HAIR EXTENSION AFTERCARE IS A FULL TIME JOB AND YOU NEED TO BE GOOD AT IT.

This task can’t be simplified to washing once a week with a sulphate free shampoo. It’s just not that easy. Aftercare really is a full time job, and with any trade or occupation it takes time to master your skill. When potential financial loss is involved you don’t have time to waste perfecting a skill set and that’s where we step in to teach you what we know. 

Raw and Virgin hair is incredible. It‘s the real deal, and the elite master in all hair categories, BUT it’s not indestructible. That’s why caring for your extensions in the most gentle and attentive way is one of the most important rules of hair-care. Excessive heat, lack of moisture and lack of brushing are some of the worst ways to handle your Hair Extensions. It is our duty as a Hair Supplier to offer a product that reflects the price that customers pay but to also guide customers on how is best to take care of them. It is the customers job to put in the work that preserves that product.

If you use straighteners and curlers on platinum blonde Hair Extensions several times a day, they will not last. It doesn’t matter if it’s our hair, or the hair from another company. There isn’t a hair on the market that could withstand that kind of neglect and poor handling and then live out it's advertised shelf-life. 

Excessive heat is a big no. 

Once in the morning should be the maximum when it comes to heat, and the same in the case of blow-drying. 

A one to two minute blast on a low to medium heat is all that’s necessary for the first step, and the remainder of your drying time should be cold air. 

99.9% of blow drying time should be on a cool to cold setting. 

Sealing The Cuticle 

Blow drying on cool will not only protect your Hair Extensions from heat damage but will also protect your natural hair from frizz. Frizz is definitely not a girls best friend, it’s our worst enemy.

Blow drying on cool after the application of good hair care products will smooth out unwanted flyaways and seal the hair cuticle intact. This is what renders a smooth finish.

The more militant you are in regard to Hair Care, the more you'll get from your purchase. Aftercare/ is in place to protect your purchase but please don't neglect your natural hair in the process. Please be sure to follow the information laid out within this section as best you can. 

The following aftercare tips are brought to you by women from all over the world, from cultures old and new. But, the commonality that brings us all together is the love of our hair.  

 If you're a Hair Extensions newbie or maybe you just don't have the most militant Hair Care routine, the Odus Professional Golden Rules will teach you how to both care for and prolong the life of your Hair Extensions.

We hope the following aftercare will serve you well

1) OILING is a magical and restorative process and is a vital step to any Hair Care routine and the Odus Pro 'Magic Elixir' is the only oil based product you'll ever need. Our Magic Elixir is an ancient Egyptian formula dating back to the pyramidian era. The main ingredients being Blue Lotus and raw Gooseberry and this formula has been used by women across various cultures to combat hair loss and damage for centuries. Both main ingredients are extremely rich in amino-acids which are incredibly important for hair growth, health and strength. At Odus Pro, we need to see the stats before a product could garner our full support, and raw gooseberry has a considerable amount of evidentiary support backing hair growth. Although we don't market our Elixir as a 'hair growth oil' we'll let the results do the marketing. The results from our Magic Elixir are instant and you will see a dramatic improvement in hair health after your very first application. It probably sounds too good to be true, so we'll leave it there and let our Elixir do the talking.

*Use 2-3 times per week before bed by drenching ends and mid-section then massaging into scalp with finger tips or a scalp massager. Wrap hair in a Silk Bonnet and leave overnight. Wash twice in the morning with a sulphate-free shampoo and condition as normal. Pat hair dry with a towel and add a generous helping of Moroccan Oil to ends and mid-section whilst damp. Moroccan Oil was designed to partially reduce drying time and it does its job very well. Finish off by blowdrying on cool to seal the cuticles closed*

(This product is oil based and will stain pillowcases, bed sheets and clothing at the time of use. It does however wash out very well. We recommend the use of old fabrics dedicated for the purpose of oiling to reduce the risk of staining. Our Magic Elixir is categorised into two, one for Blondes (Light Magic) and one for Brunettes (Dark Magic) please ensure you purchase the correct product for your shade as we won't accept liability for mishaps as a result of a failure to do so. Our Dark Magic Elixir can contribute to permanent darkening of natural hair and Hair Extensions, please be aware of this)

2) BRUSH YOUR HAIR

We know we may be singing to the choir here but many women who wear Hair Extensions weren't taught about the importance of investing in a good hair brush or the importance of brushing their hair as frequently. This prevents damage from tangling and also stimulates blood flow in the scalp. The Golden Rule is "wherever you go, your hairbrush goes" and protective hairstyles are a must. Plait your hair in poor weather conditions, especially in windy conditions as this prevents split ends and unaligned cuticles from catching together and snapping. We've linked the best Hair Extension brush below. 

3] SILK BONNETS and Silk Pillowcases have been used for centuries to prevent hair snappage. The Ancient Egyptians knew the potential damage tough cotton pillowcases or those with rough fabric could cause on their natural hair. Nano beads, tips and other forms of bonded Hair Extensions can rub together against  the rooted area of your hair and pillowcase causing friction, which often results in breakage and snapping. A Silk Bonnet and pillowcase prevents snappage due to a lack of resistance allowing the hair and face to glide across the material with ease. This is also the case with the forming of wrinkles. Many wrinkles are caused by tough cotton pillowcases due to repetitive sleep positioning. Be sure to use a soft pillow which doesn't allow for much resistance as you turn your head. 'ensure the band from your bonnet is not resting on your hairline' as this could damage your natural hair and cause hair-loss or shedding' we do recommend a bonnet with an elasticated band. 

