Given the trend and people getting grey strands much before the official announcement of middle age, it’s hard to find ‘virgin’ hair. ‘Virgin’ hair is one which has not been permed, straightened, rebonded or touched by hair colour. If you’ve ‘virgin’ hair stop reading further, and if you’re like million others who colour their hair we recommend you to read ahead. Believe it or not the cheapest and the easiest way to turn back the clock of time is to colour your hair. However, so many questions come in your mind when you colour your hair—Are you damaging your hair? What should be the hair care routine now?
Put your worries to rest as we tell you how to take care of your coloured hair. Mostly Indians believe that henna is good for hair and hair colour damages your precious tresses. This is not true. Harish working as hair stylist with Ambika Pillai says, “Almost all men and women who are tired of the orange hue that henna gives and come to me for hair colour complain that their scalp itch after applying henna. Henna makes your hair dry and brittle.”
How to make your hair colour last longer
Each time you colour your hair the chemicals in the colour penetrate deep down the core of each strand so that the colour stays on your hair. All hair colours cause cuticle damage. Hence, you need to be gentle with your hair and protect if from bright sun light. Shower your coloured hair with TLC.
Shampoo Right. Irrespective of the brand, all hair colours fade with time. If you wish to make your hair colour last longer you should use a shampoo which is meant for coloured hair as it is more hydrating. When you shampoo your hair concentrate on the scalp to wash off oil and grease and stop struggling with your tresses.
Condition Well. Coloured hair becomes weak and dry. Hence, after you shampoo it you need to condition it especially on the tips with conditioners meant for coloured hair.
Use a Mask. Wear a hair repair mask once a week to nourish your strands. Use a mask that is fortified with pro Vitamin B5 to improve the protein structure of your hair.
Apply Serum. When your colour treated hair is partially dry wear a leave on serum on the tips and the top of your head to nourish your hair.
Be Gentle. Colour treated hair becomes fragile. Hence, do not comb when it’s damp. Also avoid using hot dryers on your hair. Just like your nails your hair is made of keratin. If keratin gets too hot, its components get damaged, causing its structure to break down. The result: your hair looks dull and lifeless.
Hair stylists recommend that before you colour your hair go for a hair spa at least three four days in advance. Hair spa consists of deep conditioning treatment for the hair which will improve the texture of your hair. At home you can also do hot oil massage as a substitute for hair spa. In warm olive oil puncture vitamin E capsule and massage your hair gently with it in circular motion. Wear a damp hot towel over it for fifteen minutes and then wash off the oil of your hair.
How often should you retouch your roots
Since hair grows on average 1/2 inch a month, it’s safe to assume that hair should have at least an inch of growth before getting a touch-up. For some people, that could mean 6 weeks and for some people that could mean 10 weeks.
