Maintaining Color Treated Hair: Shampoos, Conditioners, Sprays and Tips

If you’ve recently had a hair color treatment of any kind, you probably want the color to last as long as possible, while also keeping the health of your hair in tip-top shape. Unfortunately, the processes of dying, bleaching, highlighting, lowlighting, removing color and getting a chemical treatment is stressful on hair, and removes a lot of the natural moisture your hair needs to continue being strong and healthy.

So to properly take care of your hair and help the color last longer, you might need to discontinue use of your current shampoos, conditioners and hair styling products, and purchase some that are specifically designed for color or chemical treated hair. In addition to this, here are some other tips that you should keep in mind:

Tips For Lasting Color

1. Before you step into a pool treated with chlorine, wet your hair with spring water to dilute the chemicals.
2. When you’re sitting poolside or on the beach for extended amounts of time, it’s smart to wear a hat to keep the sun from fading your colored hair.
3. After you’ve washed your hair, spray a leave-in conditioner onto tresses. Next use a wide-tooth comb beginning at the ends, and moving up to the root, while working the tangles out as you go.
4. When you’re using a towel to dry your hair, avoid rubbing it vigorously; instead, use a blotting motion to squeeze the moisture out gently. Don’t twist your hair into a towel turban with extremely wet hair so as to avoid breaking fragile strands.
5. If you have to use a blow dryer, it’s important not to over-dry your hair. A better idea is to spray your hair with heat protecting spray before using the blow dryer. Next, dry your hair while leaving a little moisture; this will prevent static in your hair.
6. When you’re styling hair that has been dyed, it is important not to be aggressive with blow dryers or other heat tools.
7. If you’ve already colored your hair, do not use hair lighteners or lemon juice in your hair. You risk severely damaging your hair if you do so.
8. When you’re applying conditioner, you should only apply it to the tips of your hair because the roots are oftentimes oily.

Clarifying Shampoos for Color Treated Hair

Clarifying shampoos like Redken Hair Cleansing Cream Shampoo or John Frieda Luxurious Volume Full Clarity Clarifying Shampoo are good to remove copper, iron and hard water minerals that can build up on all hair types. Use a clarifying shampoo once or twice a month for a boost of shine. As long as you only use this product a couple of times a month, it’s safe for dyed hair.

Dry Shampoos for Color Treated Hair

For shampoos that you’ll be using on a regular basis, be sure that the shampoo is designed to protect color treated hair. Some good shampoos to try are Oscar Blandi Shampoo for Chemically Treated Hair, and Yes To Cucumbers Daily Makeover Shampoo. Both of these products will hydrate and protect your newly colored hair quite well.

Shampoo for Color Treated Hair

You don’t need to wash your hair every day; in fact, it’s recommended to only wash your hair 3 or 4 times a week. Use a dry shampoo like Full Detox Rub-Out Dry Cleansing Spray by Ojon, or TRESemme’s Fresh Start Dry Shampoo between washes to keep your oil and odor at bay, while fighting off dryness. By not washing your hair with traditional shampoo every day, you’re able to keep hair color from fading and losing its brilliance.

Shampoos for Sun Exposure Color Treated Hair

For summer months when you’ll be out in the sun and water quite a bit, use a shampoo that fights against sun damage like the one made by Redken called Color Extend Sun After-Sun Shampoo. Also, AG Hair Cosmetics Tech Two Protein-Enriched Shampoo has double the protein and moisturizers of your every day shampoo, and adds more shine and elasticity to hair that has been damaged due to repeated heat styling, sun, chemical treatments and coloring.

Conditioners for Color Treated Hair

Conditioner is a must-have product for anyone with hair, but especially for color or chemically treated hair. Dualiste Dual Benefit Color Protection + Intense Hydration Conditioner by Nexxus will give you soft silky hair, and shield hair color from stripping. Another conditioner worth purchasing is Neutrogena Triple Moisture Pure Strength Conditioning Treatment for it’s ability to reverse damage to brittle, dry and weak hair; plus you’ll be protected from further damage.

Conditioning Masks for Color Treated Hair

Conditioning masks are good for color or chemically treated hair to keep it from future damage and dry frizzy hair; use a conditioning mask a few times a month. As far as products go, try using Blow Hair Care Damage Control Restorative Hair Mask because it’s sulfate and paraben-free, which enhances shine and softness thus making hair easier to style and manage. Another conditioning mask to try using is EverPure Rosemary Mint Moisture Deep Restorative Masque by L’Oreal, which is also sulfate free and great for color treated hair. Keep in mind that masks are known for their rich ingredients like olive oil, Panthenol, Aloe Vera, and Biotin, which also reduces split ends.

Styling Products for Color Treated Hair

Use Oscar Blandi proteine di jasmine Protein Mist for Restyling on dry hair before using your blow dryer, straightener, hair rollers, or curling iron to keep static at bay, as well as help you to keep from over-drying.

AG Hair Cosmetics Spray Fixx Colour Protection Hair Spray will protect color at the same time it is providing a firm hold and shine. This product is flake-free, color-safe, salt-free, and Paraben-free.

A quality leave-in treatment that is great for colored hair is Infusium 23 Leave-In Treatment. You can use this product before using heat tools on clean wet or dry hair.

Frederic Fekkai Coiff Pre-Style Thermal/UV Protectant spray is a thermal heat protecting spray that gives you UV protection from the sun as well. Spray onto clean hair, comb through your hair, and then style.

Source: makeuptips