Why Are My Hair Extensions Matting? How To Protect Them

It’s super annoying when your extensions get knotty – especially at the nape of your neck. 

But just as your natural hair gets tangled during the day, it’s totally normal for your hair extensions to do the same thing. 

If you’re looking to stop your extensions matting – so, you don’t have to revive them – there are some simple steps you can follow…

How Do Hair Extensions Become Matted?

Before we get into exactly how to care for your extensions, let’s take a look at how they become matted in the first place.

In most cases, your extensions are matting or becoming knotted because you’re not looking after them in the same way as your natural hair.

If you’re not looking after your extensions properly, they’re likely to become dry and frizzy and may start to tangle up with other wefts or even your existing hair.

So, if you’re looking to avoid this tangling and knotting, follow these steps:

Apply Them Properly

This sounds super obvious, but applying your hair extensions properly can help to keep them tangle-free – and they’ll be way more secure in your hair. 

The most important tip is to get your sections as neat as possible by using a comb to separate the hair. 

Neat sections will allow your extensions to sit flush to your head, making them less prone to matting and way more secure.

Use The Right Products

Not all of the products that you use on your natural hair will be suitable for your extensions.

Ingredients like alcohol, sulphates or salt can seriously dry out your clip-ins and make them way more prone to tangles – so, you definitely want to avoid those. 

You also want to skip dry shampoos and salt sprays, as they build up in the hair and can really dry it out. 

Instead, go for products that are as light and natural as possible and that include silicone or natural oils.

Loop Brush Regularly

Wearing hair extensions requires a little more upkeep during the day to keep them looking their best. 

The matting at the nape of your neck can occur as you’re moving around, so it’s important to regularly brush your hair throughout the day. 

The best accessory to use is a loop brush, as the looped bristles are super gentle on the hair and won’t cause any damage to your extensions.

Clip Them A Little Higher

If your natural hair is more prone to knots, it might be worth positioning your first weft a little higher – rather than right at the nape of your neck. 

You could also braid this section up first, to keep the weft separate from your natural hair. This will help to give you a better blend too.

Nourish Your Hair

Your hair extensions don’t get the natural supply of oils that nourish your hair. So, it’s super important to keep them as moisturised as possible if you want to avoid matting. 

Sometimes, if you’ve had your extensions for a while and have been using a lot of heat, they may need a little extra moisture. 

The best thing to use to rejuvenate your set would be the Remy Silicone Coating Spritz, as it softens and nourishes your extensions while making them less prone to tangles. You don’t want to over saturate them though – so, check out our quick tutorial on how to apply the spritz.

Don’t Get Them Wet

The first rule of hair extension is to never get your hair extensions wet. 

This will not only dry them out but could make them super knotty too so it’s best to avoid it.

Take Them Out Before You Sleep

Just like the last tip – sleeping with your clip-in extensions in is a big no!

When you sleep, you constantly turn and fidget. This means your hair extensions are rubbing against your pillow. 

This friction can not only cause them to pull against your natural hair – which can be painful and damaging – but also makes them more likely to tangle together.

So, make sure to take them out before you go to sleep and…

Use Your Milk & Blush Box

The gorgeous box your M+B hair extensions come in is the perfect place to store your set when you’re not wearing them. 

Each time you take them out, make sure to brush through your set from the roots up to make sure they’re totally tangle-free before storing them in the box. 

This will help to keep the hair in the best condition possible, so it stays tangle-free and silky smooth for longer.

Avoid Backcombing Them

We get that backcombing is a great way to create lots of volume but it’s something you should definitely avoid doing to your hair extensions. 

Backcombing can damage the cuticle and lead to breakage and split ends – which can be the cause of tangles. Our hair extensions are super thick so they should add all the volume you need anyways.