Before coloring most of my clients’ hair, I tend to do a consultation to ensure proper levels of moisture and that there is minimum damage already in existence. Color can definitely dry out your natural hair, so it’s imperative that a moisture regimen is in place.
So, you get your hair colored…. Now what? I always recommend visiting a professional when it comes to chemical services. But, if you chose to do it at home or allow a buddy to assist, there are a few things to implement that will ensure hair remains damage.
#1 Never apply to dry, damaged hair
I know I should be discussing after care, but, I must mention that you should never color your hair if it is dry, damaged, suffering from breakage or split ends. Color will only increase these issues and will lead to severe damage.
#2 Increase deep conditioning
After every color, I always provide the client with a deep conditioner. This will help replenish any protein or keratin lost during the coloring phase. I suggest mixing a protein conditioner and a moisturizing conditioner, applying and sitting under the dryer. The moisturizing conditioner will keep hair from feeling hard or dry after the use of protein ( protein treatments can leave hair feeling dry or brittle depending on brand). If after applying color, hair feels weak, apply deep conditioner once a week until condition improves.
#3 Increase the amount of times you moisturize your hair
If you are accustom to moisturizing your hair once every 3 days, then increase to once a day. If you are use to once a day, then bump it up to twice a day. Increasing your moisture will ensure that your hair doesn’t dry out and remains balanced. Increasing is to be done if the hair appears drier than usual. Proceed with the increase until hair porosity has return to normal/balanced. Once balanced, return to your original regimen to ensure that you do not over-condition or over-moisturize; this will lead to mushy hair and breakage.
#4 Use Fillers if necessary
Sometimes, immediately after a color service, the hair will feel rough due to holes in the strand or raised cuticles from being over-processed. If this happens, you can attempt to use a semipermanent or demipermanent (typically darker; not blonde or gold) color as a filler – which can help equalize porosity. There are also protein fillers on the market (for those not wanting to change the color) that fill the holes created from the depletion of natural protein and keratin during the coloring process. **NOTE:: This is a temporary fix, and will have to be reapplied as hair begins to show signs of distress.
Pureology Perfect 4 Platinum Miracle Filler Treatment (approx.) $22
Silk Filler By Biosilk for Unisex (approx.) $12
Healthy Sexy Hair Reinvent Color Care Keratin Hair Filler (approx.) $4
Color Charm by Wella (approx.) $6
Clairol Radiance Colorgloss Semi-Permanent Hair Color (approx.) $6
Coloring your hair, no matter the shade or levels of lift, doesn’t have to be damaging if done correctly and cared for properly post color service. If doing at home, implementing the steps above will save a lot of stress and help in the long run by helping maintain healthy hair. If visiting a professional for color service, do research and find one that is knowledgeable in the area, and can send you home with a specialized regimen designed for your hair porosity and type. Color is a growing trend in the way that we spruce up our natural hair. The tips above is just a way to ensure prolonged health, while experimenting with this growing trend.
**Note:
If desired color is blonde, which is one of the harshest colors to achieve, I suggest visiting a specialist. If you have never had color, blonde is achievable without bleaching. Search out a professional who can achieve this result without the need or use of bleach. But again, it is only achievable if the hair hasn’t be previously colored.
Enjoy!
Hello! I recently colored my hair (2 days ago). How long should I wait before washing it and what type of deep conditioning product should I use ?
Thank you 🙂