How to keep your Seam & Strand wefts beautiful for as long as you wear them.

Seam & Strand was founded by MJ, a licensed cosmetologist with 26 years of industry experience. The care guidance on this page reflects what we've learned across that career and what we'd tell our own clients in the chair.
Follow these four essentials and your Seam & Strand wefts will stay beautiful through the full life of your install.

1 · WASH

Wash your extensions one to two times per week — less is more. Over-washing strips the cuticle and shortens the life of the hair.
Use a sulfate-free, color-safe shampoo and conditioner. Sulfates strip natural oils and accelerate fading. Look for clean, professional formulas designed for color-treated hair.
Wash in the direction the hair lays. Stand in the shower with your head tilted back — not flipped forward. Water and product should flow down through the hair from root to tip, never tangled against the seam.
Skip the scalp at the seam. Massage shampoo at your natural scalp where there are no wefts. Let the shampoo rinse down through the extensions rather than scrubbing at the seam.
Condition mid-length to ends only. Avoid the seam line. Condition the body and ends of the hair where dryness develops, then rinse thoroughly with cool water to seal the cuticle.
Air dry when you can. Heat is the fastest way to age extensions. If you must blow-dry, use a heat protectant and a low setting. Always dry in the direction the hair lays.

2 · BRUSH

Brushing the wrong way is the single biggest cause of premature wear on hand-tied extensions. The seam is delicate. Treat it that way.
Use a loop brush or wet brush. Avoid traditional boar bristle brushes — the bristles catch on the seam. A loop brush or flexible-bristle wet brush glides through without tension at the weft.
Brush from ends to roots, never roots to ends. Hold the hair at the mid-length with one hand and brush the ends first. Work your way up gradually, releasing your grip as you move toward the seam. This prevents the brush from pulling against the stitching.
Brush gently around the seam. When you reach the weft, slow down. A few light strokes with the brush flat against the head — not pulled — is all you need.
Brush before and after washing. Always brush extensions before you wash them to prevent tangling. Brush again after they're fully dry to smooth and restore the lay.

3 · STORE

If you're not wearing your wefts, they need to be stored properly. Loose wefts in a drawer become tangled wefts in a drawer.
Store flat or hung, never folded. Hand-tied wefts develop creases when folded for long periods. Store them laid flat in their original box, or hang them on an extension hanger if you have one.
Keep them dry and out of direct sunlight. UV light fades color. Humidity invites mildew. Store in a cool, dry place — a closet shelf is ideal.
Brush before storing. Always brush wefts smooth before putting them away. A tangled weft going into storage becomes a worse-tangled weft coming out.
Keep them in the original packaging when possible. Your Seam & Strand box is sized for the wefts and made to keep them organized. If you're traveling, the pouch inside is designed to protect the hair in transit.

4 · SLEEP

How you sleep with your extensions in determines how often you'll need to fill or replace them. This is the most overlooked care step.
Always braid or twist before bed. A loose braid down your back or a low twist keeps the hair from tangling while you move during the night. Don't sleep with extensions free.
Use a silk or satin pillowcase. Cotton pillowcases create friction that pulls at the seam and ages the hair. Silk and satin let the hair slide freely. This single change can add months to the life of your install.
Make sure the hair is fully dry. Sleeping with wet or damp extensions is the fastest way to break them down. Always dry the hair completely before bed.

TREAT THEM LIKE THE INVESTMENT THEY ARE

Quality extensions are an investment, and how you care for them determines how long that investment lasts. Wefts that are washed thoughtfully, brushed gently, stored properly, and slept with carefully can stay beautiful through a full eight-to-twelve-month install. Wefts that are neglected can lose their luster in weeks.
You bought hair worth knowing. Care for it the way it deserves.

With care,
MJ
Founder, Seam & Strand

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