In all forms of hair and beauty there are always things that can go wrong, whether you’re the customer or the stylist we’ve all got our own horror stories to tell! Lets be honest, we’ve all got a bit too carried away with the fake tan bottle from time to time and ended up looking more tangoed than tanned. But, the great thing about these disasters is that you learn from them and you’ll never do it again! Luckily, here at Cliphair we’ve skipped that painful part for you and listed the 4 most common mistakes that are made when applying and caring for Tape in hair extensions. We’ve explained not only how to fix the mistakes but also how to prevent them so you can apply and wear your hair extensions with confidence.
Not yet bought your tape ins and looking for more information before buying? Then check out our product guide to tell you everything you need to know on tape in hair extensions.
Tape extensions slipping out during or soon after the application is a common obstacle many people come across when applying or wearing tapes, this happens mostly after the first wash. There are different factors that can cause this problem and thankfully lots of ways to prevent it and to fix it should it happen. See the table below for the cause, solution and prevention.
| CAUSE | HOW TO FIX IT | HOW TO PREVENT IT |
|---|---|---|
| Adhesive strip on the tape tab is old or not strong enough | Remove the adhesive gently and apply new fresh Tape tabs | - Make sure the hair you are using is from a reputable and legitimate company that specialise in hair extensions. - Make sure the hair is not over 12 months old, after this amount of time the stickiness of the adhesive can start to deteriorate. - Check the stickiness of the tab on your fingers before applying it to your clients hair, if it does not feel very sticky to touch don't use it as once it has been applied you may not be able to return it. |
| Hair washed incorrectly and with unsuitable shampoo/conditioner | Any tapes that have fallen out in washing process will need to be dried. You can then gently remove the old sticky tab and re-apply a new tab. | - Make sure you are only using extensions friendly shampoo and conditioner when washing your hair. Avoid all shampoos that contain oil, sulphates and alcohol, these ingredients will degrade the stickiness of the adhesive and can cause the tapes to slip. - Never use conditioner or oil on or near the roots of your hair, take special care to make sure it does not come into contact with the tops of your tapes. The conditioner will loosen the tabs and cause them to fall out. |
| Hair was not properly prepared before the application | Hair must be completely clean, smooth and dry before any permanent hair extension application. Remove any residue from hair, re-tape and re-apply your extensions. | - Before applying any permanent hair extensions make sure the hair is completely clean and free from any product residue. You can do this by washing the hair before application with a clarifying or cleansing shampoo to remove any unwanted build up that can create a barrier between your hair and the tabs causing them to slip. - Make sure your hair is 100% dry and smooth before attaching the tapes. If the hair is wet it will not allow the sticky tabs to fully attach to the hair, causing slippage later on. Applying tapes to hair that is frizzy/curly at the roots can cause matting which in turn can lead to the tapes falling out. - Never apply tapes to hair that has been dyed in the last 48 hours, there is a chance that residue is still on the hair that will create a barrier in-between the hair and tapes. The hair could also still be slightly weakened from the process so it may not be able to hold the weight of the tapes straight after colouring. |
| Hair not suitable for this extension method | Remove all tapes and do not re-apply. Speak to a professional for advice and guidance to choose the correct method for your hair. | - Very oily or greasy hair is not suitable for tape in extensions. The natural oil that the hair produces will seep into the tapes and cause them to slip, it can also create a barrier in application. |
| Incorrect tools used for styling and maintenance | Remove adhesive from the fallen tapes and re-apply new tabs. Have the professionally refitted. | - Only use an extensions friendly detangling brush or Tangle teezer to brush and style the hair. Paddle brushes or brushes with bobbles on the ends can catch the tabs and pull them out. - When styling the hair be very gentle and avoid using any oily products at the roots. |
| Tapes applied incorrectly | Remove adhesive from the fallen tapes and re-apply new tabs. Have the professionally refitted. | - We advise having all permanent extensions applied professionally to avoid fall out, damage to hair and disappointment. The application of the tapes is very important, if they are not applied with enough pressure or in the wrong angle they make not stick for very long and fall out. - Make sure the amount of hair in-between the tapes is sufficient to hold the weight. We always recommend mimicking the weight and size of the weft you are applying as a general rule. |
People usually associate matting with the mid-lengths and ends of the hair, however it is not just limited to this area. Matting can occur around the attachment of any permanent hair extensions and at the roots between the rows of the tapes. This can be very uncomfortable for the wearer and also stressful and time-consuming for the stylist removing the matts/knots. It can also cause damage to the hair extensions and most importantly your own hair so it is not to be taken lightly and caution must be taken to avoid this from happening. This is one of the number 1 reasons why we advise having any permanent extensions applied professionally to avoid any damage to your own hair. In the case of matting the extensions will need to be removed and re-applied professionally, you cannot remove severe matting whilst hair extensions are still attached. There are various reasons why matting occurs, see the table below for the causes, how to fix it and how avoid it happening in the future.
