The "Underneath" Rule: How to Actually Grow Your Hair While Wearing Extensions

Let’s have a heart-to-heart.

There is a massive myth in the hair community that goes something like this: "I’m going to get a sew-in (or a wig) to give my natural hair a break."

You install the hair, you look fabulous, and you ignore your natural hair for 8 weeks. You think it’s on vacation.

But when you take that install down? Dryness. Shedding. Breakage.

Here is the hard truth: Putting your hair away is not the same as protecting it. If you ignore your natural hair while it’s braided down, it’s not on vacation—it’s in a desert.

At RAW HAIR CODE, we believe in the "Underneath Rule." If the foundation isn't strong, the house can't stand. Here is how to turn your next install into a true growth journey using science, not luck.

1. The Pre-Install Requirement

You wouldn't run a marathon without drinking water first. Do not braid your hair down if it is brittle.

Three days before your appointment, you need to fortify the hair shaft. This is where FORMULA 01: The Fortify Mask enters the chat. It is engineered with Plant Protein to fill in the gaps of your hair cuticle and Silica to smooth and strengthen the strand.

Doing this treatment before the tension of braiding prevents "traction breakage"—that snapping sound you hear when you take your braids out.

2. The "In-Between" Routine

Just because your hair is hidden doesn't mean it doesn't need moisture. Your scalp is still living, breathing skin.

While wearing a sew-in or wig, you must keep the scalp clean and the braids hydrated. A diluted leave-in conditioner spray or a light scalp oil applied between the tracks can make the difference between retaining an inch of growth or losing it to dryness.

3. The Takedown Ritual

This is the most critical moment. Your hair has been locked away. It is thirsty.

Do not just shampoo immediately. Your hair is fragile.

1. Detangle gently with your fingers.
2. Apply FORMULA 01 generously to your dry, dirty hair before you shampoo. Let it sit. This is called a "pre-poo." It gives your hair the slip it needs so that when you wash it, it doesn't tangle and snap.
3. Shampoo, and then condition again.

The Code to Length Retention

Extensions are the ultimate cheat code for styling, but retention is the code for health.

You can have the rawest, most beautiful Indian bundles on top, but if your natural hair is suffering underneath, the look isn't complete.

Stop giving your hair a "break" and start giving it a strategy.

Ready to secure your foundation?

SHOP FORMULA 01: THE FORTIFY MASK