This handy guide is aimed at anyone looking to maintain their hair colour at home and extend the longevity of their chosen hue.
If you visited us in salon for a hair a colour package, this guide will cover all the do’s and don’ts of maintaining your hair colour at home.
With proper care and the right advice (that’s where #teamsupercuts comes in) maintaining your hair colour whilst you #stayathome will be a doddle. That’s if you follow these 5 simple tips:
Hair colour hack #1
Wash your hair less often
We understand that if you wash your hair every day, this hack might make feel a little ick. However, if maintaining your hair colour is important to you, you should definitely consider this.
INCYMI: Daily shampooing speeds up the process of stripping away colour. So where possible try and use a dry shampoo instead for those ‘in between’ days.
Newsflash for red heads: did you know that red hair colour tends to fade faster than any other shade? No, we’ve not got it in for our #GingerGang (we love you guys) – but this is scientific fact (look it up). This is because red colour contains the largest hair molecules. The molecule size makes it more difficult for red pigments to pierce into the hair fibre, thus they get stripped away from the hair more rapidly. So if you’re a red head? Shampooing less often is even more important.
Hair colour hack #2
Turn down the water temperature
When you do shampoo colour-treated hair, stick to lukewarm or cooler water temperatures. Super-hot water drains dye out of hair much, much faster and strips away the colour because it opens up the hair cuticle. This causes the colour molecule to escape. If the thought of a cold shower is unbearable, try finishing your shower with a blast of cool water instead. This will help seal your hair cuticle up before you start to pat dry your hair.
Hair colour hack #3
Skip shampoo and use conditioner instead
Whenever possible, consider using only a moisturizing conditioner when washing your hair. Shampoo has the power to strip more colour from your hair than conditioner, so this hair hack is a must if your hair can do without a deep cleanse. This is a particularly useful hack for when you have no or little product build up in the hair.
Hair colour hack #4
Use conditioner. Every. Single. Time.
Be sure to condition your colour-treated hair every wash with a colour-protecting conditioner. Conditioned hair not only helps your colour look even but it can also make it look shinier and more radiant.
If you’ve avoided using conditioner in the past because you have fine hair and are worried about weighing it down, it’s time to rethink. Our stylists recommend applying conditioner only on the ends if you have fine hair. That way, you’re tackling the oldest (and therefore most damaged) part of your hair, without weighing down the rest of your mane.
For those with medium to thick hair, gently condition your hair from your mid-lengths (or around your ears) and work your way down to the ends. Ensure you leave the conditioner on your hair for the duration stated on the bottle for optimum results. If you wash out the conditioner too early, you won’t have given the product’s formula enough time to really work its way into your hair fibre.
Hair colour tip #5
Choose products made for coloured hair
What you apply to your hair will make a massive impact on the lifespan of your colour as well as the long-term health of your hair. Colour-treated hair requires extra special attention, so invest in salon-professional products that are specially formulated for coloured hair. Using colour-protecting shampoos, conditioners and treatments not only helps to protect the colour but it works wonders to add shine, volume and lustre to your locks. Our stylists advised against using products that contain sulfates or describe their formula as ‘clarifying’. That’s because these types of products are likely to contain agents strong enough to strip your colour. Other than your hair colour, the condition of your hair as well as your hair type should also help influence what products you apply to your hair. If in doubt – ask us!
Shop our Rescue Packs
How important is it to care for your coloured hair at home? Extremely. That’s why we’re offering carefully considered Rescue Packs to suit all your hair care needs. Choose from a wide range of packs from blonde hair care, colour-treated and hydration packs along many others. Our salons may be temporarily closed, but that won’t stop us caring for your hair!
Stay social
We hope these hair hacks will help you care for your colour at home. Remember, we are #InThisTogether! If you have any questions about your hair care routine reach out to us via Instagram, Facebook or twitter: @supercuts.
#StayHome and #StaySafe people.
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