The most exciting thing about getting extensions is how amazing they look after you put them in for the first time. Whether it’s a more semi-permanent install with beads or a weave or something temporary like tape-ins, you look in the mirror and you have a full, luscious head of hair enough for you to say, “hello gorgeous” to yourself.
But then, weeks go by and all of a sudden you’re dealing with knots, frizz and tangles or worse...pieces falling out where the bonds just broke. So what happened? It might surprise you to know that the majority of extension damage happens at home and the culprit is you! Remember that no matter what type of extensions you have, the best quality ones (like ours) are made with real human hair extensions, BUT unlike your own real hair it’s not attached to the scalp. The base of our hair follicles imparts oils that travel down the length of our hair keeping it healthy, shiny and protected. Your extensions need to have some of that oil both from your hair and scalp and also often some extra helpful oils such as our Perfect Locks Argan Oil.
Brushing your hair and extensions does a few things:
- It helps redistribute oil throughout the hair and helps impart it to your extensions
- It detangles the hair, preventing knots and frizz from friction
The problem when it comes to the damage we talked about earlier starts with your brush. Most brushes tend to be coarse and stiff, adding rough friction (almost if you were scraping extensions already lacking natural oil with sandpaper). Over time this dulls them, damages the cuticle...leading to frizz and tangles. So when it comes to brushing, not just any brush will do!
Loop Brushes
Loop Brushes look like your typical brush until you look at the bristles and find not bristles, but loops! Since bristles can tug on your hair and weaken your bonds over time, loops allow the brush to slide and glide through the hair without creating friction. The hair just slides around the loops, eliminating tangles and knots as it goes. It's the perfect brush for hair extensions, it works on all types and textures and is simple enough for anyone to use.
Travel Brushes
The saying goes that your hair looks too good to stay in on a Friday night, and frankly we couldn’t agree more. We created a compact size travel brush that you can carry with you on the go during the day or even while traveling. It has gentle-tipped bristles that will allow you to gently brush your hair as needed as well as a built-in travel mirror so you can check your hair and even more makeup.
The Right Brush Matters
Once you have the RIGHT brush that won’t wreck your lovely hair, it’s important to remember the technique matters.
- Start from the END of your hair first, which might sound out, but you want to address tangles in your hair first so it won’t tug on your bonds. Simply separate the hair into horizontal sections and brush each section at a time.
- Finish by gently brushing from the root of your scalp to the ends in long, fluid gentle motions to really help distribute the natural oils of your scalp and real hair into your extensions. Continue until your hair looks smooth, shiny and stunning!