What can I do to make my hair dye last longer?

Healthy and, consequently, beautiful hair makes all the difference in a woman’s beauty, doesn’t it? And those who chose to dye them, regardless of the chosen shade, know that the wires need special care to remain strong, beautiful and in the desired color.

It wouldn’t do any good to invest in a new hair color that would only look beautiful at the time of applying the color and for a few more days, and then begin to lose its shine and tone afterwards.

However, most women who dye their hair know that this, in fact, occurs if their hair does not receive extra care. As the days go by, it is natural for the color to begin to fade, and the effect is usually even more visible in the case of dark or reddish tones.

But the good news is that it is possible to prolong the result of an intense and bright tone, exactly as you want, for longer. Check out some key tips for this:

1. Care before painting the wires

Before you apply any kind of dye to your hair, make sure they are “prepared” for it. For example, if your hair is very damaged – due to a chemical procedure done previously – talk to a professional you trust about treatments that can help restore their vivacity.

But, depending on the situation of the wires, a hydration done at home can help. Taking simple steps so that your hair is strong and beautiful even before applying the dye is important to ensure really satisfying results.

2. Care in choosing products

After applying the dye, it is essential to invest in good and specific products to take care of the wires.

Sionara Bandeira, technical coordinator at Keune, explains that what most causes hair to lose its color is the mixture of excess ammonia, oxidant and the action of time. “For this reason, more acidic conditioning products help to close the cuticle layer so that the color stays on longer. That’s why product quality makes a difference”, she highlights.

The professional adds that “solamer” and “silk protein”, present in some products, are ingredients that take care of the threads, offering protection against UV rays and helping to condition the threads so that the color always lasts longer.

3. Keeping an eye on touch-ups and the health of the threads

Sionara Bandeira points out that the person who chooses to dye their hair has to be aware that they will have to do a monthly touch-up, as the hair roots grow from one to one and a half centimeters a month.

“It is essential to know that the durability of the color is closely related to the health of the hair. That is, if the person only uses a monthly coloring, respecting the correct application in the touch-ups, and using maintenance for colored hair, the color will have a great chance of fixing in the hair”, highlights the professional.

4. Keeping an eye on the particularities of each hair

Sionara explains that, if the hair has a lot of light, it will need more moisturizing treatments or products to compensate for the lack of moisture in the hair due to excessive lightening.

Also according to the professional, when a person uses paint, for example, to cover white hairs, and usually uses the same color, after the first coloring (which needs to be done on the entire hair), they should have simple care as to how to use colored hair products. “When touching up, you need to apply the coloring to the growth root, let it act for 20 minutes. The rest of the paint (and what is left of the root), mix with water and apply to the lengths and ends to revive the existing color (leaving for 10 minutes). What a lot of people do is apply the color globally every month, forgetting that ammonia on top of ammonia damages the hair and this makes the color fade”, he highlights.

Those who color and also have highlights on the wires should remember that the lights need to be retouched at most every two months, applying bleach or bleaching paint only at the root. “After lightening the roots, it is necessary to apply semi color (toning without ammonia) over the entire hair. In this case, the ammonia-free paint treats the color… As it does not contain ammonia, it adds color and shine”, explains Sionara.

5. Necessary care with chemicals

The professional Sionara explains that the woman who likes to color, use locks, straighten, or even do progressive, has to be triple careful with the wires. “Because, in these cases, processed hair does not hold the color due to the great exposure to chemical products together. They, for the color to last, need a lot of hydration, restructuring, among other treatments, so that the hair is treated and easy to fix”, she highlights.

6. The importance of toners

Sionara adds that the more porous the hair, the less durable the color will be.

It is worth mentioning that porous hair goes beyond dry. In this case, the wires are also brittle and without elasticity. A tip to identify if the hair is really porous is: hold it and stretch it. With the thumb and forefinger in the shape of a tweezers, run your fingers through the strands… If you find knots or even a “little sand”, it is a sign that the cuticles are open and the hair is porous.

“Today we have many treatment options. In the case of extreme porosity, it is necessary to avoid changing the color of the hair and, preferably, opt for toners without ammonia”, says Sionara.

“Many people think that toners are short-lived. This is a mistake, the more you use toner, the more the color sets and the hair is treated”, highlights the professional.

More important tips to make the dye last longer

• Hot water attacks the hair and accelerates the loss of pigmentation, so you need to be very careful when showering. A tip is to quickly wash your hair and apply the conditioner, then put a regular plastic cap on your head to continue the shower. Minutes before turning off the shower, just take off your shower cap and rinse your hair.
• Do not overdo the shampoo, even if the product is suitable for your hair, to avoid dryness. For this, do not pour the shampoo directly on the scalp. Put a small amount in the palms of your hands, rub them together and only then apply the shampoo to your hair.
• Hydrate your hair right after applying the dye. Most products already come with a cream for this, which helps in fixing the color. In most salons it is also possible to find hydrations that should be done immediately after painting the hair.
• Protect your hair from the sun’s rays, for that, bet on a leave-in with sun protection, especially when you go to the beach or pool.
• Avoid radical transformations. Of course, you should change the look whenever you feel like it, that’s great! But try to lighten or darken the wires progressively, because the processes necessary for a big change end up attacking the wires a lot, leaving them fragile and dry.

Finally, always talk to a professional before betting on these color changes, as he will probably give you important tips regarding the care you will need to have with your hair after the procedure.