Vanessa Lamsee, hair colour expert
highlightscanada
(Aug.07.07)
Linda D. of Vancouver, B.C. emailed us at expert@sweetspot.ca: I like the way my highlights look right after they’ve been done, but they seem to lose their lightness very quickly. What should I do?…and our hair colour expert, Vanessa Lamsee, answered:
When highlights start to fade, the colour has been stripped away from the hair. Here are some tips to lengthening the life of your highlights and reducing the dull look:
Use a shampoo made for your colour-treated hair. An aggressive shampoo will strip hair of colour more quickly. Products designed specifically for your coloured hair (with pigment added) will be more gentle to the dyed locks, helping slow the loss of your highlights. Use these shampoos and conditioners one to two times per week.
Don’t over-process. When highlights appear to fade, it can be a consequence of over-processing (including blow drying), which causes colour to no longer hold to the strands. Similarly, using a straightener will dry out hair, making it appear lackluster.
Use moisture and shine. Hair glosses and moisturizing products help give the illusion of thick and shiny hair, which can boost the look of highlights. These products can also add shine back into dull-looking hair.
Vanessa Lamsee is a hair colourist at the Color Club for Hair in Toronto (118 A Yorkville Ave., 1-800-667-5267).