Keeping Your Color-Treated Hair Healthy and Shiny: A Rundown
Having your hair dyed is a fashion trend, but it also allows you to revamp your look and experiment on what styles fit you best. A healthy hair color is important to consider especially if you are a beginner in this process.
One famous star who has dyed their hair multiple times is Ariana Grande. She sported red hair during her stint as Cat Valentine in the hit TV show, Victorious. However, many people may not know this, but the red color Ariana wore in the past drastically affected her hair.
We understand you may not be considering dyeing your hair every other week, but it is still essential to know how to properly care for it. Dyeing your hair comes with the responsibility of looking after it through proper treatment and routine.
This article discusses tips and tricks on keeping your hair healthy and how you can maintain its color.
- Washing Your Hair Every Other Day
Washing your hair every day can quickly fade your hair color away. You must limit your hair wash to every other day, especially if you have dyed your hair red.
Red is the most susceptible to fading because the molecules in color are the largest. This is significant because the bigger the molecules are, the harder it is to penetrate the hair. When it can’t penetrate the hair, the dye fades away quickly.
Another tip is to apply a color-safe dry shampoo on days you are not washing your hair.
- Using Lukewarm Water with the Right Shampoo
In addition to washing your hair, it is vital to use warm water. Cold and hot water will fade your hair color quickly because it opens the cuticles in your hair, especially when you apply shampoo and conditioner. In line with this, using the proper shampoo, like a sulfate-free shampoo, will work wonders for your dyed hair as it can maintain its hue.
- Applying the Right Conditioner
Another great tip for preserving hair color is choosing the proper conditioner. Researching which conditioner works best for your hair color can put an extra layer of protection that prevents it from fading. In addition to protective properties, conditioners provide hydration to your hair. This can prevent dryness and keep it smooth and vibrant.
- Heat Protection Sprays
These protection sprays are something to consider, especially for places with very sunny weather. The protection sprays only minimize the heat’s insulation, so it is still recommended that you avoid too much heat exposure.
- Using Masks
The use of masks can be integrated into your routine. Around five to ten minutes of masking can provide extra benefits to your hair, such as increasing the shine and maintaining a natural look.
Another major benefit of masking is its repairing and healing elements. The goal is to make the color stronger and last longer while giving proper nourishment to your hair. It is worth mentioning that you can apply a mask twice a week.
- Having a Healthy Diet
Aside from directly focusing on your hair, having the right diet is part of keeping your hair healthy. Food such as oily fish like salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids that reinforce shiny hair.
Another helpful ingredient is nuts and seeds. Almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, and pumpkin seeds are some of the nuts that you can integrate into your diet. They protect against dry hair.
Recommended Hair Colors
Having a hard time deciding what hair color to have to update your look? This section provides some suggestions on which hair color is best for you.
- Dark Brown
For people with natural black hair, dark brown is a simple step-up that will give them a new look. It is also an easier process since it is closer to your natural color. Having the right shade of brown can also enhance your skin tone and provide a more vibrant look to your face.
- Golden Brown
Looking for a summer look? A golden brown color provides that vibrant look. It is a color that immediately allows you to stand out because of its bright shade.
- Matt Ash Tones
This color provides a softer look while highlighting your features. Matt ash gives three times more tone lift and is very manageable.
Hair Dyeing is a Huge Responsibility
While having newly colored hair can be exciting, remember to be responsible for taking care of it. Using the right haircare products and knowing when and how to use them are just some of the ways you can protect your crowning glory.
It also helps to remember that too much dyeing can cause dryness and brittleness, leading to hair possibly being broken or split, so it may be best to do it in moderation.
However, a healthy, balanced diet is key if you want to see holistic improvement with yourself, not just your hair. These suggestions hopefully lead you to enjoy your stronger hair color for longer.
Bonus Tip: How to Properly Dye Your Gray Hair at Home
A few things in life are predictably dependable—sunrise and sunset, moon cycles, the overturning of seasons, and aging—and with that comes the expectation of gray hairs. However, aging is not the only factor in gray hairs, as even young people experience errant silver hair, which most attribute as either a sign of aging or stress. But does aging or stress really cause gray hair?
The Truth
Most gray hair in humans is not caused by stress, and hair does not “turn” gray at all. The color is fixed once a follicle produces hair. If a single strand of hair begins as brown or any other color, it will never change unless you color your hair.
Since your hair follicles produce less color as you get older, when it goes through the natural cycle of dying and regeneration, it’s more likely to grow in gray after the age of 35. Genetics is a strong indicator of whether you will have gray hair.
While stress does not cause your hair to gray, it starts as a condition known as telogen effluvium, which causes hair to shed three times faster than usual. Because hair grows back, the condition does not result in baldness. However, if you’re in your forties and your hair is falling out and regenerating more quickly due to stress, the hair may come out as gray rather than its original color.
Graying can also indicate an illness, especially if it appears at a young age. If you have gray hair and are concerned about the cause, it is best to consult a doctor.
The good news is that there are a wide variety of hair colors to try, even at the safety and convenience of your home. This article will cover how you can cover your gray hair at home.
- Shop for Boxed Hair Dye
First, determine the color you like and other things required than a simple box of hair dye. For a balayage, for example, you need bleach, as well. Also, consider your hair type, as some dyes are specially formulated for different hair types.
If it’s not included in the package, you can have a pre-treatment the night before to protect your hair’s condition and leave the color sealing mask that comes with your shade on for longer. Applying a conditioning gloss along with your chosen hair color can also add moisture and shine.
- Brush Before Coloring
Get rid of all your curls and tangles by brushing your hair before you start coloring to make sure there are no knots. Next, split your hair into four sections and clip it. When you start coloring, try to keep the sections neat so you can tell which parts have been colored and which have not.
When applying color, use the dotting method. Squeeze the bottle and dot the dye in a line along your section parting, then rub the dots on your roots for maximum coverage. More is more, so apply a generous amount of product on the hairline and roots to catch every grey.
- Leave to Saturate
After dividing your hair into quadrants and carefully coloring them with the help of a mirror, tuck your colored hair into a shower cap and leave the dye on for the maximum amount of time—50 minutes unless otherwise directed. This will give you time to multitask as you allow ample time for better dye saturation (and thus better coverage).
- Aftercare
Most boxed hair dyes come with a conditioning treatment for aftercare. But if it does not, make sure to use a hair-color-protect conditioner to keep it well conditioned, glossy, and hydrated. Use a mask once a week, as well, to achieve extremely moisturized results. In order to not forget these steps, make a self-care checklist that includes your hair aftercare.
Conclusion
A trip to the hairdresser is second nature for many of us, but due to the pandemic that forced the hair, beauty, and cosmetics industries to shut down temporarily, many have resorted to DIY haircuts and hair colors in the safety and convenience of their homes. Though, they soon learned that applying hair color can be quite tricky.
However, whether you have full or thin hair, hair dyeing doesn’t have to be a disaster, as long as you carefully follow the instructions and apply the hair hacks here.
