5 Tips For Toning Hair Extensions At Home

So after months of debating with yourself – and with the remaining money in your wallet – you’ve finally decided to purchase your first full set of hair extensions. Congratulations on taking that first step into becoming Rapunzel or the Khaleesi Daenerys Targaryen!

That said, sometimes, your hair extensions may not be 100% perfect. Maybe the color isn't entirely correct. Maybe it's brassier than you would've liked. The world of hair and beauty can certainly be quite overwhelming but don’t worry, you can actually have your extensions toned to perfection right in the comforts of your own bedroom.

In today's article, we've put together five tips that you can use if you plan on toning your hair extensions at home!

Should you tone hair extensions?

Most, if not all, hair extensions that you purchase will arrive at your doorstep already cut, colored, and toned a certain way.

But there are times when the hair extensions you purchased aren’t the perfect color match when they arrive. The more you stare at them, the more you realize that they don’t blend seamlessly.

Unfortunately, you’ve already spent all the remaining cash that you have to purchase those hair extensions and there’s no way you can shell out for an expensive service when you just zeroed out your wallet.

Well, luckily for you, it's perfectly possible to tone your hair extensions all by yourself at home.

Tips for toning hair extensions at home

Don't have any experience in toning hair extensions? Here are some tips to help you out!

1. Treat your hair extensions like an extension of your hair

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As its name suggests, your hair extensions are actually an extension of your natural hair. This means you have to treat them the same way you'd treat the strands that grow out of your head.

Before toning your extensions, the very first thing you should do is to prepare the wefts. You may have to pre-wash them with sulfate-free and alcohol-free shampoo, since some extensions may have a silky coating that will prevent them from getting toned thoroughly. Cleaning the wefts will help remove this coating, therefore helping them to absorb more color during the toning process.

Again, treat your hair extensions with the same love and care you would your own strands! Preparing them recklessly, such as dunking them into a tub of water and rubbing them with purple shampoo vigorously isn't going to give you good results.

2. Always do a test weft

As tempting as it is to color all of your newly bought wefts at the same, it's best to tone only one weft at first.

Doing so will allow you to gauge the results. Is it too purple? Is it too ashy? Or it the color that you were picturing when you first decided to get hair extensions?

Feel free to experiment all you want with this test weft until you get the desired results. However, do take note that the longer they are dipped in the purple shampoo, the closer to purple they will become. Also, remember to tone both sides to avoid a patchy result.

3. Deep condition your hair extensions

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Yes, you read that right. Just like our real hair strands, your newly bought hair extensions should be conditioned, too.

Ever heard of the curly girl method? The curly girl method incorporates a lot – and I mean, a lot – of conditioner, mainly due to the fact that curly strands tend to be drier than straight strands. In fact, the routine includes washing your hair with conditioner and not with shampoo! The idea is to seal in the moisture of wet hair by immediately putting on a conditioner.

The same idea applies to newly-toned hair extensions. After dipping them in some purple shampoo, the hair extensions might become dry so it's a good idea to immediately apply a good, nourishing conditioner. This will help bring back the softness and silkiness of your hair extensions.

4. Don't forget your oils

Who doesn’t like shiny hair? We sure do!

Conditioners can provide moisture, but it’s the oils that provide shine. You can add that extra oomph to your hair extensions by massaging them with your favorite hair oil, such as argan oil, jojoba oil or Zala’s Revive Me Treatment. This will help reduce frizz and dryness. This is also a great step if your hair extensions are old and in need of a fresh shine.

Also, remember to brush your hair extensions only when they are 90% dry. Just like our real hair, hair extensions are also at their weakest when they are wet. You can use a dedicated detangler brush to be more gentle, or you can simply use your fingers to loosen the hair.

5. Have fun with it!

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Toning your hair extensions, just like any skill in the world, needs lots of practice to be perfect, so don't be stressed if you don’t get your desired color right away. Not everyone gets it right on their first try, after all. In fact, we bet the hairstylist at your local salon struggled with it on their first time, too!

If you think it's still not enough, you can always add in another teaspoon of purple shampoo. Or you can leave it on for longer. Just keep your chin up and be proud that you're toning your hair extensions without professional help.

Our hair extensions are, quite obviously, an extension of our hair, and our hair is an extension of who we are. No matter what our hair looks like, it can be used as a representation of our persona. And by toning your extensions, you're basically making sure that it fits you better. We're more than proud of you for doing this task on your own, so go ahead with your plan of toning your hair extensions at home!

For more hair tips and tricks, don't forget to check out the Zala blog!