Del La Rouge Hair Extensions

Colour matching is one of the most important parts of getting extensions that actually look like your own hair. Get it wrong and no amount of blending will fix it.

Start by looking at your hair in natural light, ideally near a window. Indoor lighting throws off your perception of tone more than most people realise. Check your mid-lengths and ends, not your roots. Roots are almost always darker and the extensions need to sit through the length, not match the regrowth.

If your hair has highlights, balayage or any kind of colour variation, a single solid shade is rarely the answer. Most clients with colour-treated hair need two shades blended to get a result that sits naturally.

Fill out the colour match form and include clear photos taken in natural light. The more accurate your photos, the better the match we can recommend. If you are unsure, say so in the form and describe what your colourist has previously used on your hair.

We will come back to you with a recommendation before you order.

They are manageable, but they do require consistency. Extensions are not low maintenance by nature and clients who treat them the same as their natural hair tend to have the best long-term results.

Wash with a sulphate-free shampoo and conditioner. Keep the focus on your mid-lengths and ends and avoid scrubbing at the root area, particularly around the bonds or weft attachment points. Rough handling at the roots is one of the most common causes of premature slippage and matting.

Always detangle before washing, not after. Work from the ends upward using an extension-safe brush. Trying to detangle wet extensions is where most of the damage happens.

Heat styling is fine on quality human hair but use a protectant every time and keep your tools at a sensible temperature. Repeatedly running a hot tool over the same section will dry out the hair faster than anything else.

For clip-ins specifically, store them properly between uses. A cool dry place, away from humidity. If you are leaving them in a drawer tangled up, you will shorten their life significantly.

Depending on your method, you will also need to come back in for maintenance appointments at the recommended intervals. Extensions that are overdue for a move-up put stress on your natural hair and the bonds begin to degrade. That is not something aftercare products can fix.

Yes, human hair extensions can be styled with heat tools including straighteners and curling irons. That said, there are a few things worth understanding before you do.

Extensions do not receive the same natural oils from your scalp that your own hair does. That means they are more vulnerable to drying out from repeated heat exposure. A heat protectant is not optional, it is something you should be using every single time.

Keep your tools at a moderate temperature. There is rarely a reason to be styling at maximum heat and the difference in result is minimal compared to the damage it causes over time. Extensions that have been over-processed with heat become dry, dull and start to tangle more easily, and that is not something a conditioning treatment will fully reverse.

If you are maintaining the hair well and using heat responsibly, your extensions should hold up without any issues.

This depends on the method, how well you maintain them, and how often they are worn.

For permanent methods such as weft or tape-ins, the hair itself can last well over a year with proper care. What will need attention sooner is the attachment, which grows out with your natural hair and requires a move-up appointment every six to eight weeks depending on your hair growth rate. Skipping those appointments does not extend the life of the extensions, it shortens it.

Clip-ins have a longer lifespan in terms of the hair itself because they are not worn continuously, but they deteriorate faster when they are stored poorly, detangled roughly or over-styled with heat.

How long your extensions last is largely in your hands. Clients who follow the aftercare advice, come in for their maintenance appointments on time and handle their hair properly consistently get more wear out of their extensions than those who do not.

In most cases, yes. Extensions can work across a wide range of hair types, from fine to thick and straight to wavy. The key is making sure the right method is selected for your hair and that your natural hair is in a suitable condition to support them.

Suitability is something we assess properly during a consultation. Factors like hair density, condition, chemical history and scalp health all influence which method is appropriate and how much hair is needed. What works well for one client may not be the right approach for another.

If your hair has been heavily chemically treated, is breaking or is in a compromised condition, we will discuss that with you honestly before recommending anything.

The consultation is where all of that gets worked out. It is the starting point for every new client.

Exercise is generally fine. Sweat alone is not going to cause significant issues provided you are maintaining your hair properly and not leaving it wet and tied up for extended periods after training.

Swimming is a different conversation. Chlorine and saltwater are both drying and will degrade the hair and the bonds over time with repeated exposure. If you do swim with extensions in, braid or secure your hair before getting in the water and rinse thoroughly straight after. That reduces the damage but it does not eliminate it.

Saltwater in particular is hard on extension hair. Clients who swim regularly in the ocean need to understand that their extensions will not last as long as someone who does not, regardless of how well they maintain everything else.

If swimming is a regular part of your lifestyle, that is worth mentioning during your consultation so we can factor it into the method recommendation and set realistic expectations around longevity.