Tips to Keep Your Hair Color Fresher For Longer

Most women are worried about their hair color not lasting for long. There are several techniques one can do to maximize the colored hair to look beautiful with the new color for a long time. Don’t let your hair fade into the background! These tips will keep it at its best.

Tips to Keep Your Hair Color Fresher For Longer

·       In the shower ‘Seventy per cent of dye is lost due to water,’ Schwarzkopf’s national technical educator Grant WithNell says. He recommends washing with color-preserving shampoo and conditioner to prevent color leaching. ‘Avoid washing every day as this will hasten the fade,’ he adds.

·       The hair coloring product must be compatible with one’s lifestyle. The color chosen must be closer to the original hair color. When the color is closer to the original color roots do not peep out soon. If the roots are less obvious the hair color will last long.

·       Red hair fades the fastest, so add vibrancy by rinsing hair with carrot or beetroot juice. Blondes can have brassiness, yellowing or swim-induced green tinges, so use clarifying shampoo once a week. ‘Brunettes should do the same to avoid dullness from product overload,’ Grant says.

·       Protecting your hair from the elements helps prevent the formation of free radicals, atoms or molecules that contribute to fading when they snatch electrons from pigment molecules. Wear a sun hat when you're outdoors for a long time, or look for leave-in treatments with UV absorbers that filter some of the color-ruining rays -- like benzophenone-3 or -4, polyquaternium-59, cinnamidopropyltrimonium chloride, and butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane.

·       A deep conditioning treatment to the hair is required a few days before coloring. Well-conditioned hair will be softer and shinier and will take the color that will last long. The conditioner will also protect the hair from damage by the chemicals in the color.

·       Color enhancing shampoos must be used to enhance and maintain the color. Color shampoos are specifically made to keep the color fresh as long as possible. A gentle shampoo must be used if color shampoo is not used to maintain the color of the hair.

·       Layered colors of light and dark give a multi-dimensional look to the hair. It also prevents an overall faded look. Layered color give a fresher and less faded look and will also last longer with different shades woven in the hair.

·       Washing hair frequently causes the strands to swell and the color washes away slowly. Good quality color enhancing shampoos are a better choice.

3 Ways to Shower-Proof Your Color

1.   Shampoo less.

Try for three times a week, maximum — even if you use color-extending products.

2.   Condition more.

Once a week, use a deep-treatment mask in place of your regular conditioner to really seal the outer layer of the cuticle.

3.   Upgrade your water.

Additives (such as chlorine) that make tap water safe can also strip dye.

Expert Tip

"Here's a little secret: Deep condition your hair after you dye it to offset the damage from the process. It works every time." -- Ni'Kita Wilson, cosmetic chemist.

(livefitandhealthylife)