We’ve all heard it before: “I dyed my hair, and it’s never been the same. It’s so stringy and dead now!” Or “I dyed my hair and it was supposed to be permanent, but it’s already washed out a week later!” These are fairly common grievances for people who color-treat their hair, and many times these issues are very avoidable.

We know that there is a certain amount of unavoidable damage to hair in the bleaching process, and that dyes can change things, but you should enjoy your color treated hair instead of dealing with a new obstacle in your beauty routine. Here are some tips for before and after your salon visit to ensure your colour treated hair retains its new lustre and remains beautiful and healthy after treatment.

Before Treatment:

1. Deep Condition and Treat

You want your hair to be as prepared and healthy  as possible to accept the colour application. To ensure this, after your hair colouring session and in between  your colour appointments, use a deep conditioner. Hair conditioning masks and protein masks are both great ways to ensure your scalp and hair are as ready as they can be to maintain that fresh, glossy, social-media-ready look.

2. Shampoo Your Hair Properly 

Shampoo your hair before your colouring session  with a hair-colour appropriate shampoo. . It will remove previous hair products and oils that could prevent  the colour from penetrating into the hair and create a strong foundation for your colour treatment to prevent colour from fading. . There are specific shampoos made just for this anda good investment if you enjoy having  your hair coloured regularly. However, abstain from shampooing your hair within 24 hours of your appointment, as the natural oils will aid in protecting your hair and scalp during your session. 

3. Schedule Routine Haircuts 

Dead ends are the enemy of hair colour . They don’t absorb colour well, and hold it poorly, making your entire hair-colour treatment  look dull on day one! To avoid this, make sure to keep up with regular haircuts and keep dead ends where they belong: on the salon floor!Your colour treatment  will look fresher having healthy hair to stick to and will last longer. 

After Treatment

1. Don’t Shampoo Right Away!

You want to wait for a good 24 hours after a professional colour treatment before shampooing your hair. Why? When your hair is professionally coloured , the cuticle layer is opened, allowing the hair strands  to fully absorb the colour . If you shampoo before then, this will further cause the colour to bleed out of the hair, resulting in your hair colour ending up down the drain. We know it isn’t easy, but the waiting game sure is worth it in the end!

2. Shower Do’s and Don’ts 

Avoid shampoos and conditioners that contain sulfate. While it creates a satisfying lather, sulfate also strips your hair of its defenses and also potentially, your carefully curated colouring  job. Make sure the water temperature when you are showering isn’t too hot, as hot water can make your colour fade faster. . You will also want to abstain from shampooing daily, as this will rapidly increase the chances of your colour fading quickly and looking dull . To avoid oily looking hair it is definitely worth investing in a good dry shampoo, dry shampoos can be used in between shampooing and will keep your locks looking fresh without having the damaging effects of constant hair colour. We recommend Pillow Proof dry shampoo by Redken. Top tip! On the days when you are shampooing use a professional color treated conditioner to refresh your fading color.

3. Avoid Styling Pitfalls

Styling is another area where your color-treated hair will suffer if you aren’t careful. Before touching your hair with any heated device--straighteners, curlers, hair dryers--you’ll want to apply leave-in hair protection products that will protect your hair in multiple ways. It will shield your hair from the heat and protect your hair from humidity after styling, which will help preserve the color.  

4. Avoid Chlorine

Chlorine is one of your dyed hair’s worst enemies! It is a bleach product, and just like bleach, strips color away from anything it touches! Of course, no one wants to sacrifice fun at the pool on the altar of color-treated hair. Luckily, you can have the best of both worlds by wearing a bathing cap to keep your hair safe. Or if that isn’t your cup of tea, here’s a top tip: Wet your hair in the shower and then apply conditioner without washing it out. The conditioner will create a natural barrier, preventing the chlorine from penetrating and jeopardizing your gorgeous color!