Hair care
Hair Care Guide: How to Care for Hair Extensions and Wigs
Human hair extensions last longest when you treat them like the hair growing from your scalp. Seal the wefts before install, co-wash weekly with a sulfate-free conditioner, detangle from the ends up with a wide-tooth comb, keep hot tools between 350–375°F, and wrap your hair in silk or satin every night.
The essentials
Five habits decide how long your hair lasts
Everything else in this guide is detail. If you only ever do five things, do these.
Seal
Squeeze a weft sealant sparingly along the weft, hang the bundle or lay it on a plastic surface, and let it dry completely before it goes in. Sealed wefts shed far less over the life of an install.
Moisturize
A light leave-in as needed, and a heat protectant every single time you reach for a hot tool. Extensions have no scalp feeding them oil — every bit of moisture they get, you give them.
Detangle
Start at the ends and work up, never the other way. Paddle brush, wide-tooth comb or Denman-style brush, in sections, spritzed with water first if the hair is dry.
Cleanse
Co-wash weekly and shampoo as needed. Product buildup is what makes hair look dull and start to matt, and keeping it clean is most of what keeps the look alive.
Wrap
Silk or satin every night, or a pillowcase of the same material. Cotton pulls moisture out of the hair and roughs up the cuticle while you sleep.
Those five cover the upside. For the downside — the specific habits that cut a bundle’s life in half — read 9 mistakes that ruin hair extensions.
The rhythm
Your hair care calendar
| How often | What to do | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Every night | Wrap your hair in a silk or satin scarf or bonnet, or sleep on a pillowcase of the same material. | Cotton wicks moisture out of the hair and creates the friction that starts frizz and tangles. |
| Every week | Co-wash and condition, then let the hair dry completely before you style it. | Buildup is the main cause of dullness and matting. Styling damp hair invites mildew at the weft. |
| Every 2–3 weeks | Deep condition, and check your wefts, edges and lace for tension or lifting. | Catching a lifting weft early is the difference between a repair and a full reinstall. |
| Every 6–8 weeks | Take the install down, wash and air-dry the hair, then store it properly until next time. | Left in longer, tension on your natural hair and buildup at the root both compound. |
Coming out of a long install? What to do after taking down a sew-in covers the take-down week itself — your natural hair, not the bundles.
Step by step
How to co-wash hair extensions
Co-washing means cleansing with conditioner instead of shampoo. It lifts buildup without stripping the cuticle, and it is the single habit that most reliably extends the life of a bundle.
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Saturate
Wet the hair and saturate it with conditioner from root to ends. Leave it on for 5 to 10 minutes.
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Detangle
Work through it with a wide-tooth comb in sections, starting at the ends. Rinse with cool water until the water runs clear.
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Air dry
Lay the hair flat or hang it and let it dry for 4 to 6 hours, or overnight. Never install or store hair that is still damp.
Co-washing also lets you see the hair’s true texture. Straight out of the bag it looks great; after a co-wash it looks like it will look on your head — which is why it is worth doing to a new bundle before it goes in.
Textures
Find your texture
Eight textures, and what each one blends with. Every row links to the bundles in that texture. Not sure which one is yours? The hair quiz matches you to a texture and length in about a minute, and Our Hair explains what separates virgin from raw.
| Texture | What it looks like | Blends with |
|---|---|---|
| Straight | Sleek and straight with minimal effort. The lowest-maintenance texture we carry. | Relaxed and naturally straight hair |
| Yaki Straight | Matches the rhythm of natural hair that has been pressed straight or freshly relaxed. | Pressed or relaxed natural hair |
| Kinky Straight | Moves like a fresh blowout. Takes flexi rods and wand curls well when you want more texture. | Blown-out natural hair |
| Body Wave | A quick switch-up. Can be worn straight or curled for more volume. | Loose body and bounce |
| Loose Wave | A flirty wave you can wear as it comes or smooth out for a different look. | Loose natural waves |
| Water Wave | Carefree, springy coils. | 3A–3B |
| Deep Wave | Classic curls, full of body and bounce. | 3C–4A |
| Curly | The tightest curl pattern we carry. Wear it in its natural state or brush it out for maximum fullness. | 4A–4B |
Stock varies by texture and length — see all bundles for what is available right now, or bundle deals if you are buying a full install. Not sure how much to buy, or which texture and length go together? The hair bundles guide covers bundle counts, lengths and cost per install in full.
