1) Can we talk? Absolutely be sure to have a sit-down, thorough consultation BEFORE you show up for your hair appointment. It’s a real change in your day to day hair care, and it is a lengthy process. You should budget 45 minutes in which to learn from your stylist (or explain if you are the stylist) how the extensions will under the hair, how the hair will be cut and styled, how it will feel and certainly long term maintenance.
2) Style: After your consultation, or during, make certain your stylist/operator knows how you will style your hair from day to day so they can fit the extensions to suit your needs. If this is not taken in to account, your styling of their extension installation could be unnatural and unflattering.
3) Put your head to bed: Hair extensions can go wonky overnight so it is good practice to put it up at night.
4) Brush, Brush, Brush: Look out for small cylindrical brushes and choose instead the big fatties (you know the ones – wide paddles) You could always try Tangle Teezer (www.hqhair.com) to gently pull out knots if things go awry.
5) Match, don’t Mix: Have your stylist help you match up the texture of the extension (beyond curly/straight) with your own hair, and not just the color, as this will make it easier to style down the road.
*Also, it’s always a good idea to have the stylist double check that your hair is actually the type you ordered – we’ve heard stories of people having “straight” hair put in and then upon first wash it turns out it’s actually curly hair that’s been straightened! Not good.
6) There’s the rub: Shampooing is critical for hair sheen, and overall health (and hygene!) but be sure to take it easy on those dangling strands. Don’t over-rub, or rub too intensely as you can damage or knot the extensions. Try massaging from top to bottom like you might a horses tail. We promise you can still have the herbal essence experience with extensions, just take it easy.
7) Oil! Be sure your products aren’t too oily, as this can cause extensions to slip. Conditioner is included in the list, and be sure to condition from the middle of the extension down to the ends, not at the root.
Gimme a Break! Be sure to give your scalp and your hair a rest between extensions. There are long term risks to using extensions too often without appropriate recuperating periods. We suggest a 3-6 month extension free hiatus to ensure hair strength and health. It’s always a good idea to have your scalp treated during that resting period too – all things in moderation right?
