HOW TO TAKE CARE OF COLORED HAIR

Getting the hair colored simply defines the procedure as letting the chemicals seep into the locks, leaving them susceptible to dryness, brittleness, damage, and breakage. That doesn’t end here. Given no proper aftercare, the hair turns prone to being hay-like – dull and lifeless.

Be it the subtle balayage or the simple highlights; proper aftercare to the exquisitely colored hair is really essential for them to stay healthy, hydrated, radiant and vibrant for a longer period. Here are the top colored hair tips:

Don’t Shampoo for the First Three Days:

The ammonia in the hair coloring product opens the hair cuticles, making way for the product to penetrate deep into the hair shafts. Also, this chemical processing makes the hair porous and susceptible to damage. If you shampoo your hair within 72 hours of the color treatment, it is likely for the color to fade and appear dull instantly. To maintain the vibrancy of the new tone, it is highly suggested to skip head bathing for upto 72 hours post the color treatment.

Opt for Color Protectant Shampoos:

The type of product we opt for the head bathe plays a major role in helping maintain the vibrancy of the hair color. It is always recommended to use the specially formulated shampoos for the colored hair. Not only it helps protect the vibrancy of the color but also it helps balance the natural pH level of the hair. Color protectant shampoos would ensure the color from fading quickly. Also, they’re packed with hydrating and nourishing ingredients that helps restore and repair the damaged hair.

Use Sulfate-free Shampoo:

Sodium Laureth Sulfate makes for one of the most common ingredient in shampoos. However, they should be avoided for the sake of hair health. The shampoos containing harsh ingredients like sulfates and alcohols is always a terrible idea for it would strip the color as well as the moisture from hair. If you want to stretch out the life of your hair color, always opt for the sulfate-free shampoos. Alternatively, organic shampoos formulated with natural ingredients can be used, They’re mild and gentle to hair.

Maintain Hair Hydration:

This is indeed the thumb rule! Hair turns prone to dryness and brittleness post the color treatment. This calls for their hydration as much as possible. Go for deep conditioning! The process helps hair retain the moisture, making them soft and lustrous.

The hot oil treatment three days prior to the hair color treatment is one brilliant idea. The process not only supports the hair nourishment, but also it keeps them from drying out, owing to the chemical process that they undergo.

Get Frequent Touch-ups:

If your hair growth is quick, it’s likely of the non-colored roots to show up at fast pace. Touch-ups are needed for specific portions of hair where the color has faded. If you find the process high-maintenance, you should rather opt for highlights or streaks. The highlights and the streaks don’t turn noticeable enough upon fading.

Avoid Hot Showers:

Regardless of how wonderful a hot shower feels, it is only best to dodge it. Hot showers would not only ransack the natural oils from hair, but also it would fade the color massively.

Protect from Heat:

Colored hair are even more vulnerable to heat and susceptible to damage. To maintain the vibrancy and fresh-looking appearance of the colored hair, make sure you dodge the heat styling tools like blow dryers, curling irons, and straighteners. Having an inexorable need to hair styling tools, ascertain the investment in a good heat protectant spray to at least limit the hair damage. With heat, the outer protective layer of the hair gets disrupted. The hair cuticle would open up. And, this will further lead to the leaching out of the color, thus, fading it away. Make sure you always use thermal protectant hair spray whenever the need be to style the hair.

Read: 18 Best Heat Protectant Hair Sprays For Every Girl Who Loves Styling Hair

Refrain from Taking the Head Bath Everyday:

Refraining from head bath everyday is the least you can do to protect the colored hair from fading, and from turning dry, dull and lifeless. Make sure you limit you head bathes to two to three days a week. If weaning off the shampoo comes up difficult, skip straight to the hair conditioning step. Alternatively, you can also try dry shampoos. Minimal head baths will also help maintain the vibrancy of the hair color.

Mask Up:

Whether colored or not, hair mask has always to be a smart plan to maintaining healthy hair. A nourishing hair mask works as a power-packed conditioner that contributes to the hair health.

You could either pick your hair mask from the store or prepare one for yourself at home using natural ingredients like coconut oil and aloe vera.

