Saving Money - Extending Your Hair Color!

2 out of every 3 women color their hair. In this economy, we all want to stretch our dollars and make our hair color last! Here are some ways you can get the most for your money.

Before your color:

• Wash with a clarifying shampoo a day prior to dyeing.
• Choose fade-resistant shades such as blonde or brunette. Reds wash away a week or two faster because they contain smaller color molecules, which escape from hair more easily.
• Pick the right formula. Demipermanents (like Clairol Natural Instincts) stay up to 28 shampoos, and permanent colors (like Garnier 100% Color Vibrant by Nutrisse) don’t rinse out but fade over time.
• Highlights – from a pro or an at home kids such as Revlon Custom Effects Highlights buy you the most time.

After your color:

• Wait 48 hours after your coloring before you shampoo. Dye molecules need time to set into strands.
• Cleanse with a shampoo for color-treated hair, which contains gentler detergents, and rinse with tepid water. Hot water expands the cuticle, contributing to fading.
• Install a shower head water purifier. Tap water contains chlorine, which is a bleaching agent. Even well water has minerals like copper that coat the hair and alter its hue. Try the iWater Shower Purification System.
• Use a conditioner or styling aid with built in sunscreens to prevent the sun from stripping your shade. Try Redken Color Extend Conditioner. UV filters bind to safe-guard strands.
  Spritz on a thermal protection spray such as Dove Heat Defense Therapy Mist before styling. Polymers prevent heat from penetrating hair and breaking down the dye molecules.
• Switch to an ionic blow dryer, which has tourmaline, a type of stone that generates negative ions that reduce frizz and cut dulling drying time in half.

On a regular basis:

• Apply a conditioning mask once weekly. The added hydration strengthens strands, making them less prone to environmental damage that causes fading. Also, creating a smooth surface helps hair better reflect light, making color look more vibrant.
• Three weeks post-coloring, switch to a color-enhancing shampoo every other time you wash.
• Monthly, use an at-home glaze gloss (available in clear and tinted formulas) to add high-wattage shine and intensify a fading shade.
  
  Source: Prevention Magazine, May 2009
  
  ~ Written by Elizabeth