Whether you change your hair color as often as your mood or stick to one signature shade, you must take extra good care of dyed hair. Both dryness and damage are unfortunately part of having color-treated hair, but there are ways you can counteract these side effects:
Make Friends with Moisture
From bleach to the dye itself, the chemicals that go into color-treated hair can be very drying. Because of this, those with dyed hair need to add plenty of moisturizing products into their hair regimen. Every time shampoo so much as touches your strands, you should follow up with a good conditioner. Shampoos are meant to strip away dirt and oil, but they can also strip away moisture. For extra dryness protection; you can purchase a leave-in conditioner to apply after your shower.
Say No to Sulfates
Sulfates consist of salt, which is one of moisture’s biggest enemies. Not only will sulfates dry your hair out, but they also make color fade faster. Only purchase sulfate-free hair care products and avoid anything with salt in the ingredients, as well. While a beachy texturizing spray might sound like a sexy styling aid, there’s nothing cute about super-dry locks.
Do Weekly Hair Therapy
Dyed hair requires a little extra TLC to stay in good shape. While conditioners should already be part of your regular hair maintenance plan, you should take this one step further by using a deep-conditioning mask once a week. Be sure to leave the treatment on for the recommended amount of time, if not longer, to get the full benefits of its moisture-replenishing ingredients and let it fully penetrate your hair cuticles.
Halt Heat Styling
All the processing it takes to change your hair’s hue can be damaging so, you’ll want to avoid activities that can worsen the condition of your tresses. Heat is a known hair-health killer, so try your best to break up with your heat styling tools. If you absolutely must use heat to style your hair, you should apply a high-quality heat protectant spray first to minimize the damage.
Color-treated hair and healthy hair don’t have to be mutually exclusive. By moisturizing your locks, avoiding drying ingredients, and staying clear of bad hair habits, you can achieve the color of your dreams without excessive damage.
