You may be desperate to change up your look by taking your strands a few shades lighter, but you should know the commitments that go hand in hand with colouring your hair of time, money and plenty of aftercare. We tell you a few things to keep in mind before colouring your hair, go through this list before making that salon appointment or picking up the hair dye.
1. Identify Your Natural Colour and Get a Shade That Compliments You
Your natural hair colour will determine what your hair will look like after you dye it. Take into consideration your skin and eye colour to see what would complement you best. Warm tones like browns, reds, mahogany, copper and gold suit the Indian skin tone best.
2. Ignore the Picture of the Model on the Box
The worst way you can go about choosing your colour is by looking at the model on the box. Although the model may have the perfect shade of brown, we don’t know what her original hair colour was. There is a chance of it looking completely different on your hair.
Instead, consult the numbers and letters on the package to determine the level of colour and desired tone. What a colour will look like depends on how light/dark your natural hair colour is and its underlying tone. Hair dye always comes out darker than the image on the box so go ahead and buy a colour that’s one or two shades lighter than your desired colour.
So, if you like a particular colour on someone else, it may not give you the exact same shade on your own strands. Get all the details here.
3 ‘Virgin Hair’ is the Best For Colouring
How great your colour will look depends on the state of your strands. The healthier they are, the better the colour will look. The less you’ve coloured it or chemically treated it, the less it’s actually damaged, so it’s easier for your stylist to make it look good. In the weeks leading up to your colouring appointment, oil your mane and deep condition it regularly to get it in the best possible shape.
4. Don’t Forget To Do A Patch Test
Before applying the colour onto your entire head, make sure to test it on a small patch of hair first. This way, you can see if this is the right colour for you and also make sure that it doesn’t cause a scalp reaction and your skin can tolerate the chemicals.
5. Do Some Damage Control Before You Dye
Use a clarifying shampoo a day before your colouring appointment to get rid of any product build-up. Also, deep condition your strands to makeup for the moisture you will lose thanks to the colour.
Don’t shampoo your mane on the day of your appointment. This way, the natural oils in your scalp will protect you from any irritation caused by the chemicals in the dye.
POPxo Recommends: Paul Mitchell Clarifying Shampoo and the Indus Valley Dandruff Clarifying Creamy Hair Wash.
6. Condition After You Colour
If you’re using an at-home dye, it’s best to use the conditioner that comes with your hair colour since it has been specifically tested for use with that hair colour to help create softness and shine. If you’re getting your mane professionally coloured, your stylist will recommend a good colour-treated conditioner for you to use. Kerastase Reflection Masque Chroma Riche is great to protect and boost your new colour.
7. Colour-Protective Products are Really Important
Yes, all those shampoos, conditioners and styling products that claim to protect your colour actually help. Listen to your stylist when he/she recommends products for your aftercare.
They are gentle on your locks, stop your colour from fading and help make it last longer. Regular haircare products could have surfactants or sulphates that might strip colour or sebum, so it’s important to use products specifically designed for coloured tressed.
POPxo Recommends: Oriflame HairX Colour Protect Shampoo, John Frieda Luxrious Volume Touchably Full For Colour-Treated Hair Shampoo, Schwarzkopf Bonacure Color Freeze Conditioner, L’oréal Paris Hair Expertise Colour Protect Conditioner
8. Retouching Will Really Matter
If you have grey roots or your hair loses colour fast, you will need to retouch your hair. Make sure to keep a stock of your fabulous shade in your bathroom cabinet or keep a regular appointment with your stylist. Retouch your hair once every 4-6 weeks.
9. The Sun and Pool Water Will Change Your Hair Colour
The sun will generally lighten blonde or highlighted hair. It’s important to invest in a UV-protectant spray to shield your tresses from too much sun exposure. If you love to go swimming in the pool, you might need to take a few precautions because chlorine being a bleaching agent, strips away the hair colour leaving it dry and dull.
Avoid colouring your hair before a vacation and don’t swim for at least 2 weeks after you get it coloured.
POPxo Recommends: John Frieda Frizz Ease Hair Serum Original Formula to protect your hair from UV damage and Ultraswim Chlorine Removal Shampoo to combat the effects of chlorine.
10. Stay Within Two Shades of Your Natural Hair Colour
When dyeing your hair yourself, don’t go more than two shades lighter or darker. Your at-home colour kits doesn’t contain the strong chemicals that are needed to radically change your colour. If you’re doing a drastic job, you should head to a salon to get a professional stylist to work on your hair to avoid any disasters. The reason is that the chemicals needed to perform complicated hair colour changes can severely damage hair and scalp alike.
MUST-READ: #BeautyHacks: How to Get the Perfect Hair Spa at Home!
MUST-READ: #RealGirlBeauty: Ways To Make Your Hair Smell Amazing ALL The Time
