5 Things That Strip Hair Colour (And How To Overcome Them)

Posted: Wednesday 17 August 2011 08:55am

It’s no surprise that hair colour has a hard time staying vibrant: Here are five culprits responsible for your colour fade, and how to keep their impact to a minimum.

Heat styling

Hair dye has a very drying effect on the hair. Follow that with the high heat your hair is subject to when you blowdry and you’ll find your tresses desperate for moisture. Always apply a heat protectant to damp hair before heat styling, and avoid blowdrying your hair completely dry. A touch of moisture will keep frizz away. A weekly hair mask won’t go astray either.

Heat protectants to try: De Lorenzo Elements Fire Extinguish, $23.95; Sebastian Professional Trilliant, $39; or Tresemme Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Protective Spray, $7.99

Sun

Just as we protect our skin from the harmful, burning rays of the sun, we need to shield our hair too. Colour can fade quickly when overexposed to the sun. Wear a hat when out and about, and also use a specially formulated hair care product, like a leave-in treatment, to protect your colour from fading.

Sun protectants to try: Joico K-PAK Sun Therapy Protective Sun Milk, $26.95; Redken Color Extend Sun Shimmering Defense, $25; or Aveda Sun Care Protective Hair Veil, $49.95

Chlorine

Chlorine can do serious damage to the hair shaft, especially on strands that have already been weakened by hair colourant. This chemical penetrates into your hair’s shaft and opens up the cuticles, leaving it rough and susceptible to further damage. To prevent chlorine for getting in and damaging your hair, wet it before you dive into the pool. By soaking your strands first your hair will absorb the clean tap water rather than the chlorinated water.

Water-protecting products to try: Kerastase Soleil Aqua-Seal, $41; Lendan Sun Touch Bi-Phase Spray, $29.95; or Redken Color Extend Sun Shimmering Defense, $28

Water

As much as 80% of colour fade is actually caused by water. Water strips your hair of it’s natural oils which protect the hair shaft and give you a smooth finish. Avoid long showers, and try to always finish with a cold blast to re-seal the cuticle. A dry shampoo will also help you get another day’s wear out of your hair.

Dry shampoos to try: Batiste Coloured Dry Shampoo, $12.95; Cedel Dry Shampoo, $7.99; or De Lorenzo Essential Treatments Absorb Dry Shampoo, $17.95

Shampoo

Hair products specifically formulated for colour-treated hair is essential for keeping coloured hair vibrant. They are gentle, help maintain the hue and prevent colour from fading. Talk to your hairdresser about your best options. Blonde hair thrives on violet-toned shampoos and conditioner that help prevent brassiness. You can also find hair care products that not only look after your colour-treated needs, but are also catered to your hair type.

Colour-protecting shampoos to try: Schwarzkopf Professional BC Bonacure hairtherapy BC Colour Save Shampoo, $25.95; Tresemme Colour Thrive Shampoo in Brunette, $12.99; or John Frieda SHEER BLONDE® Go Blonder Lightening Shampoo, $17.99

by Chelsea Tromans

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