Colour Care vs Colour Deposit Shampoo – What is the Difference?
If you’ve spent weeks isolating, without the services of your hairdresser, you’ll know the value of a good colour. And once you have that colour, you’ll want to look after it and have it last as long as possible. After all, if you can stretch out those visits, and save some much needed $$, post-Corona Virus, then why not. Maintaining coloured hair in between salon visits is relatively simple, and comes down to 2 basic choices – whether to use colour care shampoo & conditioner, or colour depositing shampoo and conditioner. What is the difference, and how do these work?
Colour Care Shampoo & Conditioner
Colour care products are super gentle, and generally contain no sulphates, so they do not clean your hair as deeply as non-colour care products. This means your hair holds onto colour for longer, keeping it looking bright and vibrant. Many colour care products also contain some type of UV filter, to prevent hair colour fade. Colour care products we love are:
Salon – Schwarzkopf Bonacure pH 4.5 Color Freeze Rich
Helping to adjust hair to its optimal pH of 4.5, this range helps to protect your hair colour by not only sealing the surface of your hair, but it also freezes the colour deep inside the hair matrix for longer lasting, deeper colour. The keratin in the Shampoo and Treatment Masque help to fill structural gaps in hair’s outer layer and cortex, strengthening the hair structure, which helps to protect colour treated hair from damage and breakage, whilst the conditioner tightens the inner hair structure to freeze colour pigments in place for vibrant shiny colour. This range left my hair super soft and hydrated, and kept my colour lusciously deep and shiny. Micellar Shampoo 250ml RRP $27.95, Conditioner 200ml RRP $27.95, Treatment Masque 200ml RRP $27.95.
Grocery/Pharmacy – Sukin Colour Care
The nourishing Sukin Colour Care range contains a bounty of natural goodies for coloured hair. With Quinoa to help coloured hair vibrant for longer, macadamia to add moisturiser, and Kakadu Plum for shine and gloss, this 3-step routine will help keep hair colour deeper for longer. Affordable and sustainable, the range even uses imperfect Australian Macadamia nuts – deemed unfit for sale, further reducing waste. I found this range has kept my hair super soft and hydrated, even over the early colder Winter months, and it has kept my mid-brown shade looking healthy and shiny. The Masque is a multi-purpose wonder. You can use it as a traditional hair mask, as a wash out conditioner for extra hydration, and a leave-in for all day hydration through the Winter months, or whenever hair is extra dry. Colour Care Shampoo 500ml RRP $16.95, Colour Care Conditioner 500ml RRP $16.95, Colour Care Lustre Masque 200ml RRP $19.95. Shampoo and conditioner are also available in 1L size.
Colour Deposit Shampoo & Conditioner
Colour deposit products on the other hand, contain pigments of your hairs colour in the formula, which is deposited onto hair to help replenish hair colour. Whilst not as strong as the dye applied at the salon, the pigments in colour deposit products help to replenish colour lost whilst washing your hair or using heat styling products. They are a great option to keep your hair colour looking fresher for longer, as well as often helping to soften minor grey regrowth.
Salon – Keracolor Color + Clenditioner
Keracolor Color + Clenditioner is a 2 in 1 cleansing and conditioning product that infuses colour pigment into your hair, with colour becoming deeper and richer, wash after wash. Additionally, the rich pigments in the product may help to soften greys after continual use (I found the colour starting to take and greys soften after 2-3 weeks of use). The colour can be used on wet hair to refresh colour, or on dry hair for a deeper, more precise colour placement. Available in a range of colours from naturals such as platinum blonde, mocha, honey, silver, and red, to bold colours like pink, blue and purple, the versatile product can be used to add a temporary hue to pre-lightened hair, as a toner, or to maintain vibrant colour with each wash. Visit your Keracolor hairdresser to make sure you get the right product for your hair colour. Color + Clenditioner 355ml RRP $29.95.
Grocery/Pharmacy – John Frieda Colour Range
Originally a favourite of Blondes to remove unwanted brassiness, the John Frieda colour care range of Haircare is brilliant for preserving Brunette and Red hair colours too. Whilst the Sheer Blonde range removes unwanted brassiness and yellow tones in blonde hair – the Violet Crush range, which uses crushed violet pigment to gradually neutralise yellow tones in blonde hair is particularly good, the Brunette and Red range deposit colour onto hair for vibrant shine. Brilliant Brunette Visibly Deeper Colour Deepening range infuses deep brunette shades into hair, whilst giving a glossy shine. With continued use, the colour helps to deepen colour whilst subtly blending minor greys, and toning down brassy highlights in between colouring. The Radiant Red Red Boosting range helps to banish colour fade and dullness by enhancing and preserving red tones, keeping colour vibrant for longer. The range may also help blend minor greys in between colours, depending on your hair. The Brunette range leaves my brown hair visibly soft and vibrant, toning down any colour fade. Sheer Blonde Violet Crush Purple Shampoo & Conditioner 250ml RRP $17.99 each. Brilliant Brunette Visibly Deeper Colour Deepening Shampoo & Conditioner, and Radiant Red Red Boosting Shampoo & Conditioner 250ml RRP $16.49 each.
What do you use to keep your coloured hair looking vibrant for longer? Do you use any of these, or something else? Let us know in the comments below.