4] MOISTURE SPRITZING is incredibly important for the protection and longevity of both your Hair Extensions and natural hair. It may not be as necessary in the beginning but towards the end of the life of your extensions it could afford you a lot more time. We recommend keeping your hair moisturised right from the start, and not only toward the end of their shelf life, "a preventative is always better than a cure" 

Hair Extensions are a dead waste product, and by allowing them to become dry at any point in their life could speed up the process of them becoming brittle and potentially shorten their lifespan. Moisture Spritzing helps to hold off the inevitable for as long as possible by adding a protective barrier and allowing hair strands to freely glide past one another without tangling due to winds, split ends, sleep or exercise. Whilst our Raw and Virgin Hair Extensions are incredibly soft, silky, strong and long-lasting, they're not invincible to nature. 

Add some Moroccan Oil and water to a handbag sized spritzing bottle (linked below) spray and brush through as and when needed during the day. This will keep your hair and extensions moisture locked and tangle free.  

5] UP-DO'S SHOULD BE OCCASIONAL NOT DAILY

Up-Do's are incredibly stressful on your natural hair and above all else, your natural hair is all that really matters. Extensions can be replaced, but it takes a long time for hair to grow back. We've linked the cutest Butterfly Clips ever in the link section below. Butterly Clips prevent strain on your natural hair and extensions, but also help create stunning half up and half down styles. We think you'll love these! Very cutesy, very demure, very mindful. 

6] ALWAYS WASH UPRIGHT in the shower. If you have 30" Hair Extensions and you tip them upside down at shampooing time, its likely you'll experience some hair-loss at some point. As you know, when hair gets wet it becomes extremely heavy and pulls downward. This could snap your natural hair due to tension and pull hair from your weft or bonds so we strongly recommend only ever washing your hair upright or at your local salon for a wash and blow dry. (The overuse of hats, caps and tight elastic hair bands also creates tension on your bonds. Try and minimise wearing these as much as possible and wear them loosely if so)

7] THE NUMBER ONE KILLER OF HAIR EXTENSIONS IS HEAT and believe us when we say that. Heatless Rollers and Rag Rollers have always been the best methods for curling, more so than any curling wand available on the market. Any form of heat on your Hair Extensions will weaken the bonds, make them dry, brittle and potentially cause them to fall out prematurely. It can also accelerate colour fading in Virgin Hair. If using sun-beds be sure to cover your hair with a thick fabric such as a towel to protect your hair from artificial heat and UV. Sun-beds make your hair incredibly dry and can cause extremely difficult to repair levels of damage. Always blow dry on cool, and minimise heat to once a day.  We strongly recommend trying the products we've linked below. It's going to save you a whole lot of heartache and money. Btw, pin curls will never go out of style and they can be achieved without heat. 

8] SULPHATE FREE SHAMPOO PRODUCTS are very much a necessity when it comes to Hair Extensions so as not to strip an already dead product of the last of its natural oils and moisture. This aftercare section may sound like a whole lot of work but unfortunately, aftercare is merely delaying the inevitable. The hair is already dead and we're trying to prolong it's lifespan for as long as physically possible. This is why Hair Extension aftercare is such a strenuous and detailed regime and its important that regime is adhered to. Sulphate free shampoos don't need to be ridiculously expensive, and the more high end shampoos are the harsher they are on extensions in most cases. Our best recommendation for a sulphate free shampoo is one that has been a salon favourite since the mid 1980's and one of our personal favourites. (Linked below)

9] A HARD WATER FILTER WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Hard water impacts your hair and skin in some of the worst ways. It's ageing your skin at an astronomical rate and impacting the integrity of your hair and extensions too.  You may find that a hard water filter answers lots of unsolved questions and positively impacts some of the possible outcomes too.

*Premature Discolouration 

Many of the minerals in hard water can affect the colour of Hair Extensions, especially blondes. Often causing brassiness or other unwanted hues.

*Dullness, Dryness & Breakage 

The buildup from hard water strips the hair of its natural oils and moisture, this can of course lead to dryness and increased breakage.

*Tangle Prone

Mineral buildup and residue can make it incredibly difficult to detangle Hair Extensions and can also massively effect their ability to hold a style. 

*Reduced Shampoo & Conditioner Effectiveness 

Hard water greatly interferes with the effectiveness of shampoo's and conditioners, making it harder to both clean and add moisture back into the hair. 

Not only does hard water strip your natural hair and Hair Extensions of moisture, it also effects your skin in the same way and is linked to premature ageing, disrupted P.H balance and exacerbation of skin conditions, such as clogged pores and acne. 

Hard Water Filters have a significant overall impact on hair health and whilst this isn't a necessity, we do recommend you purchase for general hair and skin well-being. We're certain you'll be pleased with the results.