How to Keep Your Colored-Hair Colorful
You love your latest dye-job, and we want you to keep loving it as long as possible! From platinum blonde, to lowlights, to hot pink ends, your color-treated ‘do could use some additional care. Here are a few tricks to help maintain your hair color so that you can spend less time at the salon, and more time living your best life!
Shampoo Smarter - Whenever you shampoo, some of your color is washing down the drain along with that day’s sweat, dirt, and (hopefully happy) tears. Try shampooing your hair less often overall, two to three times per week tops. On the days you’re not shampooing, you can either let pure water do the cleansing, or keep it dry under a shower cap. When you do get sudsy, be sure to use a color-safe shampoo, ideally with UV protection as well. Shampoos like these give you a gentler wash and can reduce the fading effects naturally caused by sunlight. We recommend Mane ‘n Tail Color Protect Shampoo.
Keep Calm and Condition - Keeping your hair full of moisture can prevent your color from fading, and your locks feeling, looking, and being healthier. Using a conditioner specifically for color-treated hair is essential. You wouldn’t use a face mask specifically formulated for oily skin if yours is dry, right?! Follow the same logic when it comes to using a conditioner specialized to your type of hair (aka the color-treated kind). Whether you’re shampooing that day or not, be sure to use your color-safe conditioner. Our favorite is Mane ‘n Tail Color Protect Conditioner.
Cool Off - Save the hot water for your body and use cold water to rinse your hair. Don’t fret, you can still use warm water while you shampoo and condition, but cool off for the final rinse. Cooler water closes your hair’s cuticle, helping to lock in your color and moisture. And if you’re feeling tough, you can skip the warm water altogether ;) On the topic of “cooling”, turn down the heat on your flat- or curling-iron. Or even better, use the iron less often altogether. Hot styling tools like blow-dryers and curling-irons can accelerate color fading. Try using foam rollers or overnight braids to give your hair a heat-free and totally cute style!
Get in Zinc - Maintaining the natural luster to your hair can be challenging with regular coloring treatments. Zinc is a vital nutrient which does wonders for your immune system, and the overall health of your hair. A few excellent and delicious sources of zinc are lentils, beans, quinoa, cashews, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts. As a bonus, these nuts and seeds also contain hair-health-boosting omega-3s!
Swim Responsibly - Spending time in chlorinated pools can dry out your hair and leech its color. When possible, opt to swim in salt-water pools instead of chlorinated ones. However, when you’re looking to take a dip in a chlorinated pool, there are several ways to guard your locks. Wet your hair with clean (unchlorinated) water before you swim, this prevents your hair from absorbing as much pool water. For extra conservation, coat your hair with a color-protective conditioner before jumping in the pool to further help block chlorine absorption. Or for ultimate coverage, you can snap on a swim cap! After you’re done swimming, make sure to shampoo and condition with your color-safe products as soon as possible.