Best Hair Care Routine For Extensions

1. Start By Detangling

First things first, before you wash your hair, use styling tools or even go to bed, you will need to thoroughly detangle those locks. This will not only help to keep your extensions in immaculate conditions but also prevent any damage to your natural hair. Our professional detangler has been specially designed with flexible bristles to brush even the most fragile of hair without damage. It also does not have balls on the end of the bristles, meaning that nothing will become caught on your bonds as you brush closer to the scalp.

If you have extensions fitted, then it is important to be gentle, avoiding tugging at your bonds as this may cause them to become loose. Instead, start from the bottom and work your way up, section by section. Use one hand to lightly hold your hair at the top, giving extra support to the bonds then use the other to begin brushing with your professional detangler.

For those with clip-in extensions, although there is no harm in giving your hair a quick once over with the brush after styling, if you need a thorough detangle, always brush your extensions and natural hair separate. Through unclipping your extensions and brushing these alone, you can again, prevent any tension on your scalp and pulling from the clips. You will also find that they will be far easier to blend once your natural hair is smooth and free of any knots.

2. Wash Away The Dirt

Now its time to learn the art of washing your extensions. The rule is always to wash your hair in the direction that it grows, so in other words, in the shower rather than over the bath. Washing your hair upside down will encourage tangling, particularly around the bonds, which weakens the hair and increases the likelihood of matting.

So after jumping in the shower, rinse your hair under the water as you typically would then grab your hair extension shampoo. The key is to focus on the scalp, as although your extensions will need to be cleaned, it is your scalp that would have built up oil, products and dead skin cells. Gently massage the shampoo into the scalp, paying extra attention not to disturb the bonds too much. If you find that the shampoo is not spreading as well as you’d hoped, quickly pop your head back under the water and this should encourage plenty of lather. Once you have given the scalp a good clean, work your way down your hair, smoothing the shampoo along instead of scrubbing, then rinse.

When it comes to clip-in extensions, shampooing couldn’t be more straightforward. Remove your extensions from your hair and pop them in a sink of warm water – as they are human hair, hot water can be damaging. Using the same shampoo as above, create a lather and then gently work the shampoo into the hair avoiding the clips before rinsing.

3. Time For Conditioning

Once you have thoroughly rinsed any shampoo from your hair, you can move onto conditioner. Again, the goal will be to impact your bonds as little as possible, so we recommend only using your hair extension conditioner on the mid-lengths to ends. Applying conditioner too close to the root is likely to cause the bonds to slip, shortening the lifespan of your extensions. It will also make your natural hair become greasier quicker.

If your hair is feeling a little dry, then you can leave our conditioner on for a few more minutes before rinsing or condition for a second time, providing that you are always avoiding the bonds. This is the same for your clip-in extensions, but the process will be easier as you can always pop on a layer of conditioner, leave it to work its magic and then come back and rinse later.

4. Nourish Your Extensions

After washing and conditioning your natural hair, you are likely to see a beautiful shine, which is not only from your products but also the natural goodness that your scalp produces. Your scalp consists of sebaceous glands which are responsible for feeding your hair with the nutrients and oil it needs to stay nourished. However, as your extensions are not attached to your scalp, they won’t be receiving these natural supplements, so you’ll need to give them a little extra TLC.

Our argan oil hair treatment has been designed to act as an alternative to the natural nutrients produced by your scalp, helping to keep your extensions healthy. Only a small amount is needed, and the oil works best on damp hair, ensuring that when your extensions dry, they are smooth and frizz-free. Just like when applying conditioner, be sure to use the oil on the ends of your hair only to avoid any bond slippage.

5. Keep Them Protected

Human hair extensions are an investment, so regardless of whether you have them fitted or have chosen clip-ins, the goal is always to make sure that they last as long as possible. However, just like your normal hair, constant use of heated styling products and the ever-changing weather can take their toll, so it will be important to keep them protected using our leave-in protein spray. Protein sprays are perfect for keeping your cuticles closed, locking in the nutrients of your argan oil and stopping them from becoming brittle. As a result, you will no longer have to worry about those stubborn flyaway hairs and instead, keep your hair looking super sleek. The product can be used on both wet and dry hair, and you’ll get away with spraying a generous amount on your locks before styling!

6. Clarify & Detox The Hair

If you have noticed that your hair is looking a little lifeless and it is starting to get greasy far quicker than it typically would, then you would benefit from our clarifying shampoo. A good quality clarifying shampoo will always be a worthwhile investment, and as you should only ever use this product once a week, it will last you for quite some time.

So what is the purpose of it we hear you ask? Well, clarifying shampoos are designed to act as a detox for your hair and scalp, helping to remove all of the stubborn oil, product and dirt build-up. It is far more cleansing and purifying than your everyday shampoo, which is why it should only be used when you feel as if your hair needs a deep clean. You are free to use your clarifying shampoo on both your natural hair and extensions using the same shampooing method mentioned above. Afterwards, you will find that your hair feels so much more voluminous, helping you to style with ease!

7. Give Those Locks A Boost

There is nothing better than a pamper evening, even more so when stuck in a lockdown, so be sure to add our hair extension boost to your routine. As a super nourishing, hydrating hair mask, our hair extension boost is perfect if your extensions are starting to become a little dry and dull. The goal of the mask is to restore moisture into the extensions, smoothing and softening, leaving you with that “fresh out of the salon” feel.

We recommend using our hair extension boost bi-weekly, and the product should be used on freshly washed hair. Be sure to thoroughly detangle your locks before application, then work a generous amount of the mask from root to tip, making sure that you avoid the bonds. Allow the boost to deeply condition your hair for up to 10 minutes, depending on how lacklustre your hair is feeling, then thoroughly rinse with warm water.

8. Don’t Forget Maintenance

Although this may be trickier when we are in and out of lockdowns, never neglect the importance of your maintenance appointment when you have fitted extensions. The above hair care routine is designed to keep your natural hair healthy and your extensions in perfect condition, but you will always need to visit a professional every 6 to 12 weeks depending on your extension type. Your maintenance appointments are used to reposition your hair extensions, moving the bonds or tapes back up to the root. Without this, your hair can easily become tangled and matted around the top of the extensions, damaging your natural hair and impacting the longevity of your extensions.

Before getting extensions professionally fitted, be sure to book a consultation with your chosen salon to discuss options as this will give you an idea on how often you will need maintenance appointments. We have certified Regal Envy stockists and extensionists covering many different areas who would be able to help you find the right extensions for your hair.