By texture
Care tips by texture
| Texture | Wash and condition | Tools and products | What to avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Straight | Co-wash once a week or as needed. Deep condition once a month. | Heat protectant with any hot tool. Paddle brush. | Heavy leave-ins and oils — they flatten it fast. |
| Kinky | Co-wash once a week or as needed. Deep condition once a month. | Flexi rods or a curling wand to enhance the texture. | Overusing heat. Let the natural texture do the work. |
| Wavy | Co-wash once a week or as needed, more often if product builds up. Deep condition once a month. | Light leave-ins and curl enhancers. Wide-tooth comb or paddle brush. | Hot tools above 375°F, and any heat without a protectant. |
| Curly | Co-wash one to two times a week. Deep condition one to two times a month. | Alcohol-free mousse, styling gel or curl-defining cream. Detangle wet, with fingers or a wide-tooth comb. | Hot tools in general — heat loosens the curl pattern. |
Products
What to use, by texture
Widely available drugstore and beauty-supply brands. We don’t sell any of these and we aren’t paid to name them — they are simply what works on this hair. Best products for hair extensions goes deeper on why each category matters and what to avoid.
| Straight | Kinky | Wavy | Curly | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | Carol's Daughter Black Vanilla; Girl + Hair Sulfate-Free Cleanser | Carol's Daughter Black Vanilla; Girl + Hair Sulfate-Free Cleanser | Jane Carter Solution Moisture Nourishing; SheaMoisture Moisture Retention | Jane Carter Solution Moisture Nourishing; SheaMoisture Moisture Retention |
| Co-wash and conditioner | SheaMoisture Coconut and Hibiscus Co-Wash | Carol's Daughter Hair Milk Cleansing Conditioner | Jane Carter Solution Curl Drench Cleansing Co-Wash | Jane Carter Solution Curl Drench Cleansing Co-Wash |
| Deep conditioner | Carol's Daughter Moisture and Shine Deep Conditioning Hair Smoothie | Carol's Daughter Moisture and Shine Deep Conditioning Hair Smoothie | Alikay Naturals Honey and Sage Deep Conditioner | Girl + Hair Curl Cloud Ultimate Hydrating Hair Mask |
| Leave-in | Girl + Hair Nourishing Leave-In Conditioner | Girl + Hair Nourishing Leave-In Conditioner | Alikay Naturals Lemongrass Leave-In Conditioner | Kinky-Curly Knot Today Leave-In Detangler |
| Heat protectant | The Doux Weightless Shine Mist | The Doux Weightless Shine Mist | OGX Quick Drying Thermal Spray | OGX Quick Drying Thermal Spray |
| Oil | SheaMoisture 100% Pure Argan Oil | SheaMoisture 100% Pure Argan Oil | OGX Renewing Moroccan Argan Oil | OGX Renewing Moroccan Argan Oil |
| Mousse and stylers | Jane Carter Solution Frizz Free Styling Smoother | Jane Carter Solution Frizz Free Styling Smoother | The Doux Mousse Def Texture Foam | The Doux Mousse Def Texture Foam |
Color
What to do before you dye
Color is where most bundles get ruined, and almost always in the same three ways: box dye, over-processing, and skipping the moisture afterward.
Only virgin natural black hair can be lifted, and only to a 27. Hair that arrives in any other color has already been professionally pre-colored for you. It should not be bleached or lifted further.
Skip the box. Box color comes with developers stronger than the hair needs, and it is built as a one-size-fits-all solution — which is exactly what extensions are not. Use professional color from a beauty supply store instead.
Watch the clock. Processing time is not a suggestion. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions exactly; most chemical damage on extensions is over-processing, not the product.
Going blonde: use deposit-only color or a toner over a blonde base rather than lifting, and don’t over-process. Proper care and upkeep is the whole game with blonde.
Then moisturize, and moisturize again. Chemically altered hair needs more than it did before — leave-in sprays, deep conditioning treatments made for color-treated hair, and a cuticle sealer when it feels dry and depleted.
Test on a weft first. Cut a small piece from the end of one weft, process it exactly the way you plan to process the rest, and let it dry. Five minutes there saves the whole bundle.
Shedding and tangling
The two problems that end an install early
Some shedding is normal — hair sheds, the same way the hair on your head does. Keeping it to normal comes down to four things.
