The fiery colour shades are back in the salon as we head deeper into the Autumn months.
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Whether you are a fiery red, a dark sultry auburn or more of a golden copper, you will need to protect your hair colour from fading.
Red is the boldest colour to achieve, the most complex colour to keep vibrant, and the most resistant tint to remove.
Why is this?
This is due to the way Red/Copper/Gold colour molecules are designed to enter the hair and stay. The size of red molecules makes them unable to enter the cortex of the hair as easily as other colours of tint. This means some of the molecules will come out with washing and start the fading process a lot quicker. By following these tips, you can help prevent this from happening too quickly and keep that colour in tip-top condition until your next visit to the salon.
1 Use a colour protect shampoo
Let's not forget the aftercare. Colourists can only do so much to take care of your hair whilst you are in the salon, so it is down to you to look after those locks the minute you leave.
Invest in a decent colour-protecting shampoo for red/coloured hair. Try not to use any shampoo that is too strong or medicated, these shampoos will strip out the tint quicker than you would like.
No head and shoulders on your beautiful red manes! (They do a colour one but I can't say that I have used it.)
Use a shampoo that will help lock in those colour molecules and seal in the red, prolonging the vibrancy of your chosen shade. I love L'Oreal professional products. I have always used them in the salon and highly recommend them to my clients.
2 Shampoo your hair less
Reducing the number of times you wash your hair a week will help any hair colour last longer. Cleanse twice when you wash your hair for a deeper clean to prolong "hair wash day". If you can do this only once or twice a week, the more vibrant your hair colour will remain more.
3 Use Dry Shampoo
Try to get an extra day out of your wash, and spray dry shampoo on your roots for those in-between days to tie yourself over until your next wash. If you can't get to grips with dry shampoo, pull your hair back into a sleek bun or high pony to get you through those itchy in-between-wash days. I love the original dry shampoo, Batisse. Personally, I haven't tried any of the colour ones and always go back to the original.
4 Use a hair mask for shine and Condition.
Use a weekly mask to help moisturise your hair. The healthier your hair is the more vibrant and shiny your colour will be. Leave it on for 10 minutes or while you binge-watch another Netflix series. (see post 5)
5 Lukewarm showers
The heat from the hot water will open up your hair cuticles, helping to wash out any of the colour molecules. That's how hair colour fades with washing. Switch the thermometer to warm instead of hot to give yourself a better chance of saving that colour and not washing it straight down the drain.
6 Don't tear that hair!
Be gentle with combing your hair after you wash. Hair is most fragile when wet, so you have to be more careful. You don't want to cause any damage from brushing alone. Always use a wide-tooth comb or a tangle teaser and gently comb out the knots, never just brush it through! Start at the ends and work your way up to the roots.
I use either a Tangle Teazer or a wide-tooth comb depending on how I am styling my hair straight or curly.
7 Use less heat!
By reducing the amount of heat you are putting on your hair, you will do wonders for a faux or enhanced redhead. Heat will cause damage over time as you repeatedly dry out the hair. Book a weekly blow-dry into your calendar. This doesn't have to be with a professional. You can set a weekly schedule on your Sunday evening or afternoon. Take time to give yourself a nice hair treatment. Leave that on while you binge-watch something on Netflix, then wash it off and blow dry your hair and style. "Because you're worth it"! Make time for yourself. A job done properly will always reap results, so any half-hearted styling will not last. If you take your time to learn about your hair and how best to style it, you will give your blow dry the best chance of lasting.
8 Wear a hat!
I know that England doesn't have a lot of hot sun during Autumn but if you live in a hot country or if you are going on a holiday, buy a sun hat and stick to the shade as much as possible. The sun will cause damage, dry out your hair and bleach out the colour in the process. So if you are somewhere hot or in the sun, COVER, COVER, COVER!
Now you have some little tips on looking after your colour, Go Rock That Red!
