From platinum to pink, balayage to bleached, colouring your hair is now almost a rite of beauty passage for women and men.
But, there are a few things you should know before you head to the basin with a snap of Gwyneth’s flaxen locks or Emma’s fire engine red bob. There are actually a myriad of variants which can affect your colour, even before you’re half-a-head deep in foils.
So, to avoid unwanted creamy-to-copper disasters and the like, here are seven things you probably didn’t know (and need to) when dying those strands.
- Ditch the Dry Shampoo
Hooray for dirty hair! Well, kind of. Dirty hair is actually ideal for colouring, with the natural oils in your scalp acting as a buffer or sorts, which can prevent irritation and the like. An unwashed palette is just what the (hair) doctor ordered, with day-old hair proving easier for colour distribution, making for evenly coloured, beautiful hair.
- Say no to the salon champagne
Yes, believe or not, but the bubbles can affect more than your balance – your hair colour can suffer too. If you’ve popped into the salon after a few lunchtime vinos, or are nursing a nasty hangover in the hairdresser’s chair, your colour can be affected. Nails, skin and hair all connect to the bloodstream, and with alcohol in your system, your head becomes hot. This change in temperature affects the hair shaft and in turn the colour upon application. It also dehydrates not just your skin, but your strands too, which leaves the hair dry, weak and brittle. And this is the worst combination for a full head of foils or bleach.
- You can fix dodgy colour without going to the salon
We’ve all been there. Those rich auburn locks on the side of the packet, the girl gleaming back at you with shimmering hair, and then, when you unravel your towel, it’s a dying disaster. But, before you head straight to the salon for a costly colour cover-up – think again, there’s a revolutionary colour remover about to shake things up (or off). JoBaz Hair Colour Remover is a gentle way to remove colour at home, sans the expensive salon trip. This clever at home treatment preserves hair health by gently removing colour build-up and can reverse an undesirable colour application. Colour is restored gently, taking hair back to its previous lighter shade without the use of nasties such as ammonia, peroxide and bleach. Take that, dodgy colour.
- Medication can mess up your colour
Bad news pill poppers. Certain medications, such as antibiotics, can actually interfere with the colouring process. As can ‘that time of the month’ – so steer clear of the colour when you’re under the weather.
- No dye diving
It may be hard with the mercury rising, but don’t dive into chlorinated water for two weeks before or after dyeing your hair. Chlorine, in particular, is your hair’s worst colour nightmare. It literally attacks the hair cuticle, stripping it and allowing the minerals in the water to get in and change your colour. Green hair? No thanks.
- Go one shade lighter than you want
Note to hair self; hair dye always comes out darker than what is on the box. When choosing colour, opt for one or two shades lighter. At-home colour is notorious for being shifty, and tends to skew on the darker side. Naughty.
- Clear the Clarifier
We all love a freshly washed head of hair, but for those coloured Rapunzel’s, be wary of what exactly you’re lathering up with. Whilst clarifying shampoos (and even anti-dandruff) are great for ridding your strands of dirt, oils and flakiness, they often possess harsh chemicals and strong sulphates which also strip your colour. Sub out the deep clarifier for gentle preserving products, and watch your colour go the distance.
This is a sponsored post by JoBaz, All opinions expressed by the author are authentic and written in their own words.