Before it goes in
Run a comb or your fingers through the hair to let it breathe. A few strands will come out. That is the point — it prevents heavier shedding later. Then seal the wefts and let them dry completely.
During the install
If you are installing yourself, onto your own head or onto a wig cap, sew around the wefts, not through them. Sewing through the weft cuts the thread that holds the hair in.
Keep the heat down
350–375°F, with a heat protectant, every time. Frequent styling on high heat is the fastest way to wreck a bundle, and unlike your own hair, extensions never grow the damage out.
Detangle the right way
Spritz with water or a light water-based product, split into sections, and comb from the ends upward. Wide-tooth combs, paddle brushes and Denman-style brushes. Heavy formulas build up and cause the matting they promise to prevent.
Step by step
How to clean the lace on a wig, closure or frontal
Product and oil build up on lace faster than on the hair, and cloudy lace is what makes an install read as an install. If you are still choosing between lace sizes, HD or transparent, the closures and frontals guide draws every size to scale.
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Saturate the lace
Fill an empty spray bottle with lukewarm water and spray the lace until it is saturated.
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Add shampoo
Add a small amount of sulfate-free shampoo to the spray bottle, then apply the mixture onto the lace and hair.
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Rinse cool
Rinse it off gently with a low-pressure stream of cool water. Let the lace air dry fully before you wear or store the unit.
Wigs
Securing, storing and washing a wig
Prep the hairline first. Use rubbing alcohol on a cotton pad to lightly cleanse the surface of your skin along the hairline. Adhesive does not bond to skin oil, and oil is what makes an install lift at the edges.
Match the adhesive to the wear. For a day, Got2b Glued Freeze Spray. For a longer wear, a stronger adhesive like Bold Hold Extreme Creme — follow the manufacturer’s directions and use the remover made to go with it. To skip adhesive entirely, a wig grip works, and so does a glueless wig.
Store it on a head. Brush the wig out and set it on a mannequin head between wears, or return it to the packaging it arrived in. A wig left in a pile takes on the shape of the pile.
Rotate two units if you wear one daily. A wig worn every day and never rested lasts around six months. Two in rotation, each stored properly, will both outlast that by a wide margin.
Headband wigs wash a little differently. Cleanse the hair as you would bundles, hand wash the attached headband with a gentle soap, and dry the unit flat or on a mannequin head.
Wash day has its own walkthrough in the wig care guide, and if you are still choosing a unit, how to buy a wig covers cap size, density and lace.
Clip-ins
Taking clip-ins out without losing hair
Divide your hair into sections and lightly detangle first. At the root, gently unsnap each clip rather than pulling it free — most clip-in damage happens in the ten seconds it takes to rush this. Store them flat in a silk or satin bag between wears.
Clip-ins also need washing far less often than an install, because they are not living on your scalp. Every 15 to 20 wears is usually enough, plus a co-wash whenever product starts to build up. Going the other way, applying clip-ins at home walks the install.
Braiding and crochet
Caring for human braiding and crochet hair
Human braiding hair and feather crochet hair are the same fiber as a bundle — 100% human hair. What changes is that they spend six to eight weeks braided into your own hair, where you cannot wash them the way you would wash a bundle.
Wash the scalp, not the length. Dilute a sulfate-free shampoo with water in a bottle, apply it directly along the parts, and rinse in one direction so you do not disturb the braids. Squeeze the length dry with a microfiber towel and let it air dry completely. Braids that stay damp at the root are where odor and mildew start.
Moisturize light, and moisturize the ends. A water-based leave-in on the length two or three times a week, and a light oil on the scalp if it feels tight. Heavy butters and greases build up at the root and are the single most common reason braids start to itch.
Wrap every night. Same rule as everything else in this guide — silk or satin, or a satin pillowcase.
Take it down before it takes itself down. Six to eight weeks. Spray the roots with a water-and-conditioner mix, unravel rather than pull, and detangle the hair fully before you store it.
Then reuse it. Human braiding hair can be washed, detangled and reinstalled several times, which is the entire cost argument for buying human over synthetic. How long crochet hair lasts and human vs. synthetic braiding hair both put real numbers on it.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How often should I wash hair extensions?
Co-wash once a week, and shampoo as needed on top of that. Curly textures can take one to two co-washes a week because they dry out faster. Always let the hair dry completely before styling or storing it.