| CAUSE | HOW TO FIX IT | HOW TO PREVENT IT |
|---|---|---|
| Tapes applied incorrectly - Too close to scalp - Too far away from scalp - Too much hair in attachment - Tape not secured or positioned correctly, causing other hair to attach itself from around the extension. | Once severe matting has occurred the hair extensions will need to be removed before the matting can be tackled. Then to remove the matting gently separate the knots using a detangle spray or conditioner and a pintail comb. Making sure to always hold the hair above the matting to prevent damage or tension to the scalp. | - Have a check up appointment 1 week after having your tapes applied to check for any signs of matting. - Always have permanent extensions applied professionally to avoid this happening. When applying these types of extensions on your own hair it is very difficult to see what you are doing which can cause problems later on. - Apply the extension no more or less than 1.5cm away from the scalp, the hair should not feel uncomfortably tight or too baggy. - Follow the general rule of the same weight and thickness as the extension for the amount of hair you are attaching the weft too. - Make sure the tabs are secured together properly and other hair is not stuck from nearby. |
| Incorrect maintenance, Not looking after the hair extensions or following the aftercare in-between services. | Once severe matting has occurred the hair extensions will need to be removed
before the matting can be tackled. Then to remove the matting gently separate the knots using a detangle spray or conditioner and a pintail comb. Making sure to always hold the hair above the matting to prevent damage or tension to the scalp. | - Make sure you follow your hair stylists advice or your suppliers aftercare guide to maintain your hair extensions. - Check everyday in-between the rows of extensions for any matting started to happen and separate the knots each time to prevent them getting worse. If you can feel them becoming unmanageable contact your stylist. - Regularly brush your hair, every morning and night and always before washing. - Never wash your hair over the bath or sink, always with your head positioned in an upright position. - Never rub your roots with a towel to dry your hair, this will encourage matting. - Sleep with hair in 2 loose braids, this will keep the hair secure and prevent matting. |
| Hair extensions have been left in for too long | Once severe matting has occurred the hair extensions will need to be removed
before the matting can be tackled. Then to remove the matting gently separate the knots using a detangle spray or conditioner and a pintail comb. Making sure to always hold the hair above the matting to prevent damage or tension to the scalp | - Always remove and either replace or re-tape you hair extensions every 6-8 weeks. Remember as your hair grows the extensions will move with it creating a larger gap from the tab to your scalp, other hair will start to get caught in this gap. |
Often its not until you have applied all of your hair extensions that you can tell whether they blend with your own hair and look natural or not. We can all agree that there's nothing worse than when you can clearly see the separation between your own hair and the hair extensions and unfortunately this isn't always obvious until the application is finished. The good news with this problem is that it is easily solved, causes no damage and very rarely needs a removal service to fix it. Just like a lot of issues when it comes to hair extensions there are various causes for this problem, in the table below you can find the cause, solution and how to prevent this happening in the future.
