Hand-tied extensions are an investment, and how they look in month six is decided almost entirely by what you do at home. The good news is that the routine is short. Five habits, done consistently, are the difference between hair that still feels like yours and hair that gets matted, dry, and uncomfortable.
01 Brush more than you think you need to
Brush twice a day, morning and night, with a soft loop brush or a flexible detangling brush. Hold the hair in your fist just above the rows so you are not pulling at the beads, then work from the ends up toward the roots. Your natural shed hair has nowhere to go once it is inside a row, so daily brushing is what keeps it from tangling into a knot at your scalp.
02 Keep conditioner off the rows
Shampoo at the scalp, condition from the mid-lengths down. Conditioner and heavy masks at the rows soften the beads and the thread, and slippery rows slide. Use a sulfate-free, color-safe shampoo, wash no more than two or three times a week, and support the hair in your hand while you rinse rather than piling it on top of your head.
03 Dry the rows all the way
This is the step people skip, and it is the one that causes the most trouble. Rows that stay damp trap moisture against the scalp, which leads to odor, irritation, and mildew on the wefts. After every wash, rough dry the roots and rows completely on medium heat before you style or leave the house. Never sleep with wet rows.
04 Give them a bedtime routine
Fully dry hair, brushed out, then a loose braid or a low, soft ponytail. That one minute prevents most of the overnight tangling. A silk or satin pillowcase reduces friction and helps the ends stay smooth. If you wear a bonnet, keep it loose enough that it is not tugging at the rows.
05 Book your move-up before you need it
Hand-tied rows are typically moved up every six to eight weeks, depending on how fast your hair grows. Waiting longer puts tension on your natural hair as the rows travel down, and that is where damage and breakage happen. With on-time move-ups and good care, quality hair can often be reused for many months before it needs replacing. Book your next appointment the day you leave the salon so the timing never gets away from you.
Extensions do not fail because of the install. They fail in the shower and on the pillow.
A few extra notes: use a heat protectant before any hot tool, keep oils on the ends rather than near the rows, and rinse your hair with fresh water after the pool or the ocean, since chlorine and salt are hard on extension hair and can pull blonde tones off. If a row ever feels tight, itchy, or like it is hanging low, do not wait for your scheduled visit. Text us and come in.
New to all of this, or still deciding? Our hand-tied extensions page walks through what the appointment involves, and we go over the full at-home routine with you in the chair before you ever leave with your new hair.
Ready for your next appointment?
Book your visit ↗