There is nothing more exciting than adding hair color to an already amazing hair style. Whether it’s a single process, highlights, balayage or whatever other magic hair colorists are out here creating, hair color puts an extra pep in the step and more sway in those hips. It can take you from cute to devastatingly sexy and illuminate the complexion in the most angelic ways. You find yourself giving more eye contact in meetings and with that person you’ve been crushing on. You feel triumphant in so many ways. A true winner.

While getting your hair colored is amazing and somewhat life changing, the truth of the matter is that coloring your hair can have a downside if you don’t take the proper steps to ensure that your hair color remains as vibrant as the day you got it done and that your actual hair remains healthy.

Whether you DIY or have your hair colored professionally, aftercare is extremely important. This is where many people stumble and fall and one wrong move can put you on a path of many very bad hair days in the form of dryness, dullness, split ends and even hair loss. We already know that the daily in’s and out’s of hair styling can compromise the health of your hair (heat styling, UV damage, brushing, etc). Adding hair color to the mix only makes hair more vulnerable.

If you don’t have the resources of time and money or just don’t care enough to put in the daily effort for hair maintenance, do not color your hair. Coloring your hair adds another layer into your hair care routine that you may not have anticipated, especially if you are new to the hair color game.

Some things to remember when you are considering coloring your hair:

• Healthy hair is the best foundation for great looking hair color. Not only can coloring your hair compromise hair health, dry damaged hair will not hold onto color as well or as long as healthy hair does and that is money wasted.
• Consider a trim when you do color your hair (or get any other chemical process for that matter).
• If you use styling tools, be sure to turn down the heat. This also includes not rinsing your hair in hot water as that can also ruin your hair color. Use cool or lukewarm water instead and be sure to use a heat protectant before using heat tools.
• Always use conditioner – even if you don’t shampoo. It’s a good idea to use sulfate free shampoo and conditioner for color treated hair.  Also consider using shampoo and conditioner formulated for your specific hair color.  Doing so can help to color correct and support the tones in the hair.
• Air dry your hair whenever you can.
• Although this may not be ideal, consider washing your hair no more than 2-3 times a week. Also, don’t wash your hair the day after you get your hair colored – wait 72 hours.
• Try using a pre-shampoo or an oil before shampooing to add a layer of protection to the hair before washing.
• Do not sleep on wet hair which can cause damage or breakage.
• Don’t let chlorine touch your hair.

Consider the following products to help maintain your hair color:

• Prime before you style: Matrix Biolage RAW Heat Styling Primer
• Treat and rebuild your strands: Olaplex Hair Perfector No 3
• Cover up those roots/grow out: L’oreal Magic Root Cover
• Protect/lock in your color before shampooing: Phytomillesime Color Locker Pre-Shampoo
• Leave this conditioner in: Mielle Organics White Peony Leave In Conditioner
• Wash and Condition with care (blonde and silver hair): Clairol Shimmer Lights Shampoo & Conditioner
• Oil treat with this: Alterna Bamboo Smooth Kendi Pure Treatment Oil
• Masque it with moisture: Cantu Anti Fade Color Protecting Moisture Masque
• Don’t swim without this: Philip Kingsley Swimcap Water Resistant Swimcap

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