“There’s no way I can have hair extensions put in my hair, I work out everyday and the sweat will just mess them up.” We hear this all the time so we thought we’d tackle this hair extension myth. Just because you live an active lifestyle, it doesn’t exclude you from wearing hair extensions. In fact, you can run a marathon and have great looking hair as soon as you’re done. It’s all about the placement of the hair and proper installation and care. With those, your hair extensions can withstand any intense workout.

Take out Clip-Ins. Though working out with Clip-Ins is certainly possible, it’s a bit unnecessary. Clip-Ins are easy to install and remove, so there’s really no need to work out with them.

Avoid slippage. The very first thing you should do is make sure your hair isn’t touching your forehead or your neck—a high ponytail or bun are ideal. Workout headbands are a great idea to keep your hair away from these places. Mesh wraps, bandanas, and scarves are also great ideas if you want to go the extra mile and wrap up all of your hair. When styling your hair for the gym, don’t pull too hard. Obviously, pulling on your hair will also pull the bonds, tape, or beads, creating extra stress on them which could lead to slippage. Whatever hairstyle you prefer for your daily workout, make sure it’s loose enough to allow your hair to breathe—hairstyles that are too tight can trap in excess sweat and moisture, another cause of slippage and frizz.

Avoid frizz. For those that enjoy laps at the pool, wear a swimming cap to stop frizz before it starts. You might hate wearing a cap, but you’re going to hate your frizzy, tangled extensions even more if you don’t wear one. Remember that chlorinated water doesn’t mesh well with hair extensions so do the most to protect your beautiful locks. The same rules of swimming apply to the rules of going into a steam room or sauna. We know that any moisture tends to frizz out hair, so wearing a cap helps tremendously. We also recommend cutting theses sauna and steam room visits short if you can. (For extra tips on swimming and doing other outdoor activities with extensions, check out our blog here.)

Avoid melted bonds. If you’re walking, running, hiking, or doing some other form of outdoor exercise, always protect your head with a hat or head wrap. Just as the heat from styling tools is bad for bonds, exposing them to the heat of a hot sun can be equally damaging.

Post-workout.Your post-workout care as just as essential for your hair extensions. Remember, after ending your workout, always wash and condition with sulfate-free products as soon as possible. If you’ve been swimming, try a hair mask or deep conditioner at least once a week (keeping it away from the bonds) to help your extensions recover from chlorine damage.

You should never have to give up one thing for another—at least that’s what we believe here at Babe. If we forgot to cover something or if you would like to add your workout tips, please share them right here with us!