Colour-treated hair can completely transform your look, brighten your face, and enhance your personal style. However, anyone who colours their hair knows that the beauty of the colour isn’t eternal: chemical stress, frequent washing, heat, and external factors can dull the shine and make the hair fibre more fragile. Taking care of it with a targeted routine is the only way to keep your colour vibrant, your hair soft, and your results luminous over time.
In this article, we’ll explore how to treat colour-treated hair, which products to prioritise, and the everyday steps that can really make a difference.
What happens to hair when it’s coloured?
Colouring alters the structure of your hair because it opens the cuticles to allow pigments to penetrate the shaft. While necessary, this process leaves your hair more exposed to dehydration. Over time, especially without a proper care routine, the hair surface can become rough, the colour may fade, and the shine diminishes.
You may have noticed that colour-treated hair becomes drier, less elastic, and harder to style, this is a clear sign that your hair fibre needs specific and consistent care.
The essential routine to care for your colour-treated hair
Caring for colour-treated hair begins with choosing the right products and continues with daily steps that help your hair fibre remain elastic and hydrated. When washing, gently massage best shampoo for coloured hair into the roots without rubbing the lengths, so you avoid stressing hair already weakened by colour. Let the lather flow down during rinsing to remove excess product, keeping the lengths soft and silky.
Rinsing is equally important: warm water protects the cuticles, while a cooler final rinse helps them close, enhancing light reflection and colour shine. After gently towel-drying without rubbing, apply conditioner from mid-lengths to ends, detangling without stressing the fibre and preparing your hair for styling.
When blow-drying, minimise direct heat and keep the hairdryer at a safe distance. A gentle style, created with slow movements, protects the hair structure and keeps your hair more uniform and shiny.
Caring for each step of your routine helps maintain a stable colour and stronger, softer, more radiant hair.
How to keep your colour looking vibrant longer?
To maintain a vibrant colour, focus on the quality of your hair fibre. Healthy hair has a smooth surface that reflects light, making your colour appear more intense. Regular hydration not only keeps your hair soft but also helps pigments remain longer within the hair shaft. Specific treatments, such as hair gloss, create a light barrier that protects the colour and intensifies its reflections.
When exposed to the sun, remember that UV rays can oxidise pigments, causing tones to fade or shift. Protect your hair with UV-filtering products or accessories like hats and scarves during the hottest hours. After days at the beach or pool, wash your hair carefully to remove chlorine, salt, and dust that can weigh down the hair fibre and dull your colour.
Water quality also plays a role: hard water leaves mineral deposits that reduce shine. A final rinse with slightly acidic or filtered water helps close the cuticles and improves light reflection, making your colour appear more intense and uniform.
Different types of colour and how to care for them
Not all colour treatments behave the same, so your routine should adapt accordingly. Permanent colours last longer but can stress the fibre, while a semi permanent hair color gives softer tones, a luminous effect, and requires different care as it fades more quickly. Knowing the nature of your colour allows you to choose the right products and intervene when the colour starts to fade.
If you’ve opted for modern techniques like balayage or blonde balayage, take care: hair lightened at the lengths and ends is more sensitive and needs nourishing treatments to maintain natural, even tones. Even ombre hair requires attention to the lengths to preserve the gradual colour transition. Hydrating masks and targeted treatments help maintain colour depth and prevent hair from appearing dull or lifeless.
Professional tips to prevent colour fading
To preserve your colour, avoid washing your hair too often. Daily washing exposes the hair fibre to constant mechanical and thermal stress, opening cuticles and accelerating pigment loss. Alternating wash days and using gentle shampoos helps keep colour more stable and long-lasting.
When using heat styling tools, ensure the temperature is moderate and always apply a heat protectant. Allowing your hair to air dry on days when you’re not in a hurry also helps the fibre regenerate and keeps the colour vibrant. Regularly check your ends: trims and targeted treatments prevent dullness and ensure a uniform colour from root to tip.
Esla Italy treatments for colour-treated hair
Professional Esla Italy products are designed to nourish, protect, and enhance every shade of your colour. With formulas rich in protective and nourishing ingredients, they wrap the fibre and help maintain shine and softness wash after wash. Using products specifically formulated for chemically treated hair gives you stronger, more elastic, and radiant hair with a colour that always looks alive and vibrant.
Taking care of your colour-treated hair means paying attention to the fibre, protecting your colour, and using products specifically designed to keep it luminous and soft. A complete routine including gentle shampoos, nourishing treatments, and hair gloss ensures your hair stays healthy and your colour stays intense for longer.
If you want to discover the professional Esla Italy treatments that suit you best and receive personalised advice for your routine, fill in the form below.
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