Yes, we ship worldwide! Please see our international deliveries information.

POSTAGE / SHIPPING WITHIN THE UK
We dispatch all orders made before 2.00pm on a weekday (Monday-Friday) the same day using Royal mail special delivery service ensuring that you get your parcel the next working day. You can choose at checkout if you require delivery by 9.00am or 1.00pm the next working day. For orders made before 2.00pm on Fridays you may also opt for Saturday guaranteed delivery. Orders made after 2.00pm on Fridays will be dispatched the following Monday. Royal mail standard special delivery only guarantees delivery Monday to Fridays. We do offer a Saturday option and there are no postal services on Sundays or bank holidays. PLEASE NOTE: please ensure that the address details including postcode are correct as Routes cannot be held responsible for customers supplying incorrect address details. Someone at the address you supply will need to be home to sign for the parcel. We do not send any items that are not signed for as this way we can insure your items against loss in the post.

POSTAGE / SHIPPING INTERNATIONAL
International orders are sent via Royal mail signed for service at the flat rate cost of £15 for weights up to 2kg (we are unable to send parcels that exceed 2kg due to postage restrictions- if your parcel exceeds 2kg we will contact you) International orders may be subject to your own countries import charges based on your destination, as those exempt from paying UK tax on products will be liable for their own import tax. This is the responsibility of the customer to check and pay the relevant import tax.

ROYAL MAIL INTERNATIONAL PARCEL GUIDE
All our Tracking and Signature services aim to deliver to Western Europe within 2-5 working days, Eastern Europe within 3-5 working days and worldwide within 5-7 working days. (Please note this is a guide supplied by Royal mail and is not a guaranteed time frame - we find many of our clients in USA and Canada tend to arrive between 10 and 14 days as an average). Items will not be deemed late/missing/lost until 25 working days have passed since postage.

Everyone knows that Russian Mongolian hair is very popular but did you know it doesn’t actually exist?!

Yep! That’s right it’s a selling technique that so many brands use to make to make the public buy their products.

If caught out they will tell you that is what the factory (in china) told them. This means either they didn’t do their due diligence AND they have no real Knowledge of the industry (scary)! Or they straight up lied to you as they know full well that nobody mixes origins of hair and true Russian hair is more expensive than the retail price of the well known brands (even worse than scary). The same goes for Brazilian and European hair. It’s so unheard of in Brazil and Europe simply because it is so scarce (not because it’s better hair but simply because people are not lining up to sell their hair for religious reasons). How many people do you know that have “sold” their hair? And how many factories that process and package human hair in and around Europe? Our guess is less than one right?

90% of the worlds hair extensions are processed and packaged in China with some hair originating in China and some purchased from India in “hair vendor auctions” then sent to China for processing. There are some “hair factories” in India however they usually export raw hair that has not been processed so mostly in very dark brown shades only. The vast majority of professional hair extensions will have been processed in China where as the vast factories with hi tech equipment is the leader for mass production for each step of hair extension processing and exporting.

We know from experience the restrictions with genuine Russian sourced and Russian manufactured hair extensions as our manufacturers in Russias price point is so high that it is not an everyday best seller (due to being 5 times the price of our luxury range.

So far there is no legislation on how hair extensions are marketed and we feel that transparency and honesty is imperative to help expose the myths, stop the false advertising and give our customers REAL facts so they can make informed decisions. Unfortunately most hair extension brands still use “Russian/Mongolian” and “European” titles to mislead their customers. If legislation is brought in it will be very interesting to see all the information change overnight.

Here at Routes we spent many years searching for the best quality hair and best price points from ethical only manufacturers across the globe. We now have several manufacturing partners that we are proud to work with

Below shows where each of our manufacturing partners are located and the location of the raw material hair is originated from:

Luxury hair
Source/origin of hair: South India (temple hair)
Partner factory location: North China

Premium gold hair
Source/origin of hair: South India (temple hair)
Partner factory location: North China

Russian Routes
(now discontinued - our remaining stock can be found in the Outlet sale at less than cost price)
Source/origin of hair: Russia
Partner factory location: West Russia

MVP hair
Source/origin of hair: Mongolian/ North China border
Partner factory location: East China

Lots of hair extension brands use a grading system such as AAA or AAAA or 4A, 5A, etc. So much misrepresentation and misunderstanding is in the grading system that we decided to scrap it all together and let the hair quality and lifespan represent its place in the market.
In the grading system the A’s are supposed to represent many things such as whether or not the hair is single/double drawn, the length of the hair, the lifespan of the hair, the level of processing the hair has gone through and the overall quality of the hair. As there is very little regulation in the industry many brands have taken selling tricks such as grading their own hair and advertising the hair inaccurately as 8AAAAAAAA+ with nothing to back up this grade and when the lifespan, quality, length etc may be far less than another brand advertising at a more realistic grade.
So many customers simply see the grade and trust the brand and simply believe that the higher the grade the better the hair when this is not necessarily true. As we refuse to use false advertising techniques or try to fool customers we give an accurate account of each part of our hair from weight, length and lifespan and let the hair speak for its self.

