If you are thinking of coloring your hair or getting a keratin treatment, it could be difficult to choose between the two options. While some websites recommend applying keratin to the hair first, others advise for coloring the hair in its natural state before doing so. The sequence in which you should apply keratin or color, as well as the reasons for doing so, will be clarified for you in this post, which should help clear up any doubt you may have had regarding the topic.
Should I do keratin treatment before or after color?
In a nutshell, you should color your hair before you apply a keratin treatment to it. This is the proper order of events. If you’ve just had a keratin treatment performed on your hair, you absolutely must wait two weeks before coloring it again. If you don’t, you run the danger of your color turning out unevenly, as well as your hair being dry and frizzy after you color it.
You may discover some further in-depth information on the benefits of a keratin treatment further down in this post. In the meanwhile, keep reading for more information on the reasons why you should use color first and keratin second.
How does the process of coloring hair work?
It is beneficial to have a knowledge of how hair color works in the first place in order to have a better grip on the reasoning behind why you should be using hair color in the first place. In other words, knowing how hair color works will help you comprehend why you should be using hair color.
The three types of color that are available are temporary color, semi-permanent color, and permanent color. The latter is the one that we will talk in detail about.
Permanent Color
The vast majority of permanent solutions include both ammonia and hydrogen peroxide as active components. Although it could seem to be somewhat intense, you shouldn’t be frightened since this is the standard practice in the industry, and every permanent color making company adds the above mentioned ingredients in their products.
Because peroxide works to weaken the cuticle of the hair, which is the outermost layer of the hair, it is possible for the molecules of the hair dye to penetrate the hair cortex and interact with the melanin.
Ammonia has a similar impact as urea in that it encourages the cuticle to convert into a structure that has more pores.
If you want to get the most vibrant shade possible for your hair, you must hair that is capable of absorbing the dye pigments.
This is only conceivable if there are no obstacles or other things, such as general buildup, that hinder the color from entering the hair shaft. Because of this, it is strongly recommended that you use a clarifying shampoo on your hair before dying it in order to get it ready for the coloring process.
One further reason why you should color treat your hair first, before applying any form of keratin treatment to your hair, is because of this.
Keratin was formed with the express goal of performing the role of a barrier, sheltering hair from potentially harmful environmental factors as well as general accumulation.
On the other side, this might cause the keratin in the hair to inhibit the hair color from penetrating into the cuticle of the hair, which would be a negative outcome.
Because of this, you should color your hair first before adding keratin to your hair; doing so will ensure that the color stays in your hair longer.
What Is A Keratin Treatment?
Keratin treatments, also known as Brazilian blowouts, are a chemical technique that smoothes the hair and brings out its natural shine.
While professional salon treatments are the most usual choice, do-it-yourself keratin treatment kits are also readily accessible both online and in shops specializing in beauty supplies.
Treatments that continue for a longer period of time (up to six months) are far more effective at taming thick, unruly hair.
What are the advantages of Keratin Treatments?
After dyeing your hair, using a keratin treatment is recommended for many reasons, the most important of which are the following:
Balances Hair pH And Manages Breakages
Can you recall earlier when I said that ammonia is often used in hair dyes?
Since ammonia kicks off an oxidation process, it makes hair highly alkaline and also aids in opening the cuticle, which lets the color go deeper into the hair shaft. Since the color may now go farther into the hair shaft, this is a necessary step before coloring.
That may cause the hair to become dry and brittle, making it more prone to breakage.
Applying color before a keratin treatment may help heal structural damage caused by the high pH level.
Moreover, since the keratin seals and smoothes the hair’s cuticles, the hair is protected from outside pollutants. It’s a good way to get the hair’s pH level back to normal.
Its principal job is to mitigate the health issues brought on by the chemical reactions that occur throughout the dying process, and it has a significant healing impact to boot.
Keeps Color In For Longer
Keratin treatments strengthen hair by coating each strand in a protective layer that deters environmental stressors and thermal styling tools.
This, in turn, has the effect of fixing the dye’s color particles, extending its useful life.
When you do this, not only will your colors look better and stay longer, but they will also be protected from fading. Each side may claim victory.
Smooth, Shiny Hair
The cells that make up each hair strand are smoothed out by the action of keratin.
The result is hair that is very silky and smooth and elastic and resistant to frizz. Additionally, increased moisture retention will make your hair seem healthier and glossier than ever before. It’s safe to assume that they’ll seem healthy and glossy as a result.
Keratin’s ability to bind the hair’s constituent cells suggests that it may also help in reducing the visibility of split ends.
How To Care For Colored Hair After Your Keratin Treatment?
Now that you’ve followed our recommendation and had a keratin treatment performed on your hair after coloring it, you’re probably wondering what more you can do to maintain the lustrous and vibrant appearance of your newly colored tresses.
In order for you to get the most usage out of your new keratin treatment and hair color, we suggest that you follow the four steps of proper hair maintenance that are listed below:
Use Sulphate Free Shampoos
After doing keratin treatment on your hair, you should avoid shampoos that include sulfates.
Get rid of everything you have that has sodium chloride in it. The surfactant nature of sulfates renders them inefficient as a cleanser for the hair and scalp, in addition to the fact that they remove the natural oils that are present there.
In addition to this, they protect you from bacterial infections by restoring a healthy balance to the acid mantle that is naturally found on your scalp.
Both sodium and salt are abrasive substances, which means that they will strip the keratin treatment from your hair. As a direct consequence of this, you will have a much reduced amount of time to realize the benefits of keratin.
It is essential that you choose a shampoo that contains micro-keratins if you want your keratin treatment to endure for as long as it possibly can.
Wash Your Hair Less
If you’ve had a keratin treatment done, you shouldn’t wash your hair for at least three days thereafter. This will allow the protein to fully absorb into the hair strands and give you healthier-looking results.
After that period of time has passed, you should start using a leave-in conditioner that is designed specifically for keratin-treated hair and wash your hair far less often.
Even while keratin is quite durable, it is possible for it to be worn away over time by even just a few washes. It is possible that you may get more usage out of your treatment if you reduce the number of times that you wash your hair each week.
Keep in mind that the fewer often you wash your hair, the greater the likelihood that it will grow oilier.
Use Pillows Made Of Silk
There are a lot of reasons why people want to buy silk pillowcases, and one of those reasons is the increased demand. The most obvious benefit is a postponement in the appearance of creases and fine lines on the skin.
On the other hand, pillows made of silk or satin are beneficial for hair because they lower the danger of breaking caused by friction.
If you sleep on silk instead of cotton (either directly or by using a silk pillowcase), you may be able to make your keratin treatment last longer.
It’s possible that sleeping with a silk satin night cap on your head will do more for your hair than just shield it from damage while you snooze.
You should avoid using shampoos that have a clarifying effect.
You should use a shampoo that clarifies or chelates your hair and scalp before getting a keratin treatment so that your hair and scalp are ready for it.
It is more difficult to clean the hair correctly when the cuticles of the hair have been opened since this causes the keratin to become destabilized and the protein to seep out of the hair follicles.
After getting your hair colored or treated with keratin, you shouldn’t use clarifying shampoos since it might strip the color from your hair.
What If I Used Keratin Treatment Before Color?
Do not panic if you have already done a keratin treatment. You should wait at least two weeks before coloring your hair.
If you use a color too soon after applying it to your hair, you run the danger of having uneven coloring and the most frizz that can possibly be imagined. This is because the keratin proteins require as much time as possible to penetrate your hair strands.
Keratin may be able to restore the health and shine of your hair even if you have subjected it to chemical treatments or relaxers in the past.