You may think that, now that you’ve gotten hair extensions, washing your hair is going to be far more complicated than before. The truth is that it’s not at all that difficult – all you need to do, in order to keep your hair looking clean and healthy after you’ve had extensions put in, is to follow the process outlined below.

1. Don’t overdo it

Clean hair may be beautiful, but when you’re wearing extensions, it’s best to keep washing at a minimum. It also depends on the type of hair you’ve got: for people with particularly oily hair, it might be impossible not to wash it on a daily basis. If your hair type is normal or dry, then you should probably cut back to once every other day, or every three days.

2. Choose the right hair care products

Opt for dry shampoo, which is a great solution to avoid over-washing. It keeps your hair looking clean and healthy, but it also doesn’t expose it to the risks of using water on it in excess. Also, for wet shampoos and conditioners, always read the labels, in order to make sure they contain no sulfates. Apply said shampoo and conditioner from the extensions’ mid-shaft point downward.

3. Know your moves

Don’t flip your hair over when washing it and always wash in a single direction. Avoid circular movements, scrunching your hair, or rubbing it, as this will only cause it to get tangled and mess up the extensions.

4. Dry your hair well

Make note that this doesn’t involve the use of a hair drier. Simply wring the hair very gently, in order to avoid excess water being left in, since this can cause damage to the extension bonds.

5. Aftercare matters, too

It’s a great idea to use leave-in conditioners on hair with extensions. Apply the conditioner from the mid-point of the shaft down to the tips and you’ll see immediate smoothing results. Allow your hair to air dry, after you’ve detangled your hair with a comb. Try to avoid exposure to mechanical heat as much as possible: only use hair dryers after you’ve applied protection against the heat.