Last updated on May 11th, 2020 at 12:25 pm
Coloring the hair has always been in practice. While the older generations mostly color their hair to hide the white or grey hair, the modern generation uses it as a style statement. I personally love to color my hair, but I often get frustrated with fast fading hair color. And the secret to long lasting hair color is proper hair care routine and procedure. And today, that’s what I am going to talk about. If you like to color your hair and you are wondering about how to take care of colored hair to get long lasting and healthy color then here’s the post you must check.
If you can carry the colored hair look well, you will definitely stand out from the rest. After all, our hair is one of the physical aspects that add to the overall look and personality. Now, as we are talking about colored hair, I just want to share some important facts about it.
You may be thinking that I will ask you to use natural ingredients and branded hair colors to color your hair. Well, that is definitely a point, but the thing that today I will talk about is the ways you can maintain and take care of your colored hair. How and when to color, how to condition, when to do shampoo and much more, these hacks may sound like small things, but make no mistake it all matters at the end of the day in ensuring good hair health and long lasting hair color.
Simply coloring your hair does not make it look good, the quality of the hair still matters. When you have good quality, healthy hair, then coloring your hair can surprisingly transform your look. But if you have thin and bad quality hair, no matter which color you apply, it’s not going to bring that charm and hence it is important to follow proper hair care routine to maintain good hair health.
Moreover, if you have colored your hair, you got to do something so that the color stays on your hair for longer period of time. Because if you are coloring your hair to hide the natural gray or white hair, then you would like to ensure that the color stays for longer period. And to make that happen, you have to take care of colored hair.
Properly colored hair definitely looks great, but many times, after coloring your hair, you tend to have a lot of hair loss. No, it is not always because of the brand that you use, but it may be due to the lack of right hair care routine and procedure. You need to continuously pamper your hair even after coloring. And in fact, you have to take some additional efforts, so that the colors stay perfectly just the way you want it to be and that also, for a considerable amount of time.
Otherwise, what is the point of coloring your hair with so much of effort, if the color fades just after a few days? No matter which brand of hair dying products you use, there is certain amount of damage that is caused to your hair. So, you need to adopt proper hair care routine so that the damage gets repaired fast and you get to enjoy the healthy and beautiful colored hair look for longer.
Coloring the hair is easy, but you need to put a decent effort to maintain it properly and only then your hair is going to look stunning. And just the way you desire it to look, and that’s what we are going to discuss in this post.
Tips to take care of colored hair at home for long lasting color
Colored hair looks fun and stylish but you do need to maintain it and use proper hair care routine so that it looks gorgeous. Listed below are a few of the best and easiest tips on how to take care of colored hair and maintain it easily at home for long lasting color, and to maintain good hair health.
Take a look and tick off each of these hacks if you are already following them. If not, try adopting these hair care routine as it’ll help you to maintain your colored hair easily at home.
Prepare your hair in advance
If you have already made a plan to color your hair after some days, it is advisable that you prepare your hair in advance. This is because; your hair needs preparation to minimize the damage because of coloring. This includes keeping your hair nourished and hydrated properly. Oiling your hair and using your favorite hair masks time to time is also recommended.
In case you want to bleach your hair before coloring, it is advisable that you apply cold-pressed coconut oil the night before you bleach it. This will minimize the intensity of the damage caused to the hair shafts.
Use right dyes
We color our hair to get a more glamorous look but many a time, we do not put emphasis on the quality of dye we are using which in turn, causes extensive damage to the hair. So, it is important to use good branded hair colors that cause less damage to the hair. For lifting the color using the bleach, it is important that you use the right developer for your hair color.
While choosing the dyes, make sure you go for the ones that are free from the harmful chemicals like ammonia. In fact, you may even switch to using some natural hair coloring ingredients as well because they are very safe, inexpensive and also effective in giving you the color that you want.
Follow instruction label
While coloring the hair, it is mandatory for you to follow the label instructions correctly. Especially, when it comes to the time period you need to keep the dye on your hair, please take note of the time. I will also recommend you to do a patch test first before putting the dye on your hair.
Shampoo after 2 days
Once you have completed coloring your hair, it is recommended that you wait for at least 2 days. This is one of the important tips on how to take care of colored hair. The reason behind recommending it is because this will make the color set in your hair well and will also minimize color bleeding.
Also, it will help in oiling your hair first before washing which is very much required as the oil forms a protective layer around the hair shaft and minimizes fading of the color.
Trim off the damaged portions
Most of you generally trim your hair before getting it colored but it is advisable that you do the trimming after you color it. See, your hair is bound to get damaged (less or more) after you apply color and so, if you trim the damaged portions after coloring, it will prevent its spreading. Try it out; you will see the difference yourself.
Use good quality shampoo
Using a good quality shampoo is required all the time but after you have colored your hair, you need to also think about protecting the color, so you got to choose a shampoo that’s mild and may be natural. It’ll be better if you choose a good color protecting shampoo as they form a protecting layer over your hair shafts and prevents the color from fading soon.
In fact, color protecting sulfate free shampoos are a good option and you can definitely consider them as they do not strip the natural oils from your hair and also do not leave deposits behind, which helps in not altering the hair color.
Minimize wash frequency
One of the interesting tips on how to take care of colored hair is to cut down the number of washes. Like, if you initially used to wash your hair 3-4 times weekly, make it 2-3 times now. Trust me, this will help in making the color last on your hair for long as well as it’ll enable the preservation of the natural oils produced by your scalp which in turn is required for nourishing your hair.
Rinse with cold water
I know it is a little hard during the winter season but you should ideally rinse your hair using cold (read normal) water. This is because when you use hot water, the cuticles present on the outer layers of your hair shafts rise leading to loss of moisture and too much frizziness. Your hair also gets more susceptible to damage.
