Weave is an extremely popular accessory in our country. We believe that women would weave regardless of naysayers. Any extension added onto a female’s body becomes a reflection of herself. We hope we can change the weave nation to a better looking one.

1. If you can’t afford it, don’t wear it. Although synthetic hair appears cost-friendly it can cost you long term damage by making your natural hair brittle and even irritate your scalp. Beware of brands that claim to be 100% human hair but are really mixed with synthetic fibers.

2. Condition! It’s crucial that you deep condition your hair before attaching a weave. We strongly recommend deep treatment, under a hooded dryer wearing a plastic cap for 20 minutes. No hooded dryer? No problem. Leave the conditioner in for 45 minutes to 1 hour with just the plastic cap. Then rinse.

3. Avoid glue-in weaves. Allow your hair stylist to weave with cornrows.

4. If it’s tight, get out of there! Tracks should be sewn in firmly but comfortably. You should not leave the salon in pain. Keep a weaving thread and needle handy at home for any tracks that come loose. It’s not worth losing your hair.

5. Add a net. Attaching a weaving net can relieve some of the tension. You can even have the tracks sewn onto the net instead of your actual hair. This makes getting to your scalp when washing easier and makes weave removal simple.

6. Wash it. Part your weave into sections. Create loose knots and secure with clips to reduce tangling. Use a spray bottle with diluted shampoo and diluted conditioner to reduce buildup. Saturate each section then massage product into scalp and hair as you would your natural hair (using your fingertips, not nails and carefully maneuvering between tracks and under braids). When conditioning, use a wide-tooth comb to detangle. Rinse section by section, loosely wrapping back up in a knot when moving onto the next. When all product is removed, create four braids. Finally, sit under a hooded dryer so that scalp and hair can thoroughly dry.

6. Don’t use product. Oils, crèmes and hairsprays will weigh down your weave and cause build up which can lead to odors! Aerosol sprays can dry out the strands. If you invest in a quality weave, you won’t need to apply product between washes. If you have a curly weave, a little leave in condition on the damp hair will control frizz.

7. Don’t use heat. Just lightly finger-comb. The less you manipulate your weave, the less stress you’re applying to your real hair.

9. Oil your edges and scalp. Rosemary herb combined with an oil like jojoba or almond can condition hair and stimulate growth. Mix in a squirt bottle so that you can direct the oil to your scalp and avoid the contact with your weave.

10. Take a break. Giving your hair a rest from weaves doesn’t necessarily mean your locks have to go from long and curly to cropped and relaxed overnight. If you want to keep up one consistent look even in between weaves, try faux ponies or half-wigs. Your real hair will thank you later!