Changing your hair color can be a subtle or a drastic transformation. Depending on how bold the color is, chances are, you'll have different questions, one of which is how to maintain your new hair color properly.
Proper maintenance is vital, as colored hair is prone to a common problem among hair color enthusiasts: brassiness. Brassy hair can be anything from tinges of yellow to streaks of orange or red. If you find this in your hair, don't fret. There are several ways to remedy brassiness and ensure that your hair doesn't lose its vibrance, shine, and proper color.
Brassiness is the unwanted warm tones that show up in color-treated hair. This is common in dark hair when dyed a light shade like a blonde or platinum. However, it can also occur in highlighted hair.
Brassy hair happens when your hair color lightens (or "lifts") but never gets to the point of achieving the right color. Lightening means you need to get past your hair's natural undertones. Another problem, brassy roots, can happen when you lift your color further than you can go in a single application.
Lastly, brassiness in length comes when your color oxidizes in the sun, through heat styling, or you don't use the right color-safe products.
We've listed several ways on how to take care of colored hair at home below.
There are many ways to go about how to color your hair at home, but one of the best ways is by checking your skin tone. Different hair colors have different undertones, so does your skin. Check your eyes and veins to see if you have a warm, cool, or neutral skin tone, and pick a color that best fits your undertone.
It's also crucial to pick a hair color that will be vibrant when put on and not go brassy as time goes by. L'Oréal's Excellence Ash Supreme has an anti-brass technology, the first of its kind here in the Philippines, that prevents any brassiness from occurring on your hair.
When you can't make it to the salon, the next best thing to eliminate brassiness is to use a purple shampoo like L'Oréal's Ever Pure Anti-Brass Toning Purple Shampoo. A purple shampoo deposits a sheer violet tint to help cancel out or neutralize any orange or yellow tones common in brassy hair. It works because purple is complementary—or on the opposite side of the color wheel—to yellow.
Remember to use purple shampoo every couple of weeks and let it sit for up to five minutes before rinsing.
Color-treated hair can become damaged if not treated properly. Thankfully, there are hair care products in the Philippines like a good deep conditioner that can help nourish the hair back to its brilliance and shine, like the Ever Pure Anti-Brass Toning Purple Conditioner with anti-brass technology. Not only does it prevents lifting, but also deeply nourishes your hair and gives it the extra TLC it needs.
Temperature can affect hair color. One common reason for brassiness is rinsing with hot water because it opens the hair's outer cuticle, causing the color to fade faster. The best temperature for your hair is lukewarm to cool. Rinse off shampoo and conditioner with cold water to close the hair cuticles, just like how it closes the pores.
Another tip is to cut back on hair washing altogether. Since repeated shampooing and rinsing cause faster color fading, cutting back on your hair washes can help preserve color. Lastly, you can use shower filters or water softeners. Hard water has minerals that can easily discolor hair. If you know your area to have hard water, invest in a purifier or softener.
UV rays can easily turn your hair color brassy. Of course, it's impossible to stay out of the sun permanently, especially during the summer months, but at least try not to stay out too long without a hat or umbrella.
Like deep conditioning, a great way to keep your hair silky smooth, even when it's color-treated, is by using a hair mask once in a while. Hair masks are richer and more concentrated versions of deep conditioners that can give your hair extra shine and brilliance.
Whatever the reason, hair color will always be a head-turner, much more so if it's brilliant and on point. Don't let the fear of brassiness dictate whether or not you should color your hair, especially since a wide selection of hair care products targeting color-treated hair are readily available today.
Don't be scared of change. Embrace the boldness of your personality and let it come through! L'Oréal Paris understands that need and knows just how to empower the modern Filipina with a wide range of hair care and beauty products. Check them out today!
