How to Protect Color-Treated Hair From Fading and Damage
Your new hair color looks fabulous, but there is still time to see it in the mirror. Three washes have passed since the last salon session, and you wish your color had lasted a little longer. Indeed, fading is one of the most common problems in hair coloring. Moreover, cuticle damage leads to dryness and brittleness.
Preventive measures help to maintain the color’s vibrancy and reduce hair damage; proper care extends the interval between colorations. We give professional advice on what to do, when and which products to choose.
What Makes Colored Hair Lose Its Shine and Attract Split Ends
It is important to understand how hair coloring works to properly care for colored hair. The dye opens the cuticle layer of hair to penetrate the inner layers and interact with keratin amino acids. With a little water, the cuticle closes to detain the pigment.
The cuticle of the colored hair is not as tight as healthy hair. Hence, color gradually disappears during washing and styling. In the case of a person who has lightened their hair, the situation is complicated by the fact that the hair is more porous and more damaged.
Hair that has been dyed requires special care because the cuticle is partially open. This means that both color and moisture escape with every hot shower and shampoo. To prolong the life of the coloration and protect the hair, it is vital to reduce the evaporation of both the pigment and water.
The First Few Days After Coloring
It is imperative not to wash the hair that has just been colored as much as possible. Wash off the color in the first 48-72 hours to prevent it from rinsing away. Moreover, in the first days after the procedure, it is vital to avoid sweat, saunas, and excessive sunlight.
These measures might seem extreme, but they will help the coloration last longer. It is enough to skip a few days of washing to let the cuticle close and the color to manifest fully.
Washing the Hair
The washing process is vital because the hair loses the greatest amount of color there. Avoid washing your hair 22-3 times a week. Moreover, it is vital to use cold or warm water because hot water damages the cuticle. A trick to prolong the coloration and hydrate the hair is to rinse with cool water at the end of the washing.
Besides, it is vital to choose a specialist shampoo and a color-safe one or use ordinary conditioning shampoos made for colored hair. Moreover, when washing the hair, it is vital to gently massage the scalp and not the strands themselves. Finally, use conditioners to close the cuticle and return the shine to the strands.
An additional trick for maintaining the coloration is to use cold water for the last 20-30 seconds of rinsing. It helps prolong coloring and smooth hair.
Protection from the Sun
Sunlight is one of the main enemies of any coloration, as UV rays destroy the pigment. One of the signs of faded color is yellowing, especially when a person has had a holiday in the mountains or at the beach. Thus, UV light is especially dangerous for red-haired girls and those who have used fashion colorations, whose tone is far from natural. As for blondes, they often have a grayish-yellow reflection after being in the sun.
To protect the hair from the harmful effects of the sun, it is vital to use hair bandanas, caps, and scarves when walking in the heat. Moreover, it is useful to use leave-in treatments or UV protection sprays for the hair. To minimize the load on one area of the head, it is worth changing the location of the parting every morning. Finally, it is vital not to stay in the sun with freshly washed hair.
Ultraviolet radiation is not the only factor threatening coloration. Chlorinated and brine also affect cuticle integrity. To minimize the harm, it is vital to saturate the hair with clean water before visiting the pool or the sea. Moreover, it is vital to rinse and condition the hair after leaving the water. This will remove excess salt and chlorine.
The Role of High Temperatures
Flat irons and curling irons are also damaging to colored hair, as they lift the cuticle to change the shape of the strands. Moreover, the higher the temperature, the more active the evaporation of water from the hair, thus a curling iron and a flat iron are not recommended for use after a coloration, especially if the girl has opted for an intensive procedure.
To maintain the integrity of the cuticle and prevent the color from fading, it is vital to use thermally protective cream when using hot irons. Moreover, when possible, it is worth air-drying the hair instead of using electric appliances. Also, it is vital not to overload the hair with heat: a little curling iron is better than continuous ironing.