All Routes hair is double drawn.

So whats the difference?

Single drawn hair: is the standard thickness of hair and many hair extensions are available in single drawn particular cheaper brands of hair. Single drawn hair is from one donor such as imagine a pony tail chopped off the one person. The hair will generally taper down thinner on the ends due to hair growing at different rates and general hair loss/ breakage. 50% of the hair will be the advertised length and the rest will be shorter strands that are various lengths- sometimes very short. Single drawn hair will look very thick at the top near the roots and towards the end it will thin out considerably. You will need approximately 30% more hair to create the same thick look as double drawn hair when using single drawn.

Double drawn hair: thick from root to tip as a lengthly process takes place to remove at least 80% of shorter hairs. The hair will be from multiple donors to ensure there is enough hair of the longest length. The process of creating double drawn hair is expensive and time consuming. It takes around 10lb of hair to create just 1 single pound of 20 inch double drawn hair. The process is painstaking and has to be carried out by hand therefor the material and labour cost adds to the price of the finished product. Double drawn is far more desirable than single drawn hair with many professionals choosing to use only double drawn. As although the price is higher than single drawn hair you would require less strands to achieve the same end result. Therefore you would probably arrive at a very similar end price for a better result as the less strands/ tracks fitted the kinder to the clients hair. These are the main reasons that professionals with this knowledge choose to only use double drawn hair.

Low Sulphate vs Sulphate Free Shampoo
The issue with sulphates is a strange one! Many people say “no sulphates” but when you try to get to the bottom of “why not?” – the water gets very muddy.

We have researched this issue extensively, and the two best answers that we could find were these:

SLS & SLES (the most common sulphates in shampoo) were rumoured to be harmful to the environment and should not be used. Because the initials were for two very long words, SLS = sodium laureth sulphate, and SLES = sodium laureth ether sulphate, most people shortened them to just “sulphate”. This caused the rumour to grow that “sulphate” (“all sulphates”) were bad. This is not the case. - It also seems that certain extension manufacturers were unhappy that very effective alternative shampoos became available, which affected sales. They changed their formula to something that was a little more exclusive to them, and then encouraged the rumour that sulphates were not safe.

We think it is a good idea to ask yourself a question. If sulphates are fine for “real hair”, why are they not fine for “real hair” extensions?

When you consider that sulphates are still formulated into cutting edge shampoo technology, by the finest leading Laboratories on the planet, are used in the absolute top shampoos of the world, and used by the most discerning and well educated elite of society, it does begin to make you think!! Although our opinion is not really what matters, surely, what is important to the extension, is the shine, the health and the lifespan? This is why we recommend products that we have tried and tested for you so many times and against some top professional brands and found to be the best. If our results are as beautiful as we claim, and the lifespan of the extension is extended, is this not everything that you would want to ask from an aftercare product?

Many people report that when using sulphate free the hair never feels clean and is limp. The whole issue with sulphates being that it strips moisture from hair. Unfortunately, even sulfate-free shampoos will also strip your hair of oil. This is because all shampoos strip your hair of natural oil. That’s how they clean. If you are concerned about losing your hair's natural oils, the only thing you can do is stop washing your hair. But I wouldn’t get too attached to your natural oils, because they capture dirt, pollen, and pollution, which we definitely don't want in our hair. This is why our shampoos very low in sulphates will still cleanse and lather (not as much lather as the supermarket stuff) but also have nourishing elements to protect and care. Then to follow with our thick nourishing conditioner to put back moisture through length and ends that shampoo removes (the roots will provide their own natural oils again after washing) and a spritz of protein therapy spray and the hair has everything it needs to stay clean moisturised and healthy.

Remember also that sulphate free shampoos are packed with alternative chemicals that most who don’t hold a chemical degree would not know the properties of one over another. The marketing hype of manufacturers of sulphate free shampoos is in our opinion on a par with the cola vs. diet cola- everyone went crazy for the no sugar cola until the day they find that the alternative sweeteners were equally as bad for you as sugars – therefore could have had the far better tasting more effective enjoyment drink with no worse health risk all along.

In fact the factory where we have our aftercare products made also produce a sulphate free shampoo and it would cost us no more or less to offer this with our brand but it simply is not as effective with our hair as the one we offer so why would we offer one that will leave your hair feeling not as great as it could?

Other hair extension brands may well offer or recommend sulphate free shampoos as this may work well with their hair. Each brand of extensions could have been sourced in a completely different region and more importantly the processing of the hair can be entirely different to another meaning that products suitable or one brand may be unsuitable on another. We only offer the absolute best for Routes hair – this is not to say this is the recommendation for another brand of extensions as stated above but if we felt that another product was better or even on par we would offer this to our customers as it is in our best interest that those who choose routes hair get the best they possibly can from their hair extensions.

We hope this helps you to Un-jumble some jargon and make your own informed choices

Although bonds slipping in nail tip bond fittings is extremely rare we have added some info as the the most common factors that lead to slippage so that you can prevent this in your future fittings.

