How To Remove Hair Extension Glue From Your Hair And The Extensions?

Adding up layers and volume to any hair type looks most natural when it is done with glue-based hair extensions. This is the only way to get effortlessly beautiful hair every day.

Some also depend on temporary extensions which might be enough for an event or two, but it is not a substitute for long, luscious, lively open hair every day.

The hassle of removing tape or glue residue is the only drawback of glue-based extensions. Learn how to remove hair extension glue using multiple products available to you!

Removing Hair Extension Glue Residue From Natural Hair

Removing hair extension glue residue is like a never-ending struggle, right? With proper procedure and ingredients, this process is a lot more quicker and successful.

No matter the extensions by a professional or DIY, removing leftover glue from natural hair is like a nightmare for everyone. But using this procedure and tips step by step will make the whole experience a lot less traumatic.

1. Using Glue Remover

There is no alternative to a good quality keratin bond remover to remove the extensions as well as its gluey mess. And it is always best to go to professionals to use it.

However, many women prefer putting on the extensions by professionals, but removing them by themselves. Did you decide to remove DIY? Are you sure you are using the right glue remover the proper way? Here is how I recommend using it:

Be prepared to use a lot of it, so keep handy a pair of glue remover bottles. To remove the keratin bonds, the first approach should be taking a strand of extension on your natural hair and apply the remover.

Keep pressing and massaging the bond as you apply the remover twice or thrice. Then, use the pliers and make a very light press on the bond. Hardly pressing the hair bond will damage your own hair.

When the bond is loosened, lightly glide down the extension out of your hair.

Please note, do not yank or pull your hair to remove the keratin extension as it will bring along your natural hair too. Rather, if you feel the bond is not ready yet to easily glide through, simply apply more glue remover and wait for a while.

To remove tape in extensions, apply designated glue remover and lightly peel off the tapes from the top and bottom of your hair strand. It doesn’t need any rubbing, pressing, or gliding to remove from hair.

2. Acetone

Removing glue in hair extensions with acetone is usually not preferred. That is because acetone or alcohol has drying properties, which can dry out your hair and scalp if left for a long time.

For this reason, the glue remover that is best in quality also claimed to be acetone-free! But acetone is maybe the rescuer when it comes to removing chunks of stubborn glue from hair.

Don’t panic, I don’t recommend dunking your head in acetone filled tub. Use a cotton pad, soak with acetone, and press on the glue chunks residues for two to three seconds. Now pinch out the glue from the hair.

3. Oil

When your hair is free from all the extensions and the glue, it is still supposed to feel sticky. Even if you go to the salon, they also leave you at this state and tell you to go home take a shower. But this stickiness can be easily reduced by applying oil.

For keratin bonds, use a hair mask enriched with coconut oil, almond oil, or argan oil. Use it generously and wrap your head with a shower cap for an hour. So that the oil can be soaked.

As tape in hair extension is a lot easier, you can actually remove it without any glue remover or acetone. Simply use some nourishing oil directly to the tapes.

Removing tape-in hair extensions with olive oil or coconut oil is a healthy practice as it causes less hassle and also a budget-friendly option.

4. Conditioner

When your hair is well soaked with oil, now it is time to give it really good and thick conditioning. It is also the best way to get rid of the tiny glue particles that are still clinging to your hair. Applying oil surely helps with the stickiness, but it does not remove the matted glue on its own.

Removing matted hair glue is not that tricky. Apply hair conditioner from the root to the tip of your hair with a massive amount.

Then after ten to fifteen minutes use a fine-tooth comb to brush out the last of the glue residues from your hair. Now rinse out your hair and repeat this process if necessary.

5. Shampoo

Using a clarifying shampoo will help to wash out all the remover, acetone, oils, and conditioner from your hair and leave your hair fresh and natural, free from any harmful chemicals.

Just be mindful and use a mild shampoo. Don’t be too harsh to choose an unnecessarily hard shampoo for your delicate hair.

How to Remove Glue from Used Hair Extensions?

The main purpose for removing glue from left out hair extensions is to reapply it. We all know how expensive Remy hair extensions are. Besides, finding the right shade is a matter of luck.

But don’t worry, if you can save 50 to 70% of the extensions you have removed from your hair, you can use those to reapply it. Here is how:

1. Remove Tapes

Take a razor blade and remove the tapes from the tape-in extensions one by one. Try not to touch that tape part as it is super duper sticky and using a sharp razor blade is the most effective way to do it.

If you accidentally touch the glue or tape part, the glue will be all over the extension and it will be even harder to remove that safely.

2. Remove Glue

Now use the same razor blade to scrape off the glue that is left on the bond. Do this on both sides of this extension. Repeat these two processes to all the hair extensions.

3. Wash, Condition, and  Dry 

Now fill in a sink with a sulfate-free shampoo and sink all the hair extensions. After soaking for about 10 to 15 minutes, take each extension and wash from top to bottom with shampoo.

Now, you will notice that some extensions are as good as new and some are terribly tangled. Separate these two. The tangled extensions are not useable and it will make your head a rat’s nest if used again.

Use a good quality conditioner on each extension. Again, look for hair extensions that are still in good shape. Thoroughly apply the conditioner and rinse the extensions.

Finally, use a little bit of purple shampoo in a tub and wash the extension for few seconds. It helps to tone down the hair extensions.

Leave the washed hair on a towel to dry. Don’t rub or use a hairdryer to dry them out. The whole process of removing glue from hair extensions might take a while, but it is a good try if you want to cut the cost of purchasing hair extensions too often.

4. Reapply Tapes

When the extensions are bone dry, use a tape of the same brand on the bonds. Now all the hair extensions are set to reapply.

Do not use the tapes if you can feel that the glue is not properly washed from the hair extensions. You may need to try the whole process once again.

What to Expect

Removing tape-in extensions or keratin bonds may not always end as expected. If you are a first-timer, then the aftermath can even break your heart. Be prepared to expect the unexpected.

• Finer Hair

After wearing hair extensions for a month, girls get used to the bounce, length, and volume of their hair. They also become comfortable with the extensions as their own hair.

When the extension is removed, their own hair all of a sudden feels fine, thin, flat, matted, and lifeless. This sudden change of look and feel is upsetting and stays till another session of applying hair extension is done.

• Hair Fall

Tape-ins and keratin extensions grab a lot of natural hair as they are removed. The everyday hair fall gets stuck underneath the tapes and glues and comes out as those are removed.

So, there is no point of panic after seeing this massive amount of natural hair with the extensions. But still, the view is quite hard to digest.

• Damage

If the extension is not done carefully, it can damage hair. For example, while removing keratin bonds, pliers are used. If it is pressed too hard against the hair, it will show when the hair is washed and dried.

This kind of accident can happen even in the posh salons, just because they are merely accidents.

• Stickiness for a While

The process we have discussed here is very effective, but its effectiveness depends on the quality of the items that have been used. So, if the shampoo or the remover is not the right consistency, it can feel sticky even after following all the procedures. But usually, it goes away within a couple of days.

• Ruined Hair Extensions

Again, if not carefully removed, just like your own hair, the hair extensions can be ruined with all the glue. Then you will have to ditch your dream of reapplying the same batch of hair extensions.

Conclusion

No doubt you feel the most confident when your hair is alright. But it is best to let your hair breathe for a week after removing the extensions and before reapplying another batch.

Another thing I want to suggest is not to hesitate to use the best quality products for hair. This is your precious hair we are talking about. If it is not strong enough, then even the finest hair extension can not be glued onto it.

Hope, you have liked the guide on how to remove hair extension glue. Now, spread the love sharing it!