Coloring, streaking or highlighting your hair can be either a fun pick-me-up or a serious makeover. But you don’t want to ruin your hair, or your look, in the name of style.
Hair coloring is bound to cause some sort of damage to your hair. The products used to color your hair always have chemicals in them, that’s what makes your hair look so darn good. There are so-called ‘natural’ dyes which have fewer chemicals, but these do not color your hair as well and neither do they last very long. So you have two choices. One is to just use the natural hair color. And the other is to use the regular hair color but to take the following hair coloring precautions to minimize the damage in the long run, whether you are coloring your hair yourself or are getting it done professionally.
Seek Professional Help
Hair Coloring Tips and Precautions
If you have never colored your hair before, then it is better that you do it at a salon or at least at the hands of someone more experienced than you the first time around. Observe their methods and ask questions about why they do what they do. This will help you learn better and you’ll have some firsthand knowledge the next time you want to color your hair.
Pick the Right Color
Choosing a hair color is a very important part of the process. In fact, it’s the main thing. If you’re not going to end up with a color that looks good on you, there’s really no point in coloring your hair at all. Now, not all of us have good taste when it comes to hair color. And those who do have good taste may not have the imagination needed to visualize what a particular hair color will look like on you. You need to talk to someone with experience, training and good taste. You could just go to your regular hair salon and speak to the most experienced stylist there. If you don’t have a salon that you frequent, then keep an eye out for friends, colleagues and acquaintances whose hair coloring job you like and ask them where they got their hair coloring done.
Steer Clear of Henna a Few Months Before Hair Coloring
Are you a henna user? Then you need to quit using the stuff in your hair at least three months before you color your hair, longer if possible. Henna sits on your hair creating a layer for quite some time. What this does is prevent the new color from catching on, which means results that are less than satisfactory. It takes quite awhile for henna to leave hair completely, so the longer you avoid it before you color your hair the better your final results will be.
Do a Patch Test Before You Color
Many people have allergies without realizing it. Whether or not you’ve colored your hair before, you need to do a patch test before you go about the process of coloring your hair. This will involve applying the colour on a small patch of skin, usually the inside of your elbow, and leaving it there for 48 hours. If you suffer no adverse reactions, then you’re good to go. But if you end up experiencing itching or any other reaction, then avoid coloring your hair with that particular product.
Don’t Do Any Other Treatments While Coloring
Hair Coloring Tips Precautions
You may be in a rush to change your look, wanting to go with not just a new color but also a new type of hair like permanently straightening it out if you have natural curls or going for bouncy curls if your hair is naturally straight. You may think of getting this done while you are getting your hair colored to save time. And maybe your salon is glad for the business so they don’t advise you otherwise.
The hair coloring process is already pretty harsh on your hair. Getting another treatment done alongside will definitely damage your hair. So do just one thing at a time. Wait a few weeks after your hair coloring to get into other hair treatments.
Get Rid of Split Ends
Try not coloring your hair if you have split ends or if your hair is damaged in any way as the hair coloring process can just make things worse. If you have hair problems, treat them first and go ahead with hair coloring only when the problem is more under your control. Split ends are easier to manage – just make sure you get a trim before you color your locks.
Specialized Treatments
If you have been repeatedly coloring your hair for years or even if you’ve just done it three to four times, you will notice that the texture of your hair has changed considerably since you started. It may be much more dry now and tougher to manage. If you are starting to feel like your hair is getting a little out of control, consider investing in specialized hair treatments at a spa or salon that knows what they are doing. These kinds of treatments could be done in just one sitting or over many. And they could make a real difference to the quality of your hair.
Post-Color Hair Care
Hair Coloring Precautions and Tips
Condition
After you color your hair, make sure you use an especially potent conditioner. Think super-heavy kinds which you leave in your hair for awhile and that do some serious repair. There are conditioners available especially for post dyes. If you don’t find them easily where you are ask your local salon.
Conditioning should be a constant part of your hair care routine after you color your hair. Use conditioners that are specifically made for colored hair.
Use Products for Colored Hair
If you want your color to last as long as possible and look as good as possible, then make sure that all your hair products from shampoos, gels and mousses to hair sprays, serums and oils are made for colored hair.
While you’re at it, you need to avoid harsher shampoos that are made for other treatments. Anti-dandruff shampoos in particular can be quite damaging to coloured hair unless they are specifically designed for colored hair.
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