Clients hair not correctly prepared
Before any hair extension methods are applied you should wash your clients hair in clarifying shampoo and under no circumstances use any conditioner or products other than clarifying shampoo. This is to thoroughly clean the hair and remove any residues and oils from the hair in order to allow the bond of the extension to fully fuse to the clients hair without any form of barrier. We recommend you take this step with your client or ask them to do this but stress that if they ignore this advise and then run into slipping problems as a result of the preparation being incorrect there will be little that you can do about it other than to remove the extensions.

Incorrect aftercare
One of the biggest problems that occurs in the hair extension industry is incorrect aftercare product use and incorrect care given to the hair. We advise that before you go ahead and fit your clients hair extensions you use our consultation form to decide which method is suitable (find this download and print form further up the page) followed by giving the client routes full comprehensive aftercare guide. If you run through all the factors on there so that the client understands that THEY are making the commitment of the aftercare to the hair. Incorrect shampoos and products on the bonds can cause the bonds to become sticky and soft and result in shedding and bonds slipping. This can further cause problems as the sticky bonds stick to other parts of the hair adding to the problem. Also it is important that conditioner is not applied to the bonds (even the correct Routes conditioner) as this will also result in softening of the bonds and can cause the seal to be lost resulting in slipping and even falling out. We sell all the products your client needs for the hair it is no gimmick that the products are tried tested and care for the hair and bonds correctly. Also problems can occur on the bonds when a client has visited a spa and sat in hot steam rooms for lengths of time with moisture in the air and heat breaking down the bonds. Swimming can also damage the bonds as well as hair with high levels of chlorine used. It is unlikely to breakdown the bond but will certainly not agree with the hair itself.

Bonds not sealed correctly
When fitting nail tip hair extensions it is essential that the bonds are sealed tight, neat smooth bonds and fitted in neat sections. If the bond is lumpy/squidgy/squashes then it has not been sealed correctly. If the seal is not tight and neat then air, water and products can seep into the bond and gradually diminish the bond from the hair and slippage will occur or strands may fall out (usually when washing). To rectify this re heat the bond thoroughly again until the keratin is bubbling and roll the bond again this time adding more pressure and ensuring the neat and tight finished bond. All our bonds are made from Italian keratin which is the strongest bond on the market to give minimal damage. It needs heating up thoroughly which does take longer than cheap resins and alternative bonding systems - the bond should have no hard lumps and should be held in your heat connector until the keratin is bubbling which indicates it is now ready to be rolled and sealed. Also if the sections of hair used are not from a neat and tidy section and there are hairs from other areas held in the bond these will likely do one of 2 things - either pull free leaving a gap in the bond where the hairs were resulting in the air, water and products getting in and causing slipping or the hair from other areas will snap causing damage to the clients own hair and more pressure on the bond. A badly sectioned fitting will also feel very uncomfortable and even painful for the client.

Wrong hair type
As the hair extension technician you must consider on consultation the clients natural hair type and weather it is suitable for a particular method of hair extensions. If the client has extremely oily hair it may mean it is not suitable for nail tip extensions but it would still be a better bet than using ring techniques such as micro loops/nano tips as the client almost certainly wouldn't be a suitable candidate for these methods. Although it would be very rare for clients oily hair to affect the bonds it is important that you advise the client of the possible problems that can occur and that they may need more frequent maintenance appointments. It is vital to make this clear so that the client understands the commitment they are making and that if their hair type was an issue that they had agreed to the extra care that may be needed.

Micro loop hair extensions are only suitable for certain hair types and need to be only fitted by very experienced hair extension technicians. As there is less protection from slipping than other methods we recommend only using on thicker, coarse hair types that don't suffer with oily hair.
Although micro loops are very easy to fit don't be tempted to try it unless you are fully trained as there is a knack and unless micro loops have a good solid fitting you may well experience slipping. Micro loops are by far the easiest method to fit but also the easiest method to end in slipping if each step is not performed correctly from preparation right through to aftercare. We have compiled a list of the most common causes of micro loop slippage to help you resolve any issues and to prevent any further slipping extensions.

Clients hair not correctly prepared
Before any hair extension methods are applied you should wash your clients hair in clarifying shampoo and under no circumstances use any conditioner or products other than clarifying shampoo. This is to thoroughly clean the hair and remove any residues and oils from the hair in order to allow the micro ring fitting to get a solid grip. We recommend you take this step with your client or ask them to do this but stress that if they ignore this advise and then run into slipping problems as a result of the preparation being incorrect there will be little that you can do about it other than to remove the extensions and re fit them after the hair has been prepared correctly.

