Have your old bundles from birthdays and vacations past gone dull? If your weave has lost its will to live, it's time to perform CPR and bring that hair back to life!
Let's be real: virgin human hair is an investment. What's the point of buying 'quality' hair if it's going to matte and dry up like beauty supply store bundles? Unfortunately, after awhile, all virgin hair will be a bit worse for wear, but no worries! With proper care and a little TLC, you can revive even the most lifeless of weaves. Keep on reading for our four-step plan to revive your weave:
Detangle
Sometimes a tangled weave is just that: a weave full of pesky tangles. It'll take some patience and dedication, but with a wide-tooth comb and a glass of water half-full (for when you get tired, and, of course, optimism) an old weave can be revived with heavy duty detangling. A wide tooth comb instead of a paddle brush will prevent breakage, especially while wet. Always start detangling from the ends and slowly work your way up to the roots. When you come across a knot, use your fingers to loosen the knot and continue detangling with your comb. Once your weave has been properly detangled, you can move on to deep conditioning.
Deep Condition
While deep conditioning is an essential step in any hair routine, it's one of the most crucial steps in reviving a weave. Skip it at your own risk. Deep conditioning is like a mini facial for your hair, and why not let it have a regular spa day? Deep conditioning opens up your hair cuticles and allows product to deeply penetrate the strands bringing back the softness your weave once had. For the purpose of revival, we recommend grabbing a moisture-based conditioner like Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Conditioner or Aussie Mega Moist Conditioner. Saturate the strands with product, then use your wide-tooth comb to evenly distribute the product throughout your hair.
ACV Rinse
The main purpose of an ACV rinse is to restore the proper pH balances to your hair. When pH balances are off, your weave will quickly go from 'hot damn' to 'hot mess' in a hot minute. Virgin hair is so sleek when you first buy it because the hair cuticle is fully sealed. But as you begin to use products, shampoo your hair, and use hot tools to style, the hair cuticle will slowly begin to strip away until it's no longer there. Since apple cider vinegar has a lower pH balance (3.5) from your extensions (~5), the rinse will help lower the overall pH balance of your weave and help reseal the hair cuticle.
Ready to rinse? Mix 3 parts water with 1 part Apple Cider Vinegar in a larger bowl and fully immerse your extensions. Leave the rinse in for 45 minutes to 1 hour and then rinse it out with water. Proceed to deep condition the hair.
Bleach Bath
Doing a bleach bath on your weave is an effective way to make it feel brand new again, however we recommend only doing this if all else fails. This step requires the use of chemicals and ain't nobody got time for third-degree chemical burns. Find a sturdy pair of latex gloves and watch YouTuber SpiritualGal07 show you how to do it on your hair.
