One of the easiest ways to ‘pop up’ your hairstyle is to add a pop of colour to your curls. It’s no secret that dyed hair tends to be fragile compared to colour free hair so it’s even more important to pay extra attention to handling your curls and coils. Here’s a rundown of helpful tips to maintain your colour-treated hair at home.

1. Always Moisturize.

After getting your hair coloured, the most noticeable change you’ll experience is dryness. Typically after wash days, you probably have to wait up to a week before you re-moisturize your hair. Well, after colouring your hair, you now have to refresh every two days to keep your hair moisturized. This is because hair colouring in a way alters one’s hair porosity making it highly porous. This means you have to moisturize often to avoid dryness which eventually leads to breakage. Here are a few products to help you avoid dryness and keep your curls moisturized. 

2. Handle Gently.

Dyed hair tends to be fragile. That means it’s important to handle your hair gently after a colour treatment. Be ultra-sensitive during washing, detangling and styling. This means making sure to use products specifically designed for colour-treated natural hair when washing and moisturizing. Also, get yourself a good quality, wide-tooth comb for detangling as anything else can lead to damage or hair loss. If you’re a swimmer, always use a swimming cap to protect your colour-treated hair from chemicals in the pool.

3. Everyday Care

Once you’ve had your hair dyed, you’ll need to get into a daily maintenance routine to keep your look moisturized and beautiful. Everyone will do this slightly differently but the key principles remain the same. Avoid washing too regularly (most find once a week to be enough), but be sure to moisturize every day. Put some hair serum in your hands and apply from tip to root after moisturizing with a leave-in conditioner. A little goes a long way in application.

4. Carry Out More Protein Treatments.

While deep-conditioning treatments are sufficient for most colour-treated hairstyles, some people also add a protein mask into the mix. These are designed for protein-deficient hair, a real risk for hair that has been colour-treated due to the chemicals in most dyes. If you are noticing an increase in the number of hairs falling out, try one of these treatments. Protein-based products are designed to fill the gaps in each strand that occur due to cuticle damage so they can add strength and shine.

5. Protect Your Hair Overnight.

Finally, nighttime needs a bit of thought when you’re looking after colour-treated, textured hair. With your hair moving about on the pillow for 6+ hours each night, there is an increased risk of breakage and split ends. To avoid this, get yourself a bedtime hair routine. Apply oil evenly across the hair then divide into two/three ponytails, depending on the thickness of your hair. This will prevent matting and help avoid knots. Wrap your hair in a silk scarf for protection and then head to bed. A night routine like this can postpone frizz and damage for weeks.

Colour-treated hair can be fun and bold. It’s just about maintaining the health and shine of your hair to prevent any damage. Do you have other tips for maintaining your colour-treated hair at home? Let us know in the comments.

Written by Social Butterfly Haven for Reina HairCare