Color-Treated Hair

Dyed hair is more porous than untreated hair, causing it to lose moisture and pigment more quickly. These products are designed to help retain colour: they cleanse gently, seal the cuticle, and often contain a UV filter. Wash less often and use lukewarm water—that will preserve your colour more than any product can. The first two weeks make the biggest difference. Immediately after dyeing, the cuticle is still open and pigment washes out most easily. If possible, wait forty-eight hours before your first wash, and use lukewarm water from then on. Things that fade colour faster than you might think: sun, chlorine and salt water. A UV filter in your hair care helps, but a hat or a leave-in treatment before swimming helps even more. Rinse your hair with tap water after swimming before letting it dry. Blondes and greys are a different story. Those shades don’t become lighter but rather yellower, and a silver shampoo or purple conditioner can counteract this. Don’t use them every time you wash your hair: using them too often or leaving them on for too long can leave a greyish-blue cast that is difficult to remove.