Choosing shampoo if your hair is color-treated is more important than you think. Say you have just gotten a gorgeous cherry red color from the salon that cost you an arm and leg but gave you the look you were going for. Now imagine having that color that cost you a lot, and you absolutely love fading to dull ginger after just a couple of washes. Sounds absolutely awful, right? Washing hair takes color out; that is just a fact. But certain shampoos don’t strip color like others. You just have to know what to look for. Allow us to help you out with that.
Understanding Your Hair Needs
Start by understanding that color-treated hair plays by a whole different set of rules when compared to natural hair. You probably bleached that hair to add color to it, meaning it is now porous and maybe a little damaged. This means that using a gentle shampoo can be used to help preserve the color.
Color-treated hair products may contain some ingredients to maintain the freshness of the color and to get it required for a long time. They likely also lack sulfate, which causes the stripping down of color as well as your hair’s natural moisture. Sulfates can cause your hair to lose natural and healthy oil. Plus, it may cause more breakage and damage to the hair.
The Role of Sulfate-Free Shampoos
Sulfates are an ingredient in shampoo that, when used, give you that sudsy cleansing feeling. It makes you feel that your shampoo is ridding your hair of unnecessary dirt and oils. However, if you do have a hair type that doesn’t sit well with sulfates, it can lead to over-cleansing to the point where your hair can feel like hay. As such, using sulfates on chemically treated hair can be a problem, as colored hair can lose color by using sulfates. To get clean hair without drying out your hair, use sulfate-free shampoos.
Essential Ingredients to Look For
When looking for a compatible companion in a color-safe shampoo, what ingredients should your shampoo contain?
- Antioxidants: Vitamin E and green tea extract protect hair against oxidative distress and other factors in the environment that cause color to fade away quickly.
- Hydrating Agents: Aloe vera, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid will replace any lost moisture, help keep your hair soft, and increase the color’s life.
- Protein: Hydrolyzed keratin or silk helps strengthen hair and reduce breakage.
Hydration and Moisture
Color-treated damaged hair is essentially very dry and weak. An appropriate shampoo for such hair will take the dirt out and will also replace the moisture. This can be done by using the products with some hydrating agent in their ingredients like Shea butter, aloe, glycerin, and other agents. Replacing moisture in the hair should not weigh those strands down; simply pack in the moisture and have it look and feel great.
pH Balance
In order to make its color last longer, dyed hair must stay at the right pH balance. The hair shaft is naturally acidic, but the act of dyeing hair often raises the pH level, which can prevent the hair’s cuticles from opening and efficiently coloring strands. Shampoos and conditioners with the right pH balance help close the cuticle and keep the color molecules locked in place. When buying these specialized products, look for pH levels that are close to that of naturally healthy hair (4.5–5.5).
Protecting Your Color from Environmental Damage
Do you know the sun can bleach your hair? Mother Nature, plus, say, dipping in a pool filled with chlorine can do some damage to color-treated hair. Opting for a shampoo specifically formulated for color-treated hair can help preserve its vibrancy, and selecting one with UV protection will provide an extra layer of defense against the harmful effects of the sun’s rays.
Choosing the Right Shampoo for Your Hair Type
Different hair types have different needs — and color-treated hair is no exception! Here’s a crash course on shampoos according to hair type for color-treated hair;
Fine Hair: Free and lightweight, volumizing shampoo works best so your hair doesn’t fall flat.
Curly Hair: Color-treated or not, rule 1 with curly hair is that it needs to be kept moisturized! So get a shampoo that does exactly that. Hair that has been treated for color may have the moisture sucked out of the hair. Leaving your curly hair to appear dry and coarse can make curls look clumped and frizzy.
Thick Hair: Go for a nutrient-packed, deep-conditioning shampoo so that thicker hair can be tamed and controlled.
The Importance of a Matching Conditioner
Your hair care journey does not end with finding a shampoo for your colored hair. After that comes the task of looking for a suitable conditioner; using a conditioner for colored hair can help to lock in the hydration (which color-treated hair desperately wants/needs), up the levels of shine, and, of course — give that extra anti-fade protection.
Tips for Extending the Life of Your Color
Other ways to care for color-treated hair include:
Limit Heat Styling: Heat tools can cause your hair color to fade a whole lot faster, so try to lay off using them too often. When you do plan to style it, don’t forget to apply a heat protectant spray.
Use Cold Water: Rinse your hair with cold water or, at the very least, lukewarm water. Cold water and lukewarm water can close the hair cuticle, keeping the color in.
Avoid Over-Washing: Try to avoid washing your hair too frequently. Instead, try to only wash your hair 2-3 times a week to reduce access color loss.
Discovering the Perfect Shampoo
Picking the best shampoo when you have color-treated hair can make all the difference in maintaining color and healthy hair and enhancing the vibrancy of your hair. Go for sulfate-free options, and check the ingredients for hydration and pH balancing.
Remember always to grab the matching conditioner and follow these additional steps to prevent your color from fading. By following these helpful tips, your color-treated hair will look and feel amazing and stay nourished longer. Not only that, but your hair color will also certainly thank you!
