Curly hair extensions can be a brilliant way to transform your look with gorgeous volume, bounce, and movement. However, it is also true that your curly hair extensions care routine will need to completely differ from what you might be accustomed to with straight hair pieces.
If you use the wrong techniques, you may risk loosening or destroying your extensions’ curl pattern permanently. This could leave you with frizzy and undefined hair that never quite recovers.
In light of all this, our experts have decided to put together a guide on how to maintain curly extensions. Along the way, we’ve tackled the essentials of washing, detangling, refreshing, and restoring this type of hairpiece.
Why Curly Extensions Are Higher Maintenance
Unlike their straight equivalents, curly hair pieces have a pattern that is chemically or thermally set during processing. So, in the event of curly extensions losing curl due to rough handling or unsuitable products being used on them, it is almost impossible to fully restore their previous look.
Curly hair tangles more easily as well, particularly at the ends, where the hair is often finer. The biggest enemy of curl extensions, however, is frizz, for which friction, dryness, or loss of moisture (or a combination of these) tends to be to blame.
Standard brushing quickly ruins definition, turning bouncing curls into a fluffy mess. The good news, however, is that the right routine can help ensure your curly extensions retain their salon-freshness for weeks between installs or wears.
How to Detangle Curly Extensions
Curly extension detangling needs to be done in a certain way to preserve the curl pattern. So, here are a few tips to help ensure a good outcome:
- Only attempt to detangle your curly hair pieces when they’re wet or damp and coated with conditioner or a detangling product. Trying to remove knots from dry curls can lead to breakage, in addition to stretching the curl pattern out of shape.
- Start by using your fingers to gently separate larger tangles. Finger detangling will enable you to feel knots and work through them without unnecessary pulling.
- Once you have removed the biggest tangles, switch to a wide-tooth comb to carry on detangling.
- Never use a regular brush on curly hair extensions, particularly when they’re dry. Such standard brushes can break apart groups of curls and create excessive frizz.
- Always work in small sections and begin at the ends, gradually moving upwards towards the roots. With this approach, you’ll be able to minimise stress on the hair and prevent knots from tightening.
If you would appreciate further maintenance advice, check out Cliphair’s rundown of the do’s and don’ts of curly hair extension care
Washing Curly Extensions Properly
The washing of curly extensions generally needs to be a gentler process than is typically the case for straight hair. Curly hair pieces tend to require less shampoo and more moisture than your natural hair.
Follow these tips to ensure the best result when washing curly extensions:
- Co-wash between regular shampoo washes. Co-washing means cleansing the hair using conditioner instead of shampoo. You can alternate between conditioner-only washes and shampoo washes to help maintain moisture, reduce dryness, and preserve curl definition. When you do shampoo the extensions, always follow with conditioner to restore moisture and keep the curls soft, hydrated, and well-defined. This routine helps remove product build-up, oils, and impurities while maintaining the health and appearance of your curly extensions.
- When you do use shampoo, choose a sulphate-free formula and dilute it with water before applying. This will be vital for cleansing your hair without stripping away the moisture that curls require to stay soft and springy.
- While the hair is wet during washing, gently scrunch the curls upwards. Doing so will encourage the curl pattern to “reset” as the curls dry.
- Never wring, twist, or roughly towel-dry curly hair pieces. Instead, use a microfibre towel or an old T-shirt to gently squeeze out excess water.
Refreshing Curls Between Washes
It isn’t necessary to give curly extensions a full wash every time they lose definition. Refreshing your curly hair pieces will be kinder to the hair and help extend wear time.
Here are the key elements of how to refresh your curly extensions to help ensure they return to their best in no time:
- One of the simplest refresh methods involves filling a spray bottle with water and a small amount of conditioner. Lightly misting the hair and scrunching the curls upwards will enable you to reactivate the pattern and restore bounce.
- Avoid the use of heavy silicone-based products that weigh down curls and lend themselves to frizz.
Storing Curly Extensions
The approach you take to storing your curly hair pieces will greatly impact on how they look the next time you wear them:
- A common mistake is brushing curly extensions before putting them away. This might seem like a decent idea for preventing tangles. However, it actually separates the curls and is a major cause of curly hair extensions becoming frizzy.
- Instead, keep the curl pattern intact. In the case of clip-in extensions, loosely braid the hair or use the “pineapple” method to gather curls together without flattening them.
- Where possible, store your curly hair pieces in a satin or silk bag. These materials reduce friction compared to cotton, thereby helping to prevent frizz and the loss of moisture.
Conclusion
The key rule of curly hair extensions care is simple: treat them like delicate fabric rather than everyday hair.
Finger-detangle before using a wide-tooth comb, scrunch curls to encourage definition, and never brush curly extensions when they’re dry.
Following the right techniques will go a long way to ensuring your curls remain soft, defined, and beautiful throughout the lifespan of your extensions.