Going natural? 7 things you must know about hair colour

For long, natural hair was considered boring. But thanks to advancement; women can now transform their natural hair into various looks. Colouring is one of them; at some point, one may get the itch to spice up their look with some colour. However, before you colour your natural hair, there are a few factors you need to consider to prevent damage, dryness and maintaining its health:

Porosity: Hair colour gets to the cortical layers of the hair thus increasing its porosity. This leaves the hair dry. That is why you must condition regularly.

Elasticity: Colour-treated hair loses a lot of its natural moisture and as such, the hair may also lose its elasticity. Hair elasticity is what makes tying a ponytail easy. Without elasticity the hair simply gives up under pressure and snaps in its fragile condition.

Condition of hair: Colouring the hair can permanently damage your hair if done haphazardly without assessing the condition/health status of the hair. Keenly examine your hair and confirm it is not dry, not breaking or shedding. If it is, colouring your hair should be the last thing on your mind. Permanent hair colours to some extent damage the hair as it leaves the hair drier and weaker. The colours have agents that open up hair cuticles to reach the cortex and change your hair colour. It is thus important that you allow your hair to get back to health status before considering adding any colour.

Colour: It is important to pick a shade that compliments your complexion, looks good on you, though there is no written rule to who can wear what colour. There is always some level of damage when you apply colour to your hair thus choose a colour brand that will do the least amount of damage to your already fragile strands. Avoid colours that contain ammonia or other chemicals that can damage your hair further.

Be prepared: Taking care of coloured hair is not a mean task. Once your hair is coloured, firm up your regimen, which includes everything involved in the maintenance of colour-treated hair. Your lifestyle, schedule and even your budget comes to play. Can you afford keeping your coloured hair at its healthiest? Coloured hair means you have no room for slack. You must have a consistent hair regimen to avoid breakage, or your hair being damaged. For women who are too busy, go for highlights, which require less maintenance instead of colouring the whole head.

Care: Once your hair is coloured, whether at home or in a salon, you must adjust your regimen accordingly. Ensure you use conditioners and shampoos meant for coloured hair; they should be able to maintain the pH level and seal the cuticle of the hair so that the colour lasts longer. A good regimen will also ensure your hair is hydrated and remains healthy. Thus often moisturise your hair and ensure you condition after shampooing, drink a lot of water, avoid sunlight and wet your hair frequently.

Working environment: Ensure your hair colour is suitable for your working environment. You probably won’t be comfortable with full blonde hair colour in corporate Kenya.