Hair-Washing Mistakes That Fade Color

Like riding a bike, washing your color-treated hair is something that should be easy. In theory, it is. There’s so much more to it than wash, rinse, condition, rinse, towel dry and style. Here are five hair washing mistakes; That could lead to faded color, dry, and dull hair. The good news: To have vibrant hair color and a healthy appearance might be as easy as tweaking your shower routine.

Mistake number one: Choosing the wrong shampoo for your color-treated hair. The wrong shampoo can strip your hair color and dry your hair of much-needed moisture. Select shampoo that matches your hair texture, formulated for color-treated hair, has no Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or Sodium Laureth Sulfate and has the pH 5.5. Still today most shampoos on the market are not formulated for color-treated hair thou they smell great and have beautiful hair model advertisements this is not always the best way to select the right shampoo for your color-treated hair.

Mistake number two: Not brushing your hair before washing it will become a tangled mess in the shower. Take a minute or two to brush your hair before you wash; this will break up any residual product and make it easier to cleanse and detangle in the shower.

Mistake number three: Your hair washing technique may need improvement. Before you apply shampoo rinse your hair thoroughly using tepid water. Stand under the spray for about one minute before you even reach for the bottle. You need to give the water enough time to start rinsing out some of the product residue and prep the hair for shampoo.

Tip 1: Start with a quarter size dollop of shampoo into the palms of your hands and emulsify between hands. Then apply shampoo from the top down. Move your hands in one direction work the shampoo from roots to tips. Do this until hair is smooth and detangled, then rinse shampoo.

Tip 2: Lather more than once – Many times one wash often isn’t enough to break down all the residue and product build-up, especially if you haven’t washed your hair for a few days. Not being able to work the shampoo into a rich lather is a telltale sign that you need to rinse and repeat.

Mistake number four: Avoid washing color-treated hair with hot water temperature. The heat opens the cuticle, and hot water will dry out your hair and wash away hair color. Instead, use cooler temperature water when washing your color-treated hair.

Mistake number five: You wash too often. Frequent shampooing is not alway necessary. Next time you need to clean your color-treated hair, instead rinse with cooler temperature water for about a minute and use conditioner instead. Choose a conditioner formulated for color-treated hair. The conditioning agents will help clean, smooth and revitalize your hair color.