Selena Gomez’s Hair Colorist Reveals The Major Dye Mistakes You’re Making
If you’ve ever colored your hair before, you know all about the distress it can cause. But according to celebrity hair colorist Nikki Lee, a lot of the problems you face can be avoided.
Lee works with celebs such as Selena Gomez, Emma Roberts, Lea Michele, and Sarah Hyland, and is co-founder of Nine One Zero Salon. She highlighted the mistakes many people make when dying their hair, and gives tips for making sure your next dye job doesn’t totally wreck your mane or fade out super quickly.
1. Not Prepping Your Hair Before Dying It
If you’re making a big transition, like going from super light to super dark, Nikki says to ensure that your hair is super healthy before coloring it.
“If you can, a month before your change, start using a deep conditioning mask as your daily conditioner,” she says.
If you’ve ever used a deep conditioning mask as your conditioner before, you’ll know that although it takes a few minutes longer, it’s almost always worth it. Buy this Kérastase Réflection Masque Chroma Riche before your next dye job, and you’ll never go back to regular conditioner.
2. Washing Your Hair Too Often
Remember when we told you that celebs don’t wash their hair all that often? Well, that goes doubly if you dye your hair, especially right after your trip to the salon.
“Avoid washing your hair for a few days after coloring,” says Nikki. “This will allow things to settle in and give your color longevity.”
If your hair gets notoriously messy after a good night’s sleep, try using a silk pillow to make sure your mane stays intact. Buy this one from Amazon and you’ll be amazed how good your hair looks in the morning!
3. Going Swimming After A Dye Job
Life is hard, I know, but try to schedule your salon appointment at least a couple weeks before your trip to Miami. Nikki says going swimming in a pool after a dye job is the worst thing you could do to your hair. This is because chlorine can strip your color, explained Adrian Wallace to Glamour, turning your brown hair brassy or turning your blonde hair green–not a good look.
4. Not Doing Your Research
Not all hair dyes are creating equal. Some are crafted for semi-permanent color, while some are made for longevity.
“If you’re coloring at home, look for colors that are conditioning and long lasting,” says Nikki. If you start with a good product while coloring your hair, the maintenance should be minimal.”
Nikki recommends Garnier at-home dyes because of their nourishing and long-lasting effects.
5. Not Monitoring Your Water
You may think that the water system in your apartment is out of your control, but it doesn’t have to be.
To combat hard water that leads to color fading, Nikki recommends something called raindrops, a shower purifying system to ensure that your hair (and skin) are drinking up water that’ll help–not hurt. It’s not cheap, but neither is getting your hair dyed more often because of unnecessary fading.