Incorrect aftercare
One of the biggest problems that occurs in the hair extension industry is incorrect aftercare product use and incorrect care given to the hair. We advise that before you go ahead and fit your clients hair extensions you use our consultation form to decide which method is suitable (find this download and print form further up the page) followed by giving the client routes full comprehensive aftercare guide. If you run through all the factors on there so that the client understands that THEY are making the commitment of the aftercare to the hair. Incorrect shampoos and products on the rings can cause the bonding to the inside of the ring to become sticky and soft and result in shedding and bonds slipping. It is also very important that the client does not use conditioner or any product other than shampoo around the root area where the micro loops are applied as if soft products get inside the ring it can take away the rings grip and cause slipping. We sell all the products your client needs for the hair it is no gimmick that the products are tried tested and care for the hair and bonds correctly.

Not enough hair pulled through the ring
Other than softening products on and around the ring the other most common cause for micro loop slippage is when not enough of the clients own hair is pulled through the ring using the loop. Making sure you are using neat tidy sections there should be a good amount of hair pulled through the ring. It should feel a bit of a tug to get the hair through-if it glides through like butter then you are not using enough hair. Remember that with micro loop there is nothing in the hole of the ring except the clients own hair to grip to. If you are unsure and worried about grip then we recommend you instead fit tiny tips which are extremely similar end result but as the tiny tip bond sits inside the micro ring this gives greater grip and more reusability.

Wrong hair type
As the hair extension technician you must consider on consultation the clients natural hair type and weather it is suitable for a particular method of hair extensions. If the client has oily hair, very fine hair or very soft hair then they are likely not suited to micro loops due to the clients own hair being the only thing that micro loops can grip to. If the client dose have any of the above then we recommend you consider tiny tips as again you will achieve great grip with the aid of the tiny tip for the micro ring or copper tube to grip to as well as the clients hair. If the client still insists they only want micro loop hair extensions then make sure you explain fully the possible implications and have them sign a consultation form stating that you have informed them your advice for a different method but the client understands they have taken that responsibility and still chosen micro loops.

Tiny tips also known as tiny I tips/stick tips are one of the most popular methods of today in hair extensions. They revolutionised hair extensions as nothing is permanently fixed to the hair and a simple clamp of a ring can give a strong secure undetectable fitting without use of bonds and removal chemicals on the clients natural hair. The most beneficial thing about opting to apply tiny tips is that should you have any slipping issues they are very easy to refit and over the months can be refitted over and over where other methods are not so reusable such as micro loops and nail tips. However we do only advise trained professionals to fit them as otherwise damage can be caused. It is uncommon for slipping to arise when using tiny tips with our silicone lined micro rings but if you do have any issues it will likely fall into one of the categories below.

Clients hair not correctly prepared
Before any hair extension methods are applied you should wash your clients hair in clarifying shampoo and under no circumstances use any conditioner or products other than clarifying shampoo. This is to thoroughly clean the hair and remove any residues and oils from the hair in order to allow the micro ring fitting to get a solid grip. We recommend you take this step with your client or ask them to do this but stress that if they ignore this advise and then run into slipping problems as a result of the preparation being incorrect there will be little that you can do about it other than to remove the extensions and re fit them after the hair has been prepared correctly.

Incorrect aftercare
One of the biggest problems that occurs in the hair extension industry is incorrect aftercare product use and incorrect care given to the hair. We advise that before you go ahead and fit your clients hair extensions you use our consultation form to decide which method is suitable (find this download and print form further up the page) followed by giving the client routes full comprehensive aftercare guide. If you run through all the factors on there so that the client understands that THEY are making the commitment of the aftercare to the hair. Incorrect shampoos and products on the tiny tip keratin can cause the bonding to become sticky and soft and result in shedding and bonds slipping. It is also very important that the client does not use conditioner or any product other than shampoo around the root area where the tiny tips are applied as if soft products get inside the ring it can take away the rings grip and cause slipping. Also you must teach your client how to correctly brush their hair using a Teezer brush and holding the hair in a bunch near to the roots so not pulling on the rings or putting strain on their own natural hair. incorrect brushing can cause slipping and even entirely brush some strands out. We sell all the products your client needs for the hair it is no gimmick that the products are tried tested and care for the hair and bonds correctly.

Not enough hair pulled through the ring
Other than softening products on and around the ring the other most common cause for tiny tip slippage is when not enough of the clients own hair is pulled through the ring using the loop tool. Making sure you are using neat tidy sections there should be a good amount of hair pulled through the ring. It should feel a bit of a tug to get the hair through-if it glides through like butter then you are not using enough hair. If you are at all worried about slippage or your client has experienced slipping before we recommend you use 2 micro rings per tiny tip to give twice the grip and strength.

Wrong hair type
As the hair extension technician you must consider on consultation the clients natural hair type and weather it is suitable for a particular method of hair extensions. If the client has extremely oily hair, or extremely fine hair then they may not be suited to tiny tips. This is very rare and unless their hair is really extreme and a good fitting should still prove strong and effective. If you are worried at all about the grip of tiny tips on your clients oily or very fine hair perhaps advise nail tip / fusion bond method as the most strong method. However if you and your client prefer tiny tips then make them aware of the possibility that their hair may need more frequent maintenance than some. If they are happy with that and agree then you can move forward to your fitting.

