My old routine was just shampoo, conditioner, towel-dry hair and then let it air dry. I just got highlights for the first time and I guess I'll need to take care of it more in order to maintain its healthiness.
Any recs for good shampoos and conditioners? My lightest hair is probably a caramel color and I was just thinking of switching to the lighter Brilliant Brunette (I use the darker one now).
Also, how bad is heat styling for color-treated hair and what can I do to prevent damage when using a hairdryer?
Is there anything else I should do? My hair is actually pretty oily but would deep conditioning or a masque be neccessary now since it's been processed?
I don't do anything special with my hair except get it cut halfway between highlights and it seems to do well - not overly damaged or anything. I don't usually blow dry but that's only because I'm lazy.
I am using bumble and bumble color protectant shampoo right now and I really like it. It keeps my hair nice and clean looking. I switch around though and sometimes use Sheer Blonde but after I get through a bottle my hair gets use to it and doesn't do well with it and I have to switch (gets really greasy and fly away).
brilliant brunette is awesome. i find that it really brings out the contrast between highlighted and non-highlighted hair. when my highlights get too brassy, i like to use a color depositing conditioner or shampoo ( think the brand i use is called artec?) to tone down the brassiness. i'll use that maybe once a week and a little goes a long way... which reminds me, i'm out! gotta go to ricky's!
If you just airdry, you don't have to do anything special to it.
I use a color care shampoo (happen to like Biolage so I use it but you can use any good brand) and a super thick conditioner (use biolage but not for color care). It's important to have a moisturizing conditioner so your hair doesn't get damaged from the coloring and whatever styling products/tools you use on it.
If I'm going to straight iron or blowdry my hair, I put on a heat protectant or a spray detangler (my stylist says they accomplish the same thing). I use Aveda for that but only because my stylist who cuts my hair works at an Aveda salon. If I bought them where I get my hair colored, I'd probably bet some Bumble and Bumble.
If you have some good shampoo and conditioner, I'd just get a heat protectant (whichever brand you prefer) and spray that on if you're going to blowdry it. Sometimes I put it on even if I let my hair airdry to protect it from the sun a bit. Don't want the blondes to get too brassy. But I don't know if it actually works - may just work in my head, which is okay, too.
anything that is sulfate free is friendly to color treated hair. i use Kenra Platinum Color Lock shampoo and conditioner because not only is it sulfate free, but it also contains UV and antioxidants in it so that it protects your color and helps it hold longer and brighter than usual. in fact, i have a red panel in my blond hair and it hasn't faded one bit (i just colored 3 weeks ago) and usually by this time it has faded quite a bit.
also, air-dry vs. blow drying doesn't really make a difference. it is the sulfates that strip the color and the sun that fades it.
I use a heat protectant spray when I heat-style my hair. My favorite is Paul Mitchell Heat Seal. I can't really say if it works because I am too scared to go without it. Also, I would definately recommend a deep conditioning, at least once every other week, more (once a week) if you blow-dry daily.
I dont do anything special for my highlighted hair. I mainly wanted to post to say - post a pic of your hair!!! Usually you post in threadstyle but you havent since you got your hair highlighted!!
__________________
"Despite all your best intentions, sometimes, fate wins anyway."