There are tons of ways to dye your hair, from the salon to your bathroom. You can go from brown to blonde to red and more. There are purple shampoos, toners, and more products around to keep your locks looking good. But, what are the best ones? Read on for the tried, tested, and trusted.
Whether you go to a professional to color your hair or take the risk of doing it yourself at home, caring for your color is just as important as the initial dying process. But, before getting into the best products, here are a few easy practices you can apply to your hair routine to get the most out of each and every color.
1. Do not wash your hair too soon after dying it. 72 hours is what is most highly recommended by professionals. Without that time, the color pigment will not fully penetrate the hair, and you can wash it down the drain if you shampoo too soon. After saving up for months for a new do, you do not want it fading in less than three days.
2. Cool it down; your shower temperature. Using water that is too hot when washing your hair not only damages it and dries it out but can also cause your hair color to appear dull and lifeless.
3. Ditch the sulfates. Sulfate-free shampoos are ravaging the hair product aisles, and it is about damn time. This ingredient may make your products lather better, but it also strips your hair of its moisture. Sticking with sulfate-free products will lengthen the brightness and vibrancy of your color.
4. Cut down on washing your hair. The less often you wash your hair, the better. Not only will your hair get used to its natural oils and build up less quickly, but every time you shampoo, your color fades just a little. Therefore, the less often your shampoo, the longer your color lasts.
5. Protect your hair from damage. Both hot tools and UV rays can damage your hair and fade your color. This is why you want to avoid using heat on your hair. If you just need to blow dry and curl or straighten, then use a heat protectant prior. Also, try to find a product that offers UV protection to your hair as well. The sun does not just damage your skin. Your hair needs protection as well.
6. Trim those ends. You already know that split ends make your hair appear dry and frizzy. But without a fresh trim every 6-8 weeks, that dryness also makes your hair look lackluster.
Onto the products that will keep your hair color fresh and vibrant until your next appointment with a colorist or with your gloves and bathroom mirror…
Olaplex is a brand that has been used and lusted after by stylists for a long time. It can be added to hair dye at the salon to maintain your color and prevent excess damage. And now the brand even makes an at-home version of this holy grail called Olaplex Hair Perfect No. 3 (Shop here).
Do not think of this as just another hair mask or conditioner; it is so much more. It aids in bonding broken hair and repairing it. It is suitable for all hair types, from thin, fine, straight to thick, coiled, and curly. It reduces frizz, amps up volume and bounce, tames flyaways, strengthens and protects the hair, and even restores its health. You can use it up to twice a week and should see results with the first use.
Reducing brassiness for those who love to go blonde can be an uphill battle. All you want is a sandy or cool blonde, yet that yellowy-orange tone keeps creeping in. Of course, purple shampoo will help tone down minor issues, but if you want to see a major difference in the tone of your hair, Kristin Ess has released a new hair gloss that achieves shockingly intense results with just one shower. And even better, there are many shades to choose from, so blondes are not the only ones who can tone. You can add warmth to dull hair, enrich copper hues, and more. Kristin Ess even launched a clear gloss for those looking to add shine and vibrancy without altering their color. The Kristin Ess Signature Gloss (Shop here) is for use between salon visits. It lasts 3-4 weeks depending on how often you shampoo and truly reveals what you want. It is as easy as wetting your hair in the shower, mixing the activator and gloss, and letting it sit for 20 minutes. Rinse and shampoo and condition as usual to reveal the toned and glossy hair you expect.
