How To Keep Your Coloured Hair Luscious And Healthy For As Long As Possible
Caring for coloured hair might be tedious, but it’s not impossible. Here are some pro tips to help plus great salons to get your colour done!
While coloured hair might make a world of a difference to your appearance, the downside is the extra TLC your hair is going to need. Whether you’ve gotten some casual balayage highlights, or decide to go full blown unicorn with every shade of the rainbow, the matter of fact is that your hair has gone through some serious damage, and it’s going to take a lot of time and effort to keep your mane smooth, silky, and most importantly, healthy.
Here’s what you can do:
1. Don’t neglect your at-home haircare routine
Pre-colour homecare routine:
• Minimise hair washing or drying out your hair too much. “You’ll want to try to ensure that as much moisture is kept in the hair as possible leading up to your appointment,” says C.Y. Wang of Prep Luxe.
• Opt for gentler shampoo routines and give your scalp scrub a miss. “Your scalp can also be more sensitive after a scrub, which can lead to an uncomfortable burning sensation during the bleaching process,” adds C.Y.
Post-colour homecare routine:
• Avoid using very warm temperature water when washing your hair. Hot water lifts the outer cuticle layer of the hair, which causes the colour to leach out. In short, the hotter the water, the faster the colour will fade.
• Avoid using certain scalp-targeted shampoos, such as anti-dandruff shampoos, as they tend to be overly drying and will make your colour fade, advises C.Y.
• Avoid using excessive strength or tugging and pulling at your hair when brushing it after wash. Instead, “brush or comb your hair starting from the ends, then work your way upwards towards the crown, working through the tangles,” says Denton.
• Always apply a heat protective hair oil, cream or lotion before blow-drying and styling.
2. Add a post-colour treatment to prolong hair colour and smooth frizz
Best done to minimise frizz and keep hair smooth. Here are some in-salon treatments to try:
The treatment uses a unique sugar complex to restore the protective layer of hair by sealing out humidity to fight frizz. It also promises to help strengthen hair by up to three times, reducing breakage and boosting its elasticity. Hair looks healthier and is more manageable.
An improved version of the well-loved Cinderella treatment, this treatment now includes a higher percentage of natural aloe vera keratin to hydrate hair, which not only gives you a smoother finish, but also prolongs the effect of the treatment at the same time. Exclusively at You Are My Sunshine salon.
Text: Letty Seah/Her World