Aftercare Guidance for Prestige Hair Extensions
This Aftercare page supplements our full Terms and Conditions which are available via this link https://www.prestigehairextensions.com/terms-and-conditions
For any hair extensions brand that you choose, it is important that you follow the aftercare instructions specific to that brand. There is a huge variation in processing methods during production across the hair extensions industry. This means that each brand of extensions can have different characteristics and behave differently. The following aftercare instructions have been developed from our knowledge and experience of hair extensions production, along with years of product testing in collaboration with highly skilled salons.
Aftercare Guidance for Salons
Prestige Hair Extensions can for the most part be washed, dried, straightened and curled in almost the same manner as your natural hair. Several chemicals found in some hair care products, in addition to any heat applied during styling, can damage your hair extensions over time (specific details of this can be found below). Correct aftercare will prolong the condition and lifespan of your new hair extensions.
All hair, unless stated as "Virgin" is coloured with various hair dyes. Occasionally, hair dye can be seen washing out during the first couple of washes - this is not a fault and can happen with your own natural hair following a colouring service. Although this is not a fault, it may cause people with specific allergies to react to the hair dye. Taking this into consideration, we do not claim that Prestige Hair Extensions are suitable for anyone with allergies to hair dye.
It is the responsibility of the Salon to conduct patch testing for allergies prior to fitting, this should include testing for allergies to the tape adhesive or metal rings. Patch testing can be done during the consultation, alternatively a few rings could be fitted prior to the full fitting to allow time to observe any allergic reactions. We do not offer refunds for customers when an allergic reaction has occurred to our products.
In addition to the step by step aftercare advice provided for clients, we would like to draw to the attention of salon owners and hair professionals several issues that we commonly encounter. Guidance is provided on how to avoid these issues, along with explanations to demonstrate the importance of educating clients about them. Further detailed information is provided within the terms and conditions of our guarantee which is available via this link - https://www.prestigehairextensions.com/terms-and-conditions
Our guarantee is only valid if you are able to assess the condition of the hair extensions in person and return them to us if requested, this may mean you are unable to claim for clients that live in another country/too far to travel.
*IMPORTANT NOTE*
Our hair will never matt or bunch up, exclusions and warnings provided below describe common issues that result from the bleaching process necessary to produce high quality blonde hair extensions. This process lightens naturally very dark hair to almost white with minimal damage. There is no other way to produce such light, high quality blondes. Whilst minimal damage to the hair occurs, the nature of this process means that extra care must be taken to maintain the delicate colour of the final product.
Hair extensions (especially blonde) can discolour over time, or when exposed to various environmental factors including some standard beauty products. Extra care should be taken to avoid Hair Extensions contacting with sun protection creams and false tanning products. Contact with such products can change the hair to a pink/peach/copper colour, especially when combined with high mineral content water often found abroad (such as pool water / sea water). This colour change results from the absorption of minerals that cause a reaction within the extensions.
Often a single Malibu C treatment is sufficient to remove these minerals and rectify any discolouration but sometimes additional treatments are necessary, please contact our customer service team for detailed advice. If not treated immediately or if swimming pool / seawater is allowed to dry into the hair, the discolouration can become more difficult to resolve (this is discussed in further detail in the full Terms and Conditions - here). If discolouration is experienced on holiday, soaking the hair in lemon juice for 30 minutes provides a simple emergency treatment, although a good conditioner will be required afterwards.
Clients should be encouraged to consider the benefits of switching to an older set of hair extensions for holidays. Where this is not an option, clients can be provided with the ‘Swimming and Holidays’ guidance we have provided below. Please ensure that before a fitting, your client understands that discoloration of this nature is not a fault with the hair extensions and if experienced will not qualify for a refund or replacement.
During the summer months, discolouration of blondes becomes more common place. Many factors may contribute to this including but not limited to - well water, hard water areas and cosmetics or chemicals associated with use during warmer weather. Treatment for such discolouration is the same as described above, often a single Malibu C treatment is sufficient to remove the cause of the discoloration within the hair extensions. Again, we ask that you make your clients aware that this is not due to any fault with the extensions and should a treatment fail will not qualify for a refund or replacement.
It is worth noting that some brands of Argan oil contain artificial colourings which are known to stain the hair, especially when combined with heat – These brands should never be used as the discoloration is difficult to remove. Only argan oils free of colourants and formulated specifically for blonde hair should be used.
