- The best thing to do to seal your hair cuticles after dyeing your hair is to wash your hair with an acidic shampoo and then use a post-color mask. And I’ll teach how to do that correctly today.
- You could also opt for a few different masks specifically made for sealing your cuticles, which you’d need to use on the middle and ends of your hair after washing out the dye, leaving the mask in for five to ten minutes.
Each and every strand of your hair is made up of three different layers:
- The cuticle, which is the first and outermost layer
- The second, the cortex
- And the third: the nucleolus
It is key that you fully seal your hair’s cuticle after dyeing it to prevent your hair from becoming porous, opaque, and prone to breaking since it is the most exposed layer of your hair.
When you dye your hair, you open the cuticles so that the dye can penetrate the cortex, which is where the color change takes place.
If you leave the cuticles open, your hair will first dehydrate, weakening it, and secondly, you’ll allow the dye pigments to escape quicker, making your color last much less time.
That’s why it’s so important to correctly seal the cuticles after dyeing your hair. And to do that, you need the right products. And, it’s not enough to just seal them on the day you dye your hair.
It’s also very important that you continue to do deep nutrition treatments on your hair, so the cuticles stay sealed.
Today I’m going to tell you about a fool-proof method for sealing your hair cuticles after dyeing your hair, so you’ll be able to preserve your health and make your color last longer.
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A fool-proof method for sealing hair cuticles after dye
In order to correctly seal your hair cuticles, you’ll need two key products:
- an acidic shampoo
- and a post-color mask
- Let’s start with the shampoo: why does it need to be acidic?
Your hair normally has a pH of 5, although some situations, such as environmental pollution or dye chemicals, can alter alkalinity.
When you have a pH of 5 in your hair, your hair cuticles remain closed, but when you dye your hair, the cuticles open and lose moisture, changing its pH. And that is where acidic shampoo comes into play.
Because it is the only thing that can restore that ideal pH. So the first thing you’ll do to seal your hair cuticles is washing your hair with the shampoo after you’ve left the dye in your hair for the full amount of time.
Then, after a total rinse, you should use a post-color mask.
- I recommend separating 1-2 spoons of the mask into another container, then sectioning your hair into 4 areas.
- Start applying the mask to the back part of your hair, rubbing it into small areas of hair that are about 1.5 inches wide and always at least 2.5 inches from your roots.
- Gently massage each section of your hair where you’re applying the mask, and once you’ve distributed it into all of your hair, leave it in for 10-15 minutes.
- Remember that it’s very important to rinse your hair with cold water since that also contributes to sealing the cuticles.
An alternative method for closing your hair cuticles after dyeing your hair is to use a cuticle-sealing mask, which you’ll apply to your hair from the middle to the ends, after washing and rinsing your hair with shampoo.
How to take care of your hair after dyeing it
Now, the work of sealing your cuticles isn’t over the day you dye your hair. You need to do weekly hair nutrition treatments, using the right products.
And to choose the right products, you should keep in mind your hair’s porosity.
Do you know what hair porosity is?
It’s your hair fiber’s capacity to absorb and retain moisture.
And the only way for it to absorb and retain moisture is through your hair cuticles. Different hair types don’t absorb moisture very easily, and as such tend to be dry, while others absorb moisture easily but also expel it quickly.
How your hair behaves depends on your hair cuticles.
You can determine your hair’s porosity by doing a “float test.” Put a strand of hair in the water.
- If your hair sinks, it has a high level of porosity
- If it stays in the middle, it has a normal porosity
- And if it floats, it has low porosity
What products do you need to keep your hair cuticles closed, based on your hair’s porosity?
- Low porosity hair:
Use water-based products to facilitate hydration and moisturizing. You can also use natural oils like olive, avocado, and jojoba oil.
- Medium porosity hair:
You should only use silicon-free conditioners. You can also use natural oils in the process of sealing your cuticles.
- High porosity hair:
Opt for shea butter to nurture your hair and keep your cuticles stay sealed longer.
Conclusions
- You should use an acidic shampoo and a post-color mask to seal your cuticles immediately after dyeing your hair.
- It is also very important to do a deep nutrition treatment on your hair at least once a week to keep the cuticles closed and stop your hair from becoming dehydrated.
- And remember that chlorinated and saltwater, solar rays, shampoos with sulfates, and heated styling tools will make your color fade quicker.
Keeping your cuticles sealed will make your dye last longer and make your hair look healthy and bright.
