How To Wash Clip-In Hair Extensions

​​Whether you’re a first-time user or seeking a better experience with your clip-in hair extensions, this guide on how to wash clip-in human hair extensions will provide you with all the necessary steps and tips to maintain their beauty and ensure their longevity. And don’t worry, washing hair extensions is easier than you might think!

Tips To Know Before You Begin

Your clip-in extensions won’t need washing as regularly as your hair, but we usually recommend every 10-15 wears to keep them looking fresh and remove any build-up of product. 

Sky Hair Clip-in Hair Extensions are made from 100% Raw Human Hair, meaning they can be washed and you can use Styling Tools on them, just like you would with your natural hair. 

Clip-in Extensions require shampoo with sulfates to eliminate any excess product build-up that can occur. 

How To Wash Clip In Extensions

Washing your clip-ins doesn’t have to be a daunting process it can be quite simple, given that you follow these steps properly so that you can ensure that your clip-ins are getting the best spa-washing treatment ever – leading to a healthier-looking set of hair extensions that will live up to the expectations throughout its whole lifespan. Read on and find out how to wash clip-in human hair extensions in no time!

Step 1: Brush Carefully

Carefully and thoroughly brushing your extensions is essential for a successful washing-up process, and should always be your number one step before doing any kind of treatment: this process smooths your extensions and gets rid of knots and tangles that can worsen when your beloved tresses get wet. Brushing your natural hair before you wash clip-in hair extensions works in exactly the same way, so give your hair and hair extensions a good (yet gentle) brush before washing! For clip-ins, make sure you use a hair extensions detangling brush (or a wide-toothed comb) to effectively get rid of knots and tangles in a smooth, seamless way without damaging the clips and seams. Like for natural hair, always make sure you start from the ends and work your way up to the seams.

Step 2: Soak Your Extensions Through

Time to get wet. Place your hair extensions in a container in your bathtub or in the sink, closing the drain so that you can fill it with water. Make sure your hair is completely soaked in the water, preferably at a lukewarm temperature – not too hot, not too cold either. Extreme temperatures are never a good idea when it comes to human hair. Boiling hot water will damage the fiber of your hair and leave it dry, brittle, and prone to tangling; ice-cold water, instead, will close the hair cuticles and disrupt its absorbing powers. Whilst a cold water rinse is beneficial after you have gone through shampooing and conditioning, it’s never recommended as the first step. 

Step 3: Apply Shampoo

Lather up!  Finding the right shampoo and making sure that all of the pieces in your clip-in hair extensions have been washed is the most important part of getting clean, refreshed tresses.

To do so, you should wash your clip-in hair pieces separately; apply a normal dose of shampoo on your clip-in hair extensions, and massage it into the hair, washing out all the product build-up. You may notice that the water in your container or bathtub or sink is changing colour: that’s it, that’s all the gunk coming out! If necessary, in case of stubborn oiliness or accidents with some hair product, you may want to shampoo twice to make sure that all the dirt is getting washed away from your locks.

Step 4: Rinse

Rinse your extensions with plenty of clean lukewarm water, and then pat them in a soft towel to soak up the excess water. Doing this will help your conditioning treatment to better penetrate in the hair shaft, for deeper hydration and softening effects. 

Step 5: Conditioner

Use conditioner every time you wash your clip-in extensions – it’s a total must-have.  Leave the conditioner in the hair for 3-5 minutes for best results (or however long your chosen conditioner says on the packaging). Make sure you focus on mid-length and ends, to avoid possible build-up on the clips and lace seams.

Step 6: Deep Conditioning

Treat your hair to a moisturising hair mask every 10-15 washes. If you regularly heat-style your extensions then use a mask more often – after every 7-10 washes. You can also pop your hair extensions in a plastic bag or a shower cap whilst they are covered in a deep conditioning treatment to help concentrate the softening and nourishing effects of your chosen product. 

Just like with conditioner, focus on the mid-length and ends of your clip-ins.

Step 7: The Final Rinse

Now, finally, you got to the last washing step: the final rinse. Use cool water to seal all that lovely moisture from the conditioner into your hair, rinsing thoroughly to make sure that your extensions are both soft and shiny at the end of this process. Cold water helps closing the cuticles and ensures that moisture and shine in your hair extensions last longer, for better styling and a better final result.

Step 8: Air Dry

Carefully place your extensions into a dry towel (I personally prefer microfibre towels as they are more gentle to hair cuticles) and pat away the water in excess. Then hang out your clip-in extensions to dry naturally.

Always try to air-dry your hair extensions, even if you are in a hurry. At the very least, try to get the hair to at least 50% dry before turning to heat. We all know that heat dries hair out more quickly so give your extensions a chance by drying them inside and hanging them out. If you resort to a blow dryer, make sure you spritz some Cliphair heat protection spray on your tresses to avoid heat damage.

If your hair is air drying, instead, know that now’s a good time to use a moisturizing spray or serum on your human hair extensions, to lock hydration in your strands for long-lasting shine and softness. We’d recommend the Cliphair silky hair spray, to help control any frizz.

Step 9: Brush, Spray And Heat

Once your clip-in hair extensions are fully dry, it’s time to get styling for your next wear. So how do you prepare your hair for styling?

If you’ve completely air-dried your hair and it looks a bit frizzy don’t panic. It’s just the humidity in the air around the extensions that makes them look frizzy. Once you’ve brushed and styled your extensions, they’ll be back to perfect in next to no time. To solve this, you could resort to some hair oil – for example, Argan oil is one of my favorites.

Step 10: Style It

No explanation is needed! Simply enjoy your perfectly washed clip-in extensions. Remember to use heat protection spray and always use low heat settings to help keep your hair looking healthy for longer.