Summer is just around the corner and tropical destinations might be calling, but before you jet off to a sunny paradise make sure you have your extension care checklist. If you've ever watched "Love Island" you may have noticed some of the blondies dealing with orange or pinkish hairs the longer they spent in the villa - this can be caused by a few different factors that are important to be mindful of.
1) Keep your hair away from water, especially chlorine
We all love a good pool party as long as your hair is staying dry. Chlorine and chemicals in pools and hot tubs are very drying and can discolour your extensions (as well as your natural hair). Even one dip in the water can stain your extensions orange or pink, or warm up brunette tones so we always advise to keep your hair up in a bun with a leave in conditioner to help act as a barrier if there's any contact with the water. The same rules generally apply to salt and fresh water, although the effects aren't as severe as they are with chlorinated water.
2) Sunscreen - great for your skin, bad for extensions
We're all about practising safe sunning but make sure you check your sunscreen ingredients before you slip, slap, slop. A chemical called "avobenzone" is often found in aerosol sunscreens and it will stain extensions orange or pink. We recommend using a mineral cream sunscreen and showering before wearing your hair down, as any contact with the sunscreen can cause discolouration.
3) Reduce direct sun & heat exposure
If you're going to be soaking up some rays, throw on a sun hat and keep your hair out of direct sun exposure as much as possible. UV and heat exposure will fade your colour faster and dry out your extensions which can lead to breakage. Bring along a hydrating treatment to add back some of the moisture they will lose in the heat and always use a heat protector before styling your hair.
4) Bring hard water treatments
Hotels, resorts and tropical destinations will usually have a hard water supply, which means there are higher levels of minerals in the tap water (including the shower!) which can cause a build up on the extensions that discolours them. If you want to be as careful as possible you could use bottled water for washing your hair, but it's an impractical solution for most people. Luckily there are treatments you can pack along in your suitcase for a fix on the go. The Malibu C Hardwater line can help reduce the effects of hard water discolouration while you're away, and we recommend booking an in-salon detox treatment when you get home to brighten up your locks. Blonde extensions will always warm up and fade over time so booking in for a tone every few months will help keep the colour fresh and bright.
If you'd rather not worry about risking any damage to your extensions while you're on holiday you can book a free extension removal and have them re-installed when you're back. If you can't live without the extra inches you can also buy a set of clip ins to enjoy the best of both worlds - carefree days in the sea and hair flipping nights on the dancefloor.
Hair extensions can create amazing results but they require a bit of extra love - we always start our extension journeys with a consultation so you know what to expect and how to take care of them.
Book in for your consultation here for a chat about our method, maintenance and how to take care of your hair investment.
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