How to Protect Highlights in Hair

Protect Your Highlights

Highlighting your hair is a way to create soft texture, add dimension and create the illusion of summer-kissed hair. With highlights, though, comes hard work and maintenance. Hair is bombarded by pollutants each and every day and colored hair is even more susceptible to these villains because it has been weakened by the chemicals in the products used to modify it. If you’ve recently had highlights done or are looking for new ways to protect your highlighted hair, there are some effective ways to effectively treat the damage and heal the adverse effects of highlighted hair.

Things You'll Need

• Hair products containing SPF
• Hot oil treatment
• Deep conditioner
• Leave-in spray conditioner
• Protein spray
• Biosilk or other silk therapy product
• Hat or bandana
• Color protection shampoo and conditioner

Instructions

1. Protect your highlights in the summer. UV rays can damage highlights by making them dry and brittle, and can even change the color of your highlights. Use a shampoo and conditioner with UV protection--many hair care products now come with an SPF--and wear a hat or bandana when you’re out in the sun for long periods. Keep in mind that hair products containing SPF will wash out in water, so reapply after you’ve gone swimming or exercised.

2. Protect your highlights in the winter. The sun's UV rays are just as strong in the winter as they are the summer, and cold weather, in addition to the sun, can make your locks susceptible to damage. Wear a hat, especially when you’re in the snow where the sun's rays are reflected in excess, and use a deep conditioning product to keep your hair hydrated.

3. Keep your hair hydrated. The elements are damaging enough without having dyed hair. Highlights weaken the root and follicle of your hair, making it more susceptible to nature’s elements, so you want to be extra careful when it comes to hydration. Drink lots of fluids and use a deep conditioning treatment or hot oil treatment once every two weeks.

4. Protect your highlights from chlorine. Chlorine can be a killer for highlights, making them turn from ashy to green and some other colors that can barely be described. Avoid color changes caused by chlorine by wetting your hair and combing a conditioner through your locks before getting in the pool. Wash and rinse your hair immediately after getting out of the water.

5. Use a shampoo and conditioner that are made specifically for colored or chemically treated hair. Standard shampoos contain chemicals that can weaken the color chemicals used to dye your hair, but shampoos with color protection avoid these chemicals. Luxury shampoo and conditioner can be costly, but will save you money in the long run when you can go longer between hair appointments.

6. Rinse cold. Cold water helps to close your hair follicles, which seals in the conditioner that protects your hair. If cold showers are out of the question, simply rinse your hair with cold water just before getting out of the shower. You can always rinse in a sink or use a detachable shower head to avoid taking a cold shower.

7. Use protein and silk sprays. Leave in conditioners, protein sprays and silk therapy will help protect the keratin--your hair's natural protein --and help to strengthen your hair. Spray a light mist all over damp hair and do not rinse out. Style hair as usual.

Tips & Warnings

• If you can go without washing your hair everyday, you should. If not, try to only condition and rinse it every day, and wash it with shampoo every other day.

• Hair products containing SPF will wash out in water, so reapply after you’ve gone swimming or exercised.