I wanted to know how those who, like me, chemically colour their hair, take the best possible care of it?

I use L'oreal Feria colourants, and their Colour care shampoos and conditioners right now, but am looking for healthier care alternatives.

I do plan on keeping my hair coloured for a while yet, so that is something I know I have to deal with along with taking the best possible care of my chemically treated hair.

Any input would be appreciated.

I like the Redken products for colored hair. I haven't colored since February, but before that I was religious about it - every 6 weeks. I still use it even though I haven't colored for so long because I figure the ends are still colored and they could use it. But I'm a newbie, so maybe someone else would be more helpful.

What colour is your hair? If you're dyeing to get darker hair, or a deeper/richer shade that's the same tone as your own, the best thing you could do is "cycle" between a semi-permanent and the permanent, or switch to something like henna.

If you're dyeing lighter, make sure you only do your roots, and don't push the colour down the length.
What you can do alternatley is foil highlights only around the hairline and parting, changing the positioning of the parting every month or so. Whether this works depends on how dark your hair is, and it works much better the closer the colour is to your natural colour.

If just using the permanent dye is for you though, the most important thing to do is what I mentioned above - only doing your roots. If you find you need to refresh your colour, a pigmented shampoo or conditioner is better than an all over application of dye.

Sunsilk makes a colour-enhancing range, as do a couple of other brands but most ranges are full of cones -these may work for your hair, but can be *evil* for coloured hair, especially if you get build-up.

The only range I've found that doesn't have cones in is henara, which uses chamomile and henna to give the colour-enhancing effect.
An alternative to a shop-bought colour enhancer is to add a very small amount of semi-permanent (the wash-in-wash-out type) colourant to your regular products on occasion. Any of these options are enough to refresh your colour and avoid the need to dye again.

As for choice of products, well, a lot of the choice depends on what your hair likes and dislikes, and your own preferances.

Dyeing strips the hair of protien, so shampoos and conditioners containing protein can be good - but not if your hair hates protien.

Generally, you can't go wrong with something light and moisturising, with deep treaments as needed. It's up to you if you use cones or not, but bear in mind that even if your hair likes them, you *may* need to clarify it every now and again, and the clarifying can strip colour.

I have noticed some people think their hair hates protien, when what it needs is extra-extra moisture after the protien. If you find this is the case, try a deep-protien treatment followed by a deep moisture treatment every week/other week/every month.

Yet other people have found their hair likes small amounts of protien, but can't deal with large, so a moisture-and-protien treatment, or a conditioner that contains protien can be great if this is you.

Lots of moisture is a good idea, perhaps try Snowy's Moisture Treatment, or Ursula's variation on it.

Basically, most of the general "kind-care" advice you see here applies, with the addition of being extra nice to it, avoiding things that will strip the colour, and being very careful with your handling of your hair.

Hope that helps:D

Heaven Draven, My natural colour is a deep brown auburn, but the red only really comes out when I am in the sun a lot. I originally was trying to lighten it enough to look as it does when I am in the sun a lot. But fell in love with the permanent colour I am now using.

The colour I wear now is called Ruby Rush and is a bold red of the Feria Power Red line. It looks great on me and I LOVE it, as does my DH. He was actually the one who suggested me colouring again, not that he didn't like the natural colour, but I was getting bored with my hair, which was growing out naturally.

I will follow up on your suggestions, and try to avoid over processing the mane length (sorry I couldn't resist :lol: ) when I recolour. I am terribly careful with my hair and even more now.

Thanks for the ideas and suggestions!

Ah, I see why you want to keep dying your hair - that is a very pretty red - and I also see why you'd have to stick with the permanent.

You know the tube of colour-booster that comes with the dye? Try keeping a little bit of that back for your "refresher", if you can. (You'd have to see the box to see what's in the colour booster, although as far as I know, it's just pigment.)

I use either Preferance or Excellence myself, although the next few times I'll be switching to Casting before switching to henna and indigo in the long term. The permanent dyes are just not doing me any good in terms of breakage.
I don't really get bad roots, because my real colour is a "soft black", but they're enough to annoy me because my hair grows so fast - so the idea of nil roots plus conditioning is very appealing:D

Oh, things I forgot before - regular S&D (search and destroy) missions where you look for split ends are a great idea on dyed hair.

Another thing I'd like to mention is to make sure to moisturize - some ideas are to add some honey to your conditioner (and/or aloe vera gel and oil), oil wet or dry, damp bun, use a leave-in (here I once again have to say how much I love SBCC (http://longhairloom.com/haircarerecipes.html#S) ) You'll find more info on all of these if you do a search.

