Alisa Pose
Journal
How do you wash and care for hair extensions?
All five methods Alisa uses are premium human hair. You wash, curl and straighten them like your own hair. A few habits decide how long a set lasts.
Written by Alisa Pose · Great Lengths certified · 20 years in extensions
Washing
Wash as normal, but keep anything containing sulphates or heavy oils away from the attachment. The lengths can be treated like your own hair.
Brushing
Brush from the ends up, not from the top down.
Sleeping
Do not sleep with it loose. It is one of the habits that shortens a set.
Heat, sun and salt
Use heat protection every time you curl or straighten. On the coast, sun and salt are hardest on the ends, which is where a set shows its age first.
The move-up
Care at home keeps a set looking right between appointments. The move-up keeps it sitting right as your own hair grows. Hand-tied wefts need one every six to eight weeks.
Common questions
Can you wash hair extensions like normal hair?
Yes. You can wash, curl and straighten them normally. Keep products with sulphates or heavy oils away from the attachment.
What shortens the life of hair extensions?
Heat without protection, brushing from the top down instead of the ends up, sleeping on it loose, and washing with sulphates or heavy oils near the attachment.
Does the extension method change the aftercare?
The habits are the same for every method. What changes is how often you come back for a move-up.