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Hair extensions can work wonders. They can turn flat, fine hair into longer and fuller locks. What a way to boost your confidence!
However, hair extensions are expensive investments. They require special care to be in a good shape for a long time.
To do that, you need to level up your hair care routine. That includes changing the way you brush, style, and even wash your hair.
You can start by choosing the best shampoo for your hair extensions.
And, we will help you find the right product that can help maintain your healthy-looking locks.
- Recommended by hair experts
- 100% clean and residue-free
- Best for all hair types
- Strengthens and hydrates hair
- Natural nourishing ingredients
- Best drugstore brand
- Cleanses and nourishes damaged hair
- Can be used on any hair color
- Makes hair extensions last longer
How Do You Take Care of Your Hair Extensions?
Whether you have synthetic or Remy human hair extensions, you need to make a lot of effort in maintaining them.
Because without proper care, you can end up with dull, lifeless hair.
Here are the pro tips to make your hair extensions last and stay in tiptop shape:
- Brush your hair gently, starting at the ends.
- Never sleep with wet extensions.
- Minimize heat damage.
- Condition your hair weekly.
- Separate or detangle the bonds daily.
- Wash your hair correctly.
We know that sounds like a lot. But, if you follow this hair care routine, you’re sure to keep on being a hair goddess.
What Is the Proper Way of Washing Your Hair Extensions?
When you have hair extensions, your old habit of washing your natural hair just won’t do. You have to pay extra attention to keeping your locks clean and healthy.
So, we’ve listed down the proper way of washing your hair extensions.
1. After your hair extensions are applied, wait 2-3 days before washing your hair.
This is especially true for tape-in and bond extensions. Waiting will give the glue some time to set and stick well to your natural hair, extending your extension’s longevity.
2. Don’t shampoo every day.
Washing your hair too frequently will cause your hair extensions to dry up, and will even damage your natural hair.
So, shampoo your hair only every other day or every two days to keep it clean.
Now, if you are using clip-in extensions, we suggest washing them after 15-20 wears.
3. Detangle your hair first.
Before stepping under the shower, detangle your hair by using a brush or your fingers. If you have coarse hair, you can also add a little oil to make detangling easier.
This will ensure the even distribution of your shampoo and conditioner when you wash.
4. Do not wash with hot water.
A hot shower can be soothing to your body, but it can be very damaging to your hair.
Instead, wash with warm water to clean your hair effectively. Then, you can use cold water as a last rinse to seal your hair cuticles.
5. Rinse properly.
After shampooing or applying conditioner, rinse your hair extensions until the water runs clear. This way, you can prevent product buildup.
6. Avoid towel drying.
Wrapping your hair, or worse, rubbing it with a towel can lead to frizz. This is because of friction.
Instead of using a towel, gently squeeze out excess water with your hands. Then, use a cool hair dryer to dry out your extensions.
What Shampoo Is Good for Hair Extensions?
We know that with thousands of products out there, it can be overwhelming to choose the best shampoo for extensions.
You may have heard your friend rave about a certain shampoo, or watched a Youtube review about another.
However, what works for others may not work as well for your hair extensions.
In finding the right shampoo, consider the following factors.
Hair Types
One thing to think of in choosing shampoos for hair extensions is your natural hair type.
There are four basic hair types:
- Straight
- Wavy
- Curly
- Coily
Moreover, hair density and structure are also factors. Do you have fine, medium, or coarse hair? Some shampoos are perfect for coarse and frizzy hair, while others may be too weighing for fine hair.
Kinds of Hair Extensions
The shampoo you need also depends on what kind of hair extension you have.
The different types of hair extensions are:
- Tape-in
- Clip-in
- Bonded
- Sew-ins
- Microbeads
The kinds that are least damaging to your natural hair are clip-in and sew-in hair extensions. That’s because they don’t require adhesives and heat to be applied.
They are also the kinds that don’t require super special shampoos.
