Colour Protect Shampoo & Conditioner
If you colour your hair, you spend a lot of time and money making sure it is the right shade, flatters your skin tone, and hides the greys, so it makes sense to protect the colour, and make sure it lasts as long as possible – right? To do this, there are a few steps to follow, and we spoke to Kobi Bokshish, from the Matrix Australia Design Team to understand what you need to do to protect and prolong your colour.
To ensure colour longevity, you should use specific Colour Protect hair products, formulated to keep your colour as long as possible. How do they work? “Colour protect shampoo and conditioner will preserve the colour for longer, and provide the extra hydration that hair needs once it has been coloured. Most coloured hair shampoos contain UVA and UVB properties which will protect your hair from ageing and will give your hair UV protection. Specifically, a Matrix colour protect shampoo and conditioner aren’t going to add more colour into your hair, but they will keep your hair shiny and healthy”.
When looking for colour protection hair care, look for products firstly with UV filters, to prevent colour fade, and for Blondes products to protect colour and prevent brassiness, and secondly hydration properties, to keep your hair looking healthy and shiny, and prevent damage such as breakage, and split ends, and frizziness from lack of moisture. Some of our favourites are:
Matrix Biolage ColorLast Shampoo & Conditioner
Inspired by nature’s fade-defying orchid (which is depicted on the gorgeous packaging), Matrix Biolage COLORLAST Shampoo and Conditioner helps maintain the color depth, tone and shine for vivid color-treated hair. Colour is vibrant and protected for up to 9 weeks. The Shampoo is low pH, which helps prolong color vibrancy, whilst the gentle paraben-free formula gently cleanses and prevents colour loss. The conditioner is also low pH, deeply moisturising your hair, extending the life of your color. Your hair is left soft and detangled with extra shine and depth of color. The paraben-free formula is formulated specifically for color-treated hair. 400ml each, RRP $31.00 each.
Klorane Colour Enhancing Shampoo & Conditioner
Using the power of the Pomegranate, Klorane Shampoo with Pomegranate enhances colour by locking it in to make it last longer, increasing vibrancy and reducing dullness. The gentle cleansing formula is enriched with repairing agents and Moroccan pomegranate extract, which is traditionally known to be naturally rich in tannins that bind the colour and prevent fading. Hair regains softness, smoothness and is easy to style. Colour stays as radiant and intense as on the first day. The formula is silicone-free. Klorane Conditioner with Pomegranate, helps to instantly detangle, revitalise and enhance colour in two minutes, while penetrating deep into the hair fibre. The formula is enriched plant microproteins and pomegranate extract to lock in colour and provide intense repair. Both are free of silicones, and ideal for colour-treated hair. Shampoo & Conditioner 200ml RRP $13.95 (Shampoo also available in 400ml).
L’Oreal Elvive Colour Protect Shampoo & Conditioner
L’Oréal Paris Elvive Colour-Protect Shampoo is perfectly balanced to cleanse while protecting coloured hair and prolonging colour, whilst the Colour-Protect Conditioner instantly detangles without heaviness and nourishes and protects coloured hair and prolongs colour and vibrancy. Both the Shampoo & Conditioner contain Ceramide-R, which helps to repair damage and restore the hair cuticles resistance, to enhance hair texture and shine. Electrostatic conditioning agents and UV filters help nourish and protect coloured hair to prolong and accentuate colour vibrancy. Hair is left silky soft, and full of colour. 250ml each RRP $5.95 each. Both also available in 700ml.
John Frieda Colour Protecting Shampoo & Conditioner
John Frieda is Australia’s number 1 brand for Blonde, Brunette, and Red Colour Care. These brilliant Shampoo & Conditioner ranges not only protect your colour, they use ingredients within the shampoos and conditioners, to illuminate the spectrum of your hairs colour, maintaining colour for longer. The formulas create intense softness and shine, for beautiful healthy looking hair. The Brilliant Brunette Colour Protecting Moisturising Shampoo protects colour-treated brunette hair from colour fade by rehydrating and replenishing, whilst the Conditioner (both pictured), hydrates your hair and helps maintain vibrancy and shine as it seals in colour. Suitable for all brunette shades. Newly launched Radiant Red Red Boosting Shampoo & Conditioner (also pictured – replacing the existing John Frieda Red Shampoo & Conditioner), as the name suggests, is suitable for natural or colour treated red hair, and is formulated with pomegranate extract and vitamin E, to boost natural red tones in your hair, enhancing vibrancy and shine. Anti-fade technology locks in colour and prevents colour loss, to protect your red colour (as red is the most delicate colour of all, it needs extra protection). Shampoo & Conditioner 250ml each, RRP $15.99 each for Brunette, and $17.99 for Red. Stay tuned for a separate article on John Frieda Blonde Colour Care.
Pantene Pro-V Colour Protection Shampoo & 3 Minute Miracle Conditioner
Pantene has been Australia’s number 1 supermarket haircare brand for many years, and you can really see the results on your hair. The Pantene Pro-V Colour Protection Shampoo is formulated to protect and revive colour-treated hair. It penetrates into the hair’s core to cleanse, with micro-polishers to smooth and refine the outer layer of hair. The SMART Pro-Vitamin complex contains active ingredient histidine to help repair damage for long-lasting, radiant shine. The Pantene Pro-V 3 Minute Miracle Colour Protection Conditioner also has the SMART Pro-Vitamin formula featuring the active ingredient histidine, which is rich in antioxidant properties to help repair three months of damage in three minutes. Hair is left with long-lasting softness and radiant shine. Shampoo 350ml RRP $6.99, Conditioner 180ml RRP $6.99.
