Salon professionals who work with hair extensions every day rely on a specific set of tools to keep their clients’ hair looking flawless, their bonds secure, and the hair pieces long-lasting. The great news is that many of these pro hair extension accessories are affordable, widely available in the UK, and brilliantly suited to home use.
We’ve therefore put together a rundown of the essential items to include in your toolkit. Along the way, we’ve set out the typical UK availability and pricing of these products.
Brushes and Combs
The right hair extension clips and combs make up the foundation of any maintenance routine for hair pieces such as clip-ins, tape-ins, nano-beads, or wefts.
Let’s set out, then, the ones that you ought to have:
Detangling Brush
Typically costing about £6 to £15, a dedicated detangling brush is very much the daily essential. A good-quality and extension-friendly detangling brush will have the flexible bristles that enable it to glide through the hair.
This distinguishes such brushes from standard brushes with ball-tipped bristles, which can catch on bonds and seams.
Bristle Brush
A bristle brush is often used after detangling to smooth the hair, thereby allowing for a polished finish. A natural boar bristle or mixed bristle brush can help distribute oils and create a glossy, salon-fresh look without generating static.
Pintail Comb
This item is a must-have for precise sectioning or parting. Normally priced at about £4 to £8, a pintail comb has a pointed metal or plastic tail that creates clean partings for styling, repositioning clip-ins, or separating sections before maintenance.
Wave Comb
A wave comb helps create or maintain texture and beachy waves. It’s an especially useful tool for bonded or wefted extensions.
Clips and Sectioning Tools
Proper sectioning isn’t just for the initial installation process; it’s also crucial for everyday maintenance and styling.
That’s where suitable extension fitting tools come in:
Alligator Clips
These strong clips are a salon staple for holding large sections of hair securely out of the way during brushing, styling, or spot-cleaning. They’re particularly useful for clip-ins and when blow-drying in layers.
Snap Clips
Also often referred to as “sectioning clips”, these smaller and gentler clips are handy for securing individual wefts or small subsections. They’re commonly used on clip-in extensions and for replacing worn clips over time.
Quality matters as far as extension fitting tools are concerned. Cheap clips with rough edges can snag or damage bonds and tapes. So, it’s well worth paying a bit more for professional-grade clips from reputable suppliers.
Storage and Travel
Given how much you’re likely to end up spending on hair pieces over time, the last thing you’ll want is to ruin them due to poor storage habits.
Proven extension storage solutions like these will help you avoid such issues:
Extension Hangers
These simple but clever tools enable you to hang extensions vertically. This will help you keep the hair straight, organised, and well-ventilated, while preventing tangling and matting between wears.
Hair Extensions Carrier
When you’re travelling with your extensions, you’ll want to protect them from friction, dust, moisture, and tangling.
Protective zip-up or drawstring bags are available that will shield your hair pieces from such risks. The right Hair Extensions carrier will also help make your styling routines easier by keeping your sets organised and ready to wear.
Extension Holders
Clip-in users appreciate the contribution that dedicated extension holders can make to keeping everything neat and ready to use.
Remember that having your extensions stored properly will go a long way to boosting their lifespan. This is because it will greatly help minimise friction, tangling, and unnecessary washing, handling, and heat styling.
Removal and Maintenance Tools
No professional hair extension kit can be regarded as truly “complete” unless the right removal products are included, too. Having these items to hand will save expensive salon visits, while lessening the scope for damage to happen.
Tape Remover Solutions
Tape-in extensions should be taken out using the correct remover solution instead of household alternatives. Purpose-made removers help break down adhesive while reducing stress on both the extension and natural hair.
Glue Remover
If you use fusion or bonded extensions, you should make sure you have a specialist solvent to hand that has been designed for that particular method. This will help ensure clean and gentle removal, without breakage or leftover residue.
Spare Tape Packs
Do you wear tape-ins and regularly refresh them between salon appointments? In that case, purchasing spare tape tabs in advance can allow for quick at-home re-taping whenever this may be needed.
Nano Beads
Nano ring wearers will be thankful for having kept their own stock of replacement beads, which can be useful for minor adjustments or repairs.
Where to Buy Extension Tools in the UK?
A good “rule of thumb” when you’re searching for extension styling tools in the UK, is to buy direct from extension brands.
Taking this route is likely to give you the benefit of a quality guarantee. Plus, you can expect the accessories you receive to work well with the given brand’s own attachment systems and care recommendations.
Cliphair’s accessories range, for instance, is popular among both professionals and home users. This UK-based brand is a trusted source of reliable tools that are designed specifically for extensions, which is why it is also our experts’ number one pick.
Generic alternatives might seem cheaper initially. However, such brushes, clips, or adhesives may cost you more in the long run, due to their often-poor quality that can worsen tangling, slipping, and premature bond wear.
If you’re starting from scratch, complete accessory kits can be good value. As you gain experience with extensions, you might shift your approach to buying individual pro tools. This can enable you to build a setup that matches your exact extension method.
Conclusion
For most extension wearers, the essential starter kit will be relatively simple. As well as a detangling brush, it’ll include quality sectioning clips, some form of proper storage, and a dependable heat protection spray.
Remember: professional-standard hair extension tools aren’t just for salons! They can be affordable for home users, too, with the right ones greatly helping to protect your investment in extensions.
