Using the Right Products for Hand-tied Extensions

Hairlaya hand-tied extensions are a worthy investment, so you want to use the best products to care for them! Here are some do’s and don'ts for finding the right hair products for your extensions. 

What product ingredients should I avoid with hand-tied extensions?

The beaded weft of Hairlaya hand-tied extensions is strong, but can be weakened by certain ingredients. Harsh cleansers, like sulfates, are harsh on your natural hair and your extensions, strip moisture and color, and should be avoided. It is also important to steer clear of heavy conditioners and oils, especially those containing silicones. Not only will silicones weigh down your weft and natural hair, without sulfates, silicones cannot be properly washed out and make hair greasy. You will also want to avoid drying alcohol. 

How do I look for bad ingredients on an ingredient list?

There’s a few key words you can look out for to avoid certain ingredients. Sulfates are usually called “sodium lauryl sulfate”, “sodium laureth sulfate” or “ammonium laureth sulfate”. If a brand mentions they have products free of “SLS”, this means they have sulfate-free products! Silicones can be a little harder to find, but generally if an ingredient ends in -cone, such as dimethicone, it contains silicones. Drying alcohols are usually marked as ethanol, SD alcohol or alcohol denat. 

What product ingredients should I look for with hand-tied extensions?

Avoiding sulfates and silicones doesn’t mean avoiding clean, healthy hair! Cleansing agents like cocamidopropyl betaine and sodium lauroyl lactylate work to gently wash hair without stripping. Ingredients like glycerin, a humectant, draw moisture into your hair from the air, and moisturize it without heaviness. This might be surprising, but certain alcohols are also good for your hair! Cetyl alcohol and cetearyl alcohol are derived from plant sources, and are gentle conditioning agents. 

What brands have products following these guidelines? 

Thanks to the clean beauty movement, there’s tons of brands with sulfate- and silicone-free options! Brands like Kristin Ess, Living Proof, and Briogeo all have amazing options to cleanse and condition your hair without damaging ingredients. Ask your stylist who installed your hand-tied extensions for their product recommendations as well! 
Hairlaya has an amazing Dallas-based team of beauty and hair experts, waiting and ready to help you with anything you need. We are a small team and happy to help you! Reach us at (866) 668.5292 or contact@hairlaya.com.
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