There are different rules for straightening extensions depending on the material they are made from, in todays blog we cover all areas including how to straighten hair extensions and how to protect them from heat damage.
Understanding Hair Extensions
Hair extensions come in all shapes and sizes each with their own recommended care regimes and rules. Synthetic hair extensions can only be heat styled up to a certain temperature and some not at all so the styling possibilities are very limited. Here at Cliphair we only stock the best quality, 100% Remy, human hair extensions which means all of our products from clip-ins to professional extensions can be straightened, curled, waved and washed just like your own hair. However, as they have been removed from their natural root its important to give them some extra TLC when styling to prevent them from becoming brittle or dry. The only exception is our curly hair extensions, even though they are made from human hair ideally, they should not be straightened as it will loosen the curl and effect the quality as the hair has been permed.
Can You Straighten Hair Extensions?
Yes! As long as the hair extensions are made from a good quality, human hair material they can absolutely be straightened. Before applying any kind of heat styler on your extensions you should always use a decent heat protectant spray, this creates a barrier on the hair to decrease the risk of heat damage. You should try to keep the temperature of your straightener or curling wand to no higher than 180 degrees, this is the optimal temperature to achieve long lasting styling without burning the hair.
Straightening Different Types of Hair Extensions
Straightening Curly Hair Extensions
Curly hair extensions made from human hair have either been permed or steamed to achieve a long-lasting curly finish, this process is quite harsh on the hair which is why these types of extensions tend to feel dryer in texture. Because the hair is already weaker than your standard clip-ins due to the perming process, straightening the hair is likely to decrease the quality further leading to faster deterioration. Straightening curly hair extensions will also loosen the curl which kind of defeats the object of buying them in first place! If you’re looking for a set of clip-in hair extensions that you can style in different ways its much better to start with straight set like the Ultra-Volume Full Head which allows you the freedom to change up the style as you please.
Straightening Clip-In Hair Extensions
Its super easy to straighten clip-in hair extensions and as long as they are made from good quality, human hair it should not effect the overall quality providing it is done correctly. Always use a heat protection spray before styling and try to avoid over straightening them. For clip-ins you should try to only heat style them 3-4 times in between washes and never on a daily basis, for permanent hair extensions its best to only heat style once in between every wash. Using a lightweight moisture spray after styling is a great way to seal the sleekness into the hair and prevent it from becoming frizzy or curly, this will help the style to last longer so you wont need to straighten them again before the next wash.
Straightening Synthetic Hair Extensions
As synthetic hair extensions are made from man made fibres such as nylon or acrylic, they are not designed to withstand the high temperatures of a styling tool. Some more recent innovations can be heat styled up to 160 degrees however the results are not as good as human hair styling as the heat leaves the ‘hair’ feeling stiff and in some cases with a burnt plastic scent, this temperature is also not strong enough to keep a style in for very long. If you prefer synthetic extensions is best to stick with pre-styled versions but of course this limits the amount of ways you can wear your hair, for this reason remy hair extensions are far more practical for regular extension wearers.
How To Straighten Clip-In Hair Extensions
If your going for a super glossy, straight style on your hair, its best to straighten your clip-ins first before applying them to get that sleek and shiny finish. Once your own hair has been smoothed to perfection you can get to work on your hair extensions, the easiest way to style them when they are not in your hair is to use an extensions holder. If you haven’t got one of these you can use a draw to securely hold the extensions in place whilst you style them, just remember to go over the roots to make sure there isn’t any kinks at the top! Make sure to straighten a few pieces at a time so the heat is not penetrating onto one thin strip of hair, finish with some moisture spray and your good to go!
Best Hair Straighteners For Hair Extensions
The best heat styling tools to use on any hair extensions are those that you can control the temperature, 180 degrees is the ideal heat to produce lasting looks without damaging the quality of the hair. Our favourite is the Cloud 9 Original Iron Pro in pearl which has an easy to use temperature control. For even more options according to specific budgets and hair types, check out our blog “Which hair straightener is the best?”
Conclusion: Best Practices for Straightening Hair Extensions
The two most important points to remember when straightening or heat styling hair extensions are: Use heat protection spray and don’t over straighten them. And, for the days in between where your giving your extensions some breathing space, we have 12 heatless styling tricks to produce gorgeous curls without the need of a straightener!
