Hair Color: Maintain Your Mane, Prolong your Paint
So, you have just walked out of Pinup with a daring new style and you sprung for the best of the best and have achieved that to-die-for-color. You think you now get to sit back and look ravishing for the next 6 weeks until you need a root touch up? Think again, babe!
Your job has just begun. You have 6 weeks of homework to keep your color fresh and your tresses healthy. Here is your list to help in your hair color protectant studies:
- Before you leave the salon, ask for a deep conditioning treatment to reduce some of the damage from processing your color. Your hair will thank you for it!
- We know the beautiful weather is upon us but beware that the sun can not only dry out your hair, but fade that color that you paid so dearly for. If you have to be in the sun, wear a hat as well as a use a UV spray to protect your color.
- Turn down the heat! Hot water in the shower every day can really take its toll on not only the condition of your hair, but it will fade out the color more quickly. Try rinsing in as cool of water as you possibly can. You will feel so refreshed each time!
- Get dirty! Or at least let your hair get a little greasy…over cleansing with shampoos and conditioners fades out your color fast. Washing daily strips your hair of your natural oils, which leads to over-conditioning, which makes you feel like your hair is dirty so you are tempted to wash it again…and on and on goes the merry-go-round.
- If you feel an Exxon Valdez oil slick coming on, try some dry shampoo to help you make it one more day and let those natural oils do their job.
- Use a thermal protectant when styling your hair. Not only does this protect your hair follicle from the heat, but your color will maintain better as well.
- Turn off the water! 80 percent of color fade is caused by water alone, not hair products. Coloring your hair makes it more porous, so while in the shower, colored hair absorbs and releases water easily, taking some of your fab new color with it. Don’t send your color down the drain and minimize unnecessary water as much as is possible.
- Consider a short term color glaze. Once you know the color that is right for you, you can then go with the more permanent color and save your hair unnecessary processing 2-3 times to get to the color you want.
- Talk to your stylist at Pinup for a recommendation for color-protecting shampoo to keep your color protected longer in between appointments.
Before you head in for that touch up, make sure you arrive with your hair as healthy as possible. Deep condition your hair at least 2-3 days before your appointment. Wait a couple of days and allow the natural oils in your scalp to rise up and help protect your scalp from the color processing chemicals. This will also help your hair color to set better.
Practice these good study habits and your hair will be ready for that next exam…and come out with flying colors!
Featured photo from DeviantArt.com, labeled for reuse.