Can you use regular shampoo on hair extensions?
You can, but use a sulfate-free one and use it sparingly. Sulfates strip the cuticle, and extensions have no scalp producing oil to replace what gets stripped. Co-washing with conditioner is the gentler default.
How long do human hair extensions last?
With weekly co-washing, nightly wrapping and sealed wefts, a good bundle can be reinstalled several times. Most installs come down at six to eight weeks. What ends a bundle early is almost always heat, box dye, or being stored damp.
Why are my hair extensions tangling?
Three usual causes: heavy product building up at the weft, detangling from the root down instead of the ends up, and sleeping without a silk or satin wrap. Spritz with water, work in sections from the ends, and switch to lighter water-based products.
Why are my hair extensions shedding?
Some shedding is normal. Heavy shedding usually means the wefts were not sealed before the install, or they were sewn through rather than around. Seal the wefts with a weft sealant and let them dry completely before they go in.
What heat setting should I use on hair extensions?
350 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, always with a heat protectant. Above that you are cooking the cuticle, and unlike your own hair, extensions never grow the damage out.
Can I color my hair extensions myself?
Only virgin natural black hair can be lifted, and only up to a 27. Anything that arrived in another color is already professionally pre-colored and should not be lifted further. Skip box dye, use professional color, follow the processing times exactly, and test on a small piece cut from the end of a weft first.
How do I store hair I am not wearing?
Wash it, let it dry completely, and store it in the packaging it arrived in or in a silk or satin bag. Wigs go on a mannequin head. Storing hair damp is the one mistake that cannot be undone.
How do I stop my wig from lifting at the edges?
Cleanse the hairline with rubbing alcohol on a cotton pad before you apply anything. Adhesive does not bond to skin oil. Match the adhesive to how long you are wearing the unit, and use the remover made to go with it.
Do I need to wash new bundles before installing them?
Co-wash them first. It clears the factory finish, shows you the hair’s true texture before it is sewn in, and lets a few loose strands release into the sink rather than onto your shoulders later. Seal the wefts only after the hair is completely dry.
Can you swim with hair extensions?
Yes, with prep. Saturate the hair with conditioner or a leave-in before you get in, so it absorbs that instead of chlorine or salt water, and pin it up or wear a cap. Rinse and co-wash as soon as you are out. Chlorine left to dry in the hair is what causes the brassiness and the straw texture.
How do I care for human braiding or crochet hair?
Wash the scalp and the parts with a diluted sulfate-free shampoo rather than scrubbing the length, keep a light water-based leave-in on the ends, wrap at night, and take the style down at six to eight weeks. Because it is human hair, it can then be washed, detangled and reinstalled several times.
How many bundles do I need for a full install?
Two to three bundles for lengths up to 18 inches, three to four for 20 inches and above, plus a closure or frontal if you want a finished part. Longer lengths need more because the hair is thinner at the ends and needs the extra weight to look full. The hair bundles guide has the full chart by length and texture.
Keep reading
The rest of the Mayvenn guides
This page is the care hub. These go deeper on the parts of it you are dealing with right now.
Hair bundles guide
Textures, lengths, bundle counts and what a full install actually costs, start to finish. Read the bundles guide.
Closures and frontals guide
Every lace size drawn to scale, HD versus transparent, and how to bleach knots and pluck a hairline. Read the lace guide.
How to buy a wig
Cap size, density, lace and length, in the order the decisions actually matter. Read the buying guide.
How to wash a wig
The full wash-day procedure for a human hair wig, plus how to store it between wears. Read the wig care guide.
9 mistakes that ruin extensions
The habits that cut a bundle’s life in half, and what to do instead. Read the mistakes list.
Our hair
What 100% virgin human hair means, where it comes from, and what separates virgin from raw. Read about our hair.
Not sure where to start? The hair quiz matches you to a texture and length in about a minute, and best products for hair extensions covers what to put on it once it arrives. Still stuck? The FAQ covers orders, shipping and returns, and every order is backed by our 30-day guarantee. If you would rather ask a person, contact us.
Ready when you are
100% virgin human hair, in eight textures
Bundles, closures, frontals and wigs. Everything in this guide applies to all of it, and every order is covered by our 30-day guarantee. Still deciding what to buy? Start with the hair bundles guide or the closures and frontals guide.