On the other hand, bonded, tape-in, and microbead hair extensions need to be treated with extra care because the wrong hair product can cause the glue to slip off.
Ingredients
As for the product contents, hair extension professionals recommend that you use clean shampoo with natural ingredients.
They also warned against sulfate, alcohol, silicone, and parabens.
Also, avoid shampoos that contain too much oil or protein. These moisturizing ingredients can loosen hair extensions.
10 Best Sulfate-Free Shampoos for Hair Extensions
Let’s now proceed to our list of recommended shampoos for hair extensions.
We’ve reviewed products that have safe ingredients and are specially formulated to help care for your hair extensions.
Color Safe Shampoo for Bonded Hair Extensions
Mane experts recommend this shampoo because it's the best for salon-treated hair, extensions, and wigs.
We love how this product doesn’t have additional ingredients that could build up on hair. It sticks to its main purpose–cleaning your hair.
Primary Benefits: Color and keratin treatment safe; provides gentle but thorough clean; doesn’t leave residues
Features:
- 100% clean; free from all harmful ingredients
- A little goes a long way
- Works for all hair types
Your hair extensions are sure to be clean without being dull and weighed down!
We love this shampoo from Pureology, a leading color care brand. It’s not only ideal for colored hair, but for hair extensions as well.
This shampoo cleanses mildly but thoroughly and has the right, natural ingredients to keep your hair and scalp healthy.
Primary Benefits: Replenishes and adds moisture; protects hair color; cares for the scalp
Features:
- Anti-fade formula and UV filters
- Contains emollient jojoba, green tea extract, and sage–the key ingredients for healthy hair and scalp
- Best for medium to thick hair types
This 100% vegan formulated shampoo provides moisture, softness, and protection for your color-treated hair!
This shampoo has everything you need for maintaining and protecting expensive hair treatments like color, keratin, and extensions. That’s why we recommend it as well.
Primary Benefits: Cleanses and fortifies hair without stripping keratin, color, or hair bonds; moisturizes without heavy residue
Features:
- Has coconut oil to nourish hair and reduce frizz
- Contains SLSA, a more natural cleanser
- Salt-free: does not damage hair
- Great for all hair types
Keep your hair extensions smoother and more vibrant for a very long time with the NYK1 Salt and Sulphate Free Shampoo, and follow up with its equally effective conditioner!
Hair extension technicians love this shampoo because it’s true to its name. It balances cleaning and moisturizing, so it’s gentle enough for regular use.
Primary Benefits: Adds moisture; leaves hair pH balanced; increases strength and vitality of your hair; makes hair manageable
Features:
- Has hydrating botanical extracts to smoothen frizzy hair
- Ideal for over-processed and colored hair extensions
- Sulfate-free: will not dull, strip color, or damage your hair
- Perfect for curls
Giovanni 50:50 Balanced shampoo has all the ingredients that clarify and moisturize, all while locking in color and treatments. This is the best drink for your dry and thirsty hair!
Moisturizing and Repairing Shampoo for Human Hair Extensions
We love this shampoo because it helps nourish hair from roots to tips to bring out your hair’s natural strength and elasticity. And when that happens, your hair extensions can hold longer and stronger.
Primary Benefits: Controls frizz by smoothing down the hair cuticles; leaves hair soft and smelling good; effectively detangles hair extensions
Features:
- Has coconut milk, coconut oil, and whipped egg whites for hair hydration
- Most affordable and effective brand
- Works well with all hair types
Your hair will smell so good and feel so lightweight, it’s like you’re on a vacation in the tropics!
The reason we love this product is it repairs and moisturizes hair that has been damaged by harsh salon processes and styling. It will also keep your hair healthy so your hair extensions can last longer
Primary Benefits: Repairs and revives damaged hair; restores elasticity, moisture, and shine; leaves hair nourished and manageable
Features:
- Has argan oil, fatty acids, and keratin protein infused formula that helps strengthen broken hair strands
- Phosphate-free and paraben-free
- Best for fine, thin hair
So, if your hair feels dull and distressed, try the Moroccanoil Moisture Repair Shampoo. This will surely bring back your hair’s vibrance and shine!