Tiny tips also known as tiny I tips/stick tips are one of the most popular methods of today in hair extensions. They revolutionised hair extensions as nothing is permanently fixed to the hair and a simple clamp of a tube can give a strong secure undetectable fitting without use of bonds and removal chemicals on the clients natural hair. The most beneficial thing about opting to apply tiny tips is that should you have any slipping issues they are very easy to refit and over the months can be refitted over and over where other methods are not so reusable such as micro loops and nail tips. However we do only advise trained professionals to fit them as otherwise damage can be caused. It is uncommon for slipping to arise when using tiny tips with our copper tubes but if you do have any issues it will likely fall into one of the categories below.

Clients hair not correctly prepared
Before any hair extension methods are applied you should wash your clients hair in clarifying shampoo and under no circumstances use any conditioner or products other than clarifying shampoo. This is to thoroughly clean the hair and remove any residues and oils from the hair in order to allow the copper tube fitting to get a solid grip. We recommend you take this step with your client or ask them to do this but stress that if they ignore this advise and then run into slipping problems as a result of the preparation being incorrect there will be little that you can do about it other than to remove the extensions and re fit them after the hair has been prepared correctly.

Incorrect aftercare
One of the biggest problems that occurs in the hair extension industry is incorrect aftercare product use and incorrect care given to the hair. We advise that before you go ahead and fit your clients hair extensions you use our consultation form to decide which method is suitable (find this download and print form further up the page) followed by giving the client routes full comprehensive aftercare guide. If you run through all the factors on there so that the client understands that THEY are making the commitment of the aftercare to the hair. Incorrect shampoos and products on the tiny tip keratin can cause the bonding to become sticky and soft and result in shedding and bonds slipping. It is also very important that the client does not use conditioner or any product other than shampoo around the root area where the tiny tips are applied as if soft products get inside the copper tube it can take away the tubes grip and cause slipping. Also you must teach your client how to correctly brush their hair using a Teezer brush and holding the hair in a bunch near to the roots so not pulling on the tubes or putting strain on their own natural hair. Incorrect brushing can cause slipping and even entirely brush some strands out. We sell all the products your client needs for the hair it is no gimmick that the products are tried tested and care for the hair and bonds correctly.

Not enough hair pulled through the tube
Other than softening products on and around the copper tube the other most common cause for tiny tip slippage is when not enough of the clients own hair is pulled through the tube using your loop tool. Making sure you are using neat tidy sections there should be a good amount of hair pulled through the ring. It should feel a bit of a tug to get the hair through-if it glides through like butter then you are not using enough hair. If you are at all worried about slippage or your client has experienced slipping before with copper tubes then consider refitting the hair with our silicone lined micro rings as you can fit with 2x micro rings per tiny tip for extra grip.

Wrong hair type
As the hair extension technician you must consider on consultation the clients natural hair type and weather it is suitable for a particular method of hair extensions. If the client has extremely oily hair, or extremely fine hair then they may not be suited to tiny tips. This is very rare and unless their hair is really extreme and a good fitting should still prove strong and effective. If you are worried at all about the grip of tiny tips on your clients oily or very fine hair perhaps advise nail tip / fusion bond method as the most strong method. However if you and your client prefer tiny tips then make them aware of the possibility that their hair may need more frequent maintenance than some. if they are happy with that and agree then you can move forward to your fitting.

Nano tips are just what they say on the tin a “Nano” ring is as small as the nip of a pen and the smallest fitment in the world of hair extensions. Also popular due to it not having any bonds to the hair and very little chance of damage. Again like tiny tips it is popular as they are reusable many times as you can refit with a new nano ring each time and reuse over and over. Nano tips are a very popular option and come with very little problems but if your client should have any slipping problems it will likely be one of the following that is the cause.

Clients hair not correctly prepared
Before any hair extension methods are applied you should wash your clients hair in clarifying shampoo and under no circumstances use any conditioner or products other than clarifying shampoo. This is to thoroughly clean the hair and remove any residues and oils from the hair in order to allow the nano ring fitting to get a solid grip. We recommend you take this step with your client or ask them to do this but stress that if they ignore this advise and then run into slipping problems as a result of the preparation being incorrect there will be little that you can do about it other than to remove the extensions and re fit them after the hair has been prepared correctly.

Incorrect aftercare
One of the biggest problems that occurs in the hair extension industry is incorrect aftercare product use and incorrect care given to the hair. We advise that before you go ahead and fit your clients hair extensions you use our consultation form to decide which method is suitable (find this download and print form further up the page) followed by giving the client Routes full comprehensive aftercare guide. If you run through all the factors on there so that the client understands that THEY are making the commitment of the aftercare to the hair. Incorrect shampoos and products on the keratin part of the nano tip can cause the bonding to become sticky and soft and result in shedding and bonds slipping. It is also very important that the client does not use conditioner or any product other than shampoo around the root area where the nano rings are applied as if soft products get inside the ring it can take away the rings grip and cause slipping. Also you must teach your client how to correctly brush their hair using a Teezer brush and holding the hair in a bunch near to the roots so not pulling on the rings or putting strain on their own natural hair. Incorrect brushing can cause slipping and even entirely brush some strands out. We sell all the products your client needs for the hair it is no gimmick that the products are tried tested and care for the hair and bonds correctly.

