REMY HAIR EXTENSIONS CARE – part 2 (shampoo & combing)

WET, DETANGLED WEAVE

So, in part 1 I told ya’ll that with proper care your remy weave can give you several months of beautiful hair that is soft, shiny and beautiful. It’s important to know what your extensions can and cannot handle as far as use and styling, so read the extensions leaflet because NOT every remy is created equal.

In order to remove the buildup of styling products I spoke about in part 1, you have to  shampoo your weave. Here goes shampooing and combing tips…..

Firstly DO NOT USE ANYTHING WITH ALCOHOL TO CLEANSE THE HAIR, IT WILL ONLY FRAY AND TANGLE IT.

You will need the following for the overall maintenance of your remy:

This is what I use on weaves, Maxtrix Biolage hydrating shampoo & conditioner

Soft Sheen Weave Care Styling Foam is great on straight remy

wide tooth comb

Vent brush

 

 

• Low pH Hair Conditioner
• Sulfate -free / Low pH moisturising shampoo
• Wide Tooth comb
• Vent hair brush
• Soft bristle hair brush
• Leave In Conditioner / Mousse
• Spray Bottle
• Towel
• Heat protectant polisher

Hair extensions do not receive natural oils from your scalp like natural hair. Thus there is no need to scrub-a-dub it like you do your own hair. Also, it is vital to the health of your own hair, to take out the weave and “shampoo & deep condition” your own hair ever so often, as you do not want your hair that is braided up in a ‘sew in’ to get matted or grow mold as a result of not being dried properly.

COMBING

• Comb your remy daily using wide-tooth comb to remove tangles. Comb from the ends upwards, then follow with your vent brush and smooth off with soft bristle brush
• Protect the hair when using heat styling tools like flat irons or curling irons. To prevent hair damage, use styling products like CHI 44 Iron Guard Thermal OR any good ionic / ceramic iron

SHAMPOOING

• Run your fingers through the hair to remove any tangles and use a wide-tooth comb or brush to comb through the hair prior to washing it.
• If the hair is really tangled and matted, in a spray bottle, create a mixture that is 50 percent conditioner and 50 percent water. Shake it up and spray it on the hair. Wet the hair gradually and then brush it. Brush the hair starting from the bottom with the vent brush
• Use quality shampoo. It must be low pH, sulfate-free, and moisturising
• Wet down your weave and lather but do not rub or tug at the hair. Gently squeeze the soapy water through the hair from the top to the hair ends. Thoroughly rinse afterwards
• Next add a tiny bit of hair conditioner, not a really heavy or oily conditioner i might add. Comb through and rinse
• Gently squeeze the water out of the hair before drying. Towel dry the hair by lightly patting, not rubbing
• Next up, Apply a quality leave-in conditioner or mousse ( I prefer mousse, it’s lighter in case you get carried away and use too much) comb through and either roller set or whatever your style choice and dry via a hooded dryer. NEVER sleep on wet weave.

Style and comb following my steps above and yep, you should have a lovely remy that looks fresh out the pack.

If you are unsure about the quality of your hair extensions or its all too much work, its best to consult a stylist and head in salon to have the weave shampooed and re-installed.

Feel free to ask me about products and extensions because I know there are many out there

Next up, i’ll be posting part 3 which is all about styling, installation tips and such.

Take Care

One love

Malibu 😉

 

REMY HAIR EXTENSIONS CARE – part 1

REMY HAIR SEWN-IN AND STYLED

Remy hair extensions are more popular than ever right now, they are expensive but the the best bang for your buck in the world of weaves. Caring for your weave will give you a good 6 mths usage out of your remy. I dont want to miss a thing so here goes part 1 of my 3 part entry to learn to care for your remy hair extensions.

This part will highlight the common things black ladies do that has their remy looking like a cheap “ratchet” synthetic weave

Malaysian Curly Virgin Remy

It doesn’t matter what technique or method you use to put in your extensions whether it be sewing, glue, braiding or clip-ins the fact is all hair extensions get dirty at some point due to build-up. Hair extensions even remy, much like our regular hair are subject to dirt and grime caused from environmental factors, lifestyle just and our own styling practices.Over time build-up can lead to less than stellar looking remy and can cause damage to both the weave and your hair if left untreated (not to mention the relentless itching). Here are the main culprits that cause excessive build-up to hair extensions.

Styling Products

Have you ever heard the saying ‘less is more’? Well too much styling product can lead to the exact opposite of that. One of the main causes of excess build-up on remy is excessive use of products on the hair to style it. The use of conditioning products and some stylers can be great for the sheen and hold but NOT too much.

Much like your natural hair it is encouraged that you reset the hair extensions to zero, meaning wash and thoroughly cleanse the hair of all serums and holding spray to avoid that filmy much like plastic hair product upon product effect. Once the hair is clean again you can begin the conditioning cycle until it is time to rewash again. Washing the hair every two weeks should be enough to reduce the effects of styling build-up.

moroccan oil hairspray for light hold and sheen

design essentials liquid shine for light sheen

If you must add sheen, go for the lightest oil sheen, my picks are Moroccan Oil Luminous Hairspray, it provides a hold as well as sheen, it’s light and not as oily. Another personal fave is Design Essentials Liquid Shine.

I am anti-spritz on remy because remy tends to hold curls better than a plain yaki. So try to eliminate it all together. For curly remy its best to use nothing at all but a sheen mist, STAY AWAY from curl creams on dry hair.

Sweating

We all do it and after a grueling workout excessive sweating in the hair can be bad news. It is one of the top culprits for build-up, especially at the roots of the hair.  While working up a great sweat is works wonders for your heart, the sweat attracts dirt and the build-up is centered on the root of the hair. It is best to remove extensions if possible (clipins) from your hair when you are doing anything that would cause sweating or simply shampoo the hair after. If you are wearing a sew in then shampoo, trust me you will be thankful for a weave that is not smelly, stiff or cakey (the salts from your sweat does that).

Can you think of any other things that you do to cause build-up on your remy extensions??? If you can then Stop it 😉

Part 2 will be the shampooing and combing technique ….see ya then

One Love

Malibu