Thanks for the compliment Heaven Draven...I do love the colour! :blush:

I will try the suggestion of saving the tube of stuff, will check the ingredients as well, as it may be a good way to boost the colour a bit without doing an all over colour again.

KarenLynn thanks for those suggestions as well...I plan on doing my dangedest to keep it well moisturized! As I do love my hair the way it is now, but want it as healthy as I can.

Such wonderful ladies and suggestions! :)

I've been coloring my hair for about 5 years. I usually just touch up the roots. Maybe once a year I'll do an all-over color to freshen it up. I CO and even when I used to shampoo, I never used products that were for color-treated hair. I'm addicted to moisturizing products.

Just an FYI if you don't yet know....

If you like those little tubes of conditioners that come in the hair color boxes, Sally Beauty Supply Store sells "Feria conditioner" as a regular, full-sized product....I believe it is very similar, if not the exact same, as the conditioners in the hair color boxes.

It does have cones, I believe/retails ~ $6 or so...

WoooooHoooooo!!!!

Sleeping Beauty! I love You! Thank You!

Yes, I know that stuff is probably full of cones and stuff, but Boy Oh Boy does it make my hair AWESOME Feeling and Looking!!!!

*makes note to run off to Sally's today before work to get some...

Just an FYI if you don't yet know....

If you like those little tubes of conditioners that come in the hair color boxes, Sally Beauty Supply Store sells "Feria conditioner" as a regular, full-sized product....I believe it is very similar, if not the exact same, as the conditioners in the hair color boxes.

It does have cones, I believe/retails ~ $6 or so...

I have TONS of that stuff because my dh doesn't use it when I color his hair. Oh great, I just let his secret out! Don't tell! LOL

How often would you suggest using it?? How long do you suggest leaving it in? the tube says 2 minutes.

I do like the softness & shine that conditioner creates on my hair!!! And the smell!! woooooooooo! hee hee

God Bless,
Shannon in NC

Shannon, I won't tell, Honest....

As for how long to leave it in, I always just follow the 2 minute thing for the most part with it. But, I also have had it in for the whole *rest* of my shower before rinsing it out, so that would be about 10 minutes and it didn't seem to cause any problems.

I just got my big tube from Sally's yesterday, and can't wait til the Sunday or Monday to use it!

Many Many Thanks Sleeping Beauty for this heads up!

Shannon, I won't tell, Honest....

As for how long to leave it in, I always just follow the 2 minute thing for the most part with it. But, I also have had it in for the whole *rest* of my shower before rinsing it out, so that would be about 10 minutes and it didn't seem to cause any problems.

I just got my big tube from Sally's yesterday, and can't wait til the Sunday or Monday to use it!

Many Many Thanks Sleeping Beauty for this heads up!

Thanks RhainyC!! I'll start using it more often now. :) <<Anticipating the AWESOME smell & shine!!>> hee hee :D

God Bless,
Shannon in NC

They told me at Sallys that yes the Feria they sell in the big tubes is the same stuff as in the coloring kits. It's in a white tube with black lettering. I haven't compared ingredients but yes it's great. Very worth the money. I use either L"Oreal Castings or Clairol Natural Instincts. I am a moisture freak when conditioning. Redken Butter Treat and Smooth Down have been great for my hair. The more and the heavier the moisture the better. Once in a while I'll do a protien treatment but not very often. I think you can keep your hair in good condition when you color. It might take a little more effort but it's worth it. I'm not going to stop coloring and henna isn't an alternative for me. You just have to figure out what your hair needs and what it doesn't like. It may take some experimenting.

Carolyn, Thanks for the support on colouring! I don't want to stop colouring just yet...I love the colour and my hair is in pretty darn good shape considering what I have done with it over the years.

I have used henna in the past and liked it, but it is way too much trouble for me with my life the hectic pace it has been these last few years.

Shannon, enjoy, I know I am going to! Bought my big tube yesterday and am trying to decide if tomorrow evening or sunday will be my next wash... :lol:

I have coloured hair. I dye it with Schwarzkopf's Brillance in Blue Black, I really love that stuff! But I will probably try to find some Herbal Essences' dye, I've heard it really lasts and doesn't fade. I used Feria before, but it really damaged my hair, and faded in two weeks.
Currently, I'm using Fructis Shine and Repair shampoo and condish. It is really moisturizing, so it is quite good for coloured hair. I like Schwarkopf's Sublim conditionner too, and Sunsilk's products for coloured hair.