Hair Color 101: The 4 Things You Must Do Before You Color Your Hair
Getting over a breakup or just plain bored when you look in the mirror? There is no better way to shake things up than with a new hair color!
You may be ready to dive in, but have you really thought it through? Two of Atlanta’s premier hair care specialists, Diasha Hollingsworth and Metowi Willingham, give their expert insight on four things you must do before you color your hair.
Get a Consultation
Metowi says, “Getting prepped for the color of a lifetime requires some research and also consultation if you have a stylist you trust. You wouldn’t want to entrust just anyone with your precious tresses, now would you?”
Whether you consult a stylist or are coloring your hair yourself, the three most important things to consider according to Metowi are “your hair-color goals, maintenance required, and your lifestyle.”
Make A Style Inspiration Board
Thanks to social media sites such as Instagram and Pinterest, your dream hair color is right at your fingertips. Make a Pinterest hair-color vision board to show your stylist your color inspirations.
Prep Your Hair
Whether you are coloring your hair at home or in a salon, the proper preparation and upkeep is necessary to prevent hair damage and also extend the life of your color.
All color applications have the best results on healthy hair. Diasha advises, “Be sure your strands are in good condition, i.e. no breakage, no excessive shedding, not too brittle and dry.” If your hair isn’t quite ready for color, take a few weeks to give it some TLC.
If you are coloring at home a good option is Clairol Textures & Tones, which was designed specifically for women of color. Their at home treatment not only gives you long-lasting color but also provides you with a moisture-rich condition for relaxed or natural hair.
Another important factor for relaxed ladies is the date of your last touch up. To prevent damage when using permanent color, you must wait two weeks after your last relaxer application.
Understand The Upkeep
To keep your color vibrant and healthy, deep conditioning once a week is key. Metowi recommends “sleeping in a satin or silk scarf nightly, and maintaining healthy hair practices such as hydration treatments and regular trims.”
Diasha echoes the importance of hydration, as well as reminding us, “Color can make all hair types a bit dry. Therefore, use color-treated, protective products and minimize the use of heat on your strands.” It will also be helpful to find out the necessary maintenance schedule to cover your roots or gray hair.
PHOTO CREDIT: Clairol
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