INSIDER STYLIST SECRETS: MAKE YOUR HAIR COLOR LAST LONGER AND FADE LESS
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Hey there! Nice to see you 'round these parts. [yup, that was my inner cowgirl talking]
Have you ever had a color on your hair that was glossy and beautifully pigmented, only to have it fade into a brassy, mousy version of it's former self? It happens to the best of us, so don't feel bad- but
there are 4 steps you can take to keep your hair color vibrant longer. And today, I am stopping by Studio5 to dish on my 4 step process and the stylist secrets you've been looking for.
*** Disclaimer. ALL HAIR COLOR FADES! Even natural pigments fade in the right conditions... remember how your child hood hair turned two shades lighter in the Summer months? Yup, that's fading. These steps will slow down the speed at which your color fades, but you'll still need to keep up on your color services on the regular. Ok, let's get started!
1- The first three washes are crucial!
Resist washing your locks for at least 2 days post color job to allow the color to fully oxidize and set into the cuticle (outer shingle-like layer of the hair) Then, for your first 3 shampoos, use the coldest water you can stand without giving yourself a headache. This means you should wash your hair at a different time than your shower. I prefer to bend forward over the edge of the tub and wash under the faucet, but a kitchen sink works too. The cold water closes down the cuticle layer trapping the color molecules inside. Hot water opens the cuticles so pigment can escape- which means cool water is ALWAYS better for color treated hair, but is essential in the early stages of color protection.
2- Soft water = soft hair
The minerals in our water are not hair and skin friendly. Just ask anyone who has eczema and they'll tell you what a problem hard water is when it comes to drying out the skin. If you don't have a built in water softener on your water heater, you can add a filter right to your shower. The T3 Source Shower Head
uses tourmaline, charcoal and other precious medals to remove 95% of the Chlorine in your water. Your skin and hair will be softer then ever before, and your hair will retain those precious color molecules much longer with this god-sent gizmo.
3- Gentle color safe shampoos are required. period
Shampoos are essentially soaps designed to cleanse the hair of oils and buildup, but if you're not careful they can also 'cleanse' the hair of color molecules too. Using a gentle sulfate free formula is the most important step in this series. And yes, higher end products are the best option because they contain more of the ingredients designed to prevent fading. For example, Pureology Strength Cure uses the plant oils found in sunflower seeds that give a natural sunscreen to the plant [and in turn, your hair] A drugstore brand may also use this oil but usually in lesser amounts, say 10% versus 30% in the salon brand option. So both will help, but the Pureology option may help more. That being said, ANY color safe option is better than nothing... so spend what you feel comfortable with as long as it is sulfate free.
4- UV protection isn't just for your skin
Everyone knows the importance of sunscreen for your skin, but don't miss your hair when you are getting sun-ready every day. Adding a UV protection spray into your hair routine will guard against fading due to the environment. This is essential if you spend time outdoors, and if you were prone to sun-bleaching as a child, you're still prone to it as an adult. Living Proof Instant Protection spray gives a weightless coating of UV protectant to your locks for 24hours, and as a bonus it also protects your hair from heat styling tools up to 450F degrees.
Thanks so much for stopping by today, I hope you got a few new ideas for protecting your hair color. Be sure you sign up to get these posts delivered right to your inbox, using the email signup bar on the top right side of the blog. xo
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