Extension application is so often discussed, but what about removal and reapplication?

Removing tape-in extensions should be easy for the stylist and painless for the guest. Danielle Keasling, Great Lengths USA executive artistic director, and Nanci Lee, Great Lengths USA senior design director, share their top tips for tape-in removal.

1. Use the removal spray from the same company the tapes you are using are from. “They are not all created equal and they’re chemically made to work hand in hand,” Keasling says. She and Lee use Great Lengths GL Tapes Removal Oil, launching early 2020.

2. To get rid of adhesive in hair, spray with removal spray and comb through hair with a fine-tooth comb to get the coating off. Lee recommends keeping separate combs for your removal. She will also use a silicone spray, such as a leave-in conditioner, to give hair some slip while combing.

3. Don’t reach right for a clarifying shampoo. Be sure to comb all of the adhesive out first—if you don’t Keasling says the chemicals will react with one another and the adhesive will grab onto the hair again.

4. If you are reusing the extension and need to get adhesive off of the extension, stick the tape to a heavy duty paper towel and apply pressure to it. The tape will stick to the paper towel instead and you will be able to peel the extension right off. GL tapes are guaranteed to last three times.

5. If you are reusing the extensions, be sure to service the hair before re-taping. Because they were sprayed with removal oil, new tapes won’t stick if there is still oil on the application site and you will compromise the adhesive.