On the other hand, cold or normal water help seal the cuticles, controls frizz and also seal the color in your hair shaft. Now, in case, you are unable to go for a cold shower especially during the chilly winter, try to rinse the hair with cold water after taking a lukewarm shower.
Use good conditioner
Conditioning your hair is a must and after you have colored your hair, and you should use a good leave-in conditioner. This is because the leave-in conditioners contain silicones that form a protective later over your hair shafts that can minimize frizz and protects your hair from the sun damage. They are also instrumental in protecting your hair from the damages caused to your hair from the heat-styling tools.
I myself use leave-in conditioners and they are really good. So, this is one of the important tips on how to take care of colored hair to ensure that the color lasts for longer period of time.
Do hot oil treatment
Hot oil treatment is very useful for your hair in general and in colored hair, it actually adds that extra shine. So, take any oil as per your preference, heat it and then apply it evenly on your hair and scalp. Massage it nicely on your scalp. Let it stay for some time and then wash off your hair using cold/normal water.
Massaging your hair with hot oil will improve the blood circulation and lead to hair growth. Also, oiling will bring that gloss and shine to your already colored hair. So, this is definitely one of the important tips on how to take care of colored hair that I would like to recommend.
There are various oils good for your hair but coconut oil and almond oil have most of the time been preferred, so you can actually play safe by using any one of these two oils for hot massage.
Avoid over styling
Well, no matter how much you try to protect your hair from the unnatural damages the styling tools does to your hair, there will be a considerable amount of damage caused. So, it is advisable that you allow your hair to recover from the damage done to it after coloring (even though it is less in your case) and avoid it getting more damaged by using the heat-styling tools.
Let your hair dry on its own instead of taking the help of hair dryers. And, in case of the straightening or curling your hair, using the heating tools, try to go for new hairstyles that are natural and does not require using the tools.
Protection from UV rays
The harsh rays of the sun damage your hair and also lead to the fading of the hair color at times, so you need to ensure that your hair is protected from the sun’s harmful UV rays. Try to avoid staying out in the hot sun for long hours. But, if it is urgent, then make sure you wear a hat or use an umbrella to protect your hair from the harmful UV rays.
Also, use products that give protection to your hair from sun damages. Like for example, there are many leave-in conditioners or hair sprays that have SPF in them, so you can definitely use them to protect your colored hair.
Avoid chlorine exposure
One of the interesting tips on how to take care of colored hair and maintain it for long lasting color is by avoiding chlorine exposure on your colored hair. Now, we all know that swimming pool water contains chlorine, so when you go to the pool, you have to ensure that your hair is completely protected. This is because chlorine contains chemicals that often build up on your hair which may actually alter the original hair color, making it look very odd and unattractive.
It is best to wear good quality swimming cap or wet your colored hair and apply a good leave-in conditioner before going inside the pool. Although these do not ensure 100% protection but these hack will definitely minimize the bad effect to a good extent.
Eat healthy
Your hair also needs nutrients to remain healthy, so make sure you eat healthy and balanced meals. It is best to follow a balanced diet with adequate intake of all nutrients your system requires. As far as your hair is concerned, you can eat more iron rich foods because they help in building strong keratin, the protein that makes your hair strong and gorgeous.
To ensure good hair health, you should include lean meats, spinach, egg whites, and soy in your day-to-day diet.
Vitamin supplements
Even if you eat the right foods, many times your body does not get the sufficient amount of nutrients that it requires. That is when supplements are recommended by doctors. In case of hair, Vitamin is one important nutrient. It keeps your colored hair healthy and shiny and it is also instrumental in repairing hair damages.
Vitamin C supports the hair follicles and keeps the blood vessels present in the scalp healthy. It also aids you in absorbing iron from the plant proteins. Biotin, which is a B vitamin strengthens your weak hair and improves its texture. In short, the Vitamins are great for your hair and so, you can definitely think of taking them naturally or as supplements, if your body is running short of it.
Avoid frequent coloring
Another important advice that I want to share to help you maintain good hair health, especially when you are coloring your hair is to avoid frequent hair coloring. You should avoid coloring your hair too frequently. You need to give time to your hair to recover from the previous coloring before you color again. Moreover, the more frequently you color or bleach your hair, the more porous it will get, meaning it will not be able to hold on to the dye well.
Therefore, if you see that the hair color is fading or if your hair has started looking fried, it is time to give a break to hair colors and let your hair grow with its natural color. Alternatively, if the roots are starting to get prominent, then you may use a root touch-up kit instead of re-dyeing it fully.
Over to you
If you are able to color your hair appropriately as per your skin tone and your personality, it definitely can add up to your glamour quotient. I mean, I personally love coloring my hair but I often used to struggle in taking care of my colored hair. Fast fading hair color can be frustrating at times, and then I started researching on how to take care of color hair to ensure the color lasts for loner and the hair remain in good health.
Hair color may cause some damage to your hair, over a period of time. I mean that it is inevitable, but if you take care of your color hair properly and use right techniques to maintain your hair, then you will be able to minimize the hair damage.
I have already shared a few of the most important tips to take care of color hair and if you add these hacks to your hair care routine, maintaining colored hair will become much easier for you. It will help you maintain healthy hair and also ensure that the color lasts for longer period of time
The tips I have shared are very simple and easy to apply, but still many of us tend to ignore these and so I thought of reminding it to you. It is these very small steps you take in hair care that contributes in making your hair look gorgeous and remain healthy.
In case you follow any other technique to maintain your colored hair, then feel free to share by commenting below.
And, last but not the least, if you liked this post then please like, comment and share.
Until next post, stay happy, and let those colored locks shine.
