AFTER-CARE

Wait at least 72 hours before shampooing when you first have your vivid colour done. 

We say this because it can take up to three days for the cuticle layer of your hair to fully close after a colour service. You'll want your cuticles to close because when they do, it traps in the color molecule - this is how your hair holds onto colour.

Shampoo your hair in cool water – as cold as you can possibly stand it! The reason for this is that hot water opens up the hair’s cuticle. Any time the cuticle opens, it releases the colour molecules. 

FYI, you will still see colour rinsing out... but you won't lose nearly the amount of colour you will if you were to use hot water.

Speaking of shampoo… you MUST use a professional shampoo that is colour-safe. If you don't, you will strip the colour from your hair. Even professional shampoos can cause your hair to fade prematurely if they aren't colour-safe.

If you aren’t purchasing your products from us, check in with your colourist before using any product you’ve obtained elsewhere to make sure it isn’t going to wreck your colour.  

Washing your hair too often is a no-no! With vivids, you don’t want to wet your hair at all, unless it's absolutely necessary.

Aim to shampoo as infrequently as is possible - once a week is ideal, even better if you can stretch it longer. You'll find that your scalp will get used to this new shampooing schedule, and your production of natural oils will adjust. 

Some of us simply just produce more oil than others - if that's you, talk to your colourist about professional products you can use to help stretch out your no-wash days if you feel like you're super grungy all the time. Dry shampoo, for example, is a wonderful thing.

There are tons of products out there that contain colour pigment - they are specifically made to help you tone, or even to refresh vivid colours. However! These products may not be right for your colour.

Always clear the use of pigmented shampoos/conditioners/treatments with your colourist before using them, or you risk wrecking your colour.

Don’t skip conditioner! Moisture is very important for the health of your hair, especially if you’ve got vivids. 

The porosity of your hair determines how well moisture and oils pass in and out of the outer layer of your hair (the cuticle). When hair is damaged, it becomes porous, which means your hair's ability to absorb and retain moisture is diminished.  Your goal is to keep your hair as healthy as possible so that your hair doesn’t become porous. Remember: healthy hair holds colour better. 

Chlorine is  t e r r i b l e  for your hair even if you don't colour it. But to go swimming when you have vivids? You may as well soak your hair in dishsoap. Bottom line - chlorine will ruin your colour almost immediately, so avoid it completely. If you are a swimmer and absolutely have to have vivid colour, you must always wear a swimming cap, and you must be ok with the fact that your colour just isn't going to last as long.

Avoid using heat tools completely if you can – they are notorious for causing premature colour-fading. Yes, we're talking flat irons, curling irons, crimpers and that scorching hot blow dryer of yours!

If you must use heat tools, ensure that you use a professional heat protection product every single time, and make sure you are using the product correctly.
Even with heat protection, use your heat tools sparingly and keep the temperature at 180 degrees (or less).  Some blow dryers have a cool setting - if yours has it, use it! 

UV rays cause all hair colours to fade, but they are especially hard on vivid colours.  Protect your hair from the sun!

Obviously, this is easier said than done because let's face it... we get some sun here. (Just a little, right?) So when you can't just avoid the sun, use a UV protecting professional styling product before you go out.
It doesn't matter if your protecting product is a treatment, cream or hairspray - as long as it has UV protection (and as long as it's colour-safe), you're golden!