Read our full review here: Moroccanoil Hair Care Collection Review
We love this thickening shampoo because it’s made by hairdressers.
Now, these people know exactly what salon-processed hair needs, so we trust that their products are filled with those nourishing ingredients.
Primary Benefits: Helps repair damaged extensions; adds softness and plumpness to hair; doesn’t make hair extensions slip or dry out
Features:
- Enriched with biotin and pro-vitamin B5
- Vegan and cruelty-free
- Perfect for human hair tape-in extensions
- Best for thin, fine hair
F.A.T.T. means “full and thickening treatment.” And this shampoo literally does what it says. With regular use, your hair will feel more voluminous and vibrant.
We love how nourishing this sulfate-free product is. It gently cleanses the hair and leaves it feeling soft and silky.
Primary Benefits: Repairs hair damaged by color and chemicals; fortify and hydrate hair extensions; gives bouncy curls
Features:
- Has shea butter, argan oil, and sea kelp that conditions both hair and scalp
- Best brand for curly and coily hair
Restore dull, lifeless hair to its healthier, shinier version with this moisturizing shampoo!
Dry Shampoo for Hair Extensions
Even if this product is a bit pricey, we still love it because it’s worth every penny. It’s the shampoo you need when you don’t have time to wash, yet you want to have instantly clean hair.
Primary Benefits: Extends your hair treatments and prevents hair damage; cleanses and nourishes damaged hair; eliminates smell, oil, and dirt
Features:
- Oribe Signature Complex protects hair from dryness and damage
- Has fragrance-retention technology
- Made with translucent powders which means it can be used on light or dark hair
- Doesn’t add volume and texture, so it’s best for medium to thick hair
If you want to have great hair, we suggest using products with gold standards, like the Oribe Gold Lust Dry Shampoo.
We love that this dry shampoo gives you a choice.
With its wide variety of colors, it can be great for cleaning light or dark-colored hair extensions. Plus, you have different scents to choose from.
Primary Benefits: It absorbs excess oil and dirt so your hair will look like it just got washed
Features:
- Waterless, paraben-free, and talc-free formula
- Great for all hair types
- Ideal dry shampoo for tape-in extensions
Batiste Dry Shampoo is the easiest and quickest way for you to refresh your hair without washing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I wash my hair extensions with?
Wash your hair extensions with sulfate-free shampoo and rinse well with lukewarm water. This way, you’ll maintain the quality of your hair pieces.
How often should I wash my hair extensions?
As I’ve mentioned above, if you have hair extensions, you should only be washing your hair every other day or every two days. This will avoid dryness while still keeping dirt and product build-up at bay.
As for clip-in extensions, you can wash them every 15-20 wears.
What happens if you wash hair extensions with sulfate?
Sulfate will dry out your hair extensions. Because the hair pieces aren’t directly attached to your scalp, they don’t get sebum or natural oils.
So, washing with a shampoo that contains sulfate will add to the hair’s dryness.
Use the Right Shampoo for Your Hair Extensions
Choosing a quality shampoo is the best way to care for your hair extensions. But, sometimes, a quality product is more expensive because it has better and safer ingredients.
Since you’ve already invested in your hair extensions, you’d want to protect them by splurging a bit more to keep them in good condition.
After all, using cheaper products may damage your hair extensions, or worse, your natural hair, in the long run. And, this can be an even more expensive mess to deal with.
Moreover, choosing a quality shampoo doesn’t only mean spending more money but also giving time and effort.
Experiment with different products to find which works best for your hair type and the kind of hair extension you have.
The right shampoo plus a proper hair care routine will give you healthy hair extensions for a long time.
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