Hair

Keeping Your Color Vibrant

Summer is usually the time when ladies choose to spice up their hair with color. Highlights are extremely popular, for not everyone wants to commit to an all over color change. If you're going to color your hair, there are some important steps you should take in order to preserve the vibrancy and richness of your new shade. The latest issue of Essence magazine ("Hue Do You Love?" pg. 34, July 2009) offers some great tips for how ladies can care for their color-treated hair. Find your shade below and follow some of the advice given by some of the industry's top hair stylists to ensure that your color doesn't fade before summer is out.

Red Heads

• Red dulls the fastest, so cover and protect with a vengeance (hats, leave-in conditioner, SPF for hair), especially in the summer.
• Guard against the sun, salt and chlorine with protective products like Redken Color Extend Sun After-Sun Mask ($15, visit redken.com for a salon near you).
• "Red hair fades quickly, so wash the hair less often: every ten days, not seven," says color guru Philip Pelusi. Surfactants from shampoos fade color.
• Revive reds with an at-home glaze like John Frieda Collection Luminous Color Glaze in Radiant Red ($10, drugstores).

Brown/Brunettes

• Remember, highlights don't have to be blond. Kick up rich browns with a jolt of toffee highlights.
• In between color treatments add luster with a professional clear demi-permanent procedure.
• Avoid permanent color if your hair is weak. Opt for demi-permanent instead. You'll still achieve noticeable vibrance.
• All color loses its brightness over time -- even brunettes should use color-specific products like Pantene Brunette Expressions Shampoo ($5, drugstores).

Blonds

• Unless you're rocking a really short crop, keep blond color away from the fragile hairline, one or more inches.
• Step-up your blond tresses with chamomile tea. "Steep tea to a dark tone, cool, then apply to washed hair. Leave on five to ten minutes, apply conditioner, then rinse," says Pelusi.
• Chlorine will turn blond hair green, so golden girls should stay clear of the pool and protect with Rene Furterer Okara Protect Color leave-in conditioner ($26, Sephora.com).
• Shield color against the sun with a coat of conditioner. If you get chlorine or salt water on your hair, rinse right away.

Some other great tips offered in the article, which I think are really important are:

• Know your limits. Diane Da Costa advises women to commit to color they can truly keep. With highlights, salon visits can be every three months, with permanent color every three to four weeks.
• Turn to a pro. Drugstore permanent color can only lift your hair up to two levels, or eight shades. So if you want to go lighter with permanent color, see an expert.
• Try pieces. "If you can't grow it, sew it," says Stanko. If your hair isn't in the best condition, weave in colored hair or try detachable pieces.

I think the last tip is a great one, as you don't want to ruin your locks by overprocesing it with color. Clip in hair extensions, wigs and weaves are a great way to play with color without damaging your hair or making a commitment you may not want to keep.