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Health & Fitness

VANITYLAB Beauty Beehive: Why Does Hair Color Fade and How Can We Stop It?

Understanding the science of hair color and how to combat color fading.

A hair shaft has an outer cuticle layer that, when magnified, looks like shingles on a roof. When hair is healthy, this cuticle layer is cohesive, lies flat and keeps good things in hair and bad things out. Also, the health of the cuticle layer is what dictates your level of shine. (If the cuticle is rough and the "shingles" are open and rough, your hair will appear dull.)

A sensitized cuticle happens when hair has been compromised by chemicals, aged, exposed to moisture, sun or overheated by hot tools. When the cuticle layer is raised and open, we invite color molecules to fade out and the hair to attract unwelcome deposits like minerals.

Below are some tips to help optimize retaining your hair color:

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  • Use tepid water on hair. Use water that's too hot and you are promoting the opening of the cuticle layer.
  • Use color safe shampoo and color supporting conditioners.
  • Use pigmented products for maximum color retention. There are shampoos for red hair, brown hair, leave-in conditioners, etc. to help replace any pigments that wash out.
  • Minimize high heat implements and use protective sprays/creams when you do.
  • Avoid sun exposure! If you will be out in the yard, on a boat, on vacation, etc., please use products with UV protection and/or cover with a cap or scarf.
  • Avoid chlorinetoo! If you must swim, use a cap and saturate your hair with water and leave-in conditioner so your hair does not absorb much of anything bad.  Shampoo out any chlorine as soon as possible.
  • Get health trims. The ends of our hair are the oldest! If we keep removing the most damaged part, we will keep hair from splitting and weakening back up into the healthy shaft area.
  • Get conditioning treatments! When your cuticle is healthy, your hair color stays in. We use Serie Expert Power Doses that are instant and act like clear nail polish for your hair shaft. They're a BIG help- we don't do color without them!
  • Damaged hair and red hair colors are most prone to fading. If this is your case, please get the proper cuts, colors and home care products to take care of you special-needs hair. 
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