While protecting your skin during time out in the sun, you may be potentially harming your Hair Extensions if you are not aware of color altering ingredients in some Sunscreens.

Countless times clients have come to the salon and explained how after coming home from a tropical vacation, using sunscreen, their extensions turned pink! The various colors range from peach, to pink hues and are stubborn and resistant to washing out. 

We have found the culprit responsible for these unwanted and unexpected color altering so before using just any sunscreen, check the ingredients and avoid sunscreens which contain Avobenzone and Octocrylene.

Avobenzone and Octocrylene are known to create a chemical reaction that can change the hue of your extension. Once it happens it is very hard to remove the color stain, and will often result in costly visits to the Salon.  Many stylists either don’t know about this chemical reaction or the cause, while others may attempt to bleach your extensions to return them to their original color. 

Tips to protect your extensions

Tip 1: Avoid sunscreens that contain these ingredients! Avobenzone and Octocrylene

  Tip 2: Instead use mineral based sunscreens. Some reported non staining sunscreens are: Sun Bum, Bare Republic, Alba Botanical, Banana Boat sensitive, Target Up and Up mineral sunscreen, Beauty Counter, the list goes on.

Tip 3: Wash your hands after applying sunscreen and before touching your hair

Tip 4: Secure hair air into a top knot or high bun. This way your strands are not absorbing sunscreen on your shoulders and back. 

When life isn’t so peachy, how to fix the “peachy-pink” tone?

• Step 1: Don’t panic! Contact your hair care provider and explain the situation! 
• Step 2: Know that this has nothing to do with the “quality” of your extensions 
• Step 3: Use an extension safe clarifying Shampoo such a Davines SOLU shampoo, Or Davines NaturalTech Detoxifying shampoo scrub. Repeat multiple times if needed, followed by a deep conditioning mask to restore any lost moisture caused by salt or chlorine. 
• Step 4: Your stylist may do a Malibu C CPR treatment on your hair
• Step 5: Once most of the pigment is removed, your stylist can tone formulating with tones that will cancel out or neutralize the pink tones in your hair. 
• Step 6: Be patient and don’t take matters into your own hands, you wouldn’t want to cause further harm or damage to your extensions.  
• Step 7: Take a deep breath, it will all be okay! 🙂 
• Step 8: Throw away that sunscreen and make sure not to repeat 

When wearing sunscreen, it is best to just keep your hair elevated above your shoulders in a high bun or ponytail so your hair isn’t absorbing the chemicals and oils contained in sunscreen products. This can create an undesirable texture on your hair, and a stickiness that will not feel pleasant on your extensions. While it may be hard to resist the desire to have long flowing mermaid hair, you may regret it later. If you MUST let that hair down to flow, make sure you’re using a highly absorbable Sunscreen and allow it time to absorb into the Skin before making contact with your hair. 

SUNSCREEN & HAIR EXTENSIONS
Video courtesy of @brynnreed

SUNSCREEN & HAIR EXTENSIONS
Video by @lenalemonada