Classic Clip-Ins
FAQ
STEP 1: PREPARE
Group your clip-in set/wefts together, holding onto them from the top, and wet your extensions under the sink with cold water until completely wet.
STEP 2: CLARIFYING SHAMPOO
If you're starting with hair with excess buildup, use a clarifying shampoo first. If your hair is moderately dirty, skip to STEP 3.
Add 2-3 pumps of clarifying shampoo and evenly distribute it on your hands. You want the shampoo to reach everywhere. Gently distribute the product in a circular downward motion, massaging into strands and avoiding scrubbing the hair to prevent damage. Make sure you are thoroughly rinsing out all product after washing. Wash your hair extensions with cool to lukewarm water. Hot water can strip color and cause fading. Rinse thoroughly to remove all product residue.
Using a specially designed brush is essential when it comes to extensions. We recommend a Wet Brush as it makes brushing hassle-free on both WET or DRY hair with less breakage.
Color-safe shampoo works to preserve hair color by using gentle ingredients that cleanse hair without stripping out the color with detergents and other chemicals that might remove color deposits from hair. We recommend the Paul Mitchell Clarifying Shampoo.
Avoid overwashing your hair extensions. Washing too frequently can lead to color fading and dryness. Aim to wash your extensions only when necessary. This will help protect your investment!
Be gentle when washing your hair extensions. Use a soft, downward motion to lather and rinse, avoiding any aggressive rubbing or scrubbing that might cause friction and color loss.
STEP 3: MOISTURIZING SHAMPOO
Product recommendation: Paul Mitchell Original Awapuhi Shampoo. It is a great moisturizing and hydrating shampoo. It is color-safe as well, which means it works to preserve hair color, just like the clarifying shampoo.
Before this (but after the clarifying shampoo), you may want to use a purple or blue shampoo to cancel out yellow or brassy tones. Use this if you want to tone and not just as a shampoo. If you use purple shampoo, leave it to sit and tone the hair for about 5 minutes. We recommend the Olaplex No. 4P Blonde Enhancing Toner Shampoo.
Discolored hair is usually from mineral deposits. A light green tone is caused by chlorine. Peach hair is caused by iron deposits, makeup, and sunscreen. If necessary, use the LOREAL Metal Detox Shampoo to remove excess minerals.
STEP 4: TREAT
After using the moisturizing shampoo, apply your mask. Make sure you squeeze as much water as possible before applying. Use a hydrating mask or strengthening mask depending on what your hair needs are.
If you purchase extensions with blonde hair (single colors as well as highlighted hair), you must do a K18 treatment for the first 6 washes. Let the mask stay for at least 4 minutes, do not rinse it out, then add your leave-in conditioner, heat protectant and style. After the first 6 washes, you can do a treatment after every 3-4 weeks.
K18 goes deeper inside the hair strand to reconnect broken keratin chains and regenerate disulfide bonds that have been destroyed when bleaching the hair. In just 4 minutes, K18 will strengthen, improve elasticity, add shine and bounce.
Product recommendation for treating damage: K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask.
After using k18 for 6 washes, you can start alternating between the Olaplex No. 3 Hair Repair Perfector and K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask. Olaplex repairs and prevents damage, whereas the K18 mask works to restore your hair to its previous state.
Product recommendation for moisture and hydration: Amika Soulfood Nourishing Hair Mask or Amika Hydro Rush Intense Moisture Hair Mask with Hyaluronic Acid.
STEP 5: CONDITION
Conditioning your extensions is a key step to keeping them soft and silky. Avoid the root or any contact with the clip-in weft, again distributing product in a gentle, downward motion and leave the product in for 3 minutes. Also, do the final rinse with cold water to seal those cuticles down. Product recommendation: Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Conditioner.
STEP 6: GLOSS/GLAZE
If your hair is color-dull, frizzy, tangly, or lacking smoothness, we recommend doing a glossing/glaze treatment. This will last 1-2 weeks.
Product recommendations:
Ouai Hair Gloss (added benefit: heat protection)
KERASTASE Chroma Absolu Chroma Hair Gloss (added benefit: treats damage)
Pureology Color Fanatic Top Coat + Clear Hair Gloss (best all-round glossing treatment)
STEP 7: LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER & OIL
Apply your leave-in conditioner (and heat protectant if heat styling). We recommend the Pureology Color Fanatic Multi-Tasking Leave-In Spray. After this, add 1 dime-size amount of a lightweight penetrating/conditioning oil. We recommend Argan, Coconut, or the Olaplex No7 Bonding oil (hair must still be damp before application).
