With great hair color, comes an entire arsenal of hair care products to make sure it stays on my head.
BY SABLE YONG, ALLURE
As a double-process hair color veteran since 2015, I have chemically scorched my hair to hell and back in the name of platinum blonde, mermaid blue hair, and the chunky, face-framing highlights that I didn't know at the time would become the last two years' favored hair color DIY. I honestly cannot remember the last time I've allowed my hair to grow two inches past the root without accosting it with chemicals at the salon. What can I say? Being a hair-color chameleon is kind of my thing (and a lot less work than maintaining this charming personality).
However, as anyone who dabbles in double-processing knows, it wreaks absolute havoc on your strands — in some cases, melting them until they're the texture of overcooked spaghetti. I've tried nearly every hair treatment out there for breakage and damage control. I've even tried adapting my lifestyle to better care for my gorgeous-yet-fragile hair color. Is it expensive? Yes. Is it tedious? Can be. But so is owning a show dog, and this is a bit like having a show dog that lives on your head.
Before you do anything, find a colorist you trust
Not to doubt your skill and adeptness at following instructions, but there are many lessons box dye just cannot teach you, and really there is no substitute to having an experienced pro painting your strands. I've been seeing Elizabeth Hiserodt at Cutler Salon in New York City for years and she's deftly been able to lift me from my naturally jet-black hair to platinum blonde and plenty of colors in between whilst keeping most of it intact. So, find your own Elizabeth is what I'm saying. Also, if you're planning to lift your hair from very dark to very light, clear your schedule for the rest of the day. This is not a salon appointment that can be completed during your lunch break. Trust me.
Wash Your Hair Responsibly
Washing your hair is obviously necessary but unfortunately, it messes with your hair color. Plus, wet hair is more fragile than when it's dry, so why would you want to put it in its most vulnerable state more often than you must? (Everyone's wash day schedule is a personal thing that I will never judge!) My shower is basically a hair pantry, considering how many hair-care products I use in rotation. (Mind you, I wash every three to four days, so they last a long time.)
Davines' Naturaltech line has been a lifesaver for my hair — particularly the Nourishing Shampoo, Nourishing Keratin Sealer, and Nourishing Hair Builder Pack. They're super gentle and extremely moisturizing, making my hair feel like actual silk, despite being very straw-like, I kid you not.
Dry Your Hair Responsibly, Too
Wet hair must be babied so air-drying is ideal, of course. But also the towel you use to dry with can help (never rub, always blot and squeeze hair gently when towel-drying). I love Aquis's Rapid Dry Hair Wrap for its super absorbent material and easy-to-wrap-and-secure shape. I don't know about you, but trying to keep my hair wrapped in a regular bath towel is like trying to keep cats in a bag — they always wriggle free. This towel is a total keeper: I can easily do my skin-care routine or just sit on my sofa in my towel as I dissociate to TikToks, my freshly-washed hair safely nested on my dome.
Sometimes air-drying is just not the move, though. I can't always wait six-plus hours for my hair to fully air-dry before I leave the house. Very porous hair like mine hordes moisture so it takes me hours to air-dry. Hours! Because I'm an extremely fancy person with very unimpressive muscle tone in my arms, I use Dyson's Supersonic Hair Dryer. That air is hot and fast, and the dryer is blessedly lightweight enough that my arms don't feel like spaghetti by the end of my blowout. It has a temperature control feature that keeps the heat steady, so I don't unintentionally fry my hair. I usually air-dry halfway and then blow-dry on a medium-to-low heat setting to finish the job. Because I believe in science, heat protectants are absolutely necessary when blow-drying or using curling or flat irons. King informed me that the best time to apply them is a few minutes just before heat-styling.
The Hair Maintenance Extras
Anything that comes in contact with my hair must be soft, pliable, or Gucci (kidding, kidding…maybe). Seriously though, silk or satin pillowcases do help lessen frizz and breakage. Think about it — you're tossing and turning, pressing your hair against cotton or linen all night long. That can roughen up the cuticle, which leads to tangles, frizz, and then breakage. Quelle dommage.
I am also a fan of the Tangle Teezer because the bristles are flexible and yield to any tension when you're brushing through your hair, so it doesn't tear through knots — especially when you're detangling wet hair. Hot tip: Start brushing the bottom of your hair first and work your way up to clear through snags safely.
Truthfully, I am not loyal to any hair oils, especially after this TikTok from cosmetic chemist Javon Ford (@javonford16) broke my damn heart. I will sparingly swipe some coconut oil or Eva Nyc's Mane Magic 10-in-1 Split End Mender onto the ends of my damp hair to tamp down frizzies and add a bit of shine.