With Joico Global Brand Storyteller, Olivia Thompson
Want to know how to make your $200 hair-color worth, oh, say, $400? Just follow these insider tips from Joico Global Brand Storyteller, Olivia Thompson, and learn how to stretch that beautiful investment so it lasts waaaay longer than usual.
Why hair color does the big fade…
Although we’d like to pin it on one evil culprit, there are actually a whole host of offenders (and offending actions!) that cause even the most beautiful, expensive hair color to do a disappearing act on you. Many of them have something to do with heat. Just like exposing your face to steam opens up pores so you can do a deep clean, heat in all its forms (water, the sun, a curling iron…) opens up your hair’s cuticle, which is where color lives. When the cuticle is locked down, all is good. But when that cuticle is exposed to heat, the door opens, and color can escape. In order to stretch your color appointments, it’s important to follow Olivia’s shade-saving rules to a T.
Keep your cleansings to a minimum
Even with beautifully protective products, the more you wash…the more you wash color from your hair. Olivia herself does a full-on shampoo-and-blow-dry every Monday (and has actually trained her hair to require no more than a once-a-week cleansing); but will add another in on Thursday if Monday’s session included air-dried curls in lieu of drying and styling and she wants a big blowout. Which brings us to…
Dial back all that heat styling
Whether it’s a blow-dryer, flat iron, or curling wand, limiting thermal tools to one or two weekly sessions will go a long way towards protecting your professionally colored hair from damage. In between washes, indulge in Weekend Hair Dry Shampoo – which extends your ‘do for days, and doubles the longevity of investment hair color.
Find a great stylist and request Defy Damage:
Ask your hairdresser if he or she can use Defy Damage Pro Series 1 & 2 before and after your color service. This innovative bond-building twosome actually preps each strand for the rigors of chemical services, then seals, hydrates, strengthens, and adds glorious shine at the finish line; creating 80% more strength and 5X less breakage. This is especially important with blonde hair, explains Olivia, who likens a blonde strand to shingles on a roof. “When hair is lightened, holes are poked inside of the cuticle to let light in, making strands more susceptible to dryness. You need products that seal the “fabric” of the hair afterwards.
“Masque and Multitask”
Two days before Olivia gets her hair colored, she does an at-home treatment with K-PAK Color Therapy Luster Lock Instant Shine & Repair Treatment. “20 minutes before I get in the shower, I’ll dampen my hair and apply the masque. This actually preps and repairs my hair for the upcoming chemical service – replenishing moisture and creating a fresh canvas.”
Wash with “good” water
Minerals in your water system can actually monkey with hair color and cause off-tones. If possible, user a water-filtration system to keep cleansing as pure as possible. Or, at the very least, consider a final rinse with a jug of purified or filtered water. (If you’re only shampooing once a week, it’s not as time-consuming as it sounds!)
Don’t “boil” your hair!
Taking piping-hot showers not only cooks away color, but it can cause both frizz and even an overactive, oily scalp; so keep water (at least when hair washing) tepid in temperature.
Balance things out
Olivia recommends tag-teaming your cleansing routine with different shampoos for the perfect color maintenance. Always start with a protective “mainstay” cleanser, like Joico’s Colorful Anti-Fade Shampoo, stocked with nourishing, sulfate-free ingredients like Camellia Oil and Pomegranate extract. The brilliant formula preserves the vibrancy of gorgeous, investment hair color while nourishing each strand. The result is maximum shine, vibrancy, 3X more strength, and less breakage. Then, alternate with a depositing cleanser: Color Balance Blue keeps brunettes on-tone and wards off unwanted orange tones; Color Balance Purple maintains cool, clean, non-yellowy blondes.
Keep fair hair pure with Blonde Life
Like wearing white gloves every day, blonde hair tends to pick up every bit of pollution in the air – which can cause dullness, and even change of tone. By using Blonde Life Shampoo and Conditioner, you’re detoxifying strands and brightening your blonde every time you use it.
Turn down the heat!
Common sense: If a tool feels like it’s burning your scalp, remember that it’s also burning your hair. The solution? Turn down the temperature of your iron to under 400 degrees; hold your blow-dryer further away from the head; use a cool shot button; and be mindful of staying in one place for too long.
Have a menu of leave-in products on hand
Olivia’s go-to’s are Defy Damage Protective Shield, which wards off damage caused by heat styling and the environment; and K-PAK Color Therapy Luster Lock Spray, which gives the added boost of repair and maintains investment hair color for the long haul. “Hair needs protection when you’re using a thermal tool,” says Olivia. “Would you hold fire without gloves?”
