As any stylist knows, hair color is an investment—you get what you put into it. And, the best way to protect your investment? By taking the time to care for your color. Using the right products in the salon and at home makes all the difference in the vibrancy and longevity of your color.
Why Color Care Matters
In order to understand why caring for your color-treated hair is so important, first, it’s important to understand exactly how coloring hair works. The process actually involves several components: first, the hair cuticle must be lifted to allow dye to penetrate the hair shaft. Then, natural color needs to be removed to make room for the new pigment. Most permanent dyes use ammonia to elevate the hair’s natural pH, which allows the protective cuticle to swell. Then, a peroxide developer is used to allow the desired pigment to penetrate the open cuticle.
This process naturally puts stress on the hair—and the more the cuticle is lifted, the more stress on your strands. Demi- and semi-permanent dyes can be a great option to cut down on stress, which a demi or semi-permanent solution. Above all else, the right hair care routine can help you extend the life of your color and repair overly stressed strands.
It’s All About Technique
In the salon, color care starts with the technique. Choosing the right color method can help limit damage while still achieving the look your client wants.
While traditional foils allow for a much higher lift and more controlled color, they also typically require the hair cuticle to remain open longer, meaning there’s the potential for more damage. If your client wants a level 8 to 10 blonde, you’ll want to use the right products to get her there and you'll also need to make sure she’s prepared to properly care for her color after she leaves the salon. Redken Flash Lift Bonder Inside reinforces weak bonds while achieving the lift – up to 8 levels! – that you are looking for. Without the need to bump the developer, this lightener gives you the same great results alongside added protection for your client's hair.
For clients who already have some damage, a less-stressing technique, like balayage, can give them the dimension and lightness they want, sans damage. Foilayage, or a combo of foils and hand painting, can also allow you to control your client’s lift and limit the amount of stress placed on the hair. To help ensure hair health following a balayage or foilayage service, have your client use Redken’s Color Extend Magnetics sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner, which work to fortify color-treated hair.
Coloring treatments can often lead to hair that, over time, feels coarse, dry, or dull. To bring back shine and vibrancy, use an intensive at-home color care treatment, like Redken’s Color Extend Vinegar Rinse, which rebalances the hair’s pH to boost shine and radiancy. For strands that feel dry, use the Color Extend Magnetics Mega Mask two to three times a week for intense hydration and richer color, or try the Color Extend Blondage Express Anti-Brass Mask for lighter shades.
A Personalized Approach
Just like your look is completely your own, your hair care routine should be personalized to you and your color. High-level blondes need products that combat brassiness, while cool-toned brunettes need products specifically formulated to nix unwanted warmth. As the beauty industry shifts toward low-maintenance hair color and embracing individuality, there’s no better time to help your client find a personalized color care routine that’s tailored to her unique hair goals.
Enter Redken’s Color Extend Toning Shampoos. With multiple formulas specifically designed to for blondes, brunettes, and gray/silver tones at all levels from 1 to 10, Redken is paving the way for personalized hair color care. While purple toning shampoos have long been the industry standard for ridding blondes of unwanted yellow tones, the recent launch of Redken’s Color Extend Brownlights shampoo and conditioner marks a shift in focus toward what’s fast-becoming the season’s biggest color trend: brunette. The line, which is specifically designed for brunettes, uses blues to remove unwanted orange and red tones from darker hair colors. This effectively eliminates warmth and prevents brassiness.
With proper color care, both in the salon and at home, you’ll have more radiant color and healthier, happier hair!