Protect your Hair from Pool Water:

The pool water is chlorinated that can lead to dry and brittle hair. Also, chlorine tends to bond with the artificial color, thus, drawing out the hair color quickly. For this reason, it is suggested to apply pre-swimming conditioner, or oil the hair before swimming. This helps create a barrier between the hair and the chlorinated water. Alternatively, you can also wear a swimming cap.

Post swimming, it is ideal to rinse your hair well with clean water. To add some nourishment, apply a leave-in conditioner to your hair after the rinse.

If you happen to be spending a major portion of your time in swimming pool, wet your colored hair and apply a leave-in conditioner before you dive into the pool.

Chlorine builds up in the hair that leads the hair color, especially the lighter ones, from turning into a repugnant green hue.

Shield from UV Rays:

Harsh UV Rays are brutal to the hair color. Barely minutes of exposure to the sun can lead your hair strands to being shriveled. Tie up your hair in a bun, creating a shield against damage the coming from the brutal Sun rays. Wearing a hat or tying up a scarf to the hair when out in Sun is always a great plan.

A lot of hair styling products like leave-in conditioners and hairsprays comes with SPF packed in them. You may want to add them. Also, some UV-protecting hair products are also packed with a mix of vitamins to help restore the color treated hair and keep them from any future damage.

During summers, when the brutality of the scorching Sun is at peak, you can spritz on to your locks a moisturising spray that’s packed with SPF 10 to 15.

Limit Your Hair Coloring Treatments / Root Touch-ups:

Excess of anything is a disaster. And so is the thumb rule for hair coloring as well. Never do visit your salon more than once every five to six weeks. Frequent hair color treatments or the root touch-ups can only lead to the hair damage. When your zipper (grown out hair roots around your hair parting) begin to show up, you can help yourself get through until next hair color treatment with a pretty good number of products available in the market. You can try at-home touch-up kits, spray-on root concealers, or hair mascara to cover greys between the hair color treatments.

Do Not Take Hair Bath Everyday:

Hygiene should never be compromised with. Meanwhile, hair bathing everyday could be stripping away your hair color soon and even be damaging to the hair. You can try color-safe dry shampoo to help get rid of the grease, gunk and grime from the scalp, without stripping out the hair color.

Limit the Exposure to Humid or Damp Air:

Keep your colored hair from long showers or damp hair. Damp hair fades away the hair color. It is suggested to put on a shower cap while taking bathe. Avoid your hair from getting wet often. You can keep your colored hair protected with anti-humidity serums, especially during the monsoons and the humid weather conditions. Add vitamins and protein-rich food to your diet. Eat nuts, spinach, berries, and sweet potatoes to help keep you hair healthy and beautiful.

Pay Heed to your Diet:

Healthy inside leads to the beautiful outside. Having said that, it is important to maintain a balanced diet to help keep your hair healthy and lustrous. Bearing these tips in mind, you can sport your trendy hair color while maintaining its health.

Avoid Double-Processing the Colored Hair:

It is suggested not to overdo the chemical treatment on hair. Avoid rebounding, perming, or any other chemical treatment simultaneous to the hair color treatment. If both the treatments need to be taken, stagger them and ask your hair stylist for botanical and low-ammonia formula that can help condition your locks while processing them.

Add a Pinch of Hair Dye:

Add a pinch of hair dye to the conditioner before you apply it to your hair. The trick is to help restore the color that washes out with the shampoo. However, the hack works well only with bright colors such as blue, pink, or purple.

Try Deep Conditioning Treatment for Smooth and Lustrous Colored Hair:

The colored hair calls for a pampering session once a week for an added shine and lustre. Take up a deep conditioning treatment to the needful. Apply it to damp hair and run through a comb from roots to tips. Pull your hair up into a bun and wrap them up in a soft towel or may be a shower cap. Leave on the treatment for thirty minutes. Rinse thoroughly with water for softer and lustrous colored hair.

Can I Oil My Hair after the Color Treatment?

Yes! Coconut oil holds tremendous benefits for all hair types – especially the dry, brittle, damaged, and colored hair. The chemical processing during the color treatment leads to the extremely dry and rough hair. It supports hair nourishment and hydration, repairs damage, stimulates hair growth, and keeps the hair color intact.

Just take a few drops of the coconut oil and apply them to your hair. Leave on overnight. Wash it off the next morning. Your color-treated hair will shine like glass and certainly thank you.

