Written by: Kaylee Graves
Caring for your Hand-Tied Weft Extensions
Essential Tips for Hand-Tied Weft Hair Care
Welcome to our comprehensive guide on caring for hand-tied weft extensions! If you’re someone who loves to enhance your natural locks with the beauty and versatility of extensions, you’re in the right place. Maintaining hand-tied weft hair extensions is crucial for their longevity and to keep them looking great. They offer a seamless and natural looking way to add length, volume, and dimension to your hair, but like any investment, they require proper care and maintenance to keep them looking their best.
In this blog, we’ll walk through everything you need to know to ensure that your hand-tied wefts stay beautiful, healthy, and long-lasting. From washing and styling techniques to maintenance tips and beyond, we’ve got you covered.
Lets dive in and discover the secrets to maintaining gorgeous locks that turn heads wherever you go!
Kaylee Graves
Founder of the Beauty Lab
Photo credits: Kassie Reese Photography
(540) 200-5851
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Day-to-Day Care
Daily maintenance is essential to keep your enhanced mane looking its best and to ensure the health of your natural hair. Here are some key daily maintenance tips:
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Brushing - Morning and night, gently brush your hair with a soft bristle brush or an extension brush, I prefer the Hotheads Smoothing Eco-Brush. I always begin with a drop of Davines Oi Oil and apply it sparingly to the ends of my hair. I begin to brush from the ends and work my way to the roots to prevent unnecessary tugging and to minimize tangling.
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Sleeping - Once thoroughly brushed, plan to maintain control of your hair while sleeping. Scrunchies are a must to prevent breakage, my favorites are from LoveLina. I’ve never used a silk scrunchie that actually holds as well as theirs does, plus they are so pretty! My go-to option is a loose, but secure, bun on the top of my head, I call it the “pineapple”. You may also braid your hair to keep it well-behaved while asleep. A silk or satin pillowcase can also reduce friction, preventing any breakage. Avoid sleeping with wet or damp hair because this can cause matting.
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Styling - Style your hair as desired, but be mindful of using heat tools. If using heat styling tools, apply quality professional products to protect both your natural hair and the extensions to minimize damage. Most clients agree that with the addition of extensions, their hair holds hair styles much longer. This is why I highly recommended hair extensions for bridal parties or for any type of formal occasion.
Styling Tips
Styling your hair with hand-tied wefts opens up a world of possibilities to achieve various looks while keeping your extensions seamless and natural looking. Here are some tips:
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Blend Your Natural Hair - To seamlessly blend your natural hair with the extensions, consider using a curling wand or flat iron to curl or straighten both your natural hair and the extensions together. This helps create a cohesive look and ensures that the transition between your natural hair and the extensions is seamless.
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Experiment With Styles - Now that you have more hair, try different styles such as braids, ponytails, buns, half-up/half-down styles and more! Again, extensions prove much purpose with updo’s and other special occasion styles.
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Refresh Your Style - To refresh your style between washes, use a professionally recommended dry shampoo or texture spray. These products will help extend the life of your style.
Washing Your Extensions
Washing your hair with wefts requires a gentle approach to ensure both the extensions and your natural hair remain in optimal condition. Washing them too frequently can strip away natural oils and moisture, leading to dryness and potential damage. Adjust the frequency based on factors such as your scalp’s oiliness, the amount of product build up, and your activity level.
My favorite shampoos are the Davines Shampoo Bars, I love that I can easily cleanse hard to reach areas of my scalp, such as under the wefts. I only use IBE Invisible Beaded Extensions, and I wash mine about once a week, depending on the season. In winter, I can go longer between washes because it's a dryer time of year (here in Virginia). In the summer, I have a unique routine since I live on a lake and am constantly in and out of the water, while also being exposed to plenty of heat and sun. Here are some helpful, step-by-step tips for washing your extensions:
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Brush Your Hair - Before entering the shower, gently brush your hair and extensions to remove any tangles or knots. Start at the ends and work your way up to the roots using a soft bristle brush.
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Shampooing - Soak your hair and extensions with warm water. Lather shampoo in your palms and gently massage it into your scalp. Use downward strokes to cleanse the lengths of the extensions, being careful not to rub or tangle them. Rinse thoroughly with warm water until soap is removed.
