Before you attach your new lace hair system for the first time, you may need to thoroughly wash the base to remove any conditioners that were applied at the factory. If you find that tape is not sticking to the base, you definitely need to follow the instructions below to remove the conditioners so the tape adheres firmly and you get a strong attachment.
- Hair system
- Grease-cutting dish soap (preferably blue Dawn® Ultra Dishwashing Liquid)
- Acetone or nail polish remover
- A Styrofoam head with T-pins and mount
In preparing to wash your base with dish soap, comb through the hair with a wide-tooth comb to remove any tangles.
The preferred brand of dish soap is blue Dawn® Ultra Dish-washing Liquid by Procter & Gamble, because it excels at cutting through grease and oils. It is important not to use a dish soap that has any lotions or hand softeners in it, because these may coat the base and prevent your adhesive from adhering properly.
With the underside of the base facing up, apply a ring of dish soap around the edge of the system, directly onto the lace or poly.
With both hands, hold the underside of the base under a faucet, run a stream of cold water onto the base, and work the dish soap in with your thumbs, as if you’re working a stain out of a piece of clothing.
Once you’ve thoroughly worked the soap into the base, rinse the soap out of the base.
Then, apply a second round of soap around the edge of the system, working it into the base once again.
Finally, rinse your base with cold water until all the soap has rinsed out.
With lace bases, it is imperative that you rinse with the underside of the base facing up towards the faucet. If you rinse with the hair side up, the flow of water will push hairs through the lace to the underside of the base. Unfortunately, this is not reversible. If this happens, you’ll have to cut them off from underneath, causing you to lose all the hairs that pulled through.
Once the base is dry, proceed to Step 2, but if you plan to shampoo and condition the hair, do that first.
Full lace bases require a one-time treatment before applying tape to the system and before attaching it for the first time.
Place your system on a Styrofoam head with the underside of the base facing up. Apply a few T-pins to hold in it place.
Dampen a folded paper towel with acetone, and swipe it across areas you intend to apply tape or liquid adhesive. The acetone will remove any lingering conditioner so the adhesives sticks well.
This procedure is only necessary on a new full lace system, before the very first time you are going to wear it.
