If you’re like us, you’re probably thinking the redder, blonder or browner (or pinker, or bluer, or ombre-er), the better. We’re obsessed with color, which is why it’s so hard to see the color fade once we’ve achieved the perfect shade of awesome. To truly understand how to keep hair color from fading, let’s put our lab coats on and explore what coloring actually does to the hair.
What Hair Coloring Does to Your Hair
Hair coloring is an oxidative process that changes hair’s structure. In order to deposit the color pigments inside of the hair, chemicals make the hair swell, making the hair more porous and able to absorb the color. Color=good. Water=bad! When your hair is more porous, water can also get into the hair, rinsing away your gorgeous color. In fact, up to 80% of color fade is due to water alone.
Protecting Against Shade Fade
When it comes to maintaining enviable color, it’s all about taking care of your hair. Since the coloring process roughens the hair cuticle, causing damage and potentially dullness, it’s super important to use a gentle color preserving shampoo and conditioner. The right hair products can help smooth the hair cuticle and boost shine.
Beat Dryness
Coloring makes it harder for hair to benefit from the conditioner it so badly needs. Thankfully for us color addicts, there are certain shampoo and conditioner pairs designed especially for us, which are designed to stick to your hair. For example, the shampoo for color treated hair has a distinct technology so the conditioner will actually work on your strands, helping to restore hair’s surface and to protect hair. Bottom line? If you color, make sure you’re using the right shampoo and conditioner designed for color-treated hair.