Can my tape hair extensions change colour?
How to recognise the signs of discoloured hair extensions
There are certain signs that may indicate that your tape hair extensions are discoloured. This can happen when the hair extensions lose their original colour and turn pink or orange, especially if you have blonde hair extensions or brunette tones that are fading to a warmer colour.
There are several reasons why this can happen quickly, such as washing your hair with non-professional products, washing your hair too frequently, exposing your hair to excessive heat, heated styling tools, direct sunlight, or sunbeds, or using certain products like fake tan, sunscreen, perfumes, and body lotions.
Sometimes, Hair extension discolouration of tape hair can happen naturally as the colour molecules are released and fading occurs. This is similar to how our natural hair colour lightens with exposure to external factors. However, excessive washing, sunlight, and the use of non-professional products can speed up this process. It's important to note that all hair colours naturally fade and discolour over time, even high-quality human hair extensions.
The following can cause a chemical reaction/discolouration/fading of the hair extension pigment
If you wear lighter shades of tape-in hair extensions, you should be aware of a potential chemical reaction with avobenzone, which is present in certain sun creams and body lotions. The reaction can occur when the product is transferred onto the hair from your hands or skin, or directly applied and then exposed to hot climates or high heat temperatures while using heated tools. This can cause your hair to turn pink/orange. Fortunately, we have a solution to fix this problem using Malibu C. To learn more about correcting hair discolouration or extensions turning pink from a chemical reaction, please refer to our blog post.
Lighter shades of ash blonde can naturally fade over time, even with great aftercare. This occurs when the pigment is released from the extensions due to washing or exposure to direct sunlight and high temperatures, whether from heated tools or hot climates. This is unavoidable and happens naturally, just like with human hair. Comparing extension-free human hair to human tape-in hair, both require regular toners to maintain the finished look and colour. As colour molecules are released from the cuticles, the pigment starts to change. Hair extensions should follow the same protocol as non-hair extension wearers.
Some professionals advise against colouring hair extensions, but we want to elaborate on this topic. While colouring your hair extensions may void the warranty, it is possible to refresh them using gentle glosses, colour masks, and coloured shampoos. However, we do not recommend that clients attempt to dye their extensions at home using non-professional products, as this can lead to patchy extensions with an unnatural, dense colour finish whilst causing damage to the high chemical content.
What should I use to prevent colour fade?
To prevent colour fade, you can use professional salon-purchased products such as high-quality purple shampoo, Wella colour fresh masks, and semi-permanent glosses from your in-house colour brand. These products can refresh the colour pigments in your extensions and remove brassy tones in your blonde extensions while also adding cool or warm pigment back into the product, whilst keeping the tape in hair extensions damage-free.
Should I charge to colour my client's tapes?
In your business, time is money. During the initial consultation for fitting human hair extensions, you may have discussed aftercare instructions with your client. You might have used the North Professional Hair Client consultation card and asked your client to scan the aftercare QR code that took them to the North Client Area to read our aftercare guide. This helped them understand how to maintain their hair extensions and resolve any potential problems using our aftercare recommendations. Since the tape hair also requires maintenance, you should charge your client for the toner, just like you would do for colouring their hair in a salon. The quality of the hair extensions is usually good, lasting up to 12 months, but the colour may fade due to natural factors. Hence, it's recommended to regloss the extensions every 3-6 months, depending on the client's lifestyle. The cost of the toner will depend on your hourly rate and the product cost. You can refresh the tone of the extensions while they are attached to the client's hair avoiding the adhesive strip or while they are removed.
In summary, you should be maintaining your client's tape-in hair extension colour along with the re-fitting installation at maintenance appointments every 6-8 weeks. It is recommended that you charge for this service and book maximum time in your diary. Educating your clients about this process during the initial consultation is essential to avoid any complications or misunderstandings about client expectations in the hair extension industry.
