Colored Hair Tips: Caring for Traditionally Colored Hair

This is part one of a two-part article series on caring for colored hair. Part one is about caring for traditionally colored hair, and part two is about caring for fashion-colored hair.

Have you recently colored your hair and want to make sure you're caring for it properly? Or perhaps you haven't colored your hair in a while and the color is fading. Either way, there is always something to learn when it comes to caring for your colored hair to help maintain its vibrancy.

In this first part of a two-part article series, we’ll tell you about the best tips for keeping your traditionally colored hair looking great. We say “traditionally” because caring for hair colored in standard browns, blacks and blondes differs from “fashion” colored hair, a semi-permanent treatment in vibrant colors such as green, blue, pink or red.

While there will be overlap with the tips for both traditional and fashion-colored hair, they do have varying care regimens. Follow these tips below for your traditionally colored hair to help keep it vibrant longer.

1. Don’t Wash Your Hair for 72 Hours

First and foremost, try not to wash your hair for 72 hours after your salon visit. Although three days may seem like a lot, after a color treatment, the cuticle layer of your scalp is open and needs time to close and trap the color pigment. Washing the hair with warm water opens the cuticle layer up again, increasing the chances of the color not lasting as long.

2. Use Color-Safe Hair Products

Using hair products that are color-safe is key to keeping your colored hair looking vibrant. One ingredient to avoid in hair products is sulfate. Sulfates (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate) can cause the color in your hair to fade quicker. Look for wholesome shampoos and conditioners that are sulfate-free. We can also suggest which products to use after your color treatment.

3. Condition Your Hair Once a Week

You should try using a deep conditioner at least once a week to protect your hair follicles. Deep conditioning helps restore moisture back into your hair and seal in the dye so that it doesn’t fade as quickly. When you deep condition your hair, again be sure to avoid sulfates. You can look for conditioners specifically for color-treated hair.

4. Avoid Chlorine

After coloring your hair, it's best to avoid chlorine, which can react with the hair dye and cause your hair to break more easily. If you do visit a chlorine-infused pool, be sure to rinse your hair out thoroughly with fresh water before washing.

5. Keep Your Hair Trimmed

When you want to refresh your color, ask your stylist to trim your hair so you can get a few more weeks out of your highlights without needing a total re-color. Trimming your hair regularly will keep your color looking fresh and eliminate split ends.

Wrap-Up

With the right care, you can preserve your traditional hair color for a longer period before you visit the salon again. If you'd like to learn more about caring for your colored hair or would like to schedule a consultation with one of Jessica’s Color Room hairstylists, please give us a call at 860-344-8677 (Cromwell, CT).

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