunching it up at the top of your head will cause a lot of tangling that could have been easily avoided.
Condition in the same downward motion but avoid getting conditioner too close to the roots where the extensions are applied. Conditioner is very slippery and getting it too close to where the extensions are applied can cause them to slip.
Before going to sleep or swimming braid your hair in a single braid. This will help keep the hair in place and avoid extra tangling.
My Extensions Routine
This is the routine I use on my hair when I have extensions. With this routine, I kept my normal quality extensions for 8 months.
1. Only wash your hair twice a week (every three days, on the third day) or longer. For your showers in between washing, put your hair in a towel wrap (like you do when you get out of the shower) and take a shower with the towel on your head. If you don't, the mist and steam will make the hair very hard to deal with.
2. Before your shower, brush your hair thoroughly. If you have tracks, separate each track and make sure you brush starting from the bottom (the tips) and working your way up to the roots. A lot of people forget to brush the roots (where they're attached to the head) and it starts to get matted.
3. Begin your shower by washing your hair (in a downward motion, not bunching it up) with a shampoo by Milbon called Inphonem (we sell this at the salon now) This shampoo will not lather excessively like other shampoos, and that is a good sign! Even though it feels like you don't have enough because you don't feel the lather, you don't need a lot to get your hair clean.
4. Rinse the shampoo out and squeeze excess water from the hair. Now condition with Milbon's Inphonem conditioner. Leave the conditioner in while you finish the rest of your shower routine so it can soak into the hair.
5. Once you're finished with the rest of your shower, wash out the conditioner and towel dry the hair.
6. While the hair is damp, put 2-4 pumps of Milbon's hair cream into your palms and rub through the hair. This will condition the hair and make it easier to brush out.
7. Gently brush your hair from the bottom working your way up (the same way you did before the shower)
8. Blowdry hair. Position the blowdryer to hit the hair in a downward wind motion. This will prevent the hair from getting frizzy. (if you have individual keratins, do not leave the heat in one spot for too long. you dont want to melt the glue)
9. Once the hair is dry, spray on Milbon's Inphonem Hair Mist all over the hair. The hair will feel a little wet but wait a couple of minutes for the hair to absorb the product. You'll notice one it dries your hair feels much better after this product.
10. Style hair with whichever hot tools your prefer. If you feel the heat may have dried out the hair, you can spray Inphonem Mist lightly over your style job.
11. Finish with putting an oil on the tips of your hair. We have Milbon's Liscio crystal gloss at the salon. Repeat this step every day until your next wash. It's important to keep the ends of the hair hydrated because they are the farthest away from your natural hair and are not getting your natural oils.
Remember to braid your hair or put it in a bun when you sleep to avoid tangling.
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