During the winter, we recommend using a 1/2 dime-size amount of glycerin oil in addition to or alternatively to the oils above. This will prevent your hair from feeling dry and brittle. Mix it between your palms with the leave-in conditioner and apply from the middle to the ends of your hair.
Glycerin is one of the best humectants for hair; it pulls moisture from the air and traps it in your hair. So, even when it's super dry outside, using glycerin can keep your hair moist, stopping it from getting dry, brittle, and breaking easily.
STEP 8: AIR/BLOW DRY
Blow dry using the cool to low-heat setting. IMPORTANT: Do not brush or comb your extensions while blow drying. Use your fingers to shake and spread your hair as you blow dry. Brushing your hair in its wet state while blow drying will cause breakage because bleached hair is particularly elastic and thus highly vulnerable when wet. Start brushing your extensions when they are 90% dry. Alternatively, you can let your hair extensions air dry until 90% before using a blow dryer, or let them air dry completely.
STEP 9: STYLE
The outermost layer of a hair strand, called the cuticle, is a protective barrier of overlapping, scale-like cells. When the cuticle is smooth and flat, hair appears shiny, healthy, and tangle-free. Applying excessive heat lifts/opens the cuticle, causing your hair to lose moisture quickly and become dry, frizzy, and tangly.
If you want to wear your hair straight, we recommend wrapping it at night (like you would wrap a silk press) right after straightening to give the cuticles a chance to rest and cool. If you are straightening your extensions on a hair extensions hanger, we recommend wrapping it around a silk scarf the night before.
If you recently completed a glossing/glazing treatment in the last 2 weeks, you do not need to leave your hair to cool the night before. Just straighten and go! If you haven't done a glossing treatment in a while and want to style your hair and go out right after, we recommend the Color Wow Dream Coat Extra Strength Anti-Frizz Treatment. This will prevent the cuticles of your hair from lifting while straightening.
You do not have to let your hair rest if you are curling your hair. Simply heat style and go!
We recommend the REDKEN Triple Dry 15 Texturizing Spray for removing excess oil and matching your hair with our extensions. This is a great dry shampoo alternative that will give your curls a nice hold while heat styling. Make sure you spray an arm's length away and be sure to brush your hair as you are misting.
If your extensions are dull, we recommend the OSiS+ Sparkler Shine Hairspray for a lightweight shine.
While colors naturally fade over time, our brown shades stay vibrant for a long time. Keep in mind that fancy, bright, and/or colorful tones, being semi-permanent, may fade with occasional use. If the color dulls, a quick recoloring can bring back the brightness. For better color retention, avoid washing your extensions too frequently and store them in airtight covers.
Alternatively, you can do a quick glossing/glaze treatment to restore color vibrancy and shine.
Product recommendations:
Ouai Hair Gloss (added benefit: heat protection)
KERASTASE Chroma Absolu Chroma Hair Gloss (added benefit: treats damage)
Pureology Color Fanatic Top Coat + Clear Hair Gloss (best all round glossing treatment)
Exposure to chlorinated pool water or saltwater from the ocean can be damaging to both natural hair and hair extensions. Chlorine can strip the hair of natural oils, leading to dryness and tangling.
The combination of water, especially if it's salty or chlorinated, and the movement in the water can cause hair extensions to tangle and mat. This can lead to difficulties in detangling and may contribute to hair extension damage.
Also, sun exposure combined with the chemicals in pool water can contribute to color fading, affecting the appearance of both natural hair and colored hair extensions.
To minimize the potential negative effects of swimming on your hair extensions, you can take the following precautions: (1) wear a swim cap or (2) put your hair in a high bun.
Before going to bed, gently detangle your hair extensions using a wide-tooth comb or a special extension brush. Start from the ends and work your way up to the roots to minimize pulling and breakage.
Gather your hair into a loose and low ponytail or 2 large braids. This helps prevent tangling and reduces friction between the extensions and your pillowcase.
Sleeping on a silk or satin pillowcase reduces friction and minimizes the risk of your hair extensions getting tangled. These materials are gentler on your hair and help maintain its smoothness.
It's generally not advisable to sleep with wet hair, including wet hair extensions. Allow your hair extensions to dry completely before going to bed to prevent matting or damage.
Consider wrapping your hair in a silk or satin scarf or using a silk/satin bonnet. This helps protect the hair extensions and keeps them in place while you sleep.
If possible, try to sleep on your back. This reduces the chances of friction and tangling, especially if your hair extensions are styled in a way that they can rub against the pillow.
Apply a leave-in conditioner and oil to the ends then divide your hair in two sections and do two loose braids. This helps keep the extensions moisturized overnight.
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