Taking care of dyed hair

With the recent boom in popularity of highlights and colourful tresses, hair dyeing has become very trendy. Just as important as it is to colour hair in the correct manner, care must also be taken to sustain the colour longer and keep the shades shiny and vibrant. And this calls for a special routine. 

SELECTIVE SHAMPOOS
Once dyed, you should wait for at least two days before you apply shampoo. Shampooing earlier will take away a substantial amount of dye from your hair. 48 hours is a good time to help the colour settle in. Furthermore, extra care must be taken when choosing a shampoo or conditioner. It would be great if you could opt for a colour-friendly shampoo. This shall help to keep the colour intact and not wash off the dye. Even with such a shampoo, it is advisable to only shampoo thrice a week, not more. And whenever you shampoo, make sure to use a conditioner too.  

CHLORINATED WATER
Extra caution must be taken when swimming. This is because chlorine can extensively damage colour molecules and make hair look dull. Wearing a swimming cap is thus compulsory in swimming pools.

PROTECTION FROM THE HEAT
Exposing hair to as little heat as possible will help to sustain the colour longer. This would mean avoiding straighteners, curlers or any other kind of equipment that uses heat. Exposure to direct sunlight must also be reduced. While bathing, try to use the coldest water you can stand to rinse your hair.  

DEEP CLEANSING
To maintain coloured hair, deep cleansing helps immensely. Hot oil massage works great in keeping the colour shiny and natural. Be it at your home or a parlour, this treatment helps to open the pores so dyes are free from dirt molecules, and hair therefore does not look oily. Also, homemade masks can be used to add natural gloss to your colour. Simple ingredients like banana, yoghurt and a tablespoon of honey make a good mask. Simply wait for thirty minutes before washing it off. 

GETTING TOUCH-UPS
No matter how well you have coloured your hair, fading is inevitable and touch ups will be needed to keep the hue from day one. How frequently it will be required depends on how fast your hair grows and the kind of look you are going for. Usually, it is assumed that since hair can grow about 1/2 inch every month, you'll at least have to get your roots redone every 6-8 weeks. 

Hair supplements can be useful for providing a balanced nutritional supplement to your hair. Regular trims can be opted for. This is because the healthier the hair, the better the overall look.

And just like that, you can preserve your hair colour for a much longer time while keeping it glossy, bright and healthy. 

By Nusrat Jahin Angela
Photo: LS Archive/Sazzad Ibne Sayed