Conditioner, hair-care products, and hairspray can be used as usual. However, use caution if you have blonde extensions: Heavily processed blonde hair shouldn’t come in contact with bleach, as it could turn the strands orange.
According to Morbach, most extensions are first bleached and then dyed to the desired color. As a result, they can resemble heavily damaged, bleached hair and require particularly intensive care.
“I always recommend using a tangle teaser or brush to comb the hair so that the extensions don’t come loose,” the expert says. “You can use them to carefully brush through the hair. In general, combing is particularly important at the roots to prevent the hair from tangling.”
Can I exercise with extensions?
The experts we talked to suggest avoiding exercise for a few days, because you should generally leave the adhesive to work for 48 hours after attaching it. Also, you shouldn’t wash your hair during this time.
How long do extensions last?
“It depends on the method,” says Mathé. “Tape extensions last between 8 and 12 weeks, after which they have grown out and need to be removed.” That said, some extensions can be reused.
The best hairstyles with extensions
Extensions offer a lot of options when it comes to styling. You can wear any look that you would with your real hair—and even some you wouldn’t have before. The advantage of hair extensions is that you have more to work with, which allows the style to last longer.
“You can do any hairstyle you want, because the tape extensions are applied in such a way that they are invisible,” says Mathé.
However, there are some different techniques to keep in mind: “If you want your hair to look very full at the front when worn loose, then strands of hair will also be added to the sides at the front of the top of your head,” he says. “You should then make sure that the extension tapes are not visible when styling buns or ponytails.”
His tip? “Wavy styles look great with the diffuser,” he says. “But other methods also work great, like styling with the Dyson Airwrap, blow-drying with a round brush, or using straighteners and curling irons.” The fact is: You can do anything—treat extensions like your own hair.
How much do hair extensions cost?
This depends on the manufacturer, the quality, the method (bonding, tape), and the hairstylist. Therefore the question of cost cannot be answered in general terms.
My Hairtalk extensions with tape, which were applied at Lippert’s Hairdressers in Munich, cost 137 euros per pack of 12 strands measuring 25 centimeters in length; 45 centimeters cost 176 euros per pack of 12. A hair-extension application with human hair starts at three packs and has a styling fee of 68 euros. At Lippert’s Hairdressers, the cost of removing the extensions is 196 euros, including washing and blow-drying.
