Choosing The Right Hair Shampoo & Conditioner For Colour Treated Hair?

Do you love to flaunt those mermaid shades or add a streak of vibrant colour to your hair? Who doesn't love themselves some colour, right? But, how do you care for your colour-treated hair? Regular shampooing of coloured hair might well become the downfall for your luscious mane. According to top hairstylists, one should wait as long as possible to wash the hair with shampoo and conditioner after a session of colour treatment.

However, the longer you wait between washes, the dirtier and more oily the hair becomes. So, how do you wash your hair to retain the colour for a longer period? The best way to keep your hair healthy, clean, and coloured is to choose the best shampoo and conditioner that suits your colour-treated hair. But how do you choose the best ones? Worry not! We have listed some of the most usable tips and tricks to select the right products to wash your hair. Let's take a look.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER FOR YOUR COLOUR-TREATED HAIR?

1. SELECT SHAMPOOS AND CONDITIONERS FORMULATED ESPECIALLY FOR COLOURED HAIR
Colour treated hair needs some extra special care to maintain its look. Hence, it is advisable to choose the best hair shampoo for coloured hair. It would help if you also choose a conditioner that is designed specially to fight against the signs of colour-fading.

2. CHOOSE A MOISTURIZING SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER
Coloured hair is chemically altered to change its appearance. The chemicals in the hair colour can cause the hair to become dry, frizzy and coarse. Thus, hydrating shampoos and conditioners for hair will provide moisture to the scalp and hair strands and ensure that the hair stays healthy and shiny.

3. AVOID THE USE OF SULPHATE BASED SHAMPOOS
Sulphates are known to act against the chemicals in hair colour and cause them to fade away faster than expected. So, if you want to maintain your coloured hair for longer time, always go for sulphate-free shampoos. Sulphate-free shampoos have lower pH levels, preventing the hair cuticles from opening quickly, allowing the colour to be locked inside. Also, you should make sure not to wash your hair daily to preserve the colour of hair.

4. CHOOSE HAIR PRODUCTS RICH IN COLOUR-PRESERVING INGREDIENTS
Amino acids, soy extracts, and sunflower extracts are known to preserve the hair colour chemicals, thus preventing the colour from fading. Sunflower Color Preserving Conditioner from Kiehl's is one of the best hair conditioners for colour-treated hair. It effectively preserves the colour and allows the hair retain the color for a longer time.

5. DAMAGE REPAIR SHAMPOOS ALSO WORK WONDERS
The chemicals in hair colour damage the cuticles of the hair. You will start noticing split-ends, rough edges and rough hair in the long run if you have colour-treated hair. The best way to prolong your hair health is to use a shampoo formulated to repair the damage done by colour chemicals. Thus, using a damage repair shampoo will help preserve the colour for longer, helping you avoid frequent colour touch-ups.

6. SELECT A SHAMPOO OR CONDITIONER THAT CAN PREVENT THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF HARD WATER
Hard water actively acts against the natural oils in the hair and causes the hair cuticles to open up. This results in immediate colour-fading. To avoid colour-fading due to hard water, go for a shampoo to reverse the harmful effects of hard water and prevent the hair-colour from getting damaged.

HARMFUL INGREDIENTS TO AVOID IN YOUR HAIRCARE

Although you may choose a shampoo for hair that is specially made for colour-treated locks, certain chemicals should always be avoided in your hair care routine to maintain healthy, soft and lustrous hair. These chemicals also cause hair loss and scalp irritation, turning the hair brittle and thin. Some of the chemicals in shampoos that should actively be avoided are:

1. ALCOHOL
The high alcohol content in shampoos can cause dehydration of the hair, making it brittle and dry. They also strip the hair strands of natural oils and quickly dry up the hair, causing breakage and split ends.

2. SULPHATES
Ammonium lauryl sulphate (ALS) and Sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) are the two most commonly used sulphates in hair care products. They are quite strong and have a high cleansing ability, forming rich lather and foam. However, sulphates are known to open up the hair cuticles, making the hair frizzy, dull, rough and prone to breakage and tangling.

3. MINERAL OIL AND PETROLEUM
Petroleum and mineral oil have ingredients that can moisturize the hair; however, these ingredients are heavy and can weigh down the hair, making it lose its bounce and shine.

4. FORMALDEHYDE
Formaldehydes are antibiotics that help in increasing the shelf-life of shampoos. However, formaldehyde in high levels are considered to be carcinogens and can cause scalp allergies and rashes through skin contact..

5. SODIUM CHLORIDE
Sodium Chloride (NaCl), most commonly known as table salt, is often used in shampoos to thicken their consistency. These salts can cause the hair to dry up by absorbing all the natural moisture from the strands. They can also cause irritation and itchiness when they come in contact with scalp or eyes. Over-concentration of salt in shampoos and conditioners is also a significant contributor to hair loss.

6. ARTIFICIAL COLOURS AND FRAGRANCES
If you are someone who has sensitive hair and skin,you should always avoid the use of conditioners and shampoos that have artificial fragrances and colours added to the formulation. These synthetic ingredients act as irritants and cause rashes and allergies to your skin and hair.

7. PROPYLENE GLYCOL
Although a significant ingredient in allowing nutrients to penetrate the scalp, propylene glycol can cause irritations to the scalp.

Keeping in mind these few simple points while choosing your hair care product and avoiding the use of certain damaging chemicals can go a long way in maintaining soft, shiny and healthy colour-treated hair for a longer period. You can take a look at the wide range of products at Kiehl’s that have been especially formulated for colour-treated hair and find the one that suits you best.