Lightening your hair is a great way to freshen up your look, it can add both depth and texture. Whether you want a few highlights, balayage or want to go full platinum, at Canberra Hair Extensions, we’ve got you covered. We also believe that healthy hair is beautiful hair, so we always recommend a pre-colour treatment. In this article, we explain why a pre-colour treatment is so important to the health of your hair.
What is a pre-colour treatment?
Pre-colour treatments are specially designed to prepare and protect your hair from the lightening process. It’s like priming and moisturising your face before applying makeup. We want to create an optimal base for the hair dye to colour your hair. Pre-colour treatments can remove excess colour build-up and discolouration. They also allow for an even colour distribution, colour retention and prolonged vibrancy.
It’s no secret that lightening your hair can be damaging, especially when it’s done often or over a long period of time. That’s why we use products that are as natural as can be, however you should still opt for a pre-colour treatment to get the best protection possible. Pre-colour treatments are designed to protect your scalp and hair from damage. This is especially important if you lighten your hair on a regular basis.
Your pre-colour treatment regimen will likely be made up of a few steps and different products, including something to remove build up and others to add strength.
Why is it important?
Below we explore a few of the reasons why a pre-colour treatment is so important:
Create a clean base
As with most things in life, it’s important to start with a clean slate. If your hair has build-up from old colours, styling products or even environmental factors then the colour won’t grab as well. No one wants a patchy dye job!
There are different types of pre-colour treatments, part one of preparing your hair for a lightening or intensive colour service is clarifying your hair and cleansing off all the old nasties. Certain products contain high levels of silicone and old colour can create what we refer to as ‘build up’ on the hair.
We recommend a clarifying treatment before each lightning application to have the best chance at the colour doing it’s thing properly. Our favourite is an intense clarifying shampoo (we stock a few) or the Wow Dream Filter spray which actively removes mineral and product build up to perfectly prime the hair. It creates a perfect base for the colour to attach to. It removes chemical build-up meaning the colour molecules can enter the hair shaft evenly and effectively.
Minimise damage
Unfortunately, some level of damage is to be expected when going lighter, however pre and post treatments (and a good hairdresser) are the secret to healthy blonde hair. A pre-colour treatment strengthens the hair prior to lightning. It also helps to strengthen the most fragile parts of your hair like the soft baby hairs around your face which are extra prone to breakage.
Even if you have never coloured your hair before, we still highly recommend following this process. Colour isn’t the only thing that can weaken hair, long hair becomes brittle with age (of the hair that is – long hair is usually 4+ years old), heat styling and environmental factors also play a part. So repairing your hair before you get started gives your hair the best chance possible of staying luscious on your lightening journey.
Our favourite pre- colour strengthening treatments include:
- Olaplex
- K18
- Vitaplex
- Kevin Murphy Re.Store ro Hydrate. Me range
We have a great range of treatments available and can match one to you and your hair in a consultation, which we always suggest before a big colour transformation anyway.
Create even colour distribution
Treatments such as strengthening, protein or ‘plex’ treatments even out the ‘porosity’ of your hair. This is important because if you apply colour directly to dry or overly porous hair the colour result won’t be even. Using a protein-based pre-colour treatment helps to hydrate your hair and fill in any ‘gaps’ in individual strands. This helps with colour distribution leaving you with a silky, smooth result. It allows the colour to attach evenly from the roots to the ends.
Get the most out of your colour
Colouring your hair is a process and requires maintenance. But no one wants to spend hours at the salon every few weeks. Pre-colour treatments boost the longevity of your colour meaning maintenance is reduced, helping you stretch out the time between salon visits. This should keep your hair and wallet happy. It may seem crazy investing in these products before you colour your hair, but preparation and home haircare are key to your colour lasting as long as possible, it’s like insurance for your hair!
Pre-colour treatments also optimise colour vibrancy. They do this by removing old build-up which can make your hair look dull. Pre-treating your hair allows it to stay vibrant and brighter for longer.
Pre-colour treatments for grey hair
Grey hairs have lost pigment and are often dry and porous in their nature even before they have been coloured. . Therefore, they often resist absorbing colour. If you’re wanting to colour grey areas of your hair, it’s important to use a pre-treatment to soften the hair. A treatment penetrates deep into the hair cuticle which allows for better colour application. It also means the hair follicles will retain the colour for longer. And let’s not forget – healthy hair is youthful looking hair. Grey hair is absolutely stunning, but no colour looks great when it is dull, dry and unhealthy looking.
Haircare becomes even more essential when we start introducing artificial grey or embracing natural grey to maintain its vibrance and shine.
Colour your hair at Canberra Hair Extensions
At Canberra Hair Extensions, we specialise in blonde, balayage and lived-in colours. We’re passionate about giving you the hair of your dreams whilst maintaining its health. We recommend the use of pre-colour treatments to protect, prepare and correct your hair. We’re happy to speak with you about your long-term hair goals. So, give our hair salon in Dickson a call today and we can create a custom colour plan for you!
