If you dye, highlight or otherwise colour your hair, your hair care routine is extremely important. Not only do you want to maintain the colour and vibrance, it’s also important to keep your hair as healthy as possible. Regularly colour treating your hair can damage the hair shaft, strip natural oils, and cause dryness and brittleness, but there are things you can do to ensure it looks and feels its best. Here’s how to take care of colour treated hair!
How to Take Care of Colour Treated Hair
1. Wait as Long as Possible to Wash Your Hair Post-colour
Washing your hair too soon after getting it coloured can lead to colour being washed out of your hair. When your hair is coloured, the cuticle layer is opened, allowing colour to penetrate the hair shaft. It takes up to three days for the cuticle layer to fully close, so it’s ideal to wait at least 72 hours to shampoo after you colour your hair. The more time the colour has to absorb, the less quickly it will fade and the more time you can wait between salon visits.
2. Use The Right Shampoo
Sulfates are known to strip colour from the hair, so opt for a gentle, sulfate-free shampoo specifically designed for colour-treated hair, such as the L’Oréal Ever Pure Bond Repair Shampoo. Formulated with citric acid to penetrate the hair and help rebuild weak hair bonds, it helps strengthen and revitalize damaged hair. Using a quality shampoo helps maintain the colour and prevents dryness and breakage.
3. Deep Condition Regularly
Use a colour-protecting conditioner like the Paul Mitchell Colour Protect Conditioner to keep your hair hydrated, minimize dullness, and maintain the color. Conditioning helps to lock in moisture and prevent damage. You should also treat your hair to a deep conditioning hair mask each week. The Daily Dose Deep Conditioner is a super hydrating mask that enhances moisture levels, reduces breakage, and offers protection from colour fading. Enriched with vitamin C and B5, it’s the perfect addition to your coloured-hair routine.
4. Try Not to Wash Your Hair Too Often
Wash your hair less frequently to prevent the colour from washing out. Over-washing can strip away natural oils and colour, and make it fade more quickly. Try to only wash your hair two to three times a week, and use a dry shampoo between washes if needed.
5. When You Do, Wash Your Hair in Cool Water
Hot water can cause colour to fade more quickly since the heat opens up the hair’s cuticle. Wash your hair with lukewarm water and rinse with cool water to help maintain the colour and keep your hair cuticles closed. The warm water will allow the shampoo and conditioner to penetrate and cleanse, and the cool water will seal in moisture. Cold water also improves scalp circulation, which leads to healthier hair overall.
6. Protect Your Hair From Heat
Heat tools can wreak havoc on your hair, especially if it’s already damaged from being coloured. Make sure to use a heat protectant spray before using styling tools like blow dryers, curling irons, or straighteners, and try to use them as minimally as possible. Sun exposure can also lighten and dull the colour of your hair. Wear a hat or use hair products with UV protection when you’re outside.
7. Air Dry Your Hair
As we mentioned above, the heat from hair tools like blow dryers not only damages your hair, but also leads to moisture loss and the depletion of radiant colour. Air drying your hair will ensure you don’t compromise the colour. Use a styling product like the JVN Air Dry Cream to fight frizz and enhance your natural texture. Made with ingredients like hemisqualane and moringa seed oil to infuse moisture into your hair, you’ll get lightweight hydration for soft, shiny strands.
8. Swim Smart
Chlorine, and even salt water can alter hair colour and speed up the fading process. It can cause hair to become dry and brittle, affecting the colour. Wear a swim cap in the pool or ocean and rinse your hair immediately after swimming. You can also pre-condition your hair by adding a layer of conditioner to your hair, and placing it in a bun and then in the cap to form a protective barrier from chlorine.
9. Use a Leave-In Treatment
A leave-in serum like Oribe’s Power Drops provides moisture and preserves hair colour by defending against environmental aggressors, which can cause colour fade. Infused with vitamin C complex, antioxidants, and amino acids, it protects hair from damaging UV rays, while retaining colour. Use 3-5 drops on damp hair and don’t rinse it out.
10. Get Regular Trims
Trim your hair regularly to get rid of split ends and keep it looking healthy. Split ends won’t hold hair colour and can fade even faster than healthy hair. Regular trims prevent damage from spreading up the hair shaft- book one in every 8 to 12 weeks to keep your colour looking its best.
11. Stay Hydrated and Eat a Balanced Diet
Healthy hair starts from within. Drink plenty of water and eat a diet rich in vitamins and minerals. A diet rich in oily fish such as salmon and mackerel will nourish your hair with omega-3 fatty acids making it shiny and strong. Proper nutrition supports hair health and growth, so make sure this is a focus.
If you colour your hair, use these tips and products to ensure you care for it as best as possible and lengthen time between salon visits!
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