There are so many people who are bored with hair colour and are constantly looking at ways of changing the same. While colouring hair is no longer a major financial or time based investment, there are things that you will have to keep in mind to protect the colour. It does not matter whether you have coloured your hair at home or at an expensive salon, you need to make sure that you do everything to keep it safe and protected. Here are some best hair coloring ideas to make you hair color last longer.
The right shampoo will make all the difference:
When you step into the shampoo aisle of the supermarket, you will notice that there are plenty of bottles that claim to be colour safe or colour preserving, but the fact of the matter is that all these are the same. When shampoos are formulated, they are all basically the same, which is why it is important that you pick out a shampoo that suits your hair type. So, if you have dry or oil hair, pick out a shampoo that suits the same.
You might think that sulphate will harm the colour in your hair, but again, there is no real need for the same. The cleaning agents that are present in sulphate based shampoos are pretty much the same as those in the sulphate free ones. It would be a good idea to talk to your local salon staff, because they will be able to guide you to the most suited shampoos.
It is important that you understand that no matter how much care you take of your hair, your colour will start to fade after a few weeks. So, there is no point in investing in any high fangled products – stick to a good shampoo and wash your hair with gentle care. It would be a good idea to purchase a shampoo that has some amount of conditioner mixed in with it and then you can follow the washing procedure with a regular conditioner.
Stay away from water:
As odd as it might sound, not washing your hair every day is the best way to protect your colour for a really long time. It is important that you keep your hair clean, but washing and shampooing it every day is certainly not the way out. It might be a wise decision to purchase a dry shampoo, which will not only cleanse the hair and scalp, but ensure that the colour is retained.
If you are planning a holiday on the beach or hitting the pool for your regular laps, make sure that you keep your hair tied up and under a shower cap. In case you do want to flaunt your hair, make sure that you apply some leave in conditioner, before you step into the water. In addition, make sure that you wet your hair with tap water before and after your fun in the water.
The conditioner is just as important as the shampoo:
You realize that you need to pick out a shampoo that suits your hair type, but what you need to realize is that you need to choose the conditioner with just as much care. There are plenty of bottles in the stores today, to completely confuse you, but the rule is pretty much the same as is the case with shampoos – pick a conditioner that suits your hair type. However, a conditioner is essential, because when you colour your hair, you are actually treating it with chemicals, and the conditioner will provide it the much needed hydration and protection.
There are cleansing conditioners available in stores these days, but these are not the best bet, because they are simply skipping the shampoo part. When you do not cleanse your hair and scalp, you are creating a ground for germs and bacteria to grow. If you are looking into cleansing conditioners, use them with a gentle shampoo or use them on an alternating basis.
Then there are also colour depositing conditioners, which will not protect your hair colour, but will certainly make them look a little more vibrant. There is however a downside to these – colour depositing hair care products tends to build up on the hair, over time, which is not good for the general health of your hair. In addition, certain products are known to stain on fabrics too, which means that you could end up losing not only a few extra hair, but also a few clothes!
Sunscreen for your hair
While you might lather sunscreen on your face and body, you need to remember that your hair needs care too. So, if you are planning to spend a long time in the sun and have recently colored your hair, you need to make sure that you keep your hair protected. A hat or scarf would be the easiest way to protect your hair, because if there is extended exposure to ultraviolet rays, the molecules in the hair colour will start to oxidise.
If you are not too keen on hiding your hair under a hat, you can look for hair care products which have a high sun protection factor or SPF. Certain spray-on sunscreens have high alcohol content too, which is why they need to be used with care. While they might not damage the hair, they will certainly dry them. In case you are stepping into water or planning to get your hair wet, you will have to keep reapplying the sunscreen.
For those of you who have coloured their hair recently, it would best that they stay away from other styling tools, including straighteners and curling tongs for a while, because heat is the biggest enemy of the colours.
