About a year ago, I took the plunge and got my first hair extensions. I had wanted to try them for a long time but never really did anything about it.
At last, I reached a point where I decided to just jump in and see what all the fuss was about. To be honest, they were absolutely life-changing. Even though that sounds a bit dramatic, it is true. I can’t ever picture myself going without them again.
Before I got them, I spent a lot of time researching, learning as much as I could about the many extensions for short hair and long hair. During that time, I discovered a lot of helpful tips.
Thanks to these tips, my extensions always look amazing. If you are thinking about getting extensions of your own, I would strongly encourage you to study these tips and follow them to the letter.
1. Buy A Special Brush
Invest in a brush that is specially designed for extensions. This is absolutely essential. Otherwise, you will wind up pulling all of your hair out if you use a regular brush. Extension brushes are inexpensive and can make a big difference in how easy it is for you to manage your hair.
2. Don’t Brush The Roots Of Your Hair
There is a reason why I am focusing so much on brushing – it is extremely important to learn how to do it correctly. That means avoiding brushing your roots. Hair extensions are bonded to your hair at the roots. There is a chance you could pull them out if you brush too close to your head. Rather than using a brush at the roots, use your fingers to gently detangle your hair. When combing the lower part of your hair, hold onto it at the top and comb out the ends. This helps keep you from pulling on the bonded areas of the extensions.
3. Choose The Right Shampoo
Opt for a shampoo that contains natural ingredients or that is designed for use with extensions. Skip any shampoos that have sodium lauryl sulfate as an ingredient since it can damage or weaken the bonds.
4. Wash Your Extensions Like A Pro
After you finish washing your hair, turn off the hot water and run cold water over your hair before you get out of the shower. This helps support the bonds and tightens up your pores. Don’t flip your hair upside down to wash it over the bathtub since this will definitely cause the bonded areas to become tangled. Only wash your hair in an upright position.
5. Only Condition The Ends Of Your Hair
Avoid applying conditioner to the bonded areas of your extensions since the conditioner can cause the bonds to weaken. Instead, apply it only to the ends of your hair.
6. Dry The Roots Of Your Hair
Use a hairdryer on the cool setting to thoroughly dry the roots of your hair any time it gets wet. You can allow the ends to dry on their own. Just make sure that all moisture is removed from the roots to help protect the bonds.
7. Prepare Your Hair Before Going To Sleep
Braiding your hair before bed will not only give you beautiful waves the following day but it also helps prevent tangles. This is a simple trick that can provide excellent results.
8. Avoid Back-Combing
Never back-comb your hair when you have extensions.
9. Use Hairspray The Right Way
It is fine to use hairspray on your hair extensions. Just make sure that you rinse it out of your hair the following day.
10. Dealing With Itchiness
If you haven’t ever had hair extensions before, you may find that they feel a little bit itchy after you get them. In some cases, this is caused by your scalp adjusts to the new extensions. In other cases, it is a sign that your extensions need to be washed. If the itching is bad or if it doesn’t go away, you may want to consult with the technician who did your extensions. In most cases, however, it is completely normal. The best tip that I can give you is to have fun with your new hair. Extensions can give you confidence like you have never had before. Of course, you don’t need hair extensions to feel beautiful. They do certainly help, however, and are a lot of fun to play around with. For me personally, I really love the way mine look.