Caring For Coloured Hair

from bath and body

Colour-treated hair needs special care. "Colouring weakens the hair, breaks down the disulfide bonds in the hair shaft, and gradually breaks down elasticity," says Philip Kingsley, a trichologist and owner of salons in Manhattan and London.

The best thing you can do to keep colour-treated hair healthy and shiny is not to colour it too often—although a lot depends on the type of colour and the chemicals used. Always choose the gentlest treatments that will accomplish your goal. For example, if you can use semipermanent instead of permanent colour, do it.

In the first week after a colour treatment, your hair may be especially dry or frizzy, and the lighter the colour, the more frizziness. Don't freak out about dryness; simply use a conditioner for colour-treated hair, specific to your hair type, and it will help smooth down the cuticle.

If your individual strands are very fine, they're probably also dry and fragile. If you relax or process fine hair, it becomes even drier and more fragile. Because this type of hair has a thin cuticle layer to begin with, it can't take much abuse. Besides, it tends to react to colour very quickly, which is why it's advisable to use mild products.

If you both color and process your hair, leave at least two weeks in between—and never do both on the same day. Stick to semipermanent or vegetable color to keep hair in good condition. Some hair just can't take both, and you may have to make a choice.

Long term, you'll need to use a low-pH shampoo for color-treated hair. Conditioning ' with a conditioner for color-treated hair will moisturize your hair, keep it looking and feeling healthier, and give it more shine. ''Hair is dead," says Philip B, a stylist and owner of Philip B. Botanical Haircare, it has a grain like wood. You want to go with the, grain and smooth the cuticle layer with a conditioner."