Apart from the dullness and dryness, the other side effect that comes tagged alongside the colored hair is the protein damage. Just when your hair begins to stretch and snap off, it clearly goes evident of its protein dearth. The hair might also feel mushy when wet. The only idea to fix these hair issues is the protein treatment. You can opt for a store-bough protein treatment or try out a DIY hair mask.

Eggs are abundant in proteins. It helps provide your hair with nourishment. Also, several anecdotal evidences suggests that mayonnaise supports frizz free hair. A regular use of protein hair masks can help repair the protein damage and restore and rejuvenate the healthy hair.

Here are a few easy-peasy DIY hair masks you can try out:

You will need:

• 1 Egg
• 2 Tablespoon Mayonnaise

Processing Time:

• 45 minutes

Directions:

• In a bowl, whip a whole egg.
• Add two tablespoons of mayonnaise. Combine and whip together until a smooth mixture is achieved.
• Apply the prepared mixture to your hair. Concentrate the application majorly on the hair tips.
• Once your hair are fully covered with the prepared mixture / hair mask, leave it on for about 45 minutes.
• Wash your hair with cool water and a mild sulfate-free shampoo.
• Repeat this protein hair masking treatment once a week.

Do the Hot Oil Treatment to Add Shine to your Colored Hair:

Hot Oil Treatments are simple yet quite powerful treatment to help add shine to the colored hair.

While hair masks / packs works remarkably in improving the overall health of the hair, a fleeting hot oil treatment or perhaps the regular hair oiling before bed and washing it off the next morning must be ideally incorporated to your hair care routine. A hair care routine without oiling is always insufficient.

Oil helps lock moisture and nourishment to the hair. They also create a protective layer that shields the hair from the sun and heat damage. To give yourself a hot oil treatment at convenience of your home, follow the steps listed below:

You Will Need:

• 2-3 tablespoons of any carrier oil of your choice (coconut, jojoba, or olive oil)

Processing Time:

• 45 minutes

Directions:

• Wash your hair and towel dry them. Hot oil treatment works best on clean and damp hair for it allows the treatment to penetrate deeply into hair cuticles.
• Heat the oil in a microwave or on a stovetop for ten seconds until slightly warm.
• Massage the warm oil onto your scalp and work it down to the hair tips. Concentrate on the hair tips for they are the most dry and damaged parts.
• Now, apply heat using a hot towel, a blow dryer, or you could simply sit in the sun.
• Put on a shower cap and leave it on for about 30-45 minutes.
• Hereafter, allow your hair to cool down to the room temperature before you wash them in cool water using a mild sulfate-free shampoo. Please note that optionally, you can also leave on the treatment overnight, and wash it off the next morning.
• Repeat the treatment at least twice a week.

Don’t Skip the Regular Hair Trimming:

Hair trimming every 6-8 weeks is essentially called for in a hair care routine. And, if you haven’t been doing it yet, incorporate the practice now. The hair becomes even more susceptible to the damage after the coloring treatment. Here, regular trimmings plays a key role in maintaining hair health and combating the spread of damage. This also helps prevent the split ends and breakage. If your colored hair looks frizzy, they’re possibly damaged. The ideal way to keep them looking healthy is the regular trimmings. You don’t need to chop them short; merely trimming off the damaged ends are sufficient enough to keep the frayed ends at bay.

The Strict Don’ts for the Colored Hair:

• Stay clear of the shampoos that contain sulfates. Sulfates are too strong and likely to be stripping off the hair color.
• Avoid heat exposure. Heat stylings tools such as straightener, curling irons, or blow dryers can lead to long-term damage to the hair.
• Avoid washing off your hair using hot water.
• Avoid frequent head baths.

Wrapping Up:

If you finalize on taking up the color treatment, take it up with a generous heart. It is wise to pick a good brand for high color with long-lasting results.

Key Takeaways:

• Make sure you never take head bath for at least 72 hours on the freshly colored hair. This can lead to the hair damage and fade out the color and appear dull instantly.
• Always use color-safe hair care products to ensure the lasting power of the hair color.
• Consume vitamin and protein-rich foods to help maintain the strength and vibrancy of the hair.
• Use hair products with UV production added.

READ MORE:
The Ultimate Hair Color Guide You Would Want to Read Before Your Next Appointment