Not enough hair pulled through the ring
Other than softening products on and around the ring the other most common cause for tiny tip slippage is when not enough of the clients own hair is pulled through the ring using the loop tool. Making sure you are using neat tidy sections there should be a good amount of hair pulled through the ring. It should feel a bit of a tug to get the hair through-if it glides through like butter then you are not using enough hair. If you are at all worried about slippage or your client has experienced slipping before we recommend you use 2x nano rings on the tip to give twice the grip and strength.

Wrong hair type
As the hair extension technician you must consider on consultation the clients natural hair type and weather it is suitable for a particular method of hair extensions. If the client has extremely oily hair, or extremely fine hair then they may not be suited to Nano tips. This is very rare and unless their hair is really extreme and a good fitting should still prove strong and effective. If you are worried at all about the grip of nano tips on your clients oily or very fine hair try fitting 2 x nano rings per tip or perhaps advise nail tip / fusion bond method as the most strong method. However if you and your client prefer nano tips then make them aware of the possibility that their hair may need more frequent maintenance than some. If they are happy with that and agree then you can move forward to your fitting.

Hair extensions like our own hair shed every day and this is perfectly normal especially when you have fitted a new set when there may be the odd loose hairs that detach in the first week or two. After the initial 2 weeks after fitting and washing a couple of times the initial shedding should calm down to a much more normal rate in line with someone with naturally long thick hair. Likewise your own natural hair sheds between 60-100 strands on average per day so do not be alarmed when you remove your clients extensions to see some of their own natural hair in the bonds as the shed hair has been held in there for potentially months so this is again normal. However if you find that your clients hair extensions are excessively shedding and the overall appearance of the extensions changes, and the shedding does not calm down this could be caused by one of many things. We have listed below to help diagnose and avoid future problems.

Incorrect aftercare
One of the biggest problems that occurs in the hair extension industry is incorrect aftercare product use and incorrect care given to the hair. We advise that before you go ahead and fit your clients hair extensions you use our consultation form to decide which method is suitable (find this download and print form further up the page) followed by giving the client Routes full comprehensive aftercare guide. If you run through all the factors on there so that the client understands that THEY are making the commitment of the aftercare to the hair. Incorrect shampoos and products on the keratin bond of any strand hair extensions can cause the bonding to become sticky and soft and result in shedding and bonds breaking down. Also you must teach your client how to correctly brush their hair using a Teezer brush and holding the hair in a bunch near to the roots so not putting strain on the bonds. It is very important to run through on consultation the DO's and DONT’s of the clients lifestyle also because if they visit spas this can have a devastating effect on hair extensions by sitting in hot steam rooms for lengths of time the moisture and heat can make the bonds become soft and cause slipping/breaking down and shedding. We sell all the products your client needs for the hair it is no gimmick that the products are tried tested and care for the hair and bonds correctly.

Bonds being cut down
Our bonds from tiny tips to nail tips are all designed to be compact and small but also enough Italian keratin to hold the weight of hair firm and strong for months to come. By cutting the bonds you are giving a much higher chance of bonds breaking down and shedding if the weight of the hair becomes too much for a small amount of keratin then shedding will begin and bonds may break down completely.

Weft hair being cut and not sealed
If weft hair is shedding this can be a result of when the weft is cut into pieces fit as a weave, celebrity weave, micro weave to be fitted to the hair and not sealed on the ends where the cuts are made. Very much like if you cut the seam on a piece of clothing the cotton will gradually keep pulling until you have a huge hole. Weft hair is machine sewn in the same way as a seam on your clothing. If this is cut but not sealed it can from the ends gradually working its way in shed the hair as it is no longer securely held and sealed in place where the cuts are made. There are sealants on the market or you can simply use a little clear nail polish to each side of a cut made to ensure that the hair is sealed and does not shed.

Snapping due to excess heat / incorrect care
Snapping or Breakage is often confused with shedding but it is not the same thing. Shedding is where the hair fully removes from a bond or weft from the root to tip. Snapping or breaking is when hair breaks further down the hair due to damage. Incorrect products can allow the hair extensions to dry out and therefore the cuticles of the hair diminish and once the cortex is reached the hair will snap. Hair extensions cope very well with heat styling but not excessive. Also a daily feed of protein spray is required to keep the cuticles healthy and moisturised especially when using heat tools regularly. Once hair snaps it is irreparable and not a manufacturing fault but a care issue.