Image Credit : www.garnierusa.com
There are plenty of people who often find themselves bored of their regular hair and want it to look a little different, especially when special occasions are around the corner. While many might opt for an interesting haircut, there are those who would consider colouring their hair. If you are someone who is also looking at colouring their hair, you have two options in front of you – you can head to your nearest salon or you can colour your hair yourself.
In this article, we will look at the pros and cons of both – we will talk about why you might want to colour your hair yourself and which are the situation when you would want to visit a salon.
Let’s first take a look at why you might want to colour your hair at home:
- If you are colouring your hair for the first time, doing the same at home would be a good idea, because it would allow you to colour just a small section of your hair. This is a great way to test a colour, before you apply it completely. If in case you do not like that colour, you can just wait for it to wear off, and then try another shade.
- You can pick the colour you want, without someone standing over your shoulder and telling you how you might want to pick out some other colour. This means, if you want a strand of your hair to have purple, you can do that, without anyone telling you otherwise.
- There are plenty of renowned brands these days, which offer hair colours that can be applied with ease. Invest in a few colour applications tools and you will have little else to worry about.
- When you buy a colouring kit for yourself, you will find that you can use it more than once. However, when you go to a salon, they might charge you for an entire box, while they might use only half of it!
- When you choose to colour your hair at home, you are not bound by limitations of time. This means that you can colour your hair, when you have the time. You will not have to be worried about getting to the salon on time and having to sit there, waiting your turn.
- If you have a small child or elderly people you need to tend to, then you are better off colouring your hair at home. You can take the time out, when they are asleep or busy in their own routines, to treat yourself to a new hair colour.
- Finally, you will be able to save a huge amount of money, if you colour your hair at home, because you will not be shelling out to pay for the product, the services and the establishment fees that the salon is bound to add to your bill!
There are a few things that you need to keep in mind, while colouring your hair at home:
- When you are colouring your hair for the first time, it is important that you read the instructions provided with the colouring kit, really carefully. These instructions will guide you on what to do and more importantly, how to do it.
- If possible, pick out a smaller box for your first time, because in case you do not like the colour, you will not have lost a large amount.
- Always do a patch test first – this will allow you to ascertain whether the product will be safe for you or cause an allergy. In the latter case, you should dispose the same off immediately.
- Ensure your hair is clean and ready to be coloured – oil, shampoo and condition your hair at least a day before you apply colour. Once your hair has been coloured, make sure you use a shampoo and conditioner that is meant for coloured hair.
- Colour your hair from the roots, because this will ensure that your natural hair colour will remain hidden for a longer time; that is, till the time of regrowth.
- Hair colours tend to emit a really strong smell, which is why it is important that you keep all the doors and windows of the room open. This will provide better ventilation and eliminate any situations of breathing difficulties.
- If you are planning to colour your hair in a shade that is lighter than your natural hair colour, then you will have to bleach your hair first.
Now let’s see why it would be a good idea to head to your favourite salon to get your hair coloured:
- For starters, there is nothing you will have to do, apart from sitting in a comfortable chair, flipping through a magazine or even sipping a cool beverage. The experts at the salon will ensure that your hair is coloured properly and there are no strays onto your skin.
- Whether you are looking to test a colour or are opting to colour your entire hair, the experts at the salon will be able to handle your requirements. In addition, they will be able to suggest the best colours for yourskin type and complexion.
- Since the people at the salon are trained to do procedures such as these, there are little chances of things going wrong. So you will not have to worry about any spills or stains at your home or cleaning up once you are done.
- There are certain parts of your head that you will not be able to see clearly or reach properly. This is where having someone else to do the work will prove to be beneficial.
- If you are colouring your hair at home and something goes wrong, there is nothing that can be done. However, when you go to a salon and something goes wrong, they will make sure that they rectify it.
- Whether you want to go five shades lighter than your natural hair colour or three shades darker, the people at the salon will know what to do and how to do it best.
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