A Hair Extensions Consultation takes place when a client makes a booking with a Salon to discuss their options regarding a proposed hair extensions fitting. The Salon assesses the client’s hair, colour and discusses all suitable options. At this point the client has not committed to the fitting, so the consultation presents the most appropriate time to educate the client as to potential issues they may reasonably expect to encounter with their extensions and perform appropriate patch / allergy tests.
Clients should be informed of their own responsibility to avoid these issues through proper aftercare. When conducted in this way, the consultation provides the client time to reflect and make an informed decision. During the consultation, the total cost of extensions should be explained. This should include all costs associated with aftercare, refitting and removal. Hair Extensions require ongoing maintenance and refitting, sometimes at short notice in the event of an accident (for example - using conditioner on tapes or micro rings makes them more likely to fall out). The client should be encouraged to consider whether they can afford to pay for any unexpected maintenance costs/removal. If not, they may not be a good candidate for Hair Extensions.
The initial consultation is also the best time to discuss any guarantees you may offer the client and what will happen in the event of a product fault. Our guarantee is available inline with our terms and conditions to the account holder only and does not cover any additional costs above the value of the faulty products. Please check the lifespan and guarantee section of our terms and conditions before purchase.
We provide more detailed information regarding our guarantee and the manufacturing of hair extensions in our terms and conditions. We believe that sharing as much information with you as possible helps you to manage your client’s expectations and ensure that they are able to make an informed decision.
Avoid mixing different brands or different qualities of Hair Extensions as this will increase the likelihood of experiencing issues such as tangling and matting, please remember that no two brands are the same. Prestige Hair Extensions should only be applied by suitably qualified and insured professionals to avoid damage to client’s natural hair.
Clients’ hair must be clean and dry before application of extensions. Deep cleansing products should be used on the natural hair before extensions have been applied. Do not use conditioner near the roots or other styling products such as serum, heat protector, hair spray etc. prior to fitting, these can make the bonds / rings slip.
Most stylists will offer new clients a 2 week follow up appointment to inspect the bonds & extensions for any issues. It is quite common to lose a few bonds; these can be refitted at this appointment. Natural hair will grow approximately half an inch per month, extensions will need refitting as they grow away from the roots. Maintenance appointments are usually performed between 4-12 weeks depending on the type of extensions that have been fitted, your client’s hair type and specific aftercare requirements (rings and wefts will slip more easily in finer hair).
Aftercare Guidance for Your Clients
When Washing:
- If bonds have been fitted, advise the client not to wash their hair for 48 hours. This will allow the bonds to settle in, the longer you are able to wait the better.
- Advise clients to wait 48 hours before washing Tape Extensions to allow the longer-term adhesives to bond effectively. If washed before 48 hours has elapsed, they may fall out or not last as long.
- Do not wash Hair Extensions every day. If required, please consider using dry shampoo or washing only the natural section of your hair.
- Brush your hair before washing to minimise tangling.
- It is recommended that clients wash their Hair Extensions in the shower, avoid washing in the bath or over a sink.
- Gently apply shampoo in a downwards motion to reduce tangling.
- Rinse away all traces of shampoo before using plenty of conditioner, taking care to avoid the roots and bonds.
When Drying:
- NEVER sleep (or tie hair in a bun) while Hair Extensions are wet, they WILL matt together.
- Do not towel dry Hair Extensions with a scrubbing motion. Instead, blot and squeeze the hair in a towel to remove any excess moisture.
- Do not leave hair extensions to dry naturally, the moisture can soften the bonds/tapes and cause them to fall out. It will also create “fluffing” of the Hair Extensions. Heat seals the hair cuticle creating a nice sleek look, so Hair Extensions are best blow dried then gently straightened as required (using a thermal heat protector designed for extensions).
- Dry the Tapes / Keratin bonds / Rings after washing using a hair dryer. You should ensure that you use a cool / low setting as excessive heat can damage or denature the bonds, tape adhesive or PU track.
When Brushing:
- If not brushed, Hair Extensions will start to matt.
- ALWAYS use a cushioned, bristled brush or Tangle Teaser available from all good hair and beauty shops to avoid snagging bonds or pulling too hard.
- NEVER over brush the Hair Extensions when wet. Hair is more fragile when wet and more likely to snap. A wide tooth comb is recommended for use when wet.
- Use a detangling spray if needed. If extensions tangle do not pull them, carefully brush from the ends of the hair gradually moving upwards.
