Whether you’ve spent hours in a salon chair or 30 minutes at home, you want that color to last. Here’s how to keep your color vibrant and your roots in check.
Challenge: Fading
# Likely Culprit No. 1: Unsealed Cuticles
The protective outer layer (cuticle) of each strand of hair needs to remain intact to prevent color molecules from escaping; the more porous the hair, the more likely the hair color is to migrate out, explains Arun Nandagiri, a cosmetics chemist and the founder of Bria Research Laboratories, in Libertyville, Illinois.
Make It Last: Any color treatment should be followed by deep conditioning (don’t shampoo for 24 hours afterward). Then, two to three times a month, apply a deep-conditioning hair mask. In these masks, chemicals known as cationic polymers help keep the layers of hair closed like the shingles on a roof, says Nandagiri. And don’t use clarifying shampoos, which can strip color.
# Likely Culprit No. 2: Contact with Chemicals
The active ingredients in sunless tanners, makeup removers, and astringents can diminish hair color.
Make It Last: “Before using products on the face, gather strands of hair into a ponytail with a boar-bristle brush,” which is less damaging to hair, says Eric Fisher, owner of two salons in Wichita, Kansas. “Then avoid any large movements with the hands to prevent touching your hair.”
Challenge: Peekaboo Roots
# Likely Culprit: Stubborn Hairs or Growth (but not enough to warrant an appointment)
Nonporous hairs, which tend to be gray, make holding on to color difficult.
Make It Last: Hairstylist Cristophe, who owns five salons across the country, suggests asking your colorist to apply peroxide to roots first to make the hairs more porous and improve absorption.
Written by Jennifer Schonbrunn Hinkle
December 2005/January 2006
Tags:Celebrity Haircut, Celebrity Haircare Tips, Teen Haircare Tips, Women Haircare Tips, Men Haircare Tips
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