Incorrect aftercare
One of the biggest problems that occurs in the hair extension industry is incorrect aftercare product use and incorrect care given to the hair. We advise that before you go ahead and fit your clients hair extensions you use our consultation form to decide which method is suitable (find this download and print form further up the page) followed by giving the client Routes full comprehensive aftercare guide. If you run through all the factors on there so that the client understands that THEY are making the commitment of the aftercare to the hair. Incorrect shampoos and products on the Hair extensions can leave them dry and lacking moisture then when heat is applied damages the cuticles causing the hair to tangle together and become knotty and possibly matted. Also you must teach your client how to correctly brush their hair using a Teezer brush and holding the hair in a bunch near to the roots so not putting strain on the bonds or track of the weft. Keeping the hair regularly brushed is key to keeping the hair long term tangle free. As Indian hair is a thick hair texture it can easily become coarse if left to dry out so we recommend daily use of protein spray on dry hair to ensure the hair gets a daily feed of moisture. Tangling and matting can also occur if hair is not thoroughly rinsed of products after washing. Products will build up and make the hair appear greasy and will encourage hair to stick together and become entwined. We also do not recommend using hair oil for this reason. it is a big cause for hair to rub and stick to other strands causing bunching and matting. We recommend only Routes protein spray to keep the hair healthy and fed without oiliness and build up. We sell all the products your client needs for the hair it is no gimmick that the products are tried tested and care for the hair and bonds correctly. If any of the above occurs your clients hair extensions will benefit from Routes boost deep treatment to restore and smooth the hairs cuticles and add moisture back into to cortex of the hair.

Not separating the bonds
In order to keep strand extensions free of knotting and tangling/matting it is essential that you show your client how to separate the bonds regularly. After brushing hair thoroughly with a Teezer brush gently use your fingers around the head to ensure that no strands have wrapped around a nearby strand. If they have gently free the strands of one another and brush through. Regular maintenance appointments are also essential to check how the client is getting on with caring for the hair extensions and the health of the hair extensions and their own hair alike. Skipping maintenance appointments can mean in the long run the extensions and fittings do not last as long as they could have.

Visiting spas
It is very important to run through on consultation the DO's and DONT’s of the clients lifestyle also because if they visit spas this can have a devastating effect on hair extensions by sitting in hot steam rooms for lengths of time the moisture and heat can make the bonds become soft and cause slipping/breaking down and shedding. As well as the bonds becoming sticky this can then stick to other strands of hair and the natural hair and cause a huge tangled mess.

Swimming with extensions
We DO NOT recommend immersing your hair extensions in either chlorine swimming water or sea water. Both can cause a chemical effect on the hair causing dryness, tangling, matting, etc. If your client is a swimmer advise they use a swimming cap with hair securely up and not to get the hair under water.

Holidays in the sun
UV rays can damage the hair just like skin for this reason we don't advise having a brand new set of hair extensions directly before taking a holiday in the sun. On top of salt water and chlorine being a huge factor in drying out of hair extensions the sun will dry and damage hair in the same way it does to skin if it is not protected. We advise while in the sun to plait the hair, keep out of swimming pools and if sunbathing the client should wrap the hair extensions up in a towel to protect the hair from damaging rays.

Hair extensions do not have a direct source of nutrients and moisture supply that our natural hair does, so it is vital that you advise the correct care products for your clients hair extensions. There are many factors that can lead to hair extensions feeling dry so we have listed below the most common problems.

Incorrect aftercare
One of the biggest problems that occurs in the hair extension industry is incorrect aftercare product use and incorrect care given to the hair. We advise that before you go ahead and fit your clients hair extensions you use our consultation form to decide which method is suitable (find this download and print form further up the page) followed by giving the client Routes full comprehensive aftercare guide. If you run through all the factors on there so that the client understands that THEY are making the commitment of the aftercare to the hair. Incorrect shampoos and products on the Hair extensions can leave them dry and lacking moisture then when heat is applied damages the cuticles causing the hair to tangle together and become knotty and possibly matted. Also you must teach your client how to correctly brush their hair using a Teezer brush and holding the hair in a bunch near to the roots so not putting strain on the bonds or track of the weft. Keeping the hair regularly brushed is key to keeping the hair long term tangle free. As Indian hair is a thick hair texture it can easily become coarse if left to dry out so we recommend daily use of protein spray on dry hair to ensure the hair gets a daily feed of moisture. Tangling and matting can also occur if hair is not thoroughly rinsed of products after washing. Products will build up and make the hair appear greasy and will encourage hair to stick together and become entwined. We also do not recommend using hair oil for this reason. it is a big cause for hair to rub and stick to other strands causing bunching and matting. We recommend only Routes protein spray to keep the hair healthy and fed without oiliness and build up. We sell all the products your client needs for the hair it is no gimmick that the products are tried tested and care for the hair and bonds correctly. If any of the above occurs your hair extensions will benefit from Routes boost deep treatment to restore and smooth the hairs cuticles and add moisture back into to cortex of the hair.

