Tangled, dry weave? Give it life in 5 easy steps

Much as human hair weaves are expensive, there comes a time when they they acquire a horrible look. There is nothing as ugly as an unkempt weave. There is actually no point of buying "quality" hair if it will end up dry and matted.

With proper care, however, you can revive your weave, leaving it looking and feeling fresh. This even extends its lifetime. Here is how to bring your weave's groove back:

Detangle: A weave that is tangled looks ugly. Save it by detangling using a wide-tooth comb that will prevent breakage, especially while the weave is wet.

Add a bit of conditioner and water to the weave before detangling it.

Start detangling from the ends, working your way up to the roots. Use your fingers to loosen any knot you come across then continue detangling with the comb.

Deep conditioning: Once detangled, you can now deep-condition the weave. This is a very crucial step in bringing a weave back to life. It will open up the hair cuticles, allowing product to penetrate the strands, leaving the weave soft.

Apply the conditioner on the weave, ensuring it saturates each strand, then use a wide-tooth comb to evenly distribute it throughout the hair.

Shampoo: Weaves need more careful care than your own hair as it lacks the natural oils from your scalp. Shampoo your weave at least every two weeks using a mild shampoo and lukewarm water.

Do not rub or scrub the shampoo on the hair but smooth it on the weave. Avoid any kind of friction when you wash a weave.

Drying: Avoid using any form of heat to dry your weave after shampooing.

Let it air dry (don't even towel dry). However, if you must blow-dry start with the weft, moving to the ends as you work your way up. Ensure the heat is low. Too much heat dries weaves and loosens the bond.

Leave-in treatment: Weaves too, need a leave-in conditioner after shampooing. Massage it gently using your fingers. You can always apply the leave-in conditioner to a dry weave to freshen it up in-between the shampoos. Avoid applying oils as these weigh the weave down, causing matting and tangles.

Sleeping: Never sleep with a wet weave on your head. This will encourage matting and the weave will also have a foul smell. Loosely wrap your weave with a satin scarf at bedtime. Ensure it is not tight as this could also encourage tangling.