Drying & BrushingUpdated 3 hours ago
- Towel Drying: After washing, gently blot or squeeze excess water from the hair with a soft towel – do not rub the hair aggressively with the towel. Rubbing can rough up the cuticles and cause tangles or matting in extension hair. A microfiber towel is ideal to reduce friction.
- No Wet Bonds: Never let extensions stay wet for long periods. It’s critical to dry the roots/attachments thoroughly after washing to prevent bond breakdown and matting. Avoid leaving your extensions to air dry entirely, especially if you wear wefts – prolonged dampness at the scalp can lead to tangling or mildew near the bonds. Instead, blow-dry the root area on a low-heat setting until completely dry. You can allow the mid-lengths and ends to finish air-drying after roots are dry, or continue blow-drying on medium heat, but do not go to bed with damp or wet hair under any circumstance (this will cause severe tangling).
- Detangling Wet Hair: Hair is more fragile when wet, so use extra care. Do not brush extensions while soaking wet. Instead, use your fingers or a wide-tooth comb to gently detangle while the hair is damp (and saturated with conditioner or leave-in). Start at the ends and work up gradually. A wet brush (brush designed for wet detangling) can be used if it’s very gentle and extension-safe. Always support the weft or bond with your other hand to avoid pulling. If the client prefers to air dry some days, they must still blow-dry the root area and ensure the bonds are dry before braiding for bed
- Brushing Routine: Brush your extensions at least twice a day (morning and evening) and as needed throughout the day. Frequent, gentle brushing prevents matting and “bird’s nest” tangles from forming, especially at the nape area. Use a dedicated extension brush with flexible or looped bristles or a soft paddle brush made for extensions. These are designed to glide through extension hair without catching on bonds. Always brush from the ends upward in small sections: hold each section above the area you’re brushing (use one hand to hold the hair near the roots/attachment, and brush with the other hand). This hand-support technique minimizes tension on the roots and bonds.
- Sectioning for Brushing: Encourage clients with multiple weft rows or bonds to section their hair when brushing. For example, clip up the top layers and detangle the underneath rows first, then the top, so that all layers (and the natural hair between extension wefts) get brushed. This avoids missed tangles hiding near the scalp. After detangling ends and mid-lengths, gently brush from roots to ends. Evenly distribute serums and oils from midlength to ends of the extension hair (healthy oils won’t travel down extensions on their own like they would on your natural hair).
- Bond Separation: Instruct clients to finger-separate the extension bonds or wefts daily. This is especially important for strand-by-strand extensions (keratin bonds, i-tips) – lightly feel and pull apart each bond at the root with your fingers to ensure they are not matting together with shed hair. Natural hair sheds about 50–100 strands a day, and those shed hairs can get trapped around extension bonds, causing tangles or dreadlocking if not separated. By gently separating and lifting each bond or row, the client can prevent matting in the growth area. (This only takes a few minutes but is crucial maintenance.)
- Preventing Static & Snags: If the extension hair is prone to static or flyaways (common in dry weather), the client can apply a tiny drop of serum or leave-in conditioner to the mid-lengths and ends to help smooth it, or use a recommended anti-frizz spray (extension-safe). Remind them to avoid applying such products at the root. For static control while brushing, a wide-tooth comb can be useful as it produces less static than a plastic brush. Also, never backcomb/tease directly over the bonds – if backcombing for styling, do it on the hair above the bond and with great care.
- Proper Tools: Emphasize using the correct tools: a loop brush or long-bristle paddle brush made for extensions will protect the attachments. Standard brushes with short or stiff bristles can snag bonds. A wide-tooth comb is ideal for wet hair or removing snarls on lengths, and a small boar-bristle brush can be used on the natural hair at the crown for finishing style (but shouldn’t be forced through extension bonds). Also recommend clients use silk scrunchies or spiral hair ties instead of regular elastics when pulling hair back – these prevent unnecessary pulling or catching on extension hair. Keeping a travel-sized detangling brush in their bag is helpful so they can gently brush throughout the day if needed.