Whether you’ve spent a huge sum of money on a salon or taken the DIY route to colour your hair, you’d want the vibrant shade of your freshly dyed hair to stay for as long as possible. However, if not taken the right precautions, the colour can fade away quicker than you can imagine, especially in the hot summer heat.

So, we turned to experts–Audrey D’Souza, Lead Educator of Hair in Lakme Salon, and Shilpa Joshi Halder, Sr Scientist, Managing Development of Hair Color and Care for South Asia, L’Oréal India–to share the best possible ways to prevent hair colour from fading this summer. 

Protecting your colour-treated hair from prolonged sun exposure is key to avoiding damage and keeping the richness of your dyed hair longer. “Colour-treated hair is even more susceptible to damage from sun exposure and can fade faster, giving our hair unwanted tones and making it look dull. Moreover, the UV rays from the sun can damage the hair cuticle and protein of your hair,” Shilpa Joshi explains.  

Shilpa also stresses that pool water disrupts hair tones, resulting in losing the vibrancy due to the added chlorine. Her solution? “The best way to go into a pool without worrying much about your hair being affected is to soak your hair in clean water before you step into the pool,” she advises. 

She also explains the reason for it, “Our hair is porous, so when we rinse it with clean water, it soaks it up which then allows much less chlorine water to percolate our hair. However, I still recommend thoroughly washing your hair after your swim and following it up with proper conditioning.”

Audrey D’Souza points out that the UV radiation from sun destroys the chemical bonds of your hair dye, leading your vibrant colour to turn into a washed-out hue in the summer. For this, she recommends using a leave-in product with strong UV protection on your hair. 

She further adds, “You may use moisturising spray and UV protection at the same time to protect your hair from UV damage and keep your hair colour looking beautiful.”

Both Audrey and Shilpa suggest rinsing your hair with cold water after washing it. Shilpa says, “Use low temperature water to wash your hair as hot water can rapidly strip the colour off your hair.

Audrey also explains, “Rinse your hair with cold water to retain your colour. When your hair is damp, it strains more and the temperature rises, causing the stretch to expand even more. As a result, your pigments may escape when the hair structure is relaxed like this. Rinsing your hair with cold or lukewarm water will make it feel good and the colour will pop even better. 

“Hot hair dryers and styling tools dry out your hair to make it harder for your colour to last,” Audrey advises, encouraging to opt for a natural fuss-free beachy look in the summer instead. 

But what if one can’t leave without their heating tools? “Try turning down the heat and treating your hair with a leave-in product or a heat protection spray. If you don’t put anything into your hair before using the heat tool, it is very difficult for your hair colour to last,” She says. 

Shilpa advocates applying colour-safe formulated haircare products rather than the deep cleansing ones to keep your hair colour fresh.

She says, “Colour-protecting shampoo and conditioner are specifically formulated for colored hair, preventing the dye from being washed away in the shower and extending the life of your colour. So, utilising a decent shampoo conditioner, and leave-in products can really improve your hair and prevent it from UV damage, while also making it look more vibrant if your hair is colored.”

Shilpa loves this shampoo as she says it gently cleanses your hair, leaving it nourished. It also accentuates the radiance of the hair and protects the hair fibre from harmful external factors. 

For conditioner, Audrey loves this one as it adds nourishment and hydration for normal to dry hair, and it’s also suitable for colored hair.

For times when it gets difficult to touch up your hair colour, Shilpa turns to this product. She says, “One quick spray is all you need to get a flawless root touch-up. The rich colour pigments provide a perfectly blended coverage.”

Audrey recommends this leave-in conditioner as it has a unique formula that can condition and treat hair in just one application. It's also a multipurpose oil that protects your hair from split ends and heat styling, while also providing a lot of shine. 

Lead Image Credit: Instagram/deepikapadukone and  Instagram/ananyapanday

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