You are happy your red hair color looks fantastic as you walk out of the hair salon. The nice deep vibrant red color shimmers in the sunlight. But in the next couple of weeks it starts fading fast. You get upset and think to yourself what’s going on.
Maintaining a chemical hair color is never an easy task it takes effort. Even more so if you have plumped for a vibrant red shade. Unfortunately for you the red color pigment is the quickest of the color pigments to fade. Through exposure to light and water.
Don’t spend all that money to get that beautiful red hair color. Only to have it fade fast by not looking after it the right way. Your first buy has to be a shampoo that will help by depositing red pigments into your hair every time you shampoo.
Now For a Little Science.
In the color of your hair and in the color tints is a mixture of two pigment groups known as Eumelanin and Pheomelanin.
For a red hair color more Pheomelanin is used in the mix. How much depends on how vivid your red color is going to be.
Even though technology has improved red shades are still very prone to fading.
This being due to the fact that Pheomelanin is very light sensitive so will be degraded faster by UV light.
Blue Red tones will last longer but do loose there vibrancy.
Coppery Red tones on the other hand will turn more orange.
Keeping your hair in optimum condition is one thing that you should keep in mind especially if you do color your hair.
Because the more porous your hair is the quicker your color will tend to fade.
The Biggest Culprit To Red Hair Color Fade.
Water is a big culprit and even more so hot water due to the fact that once under water your hair shaft will swell.
When your hair shaft is swollen water easily penetrates your hair. Then as it leaves it also takes out some of your color molecules with it.
The majority of tap water is chlorinated so as to kill any bacteria but remember chlorine is a bleaching agent. That will have a negative effect on your red hair which can make it look dull and loose its sheen.
A a good idea is to add filter to your shower as this will help to stop this negative effect.
7 Tips To Help You Save Your Red Hair Color.
Tips on how you can slow down your color pigments from escaping down the drain.
Tip 1. Don’t shampoo your hair for at least 24 hours even better 48 hours after your hair color.
Your hair cuticle then has a longer time in which to close and therefore trap the color molecule’s inside.
Tip 2. Use a sulfate free shampoo for colored hair as this is gentler and contains anti- oxidants plus UV protective ingredients.
Tip 3. Try and shampoo your hair only every 3 days and use cool water not hot.
If your hair gets oily or you can’t stand the feeling on your scalp try using a dry shampoo in between washes.
Tip 4. If using styling tools such as tongs or irons always use a protective spray on the hair first.
Tip 5. When in the sun wear a hat if not spritz on a product that helps protect against UV light first to shield your hair from those strong rays.
Tip 6. Once a week shampoo and condition with products especially for use on red hair as these will deposit more red pigment into your hair.
Because this will help revive and add new vibrancy to your red locks.
Tip 7. Put on a semi permanent or a glaze after your color as this creates a protective shield.
This will help to keep the color molecules trapped inside your hair. Whilst at the same time creating a smooth surface which will give a great reflection of light.
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