The Lazy Girls Guide To: Washing and Drying Your Clip In Hair Extensions!

I am still on my never ending quest to grow my own short, thin hair 

So when I feel like adding some length and volume clip in extensions are the perfect solution

I've been using them on and off for years 

and although you don't need to wash them often

It is one of these tasks that us poor girls have to do that is essentially a pain in the ass.

However, I think I have finally mastered a quick and easy method of washing and drying them

Hopefully you will pick up a few tips! 

So here we go The Lazy Girls Guide to Washing and Drying your clip ins

Before we start it's important to know what kind of extensions you have

Not all extensions are suitable for washing or can be damaged easily with heat

Most synthetic extensions will frazzle as soon as heat is applied so please make sure you know before you start that they are human hair or at least part human hair and are suitable for washing and styling!

So now that you know your hair is fine to wash

You are ready to go! 

I've found that this little trick seriously makes life sooo much easier when it comes to washing your extensions

Instead of washing each weft individually,

wrap your extensions together and secure with a hair tie.

Now you are left with a long ponytail

It takes much less time and effort to wash them like this 

and they are actually far less likely to get damaged as they are less fragile when they are all together 

rather than in individual strips.

Now rinse the hair in warm water 

and pick whatever shampoo you like

I went for Aussie Take The Heat Shampoo

always try and massage the shampoo in from the top of the hair downward 

if you start from the bottom and work your way up the hair will knot 

Make sure you rinse out all the shampoo thoroughly 

You need to look after your extensions as you would your own hair 

So I always like to put a conditioning treatment in mine

This is the lazy girls guide though 

So a 3 minute treat will do!

I went for the Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Luscious Long Deep Treatment

When the 3 minutes is up rinse all the conditioner out of the hair 

To keep your extensions looking as good as you can for as long as you can 

The best way to dry them is to let them dry naturally

Give them a quick towel dry, remember to be really gentle

Now I find that hanging the hair speeds up the drying process 

you can hang them over a clothes horse or a radiator 

but I have came up with something else 

Now I know this might seem a little bit strange

and maybe avoid doing it if you are expecting guests

(because they will almost definitely think you are a weirdo)

but if you get a trouser hanger and put the wefts through the middle 

it is a really good way to let your extensions air dry 

You might need more than one hanger depending how many wefts you have 

just hang them on a door handle and leave until dry 

One thing to remember

most human hair extensions will dry with a wave in them 

personally I like mine to be straight when I first wash them

Once my extensions are around 80% dry 

I like to give them a quick blow dry to give them a sleek, finished look 

Now unless you are a magician or have three hands 

you will find it extremely awkward and difficult to blow dry them properly

as you really need one hand to hold the weft, one to hold a brush, and one to hold the hair dryer 

I've got a tool that makes this process loads easier

The Babyliss Big Hair is a rotating brush that blows out hot air 

using this means you are able to blowdry and brush the hair with one hand 

leaving your other hand free to hold the weft

As you would with your own hair you should always apply a heat protectant to the hair 

before using a hot styling tool 

I used this one by TRESemme

and that ladies is pretty much it! 

I hope you picked up a few tips along the way

I love the feeling of my extensions when they are just washed

Just make sure you don't do it too often 

as over washing and styling can cause breaking and fall out!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend lovelies 

Jen <3