Frizzy Hair & Extensions: Pro Tips for Smoothing, Blending & Avoiding Shrinkage

3 Steps to Blending Naturally Frizzy Hair & Extensions

Have a client who wants extensions but is worried their frizz-prone hair won’t seamlessly blend with the installed hair? Fear not as this service add-on will keep your clients’ hair silky smooth and extensions undetectable long after they leave your chair.

Ahead, see how to prep natural hair, perfectly match extensions and install for a seamlessly blended finish.

1. How to Choose the Right Extensions:

Choosing extensions that mimic your client’s texture is the first step in creating a natural look. When choosing the right extensions, consider the following:

• Texture Match: Opt for extensions that mimic the hair’s natural curl or wave pattern. Kinky curly, deep wave or textured extensions work well for blending with frizzy or coarser hair.

• Human Hair vs. Synthetic: Human hair extensions tend to blend better and allow for heat styling and moisture absorption, which is crucial for frizzy hair.

2. Prep the Natural Hair Using this Service Add-On:

In this recent tutorial, amika Lead Pro Educator, Aoife McCarthy (@aoifemariebeauty), showed BTC’s audience how to prep your extension clients’ hair to ensure smooth, seamlessly blended extensions for up to seven weeks using pro smooth over frizz-fighting treatment.

Here’s what to know about smooth over:

• smooth over is a salon-only service that is not retailed for client use
• Formulated to offer a time-efficient solution for all hair types experiencing frizz
• Created for all hair types to achieve smoothness while maintaining hair’s natural texture
• When used as a system, the treatment is clinically proven to reduce frizz for up to 24 washes 
• Frizz reduction lasting six to seven weeks
• Formulated WITHOUT formaldehyde or protein
• Powered by glyoxylic acid, an organic compound that restructures keratin within the cortex

Photo courtesy of amika

Photo courtesy of amika

Photo courtesy of amika

Here’s how to apply smooth over:

1. Wash the hair with amika pro smooth over priming shampoo.
2. Then, divide the hair into four even sections and spray smooth over half an inch away from the scalp. Spray each section three to six times to fully saturate.
3. Comb through then repeat for each section.
   • Pro Tip: A little bit of leftover product on the comb signals the section was fully saturated.
4. Let smooth over saturate and process in the hair for 20 minutes.
5. Then, use a blowdryer to rough dry the product into the hair. 
6. After the hair is 80 percent dry, start using a brush while blow-drying to create tension and straighten.
7. After hair is 100 percent dry, begin straightening using a flat iron. 
8. Pass the flat iron through each section three to five times depending on thickness.
9. Rinse the hair, don’t shampoo. Then, apply a nourishing mask like amika soul food for five minutes then rinse.
10. Dry and style the hair again.

See each step in action here:

Photo courtesy amika

Photo courtesy amika

Photo courtesy amika

Photo courtesy amika

Photo courtesy amika

Photo courtesy amika

Photo courtesy amika

Here is amika’s flat iron temperature guide depending on hair type:

Virgin hair:

Fine hair: 400 degrees Fahrenheit

Medium to coarse: 420 degrees Fahrenheit

Products Used

News

smoothing treatment

amika

Haircare

Soulfood Nourishing Mask

amika

3. Here are 3 Tips for Installing Wefts After a Smoothing Treatment:

Thanks to the way the glyoxylic acid in smooth over reacts and settles into the hair once it’s dry, you can immediately apply extensions without worrying about denting the hair. Here are Aoife’s tips for sectioning and applying beaded wefts post-smooth over treatment:

• When beading, it’s important to create symmetrical sections to evenly distribute the weight of the weft extensions. This ensures the beads won’t slip.
• When installing the wefts, make sure to leave out enough of the natural hair to cover the wefts, especially around the parting and edges.
• When stitching the wefts into the beaded sections, each stitch should be one centimeter apart around the head to avoid puckering or sagging in the wefts.

For more tips for installing extensions on frizz-prone hair, watch Aoife’s full tutorial here.

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