Another tip to maintain the coloration is to avoid combing the hair when it is wet. Moreover, girls must remember to alternate days of styling with heated appliances with days of rest. Finally, when using irons, it is vital not to press the same spot several times.
Hydration and Masking Treatments
One of the most common mistakes made by girls with colored hair is not moisturizing their hair often enough. This is because the cuticle is open, thus the strands lose moisture rapidly, so it is necessary to use hydrating masques once a week to help the hair retain elasticity and not become brittle and split.
It is also vital to use a daily leave-in mask or a few drops of oil to nourish the hair and protect it from the effects of the environment. However, it is vital not to apply products to the roots because this will make them oily. Instead, girls need to focus on the midsection and ends of their hair.
If the hair feels stiff, this means that it is lacking in moisture; on the contrary if the girl’s hair is soft but brittle and lifeless, this means that it needs to be nourished. Knowing how the hair behaves is essential for maintaining color.
Fight against Yellowing and Loss of Vitality
Besides fading, girls often face the problem of yellowing of the hair strands. This happens as the cuticle is damaged, thus the mineral deposits of the water adhere to the hair. This problem is especially acute in girls with light colorations because yellowing is most noticeable on a light background.
To solve this problem, it is recommended to use colored masks that will absorb the minerals and restore the integrity of the cuticle. In addition, girls have various methods for combating yellowing: using a purifying shampoo, a violet rinse for blondes and a blue rinse for brunettes. It is also vital to install a special filter in the shower, which will reduce the amount of minerals in the water.
Finally, to maintain the coloration, girls are advised to go to a hair salon for a color correction procedure every few months. This will help remove the damaged cuticles and restore the vitality of the hair.
Use the following table when taking care of the hair after a coloration:
| Daily | After coloring | At the pool | When washing |
| Wear a cap in hot weather | Avoid hot showers and swimming for the first few days | Treat your hair with a leave-in or deep conditioning masque | Rinse the hair with cold water at the end of the washing |
| Wear a hat or scarf to protect your hair from the sun | Wear a hat or use UV protection creams after coloring | Use a special filter in the shower | Use a color-safe and gentle shampoo rather than a daily one |
| Treat your hair with a nourishing and rehydrating masque once a week | Do not style the hair with hot irons every day | Rinse the hair with cold water at the end of the washing | Use daily conditioners when washing the hair |
| Avoid excessive styling with curling irons and flat irons | Use color-depositing masques or specially selected shampoos | Use a hair dryer at a low temperature setting | Treat your hair with a leave-in or deep conditioning masque |
Finally, proper and complex enough care can extend the life of the coloration by a few weeks or even months.
Frequently asked questions
If a girl has color-treated hair, she should wash it two or three times a week. In case of active sebum secretion, the girl can use a dry shampoo to extend the intervals between washes. This will allow you to get rid of grease and, at the same time, reduce the number of washes to prolong the color.
All things considered, using a color-safe shampoo really makes a difference. First, these products are designed to be gentle to keep the hair’s precious moisture. As a result, the color will stay fresh for a much longer time. Moreover, washing hair with color-safe shampoos is beneficial for the scalp since it is not subjected to harsh ingredients.
When hair is dyed, its cuticle opens to let the color molecules penetrate the hair. At the same time, the hair loses its natural moisture. In other words, the more the girl dyes her hair, the more it dries. That is why it is so important to give hair extra care after the procedure. The main indicator that the hair was properly cared for is that it became supple rather than brittle after washing.
A girl can swim in pools and the sea with colored hair, but it is important to know how to prepare hair for swimming. First of all, it is necessary to saturate the hair with fresh water and apply a conditioning mask. Also, after returning from the pool or sea, it is necessary to remove excess salt or chlorine from the hair.
The duration of the color action depends on how well the hair is cared for. Nevertheless, approximate values can be indicated for each type of coloration. For example, natural hair color will last for about two months. As for fashion colors, their action is much shorter, about one month.
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