You / Your client coloured/tinted the hair extensions
We do not recommend colouring the hair extensions as they have been through several chemical processing points including colouring already. Colouring can be unpredictable and we strongly advise against bleaching which will in no doubt cause dryness. Using toners or colouring the hair to a darker shade than it already is with a professional hair colourist that understands hair extensions colour differently to natural hair can often work well but dryness can be an outcome and we recommend using Routes extension boost deep treatment directly after colouring to put back the moisture and smooth the hair. Followed by use of routes aftercare for everyday use. Colouring is entirely at the customers risk and voids the hair of any quality guarantee so please bear this in mind before choosing to colour your Routes hair extensions.

Swimming with extensions
We DO NOT recommend immersing your hair extensions in either chlorine swimming water or sea water. Both can cause a chemical effect on the hair causing dryness, tangling, matting, etc. If your client is a swimmer advise they use a swimming cap with hair securely up and not to get the hair under water.

Holidays in the sun
UV rays can damage the hair just like skin for this reason we don't advise having a brand new set of hair extensions directly before taking a holiday in the sun. On top of salt water and chlorine being a huge factor in drying out of hair extensions the sun will dry and damage hair in the same way it does to skin if it is not protected. We advise while in the sun to plait the hair, keep out of swimming pools and if sunbathing the client should wrap the hair extensions up in a towel to protect the hair from damaging rays.

Live in a hard water area
If your clients hair extensions feel dry and look dull and the lustre of the colour seems to fade this may well be because the client lives in a hard water area (an area where higher level of alkaline is present in the tap water) If you do have this problem we recommend to check your clients products and use a Routes extension boost treatment to put back in the moisture and shine and suggest your client replace their shower head with a filtered shower head.

Unfortunately if your clients hair has got to this condition the only resolution is to carefully remove which will likely be a lengthy and uncomfortable process. Neglect and poor maintenance are the only cause of dreadlocks. Nobody goes to bed with silky long locks and wakes up with dreadlocks. They develop and worsen over time and there are factors that can hugely contribute to the development of hair turning to dreadlocks - we have listed these below.

Incorrect aftercare
One of the biggest problems that occurs in the hair extension industry is incorrect aftercare product use and incorrect care given to the hair. We advise that before you go ahead and fit your clients hair extensions you use our consultation form to decide which method is suitable (find this download and print form further up the page) followed by giving the client Routes full comprehensive aftercare guide. If you run through all the factors on there so that the client understands that THEY are making the commitment of the aftercare to the hair. Incorrect shampoos and products on the Hair extensions can leave them dry and lacking moisture then when heat is applied damages the cuticles causing the hair to tangle together and become knotty and possibly matted. Also you must teach your client how to correctly brush their hair using a Teezer brush and holding the hair in a bunch near to the roots so not putting strain on the bonds or track of the weft. Keeping the hair regularly brushed is key to keeping the hair long term tangle free. As Indian hair is a thick hair texture it can easily become coarse if left to dry out so we recommend daily use of protein spray on dry hair to ensure the hair gets a daily feed of moisture. Tangling and matting can also occur if hair is not thoroughly rinsed of products after washing. Products will build up and make the hair appear greasy and will encourage hair to stick together and become entwined. We also do not recommend using hair oil for this reason. it is a big cause for hair to rub and stick to other strands causing bunching and matting. We recommend only Routes protein spray to keep the hair healthy and fed without oiliness and build up. We sell all the products your client needs for the hair it is no gimmick that the products are tried tested and care for the hair and bonds correctly. If any of the above occurs your hair extensions will benefit from Routes boost deep treatment to restore and smooth the hairs cuticles and add moisture back into to cortex of the hair.

Not separating the bonds
In order to keep strand extensions free of knotting and tangling/matting it is essential that you show your client how to separate the bonds regularly. After brushing hair thoroughly with a Teezer brush gently use your fingers around the head to ensure that no strands have wrapped around a nearby strand. If they have gently free the strands of one another and brush through. Regular maintenance appointments are also essential to check how the client is getting on with caring for the hair extensions and the health of the hair extensions and their own hair alike. Skipping maintenance appointments can mean in the long run the extensions and fittings do not last as long as they could have.

Visiting spas
It is very important to run through on consultation the DO's and DONT’s of the clients lifestyle also because if they visit spas this can have a devastating effect on hair extensions by sitting in hot steam rooms for lengths of time the moisture and heat can make the bonds become soft and cause slipping/breaking down and shedding. As well as the bonds becoming sticky this can then stick to other strands of hair and the natural hair and cause a huge tangled mess.

Swimming with extensions
We DO NOT recommend immersing your hair extensions in either chlorine swimming water or sea water. Both can cause a chemical effect on the hair causing dryness, tangling, matting, etc. If your client is a swimmer advise they use a swimming cap with hair securely up and not to get the hair under water.

Holidays in the sun
UV rays can damage the hair just like skin for this reason we don't advise having a brand new set of hair extensions directly before taking a holiday in the sun. On top of salt water and chlorine being a huge factor in drying out of hair extensions the sun will dry and damage hair in the same way it does to skin if it is not protected. We advise while in the sun to plait the hair, keep out of swimming pools and if sunbathing the client should wrap the hair extensions up in a towel to protect the hair from damaging rays.