Trying on a new hue this summer is a great way to celebrate the season and change up your look, but it can be hard to prevent your new color from fading. Most women don’t have the time or money to touch up their color every month, so it’s crucial to learn how to care for color-treated hair. Learn more about products and hair care tips to extend the life of your hair color.
Whether you have your heart set on becoming a bombshell blonde or adding some pretty highlights to spice up your natural color, it’s important to know how to care for dyed or highlighted hair. In this article, you’ll learn how to choose the hair shade and products that match your lifestyle needs, and how to select specialized shampoos, conditioners and styling products geared toward color-treated hair. Then, find some tips on caring for colored hair on a daily basis.
Choose color with care. Some colors are easier to maintain than others. Vibrant reds tend to fade quickly, along with lighter blonde shades. Your stylist should be able to give you an estimate of how often you’ll have to come in for treatments depending on which hue you choose, so keep this in mind when choosing a shade.
Use color-safe products. The very first thing you’ll need to do after getting a color treatment is swap out your ordinary shampoo and conditioner for a set that’s designed to preserve your new hue. Color-safe products generally cleanse more gently and prevent hair from drying out. Alterna BAMBOO UV Color Protection Shampoo and Conditioner Duo includes strengthening ingredients like organic bamboo extract, as well as ingredients like Kalahari melon to prevent damage.
Wash less frequently. According to Woman’s Day, “every time you wash your hair, you strip away a little bit of the color.” Keep your hair happy and healthy by washing only once every two or three days. On days you don’t shampoo, “rinse hair with warm water and condition,” celebrity stylist Ashley Javier tells Elle. When you do shampoo, Javier suggests using less product on color treated hair; just a small amount of shampoo should suffice.
Try dry shampoo. On days when you can get by with skipping the shampoo entirely, a dry shampoo like Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo will absorb excess oils and sebum and keep your hair fresh. Or, for a cheaper alternative, try baby powder. According to Elle, “Top hairstylists Guido Palau, Pasquale Ferrante, and Andy Lecompte all swear by this affordable drugstore item.”
Use color-specific hair products. Preserve dyed or highlighted hair by incorporating a shampoo or conditioning product targeted to your particular hair shade, such as Alterna Caviar Blonde Conditioner or Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Brunette Leave-In Conditioner. These treatments will brighten your color, making reds more vibrant, adding richness to brown shades and keeping blonde from looking brassy.
Try a protein treatment. Your hair is made from a protein called keratin and coloring your hair can actually strip your strands of this tough protein layer. Additional damage is caused from heat styling, water and summer weather. Dry, weakened hair will benefit from a keratin protein treatment, no matter what shade it is. Try Liquid Keratin 30 Day Straight Smooth Strong and Long Treatment, which fortifies and strengthens even the weakest hair strands for 30 days of healthier hair.
Shun the sun. Wearing a wide-brimmed hat or a scarf is not only a style statement, but also a great way to prevent the sun from damaging your hair. You can also find leave-in conditioners or styling mists that help block UV rays and prevent dehydration, such as Frederic Fekkai Summer Hair Cooling Shine Mist. You can use these sprays to protect your color year-round; UV rays can damage your hair and fade your color throughout the year, and the extra dose of moisture is an added benefit.
Choose low-maintenance hairstyles. Summer is a great time to adopt a more relaxed attitude toward your hairstyles, so why not ditch the hair dryer and flat iron routine for a change? Minimizing heat styling will prevent damage and keep your hair from drying out. Instead, use a dollop of a texturizing styling product, such as blowPro Wave Maker Light Twisting Lotion, and embrace your natural hair texture.
Consult your stylist. Depending on your hair color and salon, you might not need a full coloring treatment each time you go in. You can schedule keratin or gloss treatments in between coloring sessions, to prolong your color and keep your locks healthy. You can also take advantage of treatments that require less time and money, like just touching up the roots or getting partial highlights rather than a full highlighting job.
Try a new color. If you’re still finding that your hair is growing out faster than you can keep up with, you might want to try a shade that’s closer to your natural hue. If your natural hair color is drastically different from your new shade, it’ll be more noticeable when your roots start to show. Going a couple of shades closer to natural can make a world of difference.
Overall, caring for color-treated hair isn’t drastically different from caring for any other type of hair. The key is in choosing products to protect and enhance your locks, and adopting better styling practices. If you nurture and protect your hair, you’ll be rewarded with healthier hair and longer-lasting color all summer long.
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See also:
Summer Hair Care: Top 10 Must-Have Products to Nurture and Protect Hair in Hot Weather
Hot Summer Hair and Fashion: Fresh Hairstyles, Products and Accessories for Summer Weather
Scalp Conditions Handbook