Hair Care
Hair Extensions Maintenance Tips
Pre-Installation:
* At Extensions Plus, we are committed to ensuring that every customer is satisfied. Full satisfaction of our extensions can by achieved by the following hair care tips. First and foremost, always wash the extension hair before installation. If there are any problems with the hair, you will be able to detect them at this time. Hold hair and wash in vertical direction.
* If you detect any problems, contact us immediately. If there are no problems with the hair within the first two weeks, it can be assumed that the hair is fine. If problems arise after two weeks, the problem does not lie in the hair or workmanship. Please feel free to contact us and we will try to help you resolve your situation.
Installation:
Bulk Hair
* All of our hair has the cuticle intact. It is vital to follow these steps. Always take hair from the top where it is tied with string. NEVER take hair from the bottom of the bundle. When folding hair over to braid. the tail must be trimmed short, just below the tie-off.
Hand-Made Wefts
* Never cut any part of the top of the wefts. These wefts are hand-tied and delicate. If they are cut, then we cannot guarantee that they will not shed.
* Never sew through the top of the weft. Although we are the only company to triple-reinforce our wefts, putting a needle through the weft will damage the wefts and cause shedding.
Micro-Bond Wefts (part of the Hair SoftWear Line)
* When attaching the Micro-Bond Wefts with a needle, it is recommended that you sew around the weft not through the weft.
Straight Hair
Maintenance
* Shampoo at least once a week.
* Use a shampoo no higher than pH 7.
* Dilute one ounce of shampoo in a bowl or jug with a pint of warm water.
* Sponge the shampoo into the hair.
* Do not massage.
* Rinse thoroughly.
* Apply conditioner and comb hair, starting with the ends working your way up to your scalp.
* Rinse thoroughly.
* Let air-dry.
Daily
* Brush or comb through to style.
* Use styling aids, such as mouse, gel, and hairspray in moderation (preferably alcohol free products).
Sleep
* Before going to bed, braid your hair into one loose large braid at the back of the neck.
After waking up, undo braid and comb through beginning at the ends and working your way up to roots.
Natural Body Wave Hair
Maintenance
* Shampoo at least once a week.
* Use a shampoo no higher than pH 7.
* Dilute one ounce of shampoo in a bowl or jug with a pint of warm water.
* Sponge the shampoo into the hair.
* Do not massage.
* Rinse thoroughly.
* Apply conditioner and comb hair, starting with the ends working your way up to your scalp.
* Rinse thoroughly.
* Let air-dry.
* Style as desired.
* For extra wave, hair can be set in rollers.
Daily
* Brush or comb through to style.
* Use styling aids, such as mouse, gel, and hairspray in moderation (preferably alcohol free products).
Sleep
* Before going to bed, braid your hair into one loose large braid at the back of the neck.
* After waking up, undo braid.
* Dampen hair with a water bottle.
* Comb through beginning at the ends and working your way up to roots.
* Let hair air-dry.
* Style as desired.
* For extra wave, hair can be set in rollers.
Permed Curly and Natural Curly Hair
Maintenance
* Do not use oil products on permed hair, it can cause matting.
* Do not brush or comb hair when dry, it will cause frizz and the ends may tangle.
* Shampoo at least once a week.
* Use a shampoo no higher than pH 7.
* Dilute one ounce of shampoo in a bowl or jug with a pint of warm water.
* Sponge the shampoo into the hair.
* Do not massage.
* Rinse thoroughly.
* Apply conditioner and comb hair, starting with the ends working your way up to your scalp.
* Rinse thoroughly.
* Scrunch up hair gently to reform curl.
* Let air-dry.
* Style as desired.
Daily
* Brush or comb through to style.
* Use styling aids, such as mouse, gel, and hairspray in moderation (preferably alcohol free products).
Sleep
* Before going to bed, braid your hair into one loose large braid at the back of the neck.
* After waking up, undo braid.
* Dampen hair with a water bottle.
* Comb through beginning at the ends and working your way up to roots.
* Scrunch up hair gently to reform curl.
* Let hair air-dry.
* Style as desired.
Specific Conditions
Static:
* In colder months, you may experience some static. The best way to deal with this is to dampen your hands with water, and rub hand together so they are warm. Run the palms of your hands over your hair, without actually touching your hair. This process should help control the static.
Swimming:
It is not recommended that you swim with extension hair. However if you do the following precautions are recommended.
* Never wear a swimming cap or anything that covers your hair, the friction may cause matting.
* Before swimming comb out tangles.
* Braid hair into one braid at back of neck.
* Try to keep head above water.
* Do not swim under water.
* No diving.
* After swimming keep head out of shower.
* Immediately after showering undo braid, comb hair and let air-dry.
* Follow with appropriate shampooing and conditioning as needed.
Sauna:
* Braid hair into one braid at back of neck.
* The water of the sauna will penetrate the hair and wet it.
* Do not wrap hair in towel, which will compress it.
* After sauna keep head out of shower.
* Immediately after showering undo braid, comb hair and let air-dry.
* Follow with appropriate shampooing and conditioning as needed.
Sunbathing:
* Braid hair into one braid at back of neck.
* After sunbathing do not unbraid until hair has cooled down.
* After hair cools, undo braid, comb hair.
* Follow with appropriate shampooing and conditioning as needed.
Product Recommendations
Shampooing and Conditioning:
* For an effective and cost efficient conditioner, we recommend ARS’ Moisture Recovery, which we sell on the premise or can ship to you. This product should be used twice a week (3 times if you are very active). Apply a quarter size portion to shampooed hair and leave on 5 minutes. Rinse and style as desired.
* Joico offers good products for hair extensions. Their Moisturizer is excellent for regular conditioning while the K-Pak should be used once every two to three weeks. The Integrity Spray Leave in Conditioner can be used to help protect the hair. Integrity is also useful when applied to dry curly or permed hair after sleeping. If used prior to combing or picking out the hair, it can help minimize frizz.
* Any care product that is Human Hair Keratin based is preferred for our extension hair.
* Conditioning the hair is vital to its maintenance. However, it is possible to over condition the hair. Some signs that the hair is over-conditioned are brittleness and tangling. If this does occur, your best resource is to use a deep-cleansing or chelating shampoo.
* If you use hair spray or other styling products, try to avoid those containing alcohol. (Alcohol can be very drying to the hair.) Styling products create build up on the hair and it is recommended that a deep cleansing shampoo be used once or twice a month to remove build-up. Build-up can make the hair dry and can cause tangling. Use moisturizers to avoid this problem.
* If you must use heat, be sure you use a leave in conditioner first such as Lanza’s Rebalance Leave-In Conditioner.
Miscellaneous Tips:
* Although the extension hair is real, it is not receiving nutrients from the scalp like your own hair. Heat is your hair extensions biggest enemy. The more you use on it, the shorter the life span of your hair. We cannot guarantee that the hair will remain silky if you use the blow dry, flat iron, or curling iron. We also recommend that for curling the hair, you use steamrollers such as Caruso’s or Vidal Sassoon’s molecular steamrollers.
* When you sleep, we highly recommend that you braid, wrap or ponytail your hair together to prevent tangling. This will save time that would be spent untangling the hair the next morning.
* When washing the hair, always wash it going in a downward motion. Use your fingers in a horizontal motion between wefts to clean your scalp. When rinsing, do the same to be sure that all the shampoo and conditioner residues are washed out.
* If you perm, tint, bleach or cellophane the hair, you do it at your own risk. We do not guarantee any hair that has been chemically altered. If you must chemically alter it, then be sure to do a test strand first. This will allow you to test how the hair will hold up to the chemicals.