- Brush Hair Extensions all the way from root to tip, as the sections above the bond/ micro ring will grow with the natural hair and need separating to avoid matting above the bonds.
- Never backcomb the hair.
When Styling:
- When straightening or curling Hair Extensions, keep heat appliances away from the bond / attachment / track because they will melt if you get too close.
Important Reminder- Real Human Hair Extensions can be heat styled at any temperature that you would use on your own hair (see exception for light blondes below). They are not synthetic and will not melt, but high temperatures can accelerate colour fading and damage in the same way that your own hair colour fades with heat.
Exception for Light Blondes All our hair extensions are made from naturally black to dark brown hair and due to the salts and catalysts used during bleaching to reach the lightest blonde colours, high styling temperatures can cause a burnt orange discolouration on blondes. This is extremely difficult to remove when caused by heat often requiring several bleach and toning treatments. To minimise the chance of this happening, temperatures **below 160c** should be used on blondes and heat protection products are to be considered essential.
- Regularly separate the bonds. Hair that sheds naturally daily can become trapped in the bonds and cause them to matt together. Skipping this step results in large matted areas between the scalp and bonds that are extremely difficult to brush out and can result in loss of hair.
- Although human, extension hair no longer receives oils from your scalp and so needs revitalising with specialist products to ensure hair looks and feels silky. This should be done approximately once a week.
- It is vital that you only use high quality products compatible with your brand of Hair Extensions. We recommend professional colour care ranges for best results.
- When playing sports or going to bed, tie hair in a loose plait or scrunchy ponytail to avoid matting and minimise excessive brushing in the morning.
- Do not pick at your bonds and always have them removed by a professional, failure to acknowledge this can risk snapping and losing your own hair.
Your hair is built up of keratin and treated with its own system of natural oils called sebum. Sebum coats your natural hair, assisted by brushing. This natural process is disturbed by Hair Extensions, so a little extra help is needed:
- To moisturise your Hair Extensions, a conditioning serum works best. Oils on their own form a barrier creating a silky look, but a good quality serum / oil blend will be absorbed into the hair itself.
- Do not use hair oils near your roots or bonds, use a pea size amount on the ends of the Hair Extension only. Ensure the oil is properly washed out to prevent product build up.
- Always use a heat protector that is compatible with Hair Extensions before styling.
*IMPORTANT NOTE*
Some brands of ARGAN OIL can cause discolouration of Blonde Hair Extensions. You should either avoid using Argan oil or Use one specifically formulated for blonde extensions that does not contain artificial colours.Pure Argan oil is too heavy to be regularly applied to Hair Extensions, most high-quality brands use a blend of Argan oil and conditioners in their “Argan Oil” products. These can also contain large amounts of silicones and artificial colours which can cause the Hair Extensions to become dry and discoloured over time.
We do not recommend swimming with hair extensions. If you do decide to enter a swimming pool, jacuzzi or the sea, it’s important to keep your Hair Extensions tied up and out of the water. Salt and chlorine will severely dry out your extensions. Other chemicals present in swimming pools etc can react with lighter Hair Extensions changing their colour to pink, green or orange. Use a swimming cap if necessary and / or apply conditioner to your extensions as a barrier before entering the water.
If you do accidently get seawater or chlorine on your Hair Extensions, you should wash immediately & never allow pool or seawater to dry into your extensions. Hair Extensions are highly likely to matt when left and tied up wet like this.
Malibu C products available on our website can help remove discolouration but are not 100% effective, prevention is better than cure. Many customers take the Malibu C Hard Water Shampoo and Conditioner set with them on holidays which includes 4 treatment sachets. Stronger Malibu C treatments are available if the Hard Water range does not completely remove the discolouration.
If discolouration is experienced on holiday and Malibu C is not available, soaking the hair in lemon juice for 30 minutes provides a simple emergency treatment, although a good conditioner will be required afterwards.
There are no refunds or exchanges for this kind of discolouration, the above advice only reduces the chance of occurrence.
Most Hair Extension shades will fade and need recolouring. Home Colouring of the Hair Extensions is not recommended. Hair Extensions have already been through a lot of processing.
This makes it difficult to further lighten their colour. Extensions can be dyed to a darker shade successfully with some professional salon semi-permanent colour houses, this should only be done by a professional experienced at colouring extensions.
Hair Extensions should never be bleached to a lighter shade, there is always a risk that this will damage them or not completely remove the colour, they can only be safely toned darker.