As the only Bellami VIP Salon in Utah, we are all about making people look and feel glamorous with a new set of extensions! But what happens after that initial install, and how do you know when you need to replace them with a new set?
Extensions don’t last forever, unfortunately. Just like your natural hair, they degrade over time, and require trims to keep them healthy! Bellami extensions are of the highest quality, and can generally last quite a long time, assuming you’re taking proper care of them at home. But even with the best aftercare routine, you’ll need a new set eventually! So how can we tell when the time has come?
1. It’s been 6-9 months since your extensions were first installed.
With proper at-home care, and a great maintenance schedule at the salon, your hair can actually last up to 12 months, depending on the method of extensions and how well you take care of them. However, lasting the full 12 months is quite rare, and usually the 6-9 month mark is where people need to buy a new set of extensions. Here are some tips to make sure your extensions are lasting as long as possible:
First, come in for regular maintenance based on the recommendation of your stylist! K-tips usually require a tidy-up cut every six weeks, while wefts, tape-ins, and i-tips require a move-up every six weeks. You can also get the ends of your hair trimmed during these appointments, and a deep conditioning treatment, which will help them to last longer.
Next, brush your hair! Your stylist can explain the ins-and-outs of brushing your hair with your specific installation type, but for the most part, it’s recommended that you brush through your ends twice a day, and at the scalp once a day. You should always use an extension-safe hairbrush with both boar bristles and nylon bristles. These brushes are designed to safely detangle the extensions while being safe to use at or near the attachment point to prevent matting.
Finally, make sure you’re using professional products that are designed for use with hair extensions, and are safe to use at the attachment point. This is arguably one of the most important things you can do for your extensions; you’ve just invested a great deal of your time and money to get the extensions installed, and using the wrong shampoo or conditioner can make them fall out within a week, and even cause irreparable damage. To prevent this, you’ll need to invest a little bit further, and spring for the products your stylist recommends!
2. Your hair is feeling dry and coarse.
When your extensions have been on your head for several months, they eventually start to degrade at the ends, just like your normal hair. The only difference is that your extensions don’t have the benefit of receiving the natural oils that your scalp produces, which can make it degrade faster. We try to counteract that by applying a good hair oil to the ends of our extensions at least once a day, but since the extension hair is no longer growing out of a scalp, there’s only so much we can do. Eventually, the wear and tear of everyday life degrades the extensions to the point where they just need to be replaced.
As mentioned above, you can help to slow down this process by applying a hair oil or dry conditioner daily, and by using good moisturizing products, such as a leave-in conditioner, a hydration-focused conditioner, and using moisturizing hair masques in the shower every now and again. You can also slow down the aging process of your extensions by getting them trimmed at the ends regularly, but this comes with its own problem: the extensions get shorter with every trim. This is good in the sense that the hair itself will last longer, but you can only cut it so many times before they’re no longer extending your length; at that point, it’s time for a new set!
3. Your hair is looking brassy or dull.
Extensions are colored with a specific, very powerful dye to ensure that their color remains consistent across the line, and that there is minimal fading during the time you’re wearing them. However, all dyes fade over time, even if it’s a slow process! By about the 6-9 month mark, you may start to notice your blonde looking a little brassy, or your color feeling a bit dull.
Once your hair gets to this point, it’s time to replace it! The treatments that extensions go through before they get installed make them very difficult to re-dye, so even if you try to refresh the color with a toner or top coat, the color will likely turn out splotchy, no matter how talented and skilled your hairstylist is.
You can prolong your extension’s color and shine by getting regular deep conditioning treatments or using a conditioning masque at home once a week, but like anything else mentioned above, there’s nothing you can do to make your extensions last forever.
Ready to book for your new hair, or for a consultation to get your first set of extensions? Click the “Reserve” button in the top right corner or call the salon today!
