1. Take care of your hair from the inside out. A healthy lifestyle and a positive attitude promotes healthy hair and hair growth. Brittle, broken and damaged hair is quite often the result of stress and a poor diet.
2. Adjust your perm and styling routine. You may want to switch to a milder relaxer formula or a relaxer for color-treated hair after you get permanent hair color, suggests master colorist Rob Willis of Detroit, Mich. He suggests that you avoid alcohol-laden styling gels, holding sprays and spritzes that can dry out relaxed, colored hair, which can lead to breakage. Keep your hair conditioned and moisturized to maintain its health.
3. Fight fading color. Ask your colorist for a soap cap (mixture of shampoo, peroxide and water) to keep the color fresh between touch-ups. When washing your hair at home, use shampoo and conditioners for color-treated hair to help maintain your color's radiance.
4. Don't forget your eyebrows. For a more natural, softer look, have your colorist dye your eyebrows one shade lighter than your natural hair color.
5. Commit to your after-color maintenance plan. Some hair colorswill require more maintenance than others. The rule of thumb is thatthe further you venture from your natural hair color, the moremaintenance you're going to need. Ask your colorist for an after-caremaintenance routine and stick with it.
6. Don't get fired. Always keep your job's dress code in mindwhen choosing your new hair color. If you've got to have those hotrainbow highlights but you work in a conservative job setting, fake iton the weekends with colorful hairpieces and temporary hair color.
Source: Ebony. Powered by Yellowbrix.
