A professional dye job can be expensive. So it can be annoying when the color starts to fade away in as short as two weeks (especially with red hair). However, color fading is inevitable due to sun exosure, shampoos, oxidation, and environmental factors. All of these factors reduce the color pigments deposited to your hair in the initial coloring session. So, how to keep hair dye from fading? Read on to find out.
How To Keep Hair Dye From Fading: Semi-Permanent Hair Dyes
Semi-permanent hair dyes are the perfect tool for spicing up your appearance temporarily or if you're just not sure if it will be the right color for you. Semi-permanent hair dyes are designed to penetrate into the hair shaft, but not as deeply as the permanent dyes. These dyes are much gentler than traditional permanent dyes and for this reason, semi-permanent dyes tend to fade faster (after about eight to twelve shampoos) than permanent dyes. More effort is also needed to maintain your semi-permanent colored hair.
Ideally, to slow down the fading process of semi-permanent dyes, visit your hair stylist on a bi-weekly basis. However, this routine is usually not affordable by most women. Instead, try the following tips to keep your money in your purse and your hair color in your hair.
Semi-permanent hair dye tips:
- Immediately after a dye job, wash your hair with a 1:1 ratio of white vinegar mixed in warm water. Try using one cup of each. The vinegar will increase the pH level of the product and help extend the life of your semi-permanent hair treatment.
- Wear a hat when you are outside. This will limit your hair's exposure to the sun as the UV rays can fade your hair dye.
- Keep your fingers out of your hair to limit spreading the oil on your fingers to your hair.
How To Keep Hair Dye From Fading: Permanent Hair Dyes
You may be tempted to re-color your whole head when your roots emerge, but don’t make this mistake. Permanent hair dyes are strong chemicals that penetrate deep into your hair shafts and alter the chemical composition of the hair by depositing pigment. Subjecting your hair to this repetitive harsh chemical treatment is damaging. Instead, apply dye only onto newly emerging roots. Be careful not to apply the chemicals to your scalp. This may damage your hair follicles and could cause hair loss. Refer to our article on hair loss for more information.
How to keep hair dye from fading -
Shampoos contain chemicals used to strip residues from your hair, including dye pigments. Use a mild shampoo and stay away from anti-dandruff oriented shampoos. Due to the drying nature of shampoos, it is a good idea to wash your hair every other day. Also, select a shampoo that is specially formulated for color treated hair (Try: Okara Protective Radiance Shampoo for Color Treated Hair ). Color enhancing shampoo usually deposits a small amount of pigment into your hair during the washing and conditioning process. This will add a little boost of color and shine to your hair. Remember to select the proper shade. Another tip to maintain your color, avoid using hot water when washing your hair.
Some volumizing hair products tend to accelerate the fading process. This is because volumizing hair products are designed to open the hair cuticle. Be careful when using hot oil treatments, as these are known for stripping color. Instead, try a color enhancing leave-in treatment.
Red hair tends to fade the fastest. The red hair color fades faster than other shades because the molecular characteristic of the red color pigment makes it more difficult for your hair to hold onto the dye. It will take more time and effort to maintain your red color. To combat the fading, use a shampoo and conditioner specifically formulated to preserve red hair color from the start (Try: Quantum Riveting Reds Color Replenishing Shampoo and Conditioner ). Don't make the mistake of waiting until the fading is noticeable before taking action.
More tips on how to keep hair dye from fading:
In addition to the maintenance care, try to avoid long exposure to the sun. When heading to the beach, wear a hat. When heading to the pool, wear a swimming cap. The chlorinated water of the pool will accelerate the fading process and can leave a green tint on light colored hair.
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