TIPS FOR DYED HAIR: HOW TO TAKE CARE OF COLORED HAIR
Everybody needs a change from time to time, and changing your hair color is one of the easiest ways to bring a little something new into your life. But coloring and bleaching can do a number on your strands. Colored hair is usually drier and more prone to breakage than virgin locks, so caring for your dyed hair will require a little extra work.
Whether you’re just adding highlights, going for a trendy ombre or planning an all-over color transformation, here are our top tips on how to take care of bleached and dyed hair.
Common Issues for Colored Hair
Color-treating hair involves bleach or other chemicals. This means your strands undergo quite a bit of stress to get that new color you love. Colored hair tends to be drier and prone to damage and breakage. After a few weeks of shampooing, styling, and getting out and about in the sun, that shiny, salon-fresh color you love can start to fade, becoming dull and brassy-looking.
Depending on how drastic your color-change is, finding the right products and routine to maintain healthy-looking, salon-fresh hair can take some trial and error. But whether you have a few light highlights or a completely different color from your natural strands, a little extra TLC is in order.
How to Prep Your Hair for Color
Since bleaching and dyeing can be damaging to your hair, starting with the healthiest hair possible will yield better results. Before you take the plunge, follow these tips.
- Begin with virgin locks. For the healthiest, softest, most luscious color, don’t bleach, dye or process your hair for several months before you go for a new color.
- Use clarifying shampoos and conditioners. Remove product buildup and give your hair a clean, healthy canvas for your color by washing with clarifying products.
- Ease up on heat styling. Heat styling is damaging to your strands, and we’re trying to keep your hair as healthy as possible, remember?
- Deep condition often. Bleaching and dyeing strip the hair’s cuticle of the oils and nutrients that keep it looking soft and healthy. Deep conditioning before coloring your hair can help it hold onto more moisture without hindering the process.
How to Maintain Your Color
Once you’ve dyed or bleached your hair, keeping it soft, shiny and brass-free are going to be your top priorities. Here’s how to take care of dyed hair to keep your color fresh and healthy.
1. Look for Nourishing Shampoos and Conditioners.
Certain products can strip your hair of its natural oils. Since your dyed locks are already going to be extra parched, make sure to use moisturizing products to help nourish colored hair. Replenish moisture with a color-safe nourishing conditioner formulated with vital nutrients and silk protein. If your hair feels greasy in between washes, try dry shampoo in between washes to keep your style fresh.
2. Deep Condition.
To deeply condition your hair, try a leave-in conditioner to help strengthen and protect against heat. For extra nourishment, try a damage repairing hair mask to help transform damaged, breakage-prone hair into a stronger, restored hair.
3. Use Color-Safe Products.
Depending on your hair color, look for products designed for your specific shade. Washing and conditioning with color-safe shampoos and conditioners can help prevent fading, prolong your color and restore multi-faceted shine to your locks. If you’re brunette, look for products for brunette hair to help reveal multidimensional shine. Even if you have deep, black, 2a hair, the color can still dull out. You can keep its vibrancy and shine with light products, such as black hair gloss, to maintain its color. For redheads, boost your hair color with our red shampoo and conditioner. Finally, for blondes, amplify and brighten your color with products specially designed for blonde hair.
4. Neutralize Brassiness.
As color fades, brassy orange and yellow tones can start to shine through, turning your strands a dull, unflattering shade. Blue or purple shampoo can help prevent brassy tones from cramping your style. Blue shampoo helps knock out orange tones in brunette hair while purple shampoo helps remove brassy yellow tones in blonde hair.
5. Protect Your Color from Environmental Factors.
Sun exposure and even chemicals like chlorine can alter the shade of your dyed hair and lead to brassy tones. Protect your colored hair with a hat or a UV-filtering hair product, and use a clarifying shampoo after swimming in a chlorinated pool.
6. Avoid Heat Styling.
Blow-drying, curling, and flat-ironing can all dry out your already parched hair. If you have curly hair, try going au naturel and try a styling foam instead of heat to style your locks.
Love your new color? Check out more of our tips for dyed hair!
