How to care for dyed hair

There is a kind of pleasure in changing hair colours. Both girls and boys enjoy it. YouTube stars and all the celebs really show that they get to have all the fun with the latest hair colour trends and tech. Pewdiepie's platinum blond hair hit peak hair trend for guys in his recent uploads. 

Taking care of colour treated hair is high maintenance work. Whether bleached or not, dyed hair does not flourish unless blow dried or flat ironed/curled. 

Although heat styling is borderline necessary, you want to make sure you let your hair dry naturally for as long as possible. Use heat protective styling products to keep your hair from burning away its quality. You also want to make sure to always adhere to the lowest heat option and ample patience to take of your colour treated tresses. 

Sulphate free shampoo

As you choose to dye your hair, you must familiarise yourselves with the term "sulphate free." Although most daily consumers of shampoo will not notice the difference, its use on dyed hair creates the impact you desire. For curly hair it prevents frizz by holding the curls longer and allows the added pigments to your hair shine longer. 

Sulphate is a harsh cleaning element. So sulphate free formulas help retain the colour of the hair for multiple washes. Sulphate free shampoos also prevent allergic reaction from the hair strands reaching the scalp. 

Washing guidance 

When washing your hair, you want to switch to shampoos that are strictly for dyed hair. If that is unavailable, use milder formulas for shampoos and moisture rich conditioners. Make sure to refrain from using high temperatures. In fact, use the coldest possible water you can tolerate. The heat should be reduced to just the styling part. 

Washing precautions for coloured hair 

Once the pigments settle in the hair strands, it takes about 72 hours for the cuticle layer to fully enclose around the colour molecules. So, wash your hair three days after the colour treatment for long lasting hair colour. 

Note that red-dyed hair needs more washing than bleached ones. 

Why does bleached hair damage easily? 

Although current hair dying technologies allow bleached hair to damage at a slower rate, the problem is unavoidable. When the hair is bleached, the strand loses elasticity. This makes the hair prone to breakage and split ends due to damage in the protein structure. 

Deep conditioning for bleached hair 

Pick olive oil as an adhesive to the split ends, and use Argan oil for the promotion of elasticity. Apply directly to the hair and scalp and massage till your hands get tired. Next, wrap a plastic material around the head and let it set for an hour before shampoo. This should be practiced three to four times a week to keep your hair looking natural and to prevent it from forming tangles. 

Photo: LS Archive/Sazzad Ibne Sayed