Shiny hair is absolutely gorgeous! There is something extraordinary about a fresh pack of extensions ready to install. The excitement of changing up our hairstyle is incomparable. Extensions are a great way to try out a new trendy hairstyle and add volume, length, or color, and they are a great protective style to keep our own hair out of the way for a while. However, after a while, like years, they started to lose some of their luster. They begin to look frizzy, dull, and lifeless. There are several ways that you can quickly restore the shine and luster to your hair extensions and extend the lifetime and wear time of your beloved tresses. So here are a few tips to help you!
I. What is “Shine” Really?
Before we dive into how to get your extensions shiny, I want to make a quick note about what makes our hair shine in the first place. Shine ultimately comes down to the health of your extensions, namely the porosity.
Porosity deals with the cuticle layers of the hair and how close or far they are from the hair shaft. When you have high porosity, your layers are wide open. This level of porosity usually leads to split ends (yes, you can have split ends in your extensions), dullnes.
The goal is to have an average porosity, where the cuticle layers are slightly opened, but close to the hair shaft. When these layers are close to the hair shaft, light is more easily able to reflect off of the hair. Of course, straight hair reflects the most, but curly hair can also be shiny. Moisture and shine go hand in hand. When your extensions have enough moisture, then they will be able to reflect more of the light and appear shinier.
You can refer to this video below to have the comprehensive look at hair porosity as well as the 3 easiest ways to test the porosity of hair:
II. Restore Shine and Luster To Hair Extensions In The Beginning
Honestly, long-lasting hair extensions begin when you first purchase them. AZ Hair has a massive selection of affordable and high-quality extensions in a variety of curl patterns and colors. You can always choose us as your one-stop-shop for the best extensions.
Now, let’s get into the 7 easy ways to restore the radiance back into your extensions.
1. Ways To Restore Shine and Luster To Hair Extensions: Trimming
Much like your own hair, human hair extensions will need routine trimming to ensure the health and longevity of the hair.
The ends of our hair are the oldest and come in contact with the environment much more than the hair closer to the scalp. By trimming away this older hair, you are increasing the number of healthy strands in your hair than broken and dull ones. And you will give your “more youthful hair” less dead weight that can cause strain and damage to your extensions. Your hair will be shorter, but it will be healthier and above all shinier.
2. Deep Conditioner
Applying a deep conditioner to your extensions once a week will not only restore the shine, but it will also strengthen and retain the moisture of your strands.
With a deep conditioner, the nutrients your hair needs can penetrate through the hair shaft and supply everything your hair needs to shine and refrain from being dry and brittle. Apply the deep conditioner in the middle of your hair to the ends, avoiding the roots. You do not want the deep conditioner to loosen up your install nor have conditioner get trapped in between your tracks.
Trapped conditioner can do the reverse of good on your hair and scalp by causing product build-up and inhibiting bacteria from growing. Rinse your hair out thoroughly to reveal gorgeous and shiny extensions.
3. Ways To Restore Shine and Luster To Hair Extensions: Brush and Detangle
Brushing is necessary to bring back the shine to your extensions. When we do not brush our extensions, the hair can get tangled, and tangled hair results in drier and more brittle hair. It is hard for light to reflect off of a rough surface. To avoid dryness and tangles, add a small amount of oil to your extensions and, with a paddle brush, thoroughly brush through every area of your hair. After a few strokes, you should immediately see a difference. Take the time daily to brush your hair in the morning and the evening before bed. Not only will you have to deal with less of a tangled mess come wash day, but you will also have shiny hair that people can see their reflection.
4. Skip A Day In Between Shampoos
With extensions, we tend to go outside the norm of our regular hair routine.
For example, some of us may wash our hair more often and with a different shampoo when we have extensions installed. When you shampoo your hair, the sulfates in the soap and the friction of your fingers remove some of the oils that are helping to retain your hair’s moisture and shine.
The more you shampoo, the more your hair will feel dry, brittle, and appear dull. A simple fix is to wash your hair less frequently. If you are washing your hair every day, try to stretch to every other day. I recommend that a healthy frequency of washing your hair is once a week. Of course, if you are working out a lot or have a naturally oily scalp, there will be an exception. You can refer to this post to learn more about How often should you wash your hair
For extensions, use a specialized shampoo specially formulated to protect the shine and lifecycle of your extensions.
5. Ways To Restore Shine and Luster To Hair Extensions: Hair Masks
Treat yourself and your extensions to a hair mask. Much like a deep conditioner, hair masks contain vital nutrients and ingredients to improve the shine and beauty of your extensions. Hair masks are typically thicker in consistency and are left on the hair for a more extended period to ensure the hair gets everything that it needs. There are a variety of different hair masks that natural and synthetic ingredients all for the benefit of your hair. Look for hair masks that contain egg, banana, avocado, and Dimethicone, which are ingredients that will help your hair to retain moisture and inevitably shine.
6. Oil Treatments
Is coconut oil not our hair’s and skin’s savior? Coconut oil is excellent, but there are tons of wonderful oils to use on your hair to keep it shiny and healthy.
Argan oil, almond oil, avocado oil, and vitamin E oil are only a few of the oils that can be purchased online or at your local supermarket. The key is that these oils lock in the water or moisture in the hair strand. Oil and water do not mix, and they do not like to interact with one another. Therefore, when you seal your moisturized hair with oil, the water will remain “trapped” inside the hair strand giving you luscious tresses that shine effortlessly in the sun.
7.Ways To Restore Shine and Luster To Hair Extensions: Reduce Heat Tools
Heat styling tools like curling and flat irons strip the moisture out of our hair and leave it damaged and dull. Additionally, using heat styling tools on a consistent basis raises the porosity of your hair, which will dry it out faster. Take the path of least resistance and put your heat tools away. Your hair will thank you and glimmer all season long.
Shine On!
With these tips and tricks to restore the shine in your hair, you will never have to be caught dead in dull, lifeless extensions. These tips will help at any time of the year. Imagine having shiny summer hair in the middle of winter. Wow! Whether you have curly or straight, naturally colored, or fantasy-colored extensions, you can follow these tips to have shiny, luxurious hair all the time.