With Summer around the corner, there’ll be many of us going for a lighter shade of hair colour, whether it’s highlights, ombre, or a complete colour change. Going lighter can sometimes damage the hair, so before you head to the salon treat your hair to a little TLC to minimise the damage and give it an extra treat after to keep it in top condition.

BEFORE COLOURING

1. The healthier your hair is before you colour it, the better it will be after! Before you have your hair coloured, try to cut back on shampooing to give your hair a break from not only shampoo but also heat damage from the hair dryer.

2. Switch to sulfate-free products on the run up to your appointment – they are much more gentle to hair. We love both Wella Elements and Tigi S-Factor Health Factor.

3. 1-2 days before colouring, use a deep conditioning mask such as Moroccanoil Restorative Hair Mask or Macadamia Deep Repair Masque – masks aimed at damaged hair will help nourish and add elasticity.

AFTER COLOURING

1. After colouring, even if your hair feels in good condition,  use a treatment that is aimed at restoring keratin to strengthen your hair and lessen any damage. Hair that has been smoothed with keratin requires a lot less heat styling, which then means less damage in the long run!

Our favourite treatments that contain keratin are Wella SP Luxe Oil Keratin Restore Treatment Mask to improve hair texture and Redken All Soft Heavy Cream for hair that feels a dry or brittle.

2. When it comes to washing your hair, look for a colour fade shampoo and conditioner to stretch out your salon visits and replenish the colour. Our favourites are Redken Colour Extend Magnetics to lock in colour radiance and Paul Mitchell Colour Protect Daily Shampoo & Conditioner for those of you who wash your hair regularly.

3. If your new hair is blonde, or blond ombre, your new best friend is silver shampoo. Silver shampoo’s will actually be purple in colour – and they will neutralise any yellow tones, keeping your hair from going brassy. Try Clynol Silver Shampoo once a week, or if you prefer sulfate-free formula’s try Paul Mitchell Forever Blonde Shampoo & Conditioner.

So the next time you’re heading to the salon, try out these simple tips before colouring to keep your hair healthy!