Hair extensions are a great way to instantly add length, volume, and dimensional color to your hair while allowing you to maintain the integrity of your own hair. However, if there’s one thing you need to know how to do to maintain the health and beauty of your extensions, it’s maintenance. And with maintenance comes knowing how to wash hair extensions properly.

Learn how to shampoo and take care of your hair extensions in this article and ensure they continue looking beautiful for as long as possible!

Have the Right Products

It’s important to have the right type of hair care products for washing your hair extensions since some can actually damage the hair.

1. Sulfate-free shampoo to prevent drying out and damaging the hair extensions
2. Hydrating sulfate-free hair conditioner
3. Wide-tooth comb to remove any tangles after washing

How to Wash Temporary Hair Extensions

Temporary hair extensions include halo hair extensions and clip in hair extensionsand are meant to be removed before sleeping and showering. To wash temporary hair extensions, you would remove them from your hair (if currently wearing them) or from their box before washing.

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How to Wash Clip in Hair Extensions

Remove the clip in extensions from your hair or their container and lay them out on a clean, flat surface. Using a wide-tooth comb, begin brushing the hair to remove any tangles, starting from the bottom and working your way up. Be sure to place the extension wefts on top of each other and in a bundle, to keep them tidy, together, and to prevent them from getting tangled on the clips.

Next, fill up your clean bathroom sink with lukewarm water and squirt in a few pumps of sulfate-free shampoo into the sink.

You can either wash each weft or bundle them together and wash them all at the same time. Holding them at the clips, gently use your fingers to work the water and shampoo into the hair. Do not be too rough since you don’t want to tangle the hair. Rinse off any shampoo suds and lay them down flat on a clean, dry towel next to the sink.

Conditioning your hair extensions will be the most important step to keep them healthy and hydrated. You can use a regular conditioner or a conditioning hair mask. Take a generous amount of conditioner and gently work it into each weft, from the mid-shaft through the ends. Ideally, leave the conditioner on the hair for at least one hour or even overnight to allow for a deep conditioning treatment. If you choose to do an overnight treatment, place the extensions in a shower cap to seal in the product.

Once it’s time to wash the conditioner out, rinse the wefts under clean water in the sink, being sure to wash out all of the products. Once all of the conditioners is rinsed out, give your extensions a rinse under cold water to seal the cuticles and give them more shine.

Gently squeeze out any excess water and let your extensions air dry by laying them each out flat on a towel on the bed or floor. You can gently comb the damp extensions with a wide-tooth comb to remove any tangles. If you must use a hairdryer, spray them first with a heat protectant product. You can also apply a drop of two of hair oil to the damp extensions to ensure they dry without the frizz.

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How to Wash Halo Hair Extensions

The same steps can be taken to wash halo hair extensions as with the clip in hair extensions, except instead of washing multiple wefts, you’ll just be washing the one larger weft of hair. Fold the halo weft a few times to make a smaller bundle of hair. Be sure to clean the weft of the extension very well to remove any product build-up, sweat or oil.

Follow the remaining steps for conditioning and drying.

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How to Wash Your Hair While Wearing Hair Extensions

Whenever you wash your own hair, you’ll be washing your semi-permanent hair extensions too.

Whether you have tape in hair extensions, fusion extensions, hand tied hair extensions, or micro ring or I tip hair extensions, you will follow these steps and tips:

• Use a sulfate-free shampoo to avoid drying and damaging the hair
• Avoid washing and scrubbing the extensions directly at the root to prevent damaging the tape, glue or bond, or to prevent slippage from the beads or rings
• The middle and ends of the hair extensions do not need a lot of shampoos since they do not produce any oil
• When applying conditioner, avoid the base (root) of your hair and of the hair extensions to prevent the oils from causing slippage or movement of the extensions, or removal of the adhesive
• When done showering, gently squeeze out the excess water and blot your hair with a towel. Do not rub your hair or extensions vigorously or pull them up into a towel on top of your head.

How Often to Wash Hair Extensions

When washing temporary hair extensions, it is important not to wash them too often. You may not even need to wash them every month, but only when you feel they really need it – such as when you can tell they have an excess buildup of product and they don’t feel as soft and shiny as before.

For semi-permanent hair extensions, try your best not to wash them with your hair every day, and no more than every other day. Even less often is ideal to avoid stripping them of their oils and causing dryness.

For more tips and hair inspiration, visit our hair blog and contact our expert team with any questions you may have about selecting, purchasing and taking care of your hair extensions.