how do i care for my new haircolor?
Plan for a Deep Conditioning Treatment and Gloss every 4-6 weeks to refresh your shade. With total transformations and intense chemical services such as heavy lightening, expect the shade to change more quickly. A Deep Conditioning Treatment will work to repair your hair, allowing it to hold color longer. A Gloss revitalizes the hair color so you can keep the shade you want. A gloss refresh and style is great for blondes or multi-dimensional hair color (ie - lived in color). It does not bring color up to the roots, so if you need root coverage you should schedule a root retouch every 4 weeks.
Wash your hair infrequently. In order to achieve this goal, you may need a dry shampoo or other product to extend your wash. Remember that every time you wash your hair, you will change the shade. If you are a person who absolutely must wash your hair daily, then a color transformation service may not be for you.
When you wash your hair, use only salon approved color preserving shampoos. Unfortunately not all hair products are created equally. Over the counter shampoos like those found at a drug store, big box store, or grocery store will strip your color. Sometimes you can buy professional hair care brands at grocery and drug stores, but this is actually “Diversion” and the quality of the product may not produce the results you would expect, especially to preserve your color. You can read more about Diversion here. Protect your investment and buy your after care products from the salon, or an authorized distributor.
Remember, Fashion color is temporary, it will lighten significantly with every wash. Pick a color you will love as it lightens to a beautiful pastel. Only use the shampoo and conditioner your stylist recommends. Ask your stylist about making a custom conditioner in your shade to extend the life of your color. Plan to come back to the salon for a refresh service every 4 weeks to refresh the shade. Your stylist will recommend exactly what service to schedule based on your specific needs.
Bleeding is often unavoidable with hair color. To protect your clothes, upholstery, and sheets, make sure your hair is completely dry. We recommend avoiding or protecting light colored clothing and sheets when wearing fashion colors. Hand Sanitizer will remove color from your skin.
Use a heat protectant styling product to extend your color. Mood Swing, by R&Co is an incredible heat protectant spray and offers UV protection too!
Avoid the sun! UV rays further damage your hair and remove color. Wear a hat when you are outside and avoid sun exposure for extended periods. Mood Swing by R&Co, and Universal Protection Spray by Oribe are two products Alter EGO offers for UV protection.
Avoid chlorine and salt. Both can change the texture of your hair and thus change the color. Chlorine will often lead to a green deposit, and salt tends to dry out hair which leads to color removal. If you are going swimming, wet hair with non-chlorinated water first and put conditioner in your hair as a barrier. Tie your hair up in a bun or cover it with a cap and do your best not to get your hair wet. Wash your hair immediately after swimming, do not let chlorinated water dry into your hair.
Repair your hair! Sun, brushing, washing, heat styling, hair ties, and color are just a few of the ways you may damage your hair. Olaplex is a product line designed to repair broken bonds and rejuvenate your hair, increase tensile strength and restore elasticity, and protect the hair follicle from further damage. Olaplex offers in-salon and take home treatments. Ask your stylist which one is right for you. Healthy hair retains beautiful color the longest.
Reach out! If you have a question about caring for your hair, drop us a line using the text button below, chat, or phone at 919-832-6239. We’ll help you make the best decision to protect your beautiful investment.