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Conditioning - Gently squeeze out any excess water and apply a small amount of conditioner through the lengths of your hair and extensions. Mindfully comb through the extensions with a wide-tooth comb to distribute the conditioner evenly. For nourishing long lengths, I recommend the Davines Renewing Conditioner (this is basically an anti-aging treatment for your hair). Rinse out conditioner thoroughly after recommended processing time.
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Towel Dry - Squeeze out any excess water from your hair and extensions using a soft towel. Avoid rubbing or twisting the extensions, as this can cause damage and tangling.
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Blow Dry - I highly recommend blow-drying your hair every time you wash, as this will give your extensions memory and control which makes it less likely to tangle. I recommend blow-drying on a low heat setting to keep from causing heat damage to the hair.
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Apply Proper Products - I would advise having three styling products:
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First, apply a leave-in conditioner, a customer favorite is the Davines Oi All-in-One Milk, this leaves the hair silky smooth and has some thermal and UV protection,
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Second, apply an oil to the palms of your hands and evenly apply it from the midshaft to the ends of the hair. Again, I recommend the Davines Oi Oil.
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Third, apply a mousse or cream to seal in the first two products. One of our client favorites is the Davines Liquid Spell. This is a strengthening treatment that is blow dried into the hair and smells like a dream!
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Blow Drying Technique - Once I apply my favorite products, I start by drying about 50% of the moisture out. Then, I pre-section my hair starting above the crown, and then sectioning again from ear-to-ear, leaving the bottom section down and ready to be fully dried. Continue up the head until each section is fully dry.
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Style as Desired - Once your hair and extensions are dry, style them as desired using heat styling tools if needed. Remember to use heat protectant spray to minimize damage. My favorite is the Davines Melu Heat Shield. Apply prior to blowdrying to enhance prep for additional heat styling.
Additional Product Recommendations
When it comes to products, I have already mentioned many of my favorites above. However, if you are a product junkie like me and appreciate tailored products so that you can work smarter and not harder, you have come to the right place!
As mentioned above, the minimum recommended products I would start with are a Davines shampoo and conditioner, a leave-in conditioner, an oil, and a cream. Now that you have the basics, here are some additional products you may add to your repertoire:
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Styling Product - Davines This is a Blow-Dry Primer
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This serves as a heat protectant spray, anti-humidity barrier, shine enhancer, and it reduces styling time.
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Scalp Treatment - Davines Elevate Scalp Recovery Treatment
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I use this spray on my wash days as soon as I get out of the shower. It is meant to soothe and balance the scalp. It is a wonderful treatment for sensitized or dehydrated scalps.
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Shine Treatment - Davines Oi Liquid Luster
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A luxurious hair shine treatment that instantly gives extra shine, silkiness, and extreme softness. Apply this product after shampooing, rinse out, and you have the option to condition after (for thick, dry, or unruly hair). You’ll love the results!
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Deep Conditioning - Davines Let It Go Circle
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This is a relaxing scalp and hair mask for a true well-being experience, adding softness, hydration, and comfort. These cute little packs are my perfect travel companions, I get about 4-6 uses from each pack.
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Finishing Product - Davines This is a Shimmering Mist
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A lightweight, glossy mist that adds instant shine for velvety hair. A shimmering mist that fights frizz without weighing hair down. I always finish all of my styles with this product. It is the cherry-on-top for a top notch style!
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Finishing Hold - Davines This is a Medium Hold Hairspray
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This is a flexible and brushable hairspray that eliminates frizz and builds long-lasting structure to any style.
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Dry Shampoo - Davines This is an Invisible Dry Shampoo
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A brunettes dream! Say goodbye to powdery white dry shampoos! Welcome a dry shampoo into your routine to absorb oil and impurities, while leaving a voluminous and soft finish.
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Pro-Tip: Use this on wash-day once your hair is fully dry and use as touch-ups between washes.
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Salon Maintenance
In-salon maintenance is required every 8-10 weeks.
Your hair can be reused multiple times. Depending on your lifestyle, expect the hair to be used for 6-9 months.
Longevity also depends on your at-home care and proper maintenance.
Are you someone researching and considering extensions? Reach out to a reputable IBE certified stylist on the stylist locator or book a consultation with our IBE certified stylist!
Kaylee Graves
Kaylee Graves,
Founder of Beauty Lab
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