Fashion and Beauty 7th April 2020 by Denise Curtin

6 Tips For Keeping Your Hair Extensions In Great Condition During Quarantine

How to keep them in good nick when you can't see a hairdresser!

I’m totally obsessed with hair extensions. I got my first set in 2018 and became instantly hooked.

I remember being told before I got extensions to think long and hard about getting them because once you do, you’ll find it hard to ever go without them.

This was a very fair point and one I now pass on to people who query me about extending their own tresses. Extensions are expensive, they require a lot of maintenance to make sure they don’t matte and damage your own hair and lastly, they require a lot of patience. So, making sure you’re up for the commitment physically and financially is something that you really must take into account.

But all that being said, they’re great. They’re a confidence booster, they add volume, thickness and length, plus they style extremely well and save you from putting hot tools near your roots.

A stun invention all round

With the current climate however, a lot of people are worried about minding their extensions while waiting to see a hairdresser again. Making small changes to your daily hair routine can make the world of difference when it comes to getting longevity out of your hair and so, follow these important tips for great hair in the meantime.

1. Brushing 

A correct brush is key when it comes to hair extensions. A soft, wide paddle brush is the best kind for running through your bonds, tapes and beads, so make sure the one you’re using has been designed for extensions. Using a normal brush will only rip the extensions out and break your own hair.

2. Shampoo 

Again, similar to the brush sitch, don’t just use what’s on your shower floor. You need special shampoo to mind extensions correctly. Most standard shampoos contain sodium laurel sulfate (SLS) which damages and corrodes hair extension bonds – not good. Therefore make sure your shampoo specifies that it’s sulfate-free.

3. Braiding

Brush and braid your hair before going to bed. Simply putting your hair into one large plait before going to sleep will help it from getting knotty and tangled when you move in your sleep.

4, Condition

Make sure you use conditioner only on the ends of your hair and again, a good conditioner that’s suited for coloured/dry hair.

5. Nourish

Hair extensions can get very dry. It’s just what happens, but you can keep them feeling silky smooth by opting for the correct care. Using serum and adding a pump of leave-in conditioner to the ends of your hair before you blow dry it can keep your hair feeling sort and nourished.

For this I adore Kevin Murphy’s Shimmer Shine or Kérastase Resistance Serum Extentioniste.

6. Blow drying 

And finally, the last tip – always blow dry your hair on a cold or low heat as it’s better for the bonds and tapes. Also, always fully dry the connection where your hair meets the extension. You can leave the ends dry naturally if you want, but it is very important to keep the roots bone dry. This will make sure the extensions don’t get damp or more susceptible to breaking and then voila, you’re sorted.

Need more advice? Hit me up denise@stellar.ie or over on Instagram here.

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