Making Monday Pretty: Making Hair Colour Last
Posted by Hayley French on
We spend good money on getting our hair that perfect shade of blonde, brunette or red, however the second you leave the salon, that gorgeous colour starts fading. Here are a few tips to make your colour last, and last and last...
1. Avoid heat. Super hot, steamy showers opens up the cuticle of your hair, releasing both colour and moisture from your strands. Try to stick to room temperature water when washing your hair and the coolest water you can stand when rinsing out your conditioner. This also goes for hot tools, especially the first week after colouring your hair try to limit the use of hot tools on your hair as this will speed up fading and when you do have to use them, make sure to use a thermal protectant spray.
2. Wait it out. After colouring your hair, try to wait as long as possible for that first wash, at least 24 to 48 hours can really help seal in your colour. When you do shampoo, make sure to use a sulphate free shampoo which will be easier on the hair.
3. Invest in a shower filter. Your shower water is filled with chemicals, chlorine and minerals (yuck!) which will strip your hair's colour and oils and rinse them right down the drain. A shower filter will help reduce this and as a bonus, will also help your skin retain moisture.
4. Prep your hair. Firstly, the notion that "colour takes better on dirty hair" is false, and colour will take more evenly on hair that doesn't have to break through oil and product build up. That being said, a day or two before your appointment, wash your strands with a chelating shampoo to remove excess product build up and then apply a deep conditioning mask to add moisture back in.
5. However... once you have coloured your hair, think twice about using deep conditioners regularly. They are great for blondes that are bleaching their hair as they add back lost moisture, but for brunettes or red heads, the conditioner that is designed to get deep into the hair follicle to moisturize, will take the colour with it when it is rinsed out.
6. Get vacation ready. Even though the weather has taken a turn here, many of us will start heading south on sunny vacations. Make sure to use spray with SPF in it to protect your hair from fading in the sun, and before swimming in any chlorinated pools, wet your hair and apply a light conditioner so that your hair will absorb that and not the harsh chlorine.
Have a beautiful Monday everyone!