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Everything You Need to Know About K-Tip Extensions

Are K-tips right for you?

As a loyal K-tip customer and stylist, I am in LOVE with them. Does this mean that they are the right extension choice for everyone? No, of course not.

I could go on and on about why I have chosen K-tips again and again as my go to extension method but let’s talk about you!

What hair type do you have? Curly, straight, wavy, course, fine? Are you interested in extensions in order to add length, fullness, both? What is your lifestyle like? Are you a gym girlie, are you in and out of the water a lot, do you style your hair everyday? These (plus more) are all questions that will help us get to the bottom of whether or not K-tips are right for you.

What exactly are K-tips?

Before we get into all of that let’s talk about what exactly K-tips are.  

K-tip extensions are individual hair extensions that have keratin attached to the tip – hence the name “K-tip”. This keratin tip is the part of the extension that gets fused to a very small section of your hair using a heating tool. Because the keratin bond is partially made from the same protein that is naturally found in human hair it is completely safe for your hair. It also has a silicone barrier that helps protect your hair from the heat when fusing. 

Okay, now let’s get into it!

Do K-tips work well with my hair type?

Whether your hair is curly, straight, fine, or coarse, K-tips can work for you! Different hair types may require different forms of at home maintenance that your stylist can educate you on but overall we recommend K-tips for all hair types.

How will my lifestyle affect my decision on which extension type is best for me?

Your lifestyle does have an impact on which extension type we recommend. If you are someone who lives in a messy bun, K-tips are definitely the extensions you’ll want. Although, we do recommend switching over to a more structured style so you don’t end up with a tangled mess.  K-tips have a wide range of motion so you’re able to wear a high pony or sleek bun. They are great for all of you gym girlies out there!  

However, if you are someone who is in and out of the water all the time, K-tips are probably not for you. You will want to look into a less permanent type of extension, such as clip-ins.  

Another thing to take into consideration is how often you prefer to wash, dry, and style your hair.  It’s important to dry your extensions 100% so if this isn’t something you feel comfortable implementing into your routine you may want to, again, consider clip-ins.

What type of maintenance can I expect with K-tips?

The good news for all of you low maintenance girlies out there is that once your K-tips are installed, you don’t need to come in for regular move up appointments like many other extension types. Does that mean that K-tips don’t require maintenance at all? Unfortunately, no.

What you can expect is some regular at home care. Don’t worry! It’s nothing major and it’s honestly very similar to what you should be doing to keep your own hair healthy anyways.  

Brushing

First off, we have brushing. You need to brush your hair daily. This sounds simple because… it is! This is the easiest yet probably most important part of your at home maintenance routine.  Not only will this keep your hair looking and feeling nice and soft but it will also keep your extensions from tangling and eventually matting. 

Matting is the main issue that we want to avoid. This is what happens when the bonds get tangled together. Once this happens it’s really hard to come back from, which is why we want to avoid it completely.

Dry Hair

Another very important part of your daily routine is going to be making sure that your hair is always 100% dry after washing it. Hopefully you’re able to go a few days in between washing your hair, because if not, I highly recommend jumping on that wagon! Extension hair tends to hold a lot of moisture, so this will add some extra time onto your blow drying. 

Since we’re on the topic of blow drying, let’s talk about heat! You can use heat on your extensions, but we do recommend using as little as possible – and when you do, make sure you are ALWAYS using a heat protectant. Our fav is Aveda’s Heat Relief. 

Masques

Next up is weekly conditioning masques. Again, pretty simple. If this isn’t already part of your regular hair health routine, once you get extensions you’re going to want to include it. Wash your hair like you normally do, and then instead of using a conditioner you’re going to use a hair masque.  

From my experience, Aveda’s Botanical Repair Intensive Strengthening Masque is the absolute G.O.A.T. when it comes to keeping your extensions looking and feeling healthy. This, along with limiting heat exposure, is going to play a big role in the lifespan of the hair (which I will also touch more on later). 

Style

How you wear your hair while sleeping and working out is another important part of your at home maintenance. Because you’re most likely moving around a lot during these activities, the extensions can tend to, again, tangle and matte. To avoid this, you’ll want to wear your hair either braided or in a smooth bun close to your scalp. We also recommend sleeping with a silk pillowcase or a sleeping cap if possible.

What do I need to avoid?

There are also going to be a few things you’ll want to avoid with your extensions. As far as getting your hair wet, you’ll do best to stay away from chlorine and salt water. If you absolutely must get your hair wet in a pool or the ocean, here are a few tips for the least collateral damage.  

Wet and condition your hair before getting in, leaving the conditioner in your hair. This will add a layer of protection to your extensions. Immediately after getting out, wash, brush, and dry your hair. I can tell you from experience that it’s best to just avoid getting your hair wet if you’re in a pool, hot tub, or the ocean.  

Of course, we LOVE hair products. Unfortunately, there are few ingredients in products that you’ll want to avoid if you have k-tip extensions in. The ingredients that you’ll want to look out for are sulfates, alcohol, silicones, and parabens. Sulfates and alcohol can actually break down the keratin bond leading to your extensions detaching. Silicones and parabens can lead to build up and damage. 

Can I color my extensions?

Coloring extensions can get a little complicated. That being said, we can color your roots while the extensions are in,  just like we normally would without them. When it comes to coloring the actual extensions, we have to be more careful. Glossing extensions with a demi or semi hair color is perfectly fine, although, we may need to adjust the formula because of how extensions absorb color. Lightening extensions with bleach or any type of lightener will definitely cause damage and probably ruin them. We highly recommend avoiding that all together.

We know this is a lot of information and can feel a bit overwhelming, but trust us – k-tips are pretty simple! We’ve yet to find a lower maintenance yet super luxe extension type that we love more.

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