A’kin Colour Protect Shampoo & Conditioner
From a brand known for their natural, gentle products, A’kin Colour Protection Shampoo protects and enhances colour-treated hair. The gentle formula is enriched with quinoa to help reduce colour fade, as well as pro-vitamin B5 and natural arginine to strengthen and repair damage caused by colouring, and help improve shine and radiance. The A’kin Colour Protection Conditioner is silicone free, and restores shine and moisture to colour-treated hair. The formula is enriched with abyssinian oil and quinoa extract to ensure hair looks and feels healthier day after day. Shampoo & Conditioner 225ml, RRP $14.95 each (also available in 500ml).
Garnier Fructis Colour Last Shampoo & Conditioner
Formulated with powerful Fruit Actives, Garnier Fructis Colour Last Shampoo and Conditioner are formulated for coloured and treated hair. The exclusive paraben-free range is enriched with fortifying fruit actives which supplies your hair with the optimum injection of nourishment for hair health, shine, resistance and protection. Your hair colour is more vibrant (vs a non-colour protect shampoo) and glossy. Shampoo & Conditioner 250ml RRP $6.49 each (also available in 500ml).
m a k e Vibrant Shampoo & Conditioner
m a k e, an Australian company, believes the colour of your hair speaks volumes about who you are, and you shouldn’t settle for anything less then gorgeous for your hair. With this in mind, the Vibrant Shampoo, formulated with natural proteins, and Argan Oil adds in-depth shine and smoothness to colour treated hair. The Vibrant Conditioner is formulated with a powerful cocktail of moisturising, smoothing and shine enhancing proteins to keep your hair looking vibrant for longer. Shampoo & Conditioner 375ml, RRP $21.95 each.
Franck Provost J’aime my Gloss & Protection Shampoo & Conditioner
From the professional expertise gained in French Salons (in fact it is the number 1 salon brand in France), Franck Provost has created a line of professionally inspired Shampoos and Conditioners. J’aime (which translates to “I love”) my Gloss & Protection Shampoo & Conditioner are formulated with marine collagen, which is packed with moisturising elements to help bind keratin to your hair to retain colour longer. Goji berry helps protect your hair from external aggressors and colour fading, whilst the addition of diamond powder adds a radiant shine to your coloured hair. Your hair is left super soft, silky and smooth. Shampoo & Conditioner 300ml, RRP $18.00 each.
Tips & Tricks
In addition to using a colour protect shampoo and conditioner, there are a few other things you can go to prolong your hair colour and vibrancy.
Firstly, you should not wash your hair for at least 2 days after a colour. According to Kobi Bakshish, “In order for the hair dye to penetrate the cuticle of the hair, ammonia is used to elevate the pH level and lift the cuticle where peroxide is then applied to enter and break down the colour that is already inside the hair to make room for a new colour to be added. The cuticle will stay lifted as the new colour is deposited and begin to close when the colour application is washed out. The cuticle may not completely close for up to 72 hours after a hair colour is applied, so it is generally not recommended to wash your hair the day after a colour is received as you may remove some of the new colour from the partially opened cuticle”.
Always wear a hat whilst outdoors. Just as sun can tan and damage our skin, so to can the sun damage and fade our hair colour (even if you use a shampoo/conditioner with UV protection).
To keep your hydrated, use a colour protect mask on your hair 2-3 times a week, just as you would on your face. Masks penetrate more deeply than conditioners, and help treat, hydrate and repair hair that has undergone colouring (or other chemical) processes.
If your hair colour is drying out and losing its gloss, consider using a product to add gloss, such as John Frieda Luminous Glaze Clear Shine Gloss, which can either be used in-shower each time you wash your hair or weekly as an intense treatment to restore shine and smoothness to your hair. We’ve tried this, and our hair was super soft and shiny afterwards. 192ml RRP $16.99.
If you style your coloured hair regularly, you may find it dries out and becomes damaged quickly. According to Chad Wijayatilake, Pureology Australia Pure Artist, “Pureology Colour Fanatic Mutli-Benefit Beautifying Spray contains a unique Anti Fade Complex®, which is great for protecting colour from the environment. Although this product is designed for all types of coloured-treated hair, you don’t have to have colour to use it. It’s fantastic for anyone over 40! As we get older, we start losing that extra bounce and vitality that we use to have in our hair. In other words, our hair starts getting weaker. The Colour Fanatic Spray is perfect for this issue as it’s weightless and adds extra shine and frizz-control with just a few pumps! It also prevents the hair from split ends and strengthens the hair fibre preventing future damage. What more could you want? Well it also has heat protection, plus acts as great addition to your beach bag as an after-sun refresher – adding much needed moisture after a day at the beach. That’s right, it’s practically magic!”. With 21 benefits including, amongst others, protection against colour fade, protection against heat damage, excellent as a leave in conditioner, moisturising parched hair, helping to prevent breakage, and many more, it’s a must have for mature hair. 200ml RRP $44.95.
