Clarifying Your Natural Hair For Your First Installation

There’s nothing worse than getting an installation done only to find your hair extensions slipping the very next day. It is common to lose a strand or two over the length of time that your extensions are in, however, if  you do lose a good chunk, it shouldn’t be until you’re closer to your move-up appointment. To ensure you’re doing everything right on your end as the client, make sure your hair is 100% clarified before any initial installation or move-up appointment. Don’t know how to make sure it is? Good thing you’re reading this. Here are the products you’ll need and the steps to apply them.

Clarifying shampoo. Invest in a great sulfate-free clarifying shampoo to make sure you’re not leaving any product buildup in your natural hair. You might as well get used to this type of shampoo because you’ll be needing it for the remainder of the time you’re wearing your Donna Bella Hair extensions. This includes Clip-Ins.

Apple cider vinegar. What? Yes, you read that right. Apple cider vinegar removes any gunk from an oily scalp or buildup from products you apply to your hair. There’s also a bonus to using this type of vinegar—not only does it remove the grossness from your hair, it also closes the cuticle of the hair making it soft, smooth, and shiny. ..

Notice how conditioner wasn’t listed? That’s because it shouldn't be used before an installation. That is a big time Donna Bella Hair No-No! If you must use conditioner to make the hair more manageable, use a clarifying one, and limit it to the ends of the hair.

Now that you have those 2 products, here’s what you’ll do:

1) In a bottle, mix one part of the vinegar and the other part water.

2) Wash you hair with the clarifying shampoo listed above. Massage it into your hair very, very well. One thing sulfate-free shampoos don’t do is create a ton of soapy lather, so make sure you’ve distributed enough throughout your whole head. Rinse.

3) Wring out excess water from the hair and apply the vinegar mix throughout your whole head, concentrating the most on the roots.  Wait 3-5 minutes and rinse.

***Before you apply the vinegar on your scalp, make sure to consult your dermatologist or do a test spot to make sure you’re not allergic. If you are allergic, repeat step 2 twice.

4) Blow dry your hair without applying any product so that it stays stripped of any buildup. If you have time, you can let it air dry.

You should always clarify your natural hair the day of your appointment. If you do it the night before, your scalp will get oily overnight causing the hair extensions to not adhere like they’re meant to.

Questions? Drop them in the comments below, we want to hear from you! XO.