How to Protect Coloured Hair: Your Ultimate Guide

Whether you have your hair coloured at your favourite hair studio or do it at home, your tresses are exposed to harsh chemicals while colouring. It makes them prone to frizziness, dullness, damage, and breakage. And nothing is more frustrating than paying a handsome amount of money to get a trending hair colour only to have it fade after a week.

In this guide, we've listed 08 simple and easy tips and tricks to help keep your coloured tresses healthy and protected.

Let’s get started!

When you dye your hair, your cuticle layer opens. If you wash your hair right after colouring, the cuticle layer may still be open, and the dye may wash away. The cuticle layer can take up to 72 hours, i.e., three days, to close completely. So, the longer you wait, the deeper the colour pigment will seep into the hair cuticle and give the desired results.

The type of shampoo you use plays a significant role in maintaining hair colour and the natural oils present on your scalp. You should avoid shampoos with harsh chemicals like sulphates and alcohol. They'll take away your hair's colour and moisture.

Make sure you use a moisturising colour protection shampoo and conditioner. Conditioners help to seal the cuticle and trap moisture, giving your hair more gloss, volume, and lustre. Colour-safe shampoos and conditioners maintain your hair colour and do not let it fade too soon. They also have nourishing substances that help to rebuild and repair hair. For example, the GK Hair Silver Bombshell Shampoo is specifically formulated for blonde hair. The deep violet pigment formula neutralises brassy, yellow-orange tones in your hair and enhances the blonde shade.

Whatever the season, the sun's rays are harmful to hair and can also fade away its colour. Try to stay away from direct sunlight. When you're outside on a bright day, use UV-protecting products to save your colour-treated hair. There are also some UV-protection treatments that use a vitamin blend to restore colour-treated hair and prevent future damage. Wear a hat if you know you'll be outside in the sun for an extended period of time. Use a moisturising spray with SPF to protect your coloured locks throughout the summer. The GK Hair UVA Colour Shield Shampoo offers the best sun protection for coloured hair.

Heat depletes colour and hydration, resulting in damaged hair. Before blow-drying or styling your hair with heating equipment, use a heat protectant spray to help prevent these problems. Heat protectant sprays will help keep your colour by reducing moisture loss from within the hair, smoothening the outside of the hair, and protecting your hair from humidity after being heat styled. Try the GK Hair ThermalStyleHer Cream. To keep the intense heat from taking the colour out of your hair, we recommend that you work with the lowest heat on your equipment setting and move up only if it is necessary.

If you want your hair colour to stay for longer, you should avoid washing it every day, especially if you have a strong hue. With frequent washing, you’re not only rinsing away the natural oils that nourish your hair but also washing away the colour. To keep the colour locked, wash your hair only 2-3 times a week. Unless you work out a lot, you shouldn't wash more than that. Change your shampoo and conditioner if your colour is fading quickly and your hair remains oily even after frequent washes.

Use colour protection dry shampoos on days when you don't want to wash your hair. They can make your hair feel cleaner and bouncier as if they have been blow-dried. You can also use colour-tinted dry shampoos to retouch your hair colour without going to the salon.

Give your colour-treated hair a deep-conditioning session once a week to improve its lustre. Apply a deep conditioner to damp hair and comb it through. Start at the roots and work your way to the tips of your hair. Make a bun with your hair, or cover it in a soft, warm towel and leave the conditioner in for 30 minutes. After you wash it off, you'll be left with softer and shinier hair. The GK Hair Deep Conditioner Masque made with 100% natural seed oils is known for providing protection to coloured hair. The advanced formula hydrates and creates a shield over each hair strand.

The elements in leave-in conditioners produce a protective coating around the hair shaft. They reduce sun damage and soothe post-processing frizz. They also protect your hair from the damage caused by heat styling appliances. A leave-in conditioner can also help detangle your hair while protecting it from environmental aggressors. GK Hair Leave-In Conditioner Cream is the best for the protection of coloured hair as it creates a protective shield on your hair strands. If you frequently use a blow dryer, curling iron, or straightening iron, or if you spend a lot of time near a heater or in the sun, you should consider investing in this product.