How to Keep Dyed Hair Healthy

Whether you have bleached blonde, bold black, or somewhere in-between, color-treated tresses need extra attention. No matter how healthy your strands, bleaching and permanently coloring your hair will inevitably cause damage. The good news is you can protect your hair color and keep your dyed hair healthy with the right hair care habits. Keep reading for our complete guide to caring for color-treated hair.

We’ve put together the best expert tips and tricks to keep your bleached hair healthy, shiny and vibrant.

To promote healthy hair before dyeing your strands, prep them with a deep conditioning treatment in the form of a hair mask. Masking twice a week for at least two weeks leading up to your color appointment will deeply moisturize and reinforce the structure of your hair. Remember that hydrated hair is healthy hair, and you want to start with the healthiest hair possible. Apply the hair mask to lengths and ends of clean, damp hair. Leave on for 5 minutes, then comb and rinse thoroughly with cool water. 

You should never try to bleach or color your hair at home, unless you’re a professional stylist using professional products. With box color, you run the risk of getting something you weren’t expecting — the current state of your strands may not translate to the exact color you see on the box. A professional takes several things into account before putting together a very specific formula to get you the result you want. Do your research before choosing a stylist or use our salon locator page to find a Davines professional near you.

The more you wash your dyed hair, the quicker your color will fade. In addition, washing too frequently strips your hair and scalp of the oils it needs, resulting dry hair and damage. The best way to care for your color is to wash two to three times per week: use a dry shampoo on your off-days as needed, and see our previous post for more on how often you should wash your hair.

When you do wash your hair, use sulfate-free shampoo. Sulfates contain salt, which strips moisture — one of the main causes of color fading. Sulfate-free shampoos are gentle formulas that don't disturb the hair cuticle as much as regular shampoos. Use a sulfate-free conditioner every time you wash to make your color last as long as possible and follow up with leave-in conditioner.

The products you use on your hair make all the difference in the longevity of your color and the long-term health of your hair. Use only high-quality colored hair products, like those in our Alchemic and Heart of Glass lines, to protect color. Alchemic is a system of shampoos and conditioners with pure pigments that intensify and brighten cosmetic color, and Heart of Glass is a four-part regimen for maintaining the health and beauty of your blonde hair.

Hair masks are deep conditioning treatments that lock in moisture and keep your strands as hydrated as possible. They’re great for all hair types, but especially if you have dyed hair. Just 5-10 minutes of masking once or twice a week can add a super dose of hydration and healing.

Heat from blow-dryers, straightening irons and curling tongs aren’t just damaging to your hair, they also strip the moisture from your strands and compromise your color. As often as you can, air-dry your hair. See our previous post for heatless hairstyle ideas and more on how to air-dry hair.

The most important thing you can do to keep your colored hair healthy for as long as possible is to keep it hydrated. One way to do this is by minimizing the heat your strands are exposed to. Heat strips the hair of its natural oils and makes it brittle and prone to damage. It also disrupts the hair cuticle making it easier for color molecules to escape. To prevent hair damage and color loss, minimize heat in your hair care routine. Shampoo with lukewarm water and rinse with cold water after conditioning. Keep your heat tools on a low setting and prep with a heat shield for hair before using them.

A buildup of minerals can cause your strands to look dull and lifeless. To preserve color and prevent lackluster lengths, install a shower filter. This helps to reduce the presence of chlorine, sulfur, bacteria, iron, rust, copper, and lead — that sometimes winds up in tap water. Not only will using a shower filter help keep your color vibrant, but it will make your hair healthier in the long run. Impurities that buildup on your scalp can strip the moisture from your strands, making them dry and brittle. Hydrated hair is healthy hair so especially if you have bleached hair, using a shower filter is a must.

If you have color-treated hair, thinking about how your scalp and hair are affected during the night is important. It's especially important to consider the effect your sheets or pillowcases have on your hair. Friction is one of the main causes of split ends and breakage. Sleep on a silk pillowcase or wrap a silk scarf around your hair before bed so that your strands slip around rather than snagging and breaking as you toss and turn through the night.

One of the best ways to keep your color-treated hair looking its healthiest is to get regular haircuts or trims. Hair that is regularly trimmed is less likely to become damaged and develop brittle split ends, which can travel up your hair shaft toward your scalp. Get a haircut or trim every 3 to 4 months to keep your hair healthy and your color vibrant.

No matter how healthy your hair is, permanently coloring it will inevitably cause some level of damage. Protect your color and get healthy hair with the right hair care habits and only the highest quality products. All Davines formulas are free of harmful toxins, use natural ingredients, and are made with renewable energy and packaging that minimizes the environmental impact. Our hair care isn’t just good for your hair, it’s good for the planet.

by Jaclyn LaBadia, featured contributor

Photos by @goldandglowco