| CAUSE | HOW TO FIX IT | HOW TO PREVENT IT |
|---|---|---|
| Incorrect amount of hair extensions used/ordered | Simply apply more hair to the areas that need more volume to blend the hair together. | - Always have a consultation before any hair extension appointment so that your stylist can asses your hair type, length and colour. - For big transformations for example going from very short to long hair, you will need at least 150-200g of tape hair extensions. Usually this is between 60-80 wefts. Its always better to have too much hair than not enough! - If you are not sure how much hair to order, Ask! At Cliphair we have an Advice team on hand anytime that are more than happy to help with any hair related questions you have. CLICK HERE to get in touch today! - Thick hair will always require more hair extensions to blend in with the natural hair. |
| Incorrect colour used | You can add the correct colour in to the hair to blend the extensions giving a multi-tonal effect. This may not completely solve the issue though, if the colour difference is too noticeable the hair will need to be removed and replaced. | - Always have your hair colour matched before ordering your hair extensions, either by a hair expert through your supplier or by a hair stylist in a salon. - Purchase a colour ring from your supplier to colour match the hair yourself before ordering. At Cliphair you can loan our Colour ring for 28 days if you do not wish to buy to keep. |
| Incorrect placement of hair extensions | This is usually the case when only 60-100g of hair has been used to create a half head look. In this case you can simply add more hair in the correct places or where more volume is needed to finish the look. | - Make sure you evenly distribute the hair extensions on the head. Plan your placement before you apply if you are worried there is not enough by using sectioning clips to create a demo version. - Avoid placing too many extensions all in one place, especially avoid the nape area for this as you will be left with a gap in the middle/crown area with no hair extensions and the hair here will not blend with the long length. |
| Hair not styled/cut/finished after application | This is usually the case when the hair is applied unprofessionally. The best quality hair extension applications should include a cut and style to blend the hair in and add natural layers. When hair is only applied and not finished with a cut it can appear too bulky and block looking on the ends. Simply ask your stylist to cut your extensions in for you and you'll be surprised the difference a good cut and some clever shaping can have on the finished look! | - Always have a cut and style after your hair extensions are applied to ensure a natural finish. - Always have permanent hair extensions provide professionally. |
Another common problem with tape hair extensions happens at the removal stage, this is when the hair extensions are very difficult to remove which can be uncomfortable for the customer and stressful for the stylist removing them. At Cliphair we have a great tape remover liquid solution that we advise to use when you are ready to remove the tapes, it is oil based with a soft citrus scent. Below in the table we have included the cause for this problem along with the solution and how to prevent it happening again in the future.
| CAUSE | HOW TO FIX | HOW TO PREVENT |
|---|---|---|
| Hair extensions have been left in for too long | If the hair has been left in for longer than 8 weeks it can be tricky to remove and may also have started to matt. In this case you first need to remove the extensions before tackling the matting. Use a strong tape hair remover solution (Cliphair tape remover) and the end of a pintail comb to gently prise the tapes apart. Try to spray the solution inside of the tape sandwich to loosen the adhesive, letting the solution sink in for 30 seconds before peeling the tapes apart. If the hair is still being stubborn you can try adding some strong conditioner or a very small amount of alcohol remover to loosen the tapes. Be patient, they WILL come out but you will need to help them, do not be tempted to rip, tug or cut the hair. | - Make sure the tape extensions are not left in the hair for any longer than 8 weeks. Tape hair extensions should be removed and re-installed after 6-8 weeks. - Send your clients a removal reminder message at least 1 week before their extensions are due to be removed. Inform them on the first application of the removal rule. |
| Incorrect remover solution being used | Make sure you are using a solution that is suitable for removing medical adhesive tape. At Cliphair we have an oil based remover which is kinder to the skin and hair than other alcohol based removers. | - Make sure you have researched your hair remover before using. - Order more than enough so that you are prepared for tricky and stubborn tapes that may need extra spray. - Order solution ideally at least 3 weeks before the removal is due to ensure you have it. |
| Hair is matted due to incorrect maintenance or application | In this case you first need to remove the extensions before tackling the matting.
Use a strong tape hair remover solution (Cliphair tape remover) and the end of a pintail comb to gently prise the tapes apart. Try to spray the solution inside of the tape sandwich to loosen the adhesive, letting the solution sink in for 30 seconds before peeling the tapes apart. If the hair is still being stubborn you can try adding some strong conditioner or a very small amount of alcohol remover to loosen the tapes. Be patient, they WILL come out but you will need to help them, do not be tempted to rip, tug or cut the hair. | - have a check up appointment 1 week after having your tapes applied to check for any signs of matting. - Make sure you stick strictly to the aftercare advice given and you maintain your hair extensions correctly in-between services. - Make sure the tapes are applied professionally and correctly |
Now that your a pro at Tape hair extensions why not have a browse through our collection here at Cliphair, we've got a wide range of lengths and over 40 shades to choose from including our New Balayage colours! We've also got all the accessories you need to apply, remove and re-tape them here. Whatever your after you will find it in our selection, and remember if you need any help choosing the right ones for you feel free to ask an expert and use our FREE Colour Match and Advice service by clicking the button below!
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