Immediately after leaving my appointment, I was emailed the maintenance information, which explained a few important dos and don'ts. First, I was instructed to avoid washing my hair for the first 24 hours to ensure I gave the tape enough time to adhere properly. After that period, most of the care instructions were obvious, like being gentle when brushing your hair.
The main tip was to avoid applying masks and conditioning treatments to the root. "Still use regular treatments — like Olaplex — in the rest of your hair, especially if your hair is bleached," Cooke said. "It's important to keep using the products that keep your hair healthy, but don't put them directly onto the tape at the root or you'll risk the tape slipping out of your hair." He did emphasise, though, to always shampoo around the tape itself. "Many people think it'll make the hair extension slip out, but it won't. It's important to still use shampoo at the root to avoid product build up or getting a dry scalp. Don't be scared of washing, just be mindful of them being there and don't be too rough." He also approved my current haircare routine, and you can check out all the products I use ahead.