If you’ve colored your hair at home, there are some steps you can take to help your color last longer and look better. But if you want to really keep your color as vibrant as possible, and avoid looking like a patchwork quilt of different hues, you need to remember these 8 no-nos after you’ve colored your hair. Not only will they help keep the color in place, but they’ll also prevent damage to your strands, which can make the color fade even faster.
Avoid Heat Styling
Just as you would avoid heat styling your hair while it’s still wet, so should you steer clear of it once you color. The same is true for any kind of chemical straightener—if you’ve recently colored your hair, do not use a straightener or curling iron. It may seem like you’re just helping things along by doing so, but in reality, these products will damage and dry out your new color more quickly.
Avoid Sun Exposure
Prolonged sun exposure will fade your new hair color. Avoid leaving your hair uncovered when you’re out in direct sunlight, or if you have to, make sure to wear a hat or cap that can help shade your locks. If possible, avoid doing outdoor activities during peak sunlight hours. And while you should protect your skin from UV damage at all times, be especially wary of overexposure when your locks are newly colored!
Skip Washing Your Hair Too Often
Washing your hair every day is a common practice, but that doesn’t mean it’s healthy. In fact, washing it too often strips natural oils and moisture that keep your locks strong and looking great. Limit yourself to two washes a week; hair takes about four days to go from root to tip, so if you wash on Monday, your locks are ready for another wash by Friday. Of course, what works for one person might not work for another.
Condition With Care
When you wash your hair after coloring, use a moisturizing or color-protecting conditioner. Otherwise, your hair will be dry and brittle, causing it to break and get frizzy—the last thing you want. Also, avoid using heated styling tools such as blow dryers and flat irons for at least 24 hours after coloring; otherwise, you’ll risk frying your strands.
Don’t Style Every Day
By coloring your hair, you may have made it more vulnerable to damage than usual. Even if your stylist recommended a strengthening shampoo and conditioner for color-treated hair, you’ll want to be gentle with how often you wash and style it. (Too much heat can be very bad for colored hair!) Instead of blasting it with hot tools every day, try only styling two or three times a week. This will protect your strands—and keep you from looking overstyled as they grow out!
Use A Water-Based Pomade Rather Than An Oil-Based One
Water-based pomades are less likely to harden, so your hair will be softer and more manageable when you’re finished. Oil-based pomades tend to dry out your hair and scalp, leaving you with dried-out strands that will look stiff and brittle.
Cut Down On Blow Drying Time
Drying your hair is one of those little tasks that can take up a huge chunk of time in your day. On top of that, blow-drying is damaging to your hair, because it exposes strands to heat and leaves them vulnerable to breakage. The best way to combat these issues? Moisturize—your hair will thank you! Try using a leave-in conditioner or other moisturizing treatment before styling.
Go Easy On The Teasing, Backcombing, And Hairspray
Styling your hair too roughly can break your hair, encouraging it to shed earlier than normal. Avoid using hairspray and other styling products with high alcohol or salt content, which dry out and damage hair. When you are brushing your hair, use a natural boar bristle brush instead of a nylon brush because nylon bristles will rip out more of your hair each time you brush. This can lead to tangles and knots that might cause more loss over time.
