Summer Extension Care
Oceanside breeze flowing through your long, flowing hair– is there a better feeling? This summer, you may feel inclined to embrace your inner mermaid and get extensions to bring length and volume to your hair.
You may also be a little nervous about how your summer plans will be affected by adding a couple of rows of hair to your head. Before you cancel your beach trip in exchange for voluminous hair, know that your summer doesn't have to be over after an extension install.
At the same time, extensions are a large investment, and caring for them is very important. Extensions can last for 8-12 months with proper care, but maintaining that hair’s health is key for longevity. Whether you are considering installing extensions or you already have them set, here are some important summer extension care tips.
Firstly, the biggest word to remember is “brush.” As always with extensions, brushing your hair morning, noon and night is the easiest way to prevent tangling and damage to your hair and extensions. Before biking down the boardwalk or taking a stroll in the sand, brush your hair thoroughly and consider tying it back into a loose braid to limit tangling. With high wind speeds and sand and sea spray flying about, a light protective style makes your post-beach routine go a lot smoother. It is also good practice to bring a mini brush on the go to prevent tangles from becoming knots throughout the day.
With heat waves frequent and UV indexes high, sunscreen is a necessity. When picking a sunscreen, check the labels and avoid sunscreens with Avobenzone and Oxybenzone. These ingredients can cause extensions to turn irreversibly pink. Reaching for a mineral sunscreen rather than a chemical sunscreen allows you to avoid these ingredients altogether.
It is also important to use a form of sun protection on your hair and extensions. Look for styling products that protect from UV/sun damage. These protect the hair and color and prevent fading and dryness. We love Oribe’s Invisible Defense Universal Protection Spray as it protects from UV and environmental pollutants, as well as heat styling tools. Extensions tend to lighten from sun exposure at a faster rate than your natural hair meaning UV protection is key to maintaining the seamless blend of hair.
If you plan on going for a swim check out our Pool Protection: Chlorine Damage blog post to get tips and tricks for chlorine exposure. For extensions specifically, braiding your hair before diving in the water will go a long way to stop the chlorine induced tangles.
Throughout the hot seasons, you should also work to keep your hair healthy and hydrated and deep conditioning and hair masks can help with this objective. We love Davines’ NOU NOU Hair Mask or the MINU Hair Mask for color-treated hair. For coarse and frizzy hair we love the LOVE Smooth Hair Mask.
At the end of the day, extensions in the summer do add a few steps to your beach day routine. However, these steps are quite manageable and are very worthwhile when it comes to maintaining your beautiful, long hair.
If you are interested in an extension installation, contact the salon at 919-706-0324 or fill out an appointment request form to talk to a stylist about the process!
