Tips and Tricks on How to Maintain Colored Hair

Introduction:

It's when people decide to dye their hair that they can really let go and explore the potential of a new look. From a subtle change of color tone to a head-turning revolutionary color transformation, daring to dye your hair can be truly exhilarating. But as amazing as having new hair color is, it is equally important to remember that colored hair needs a little more attention to itself. You could have opted for one of the beautiful pastel shades or vibrancy, and sometimes you only do it to cover up some grays; thus, maintaining that vibrancy and health of colored locks of hair can be a challenge.

In the following article, we will explore and dive into the essentials, secrets, and tricks for taking care of your hair after having it dyed, so you can keep your hair fresh, shiny, and healthy-looking. From washing techniques to deep-conditioning treatments, we are well-equipped!

1. Choose the Right Shampoo and Conditioner

 Choosing the right shampoo and conditioner is one of the integral parts of caring for dyed hair. Most standard shampoos normally remove color from your hair much faster and drain it gradually into locks that are lifeless and dry. Important Things to Consider in Choosing the Right Products

Color-Safe Shampoo: Use only shampoos designed for color-treated hair. These help keep your hair clean without losing all the precious color. Select the sulfate-free variant as well, and this will save your money on colour top-up otherwise caused by aggressive sulfates.

Moisturizing Conditioner: Processed hair is usually more porous. This tends to make processed hair drier than usual. The right conditioner will moisturize and seal up the cuticle so that color and shine are better preserved.

Deep Conditioning Treatments: Apply a hydrating mask once a week, providing extra moisture. You can use argan oil-based masks, keratin-rich masks, and shea butter-based masks

2. Do not over-wash your hair

Frequent washing makes the color fade much quicker than it should. When you dye your hair, you're being a bit unkind to that hair because you're subjecting it to chemicals that break down the structure of the hair; over-washing strips away the essential oils and nutrients that your hair needs to be healthy. So, space out your washes and here is how to make your color last longer:

Wash less frequently: You may have to aim at washing only two or three times a week depending on your hair. That might make it stay color-intensive longer.

Use dry shampoo: Dry shampoo is a life-saver when you do not feel like washing your colored hair on certain days. It will absorb the oil and give volume to your hair without losing its colour 

3. Rinse with cold water

Using cold water to wash your hair may feel freezing, but it's a small price to pay for color to last longer. Heat has a tendency to open up the hair cuticle and allows the coloring to seep out, thus fading faster. Cold water helps seal in the cuticle, keeping the color better.

Final Cold Rinse: Even if you do the final clean-up with warm water, always rinse cold. This seals the cuticles, and in the end, locks all that moisture and shine for your hair.

4. Protection of Hair from Heat Styling

Actually, most of the hot styling appliances, including flat irons, curling irons, and blow dryers, tend to cause some serious damage to colored locks. All this heat can weaken hair shafts, which might break easily or cause early color fade. Here's how you can reduce the damage:

Use Heat Protectants: Apply a spray of heat protector before styling your hair with any hot tool. These products create a protective layer on your hair, thus reducing the damage caused by heat.

Reduce the temperature: Do not use the hotter side of your styling device. Instead, find the low-side option and try to reduce the time your hair spends exposed to heat.

Let it air dry as much as you can. This will keep heated styling out of your hair, and at the same time, give it a break from styling every day, which keeps your color more vibrant and healthy-looking.

5. Frequently Trim Your Hair

One of the best-kept secrets to healthy, dyed hair is regular trims. Hair dye dries out the tips of your hair and makes them brittle which can lead to splitting and then breakage. How to keep your hair looking fresh:

Regular Trims: You can get your hair trimmed as often as every 6 to 8 weeks. This will help you get rid of bad ends, as breakage will not be allowed to travel up the hair shaft. Your hair looks dull and lifeless.

Dusting: In case you want to grow your hair but you don't want split ends, you could try something called "dusting." This is where just the very tips of your hair are snipped off.

6. Limit Exposure to Over-Sun Bask

The ultraviolet rays of the sun can damage your hair and cause the color to fade much faster. This comes to the point where people who spend most of their time outdoors risk getting brassy and dry hair if they have colored hair. Here's how you can protect it:

Hair Products with UV Filters: Use hair products which contain UV filters. These products can be used to cover your hair against the damaging action of the sun. Such products provide a layer between the sun and hair that cannot cause damage.

Sun Shade or Scarf: When going out for work in the field, especially for a long duration, then put on a wide-brimmed hat or a scarf that may cover your hair from the damaging action of the sunrays directly hitting it.

7. Gentle Towel Dry

Wet hair is much more prone to breaking or coming apart, and colored hair makes no exception. It's thus very important to be gentle with your hair once it's wet from washing since it is more vulnerable to breaking at such a stage. Here are a few tips on how to care for wet, colored hair:

Use a Microfiber Towel: Instead of using the regular towel, use a microfiber towel or an old soft cotton t-shirt to blot your hair dry gently. These materials are gentler and less likely to break your hair.

Wide-Tooth Comb: When detangling wet hair, use a wide-tooth comb instead of a brush. This is less likely to cause breakage and will give better conditions for the hair because it will spread the hair out evenly.

8. Invest in Professional Color Care Treatments

Sometimes, home care just isn't enough to keep your color looking fresh. Visits to a professional salon for color care treatments really can make a huge difference in the long-life and vibrancy of your dye job.

Gloss or Glaze Treatments: This treatment seals the hair cuticle and helps bring shine out, giving you a glossy, salon-fresh look weeks after your dye session.

Bond Rebuilding Treatments: Color treatments break the internal structure of hair, but bonding-repairing treatments, such as Olaplex, can repair and strengthen your hair from the inside out.

9. Keep chlorinated exposure

Chlorine also causes a tendency to strip hair of its color, leaving it dry and brittle. Anyone swimming regularly must ensure to take precautions against damaging their hair from chlorine.

Rinse Before You Swim: Wet your hair before getting in the pool. Hair takes up fresh water rather than the chlorinated pool water; therefore, more chlorine is avoided from coming into contact with your hair.

Wear a Swim Cap: While swimming, put on a swim cap to reduce contact. The swim cap acts as a physical barrier that would prevent chlorine from reaching your hair.

10. Use Color-Enhancing Products

Sometimes, though, no matter how hard you try, color will fade with time. Color-enhancing products can give your hair that little extra kick between salon visits.

Color Depositing Shampoos and Conditioners: These types contain coloring agents which can help refresh your color while making your locks look more vibrant. There are many shades of these to suit any kind of dye job.

Toners and Glosses: If you find your colour looking dull or brassy, a toning shampoo or gloss treatment can eliminate unwanted tones and keep your colour looking great.

Conclusion:

It doesn't have to be difficult to find the time to take care of your coloured locks, but it will mean a little bit more effort and attention. Here are some hints and tips to keep your hair healthy, vibrant and salon-fresh for longer. It's all about caring for your color-deposited hair to get it back to its healthy self while preserving that fabulous color whether you are investing in the right products, protecting your hair from heat and UV rays, or just moving to gentler hair care practices. Really, it's an investment of your money and time; why not keep it looking as gorgeous as it did the day you left the salon?