We hope you’re in that giddy mood where you love your new color. You can’t stop looking at it; you almost didn’t recognize your reflection in that store window. To keep that honeymoon with yourself alive, here are the 5 most important things to do – and not do – to keep those pigments vibrant as long as possible.
1. WATER
For the first few days, water is not a best friend to your hair (and hot water never is). As much as you may crave a good wash, delay it as long as possible; most people recommend a 72-hour moratorium, though colorist Julia Elena urges clients to wait up to 4 days. After that, washing should be a rare occurrence, and should only be done with the mildest of detergents. Better yet, go detergent-free altogether with Hairstory New Wash, definitely your hair’s best friend.
2. HEAT
The number one enemy of vibrant color is dryness, and when hair isn’t properly moisturized, the cuticles along the shaft may open and color locked within the cortex may be vulnerable. So keep heat styling to a minimum (time to work on accepting your natural texture), and when you do, always use a heat-protecting product. Try Hairstory Dressed Up as your hair protector.
3. LIGHT
Get used to headwear as your essential accessory. Sun fades everything (aside from skin), and hair color is no exception. Hats, scarves, and glamorous cover-ups should now be featured items in your closet. Discover your inner Garbo.
4. CHEMICALS
Do not even think about combining your color service with another chemical treatment such as relaxers or Keratin. If you must, alternate them. If you’re a swimmer, please wear a cap in the pool, or at least wet your hair before diving in so hair is saturated and less absorbent. And rinse chlorine out when hair is still wet; it becomes stubbornly attached once dry.
5. OILS
Condition, condition, condition. Keep hair well-moisturized with an oil-based creme such as Hairstory Hair Balm. And treat yourself to masques and oil packs (this is when heat can be beneficial; zap in the microwave for about 10 seconds or immerse the container in hot water for a bit).
Soon those roots will grow out, the grays will show up, and it’ll be time to do it all again. But that’s the beauty of hair, and the genius of hair colorists – all the hues of the rainbow are at your fingertips. Just be sure you don’t squander the gold at the end of it.
