There is a reason why most beauty professionals prefer real hair extensions over synthetic extensions. Real hair extensions can be colored and styled just like the hair on your head and look much more natural than synthetic extensions. Synthetic extensions have less versatility as they come already styled, either straight or curled, and are made from plastic fibers so they cannot be custom colored to match your hair. However, quality does come at a cost. Real hair extensions require some more care than their low maintenance synthetic counterparts. Shampooing Your Extensions To keep your hair extensions looking amazing for as long as possible, you should shampoo them sparingly. Unlike your real hair, extensions won’t produce oil and do not need to be washed as often as your real hair. There are some situations, however, that will dirty your extensions and you’ll need to wash them. Avoid wearing extensions if you are going to be in extreme weather like strong wind or heavy rain, exercising or any other activity in which you might sweat profusely, or exposed to strong odors such as the smoke at a campfire or barbeque. Any of the above situations will ensure that you will need to wash your extensions more frequently. When you do wash your hair extensions, don’t use the regular shampoo and conditioner that you would normally use every day. You will need to buy shampoo and conditioner, along with other hair care products that are specifically formulated for hair extensions, if you want to maximize the longevity of your extensions. Make sure any shampoo or conditioner that you use is free from sulfates, alcohols, or parabens. After you wash your extensions, let them air dry or blow them out on a low, gentle setting.

Sleeping With Your Extensions

Ideally, if you have clip in extensions, they should be removed before you go to bed at night to keep them looking their best. However, if you do sleep with your clip in extensions or if you have more permanent hair extensions like glue or sew-in, try to loosely braid them before you go to sleep to prevent any tangling or matting. When brushing your extensions, do so gently with a detangling comb and try to avoid pulling or tugging at them.

Styling Your Extensions

Real hair extensions can be styled just like normal hair, by using a straightener, curling iron or wand, or other hot tool. If you curl your hair extensions, you can simply use a flat iron to straighten them back out again. The only difference between styling hair extensions versus styling your real hair is that you should try to use hair styling products as little as possible. While you can use products sparingly, just know that the more product you use, the more frequently you will have to shampoo your hair extensions which could result in a shortened life span. A good rule of thumb, however, is to never use any hair styling products that contain alcohol as alcohol will dry your hair extensions out almost immediately. This ingredient is especially common in hair sprays.