How to Care for Your Mesh Closure

Your mesh closure is one of the most beautiful pieces in your hair journey, and with a little love it will stay soft, full and natural looking for a long time. Our 3 x 5 closures are hand tied and very delicate, so the way you wash, brush and sleep really matters. Here is Kelly's care routine, straight from the Elevate handbook.

Washing: Be Gentle

• Use Saphira Mineral Moisture Repair Shampoo. Pat it in softly with your fingertips. Never scrub or scratch.
• Use Saphira Healing Repair Mineral Mud in place of conditioner. Keep it off the knots and rinse it out completely.

After the Shower

• Spray Saphira Mineral Leave In for slip and moisture.
• Brush gently with a Wet Brush all the way down to the base of the piece. Go slowly, because pulling too hard can tear the lace.
• Never go to bed with wet hair. Damp hair can mat.

Brushing Habits

Brush regularly to prevent tangles and matting. Brushing three or four times a day is completely normal. Kelly's tip: keep a brush in your purse.

Night Care

• Wear your hair in a low braid (a low ponytail works too).
• Wrap it in a mulberry silk bonnet. Kelly loves Blissy.
• Sleep on a mulberry silk pillowcase.

What to Avoid

• Hair spray, dry shampoo, protein treatments and K18
• Salt water and chlorine
• Non mineral sunscreen near the hair, which can cause discoloration (mineral sunscreen only)
• Scratching your scalp through the closure, which causes early shedding and means replacing it sooner

What Damage Looks Like

Most closure problems come from everyday habits, and most clients have no idea they are doing them. Here is what to watch for so your closure stays beautiful.

Scratching

This is a scratched closure. The hair is hand tied into tiny knots on delicate lace, and a scratch pulls those knots right undone. Many clients scratch without realizing it: in their sleep, through a bonnet, in the shower, or when the scalp feels tight after a fill. Pulling the piece forward can cause the same look.

If your scalp itches, tap instead. Use flat, gentle fingertips and tap. Never scratch, not at night, not through a bonnet, and not even just a little.

Matting From Wet Hair

This matting happens when hair is scrubbed at the shampoo bowl, left wet and not brushed. The rule is simple: no scrubbing, never leave the hair wet, and brush often. Once matting starts, it cannot be reversed.

What Is Return Hair?

Every hair in your closure is hand tied into a tiny knot on the lace. When the hair is pulled through and knotted, one end hangs down as the main hair and the short end folds back the other way. That folded end is the return hair.

Each strand of hair is covered in tiny scales called the cuticle, a bit like shingles on a roof. On the main hair the scales point down toward the ends. On the return hair they point the opposite way, up toward the knot. To keep those opposite scales from grabbing each other, most of the cuticle on the return hair is removed. It can never be removed completely, or the hair would fall apart, so a thin layer always remains.

Why Return Hair Mats

As long as that thin cuticle stays smooth and flat, the hair glides. Once it gets roughed up, the scales lift. Lifted scales facing opposite directions hook onto each other like Velcro, right near the base where you cannot easily reach. That is how tangling turns into matting.

What roughs up the cuticle:

• Scrubbing at the shampoo bowl instead of gently patting
• Leaving the hair wet or going to bed with damp hair
• Not brushing often enough (three or four times a day is normal)
• Regular conditioner, or any product not fully rinsed out
• Dry shampoo, texture spray and hair spray
• Leaning your head back and rubbing against a pillow, seat or headrest

Once the cuticle is roughed up, there is no going back. You will see short, spiky bits near the base, then tangles, then matting.

Real Examples

Scrubbing at shampoo roughed up the return hairs, leaving short spiky bits and frizz near the base.

Regular conditioner and friction from leaning back roughed up these return hairs. Condition with the Saphira mud mask instead, working it through the return hairs while keeping it off the lace.

Conditioner that was not fully rinsed out sat in the knots, loosened them, and the hair began to shed.

Please know that damage from scratching, scrubbing, products or care habits is not a product defect and is not eligible for return. We share this so you can protect your investment from day one.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long will my closure last?

There is no specific amount of time a closure lasts. It depends entirely on how it is cared for. The average is about three months, but that is not guaranteed. We have seen clients go a full year, and we have seen clients go only one month. Expect to replace your closure about every three months. Gentle washing, regular brushing, silk at night and no scratching help it last as long as possible.

What size are the closures?

Our closures come in one size and one length: 3 x 5, 16 inches.

Can I get a longer closure?

Length comes from blending longer wefts underneath the closure. The closure gives you the base and coverage, and your stylist blends in longer wefts for the length you love.

Is a mesh closure different from a closure?

No, they are the same product.

Why is my closure tangling or matting?

Almost always it comes back to scrubbing at shampoo, leaving the hair wet, not brushing enough, or using products like dry shampoo, hair spray or texture spray. Follow the routine above, brush three or four times a day, and never sleep on wet hair.

My scalp itches. What should I do?

Tap with flat fingertips. Never scratch, even through a bonnet. Scratching causes early shedding and means replacing the closure sooner.

Can I swim with my closure?

Please avoid salt water and chlorine, which are very hard on the hair and the knots.

Why doesn't my closure color match my wefts exactly?

The knot bleaching process can shift the root color on a closure by one to two levels. This is normal. If your stylist sees a difference of more than two levels, they should contact us before installing.

Can I return my closure?

Returns are accepted within 7 days of delivery when the hair is in its original, unopened packaging with tags and binding intact. Anything installed, opened, worked on or colored cannot be returned, and we do not offer exchanges.

How do I find a stylist?

Visit our stylist locator to find a certified Elevate stylist near you.

Questions about your closure? Your Elevate stylist is your best first stop, and our team is always happy to help at support@kellymaxwellhairextensions.com.