Credit: Getty
Over time, hair colour fades and can start to look dull. Here, a celebrity colourist reveals how to keep it fresher for longer.
Tricky to do well yourself, 82% of women dye their hair at some point in their lifetime but the way we approach hair dye is changing. Of course, hair salons are currently closed and had their doors shut for most of 2020, but even before that, beauty booking website Treatwell noticed a decrease in colour appointments across 2019.
It’s no surprise, then, that ‘What is toner?’ was (and continues to be) one of the most googled questions in Europe, as more of us resort to colour upkeep at home. Something we’ll likely continue to do as lockdown goes on.
You may also like
“The home hair dye kit that got me the most compliments ever”
“Toners work to add depth to hair,” says celebrity colourist and Virtue brand ambassador Nicola Clarke. “They’re used when hair is bleached or coloured to enhance the tones and dull unwanted brassiness.”
Toning hair is something we usually went to the salon for (pre-lockdown), but new foolproof formulas mean they’ve now become a popular at-home option. Used once or twice a week, they’re applied to clean, wet hair, then left in like a styling product or washed-out after 15 minutes like a mask.
Credit: Getty
Several factors can affect hair colour, including hard water with minerals and metals in it, pollution, build-up and certain parabens found in hair products, says Clarke.
To counter these and maintain your colour’s brightness, she suggests giving hair a weekly detox with a purifying shampoo.
And when it comes to visible roots, they’re surprisingly easy to mask with products such as powders, which can be brushed or sprayed into hair.
“There are great camouflage powders out there now, I’d highly recommend these in between appointments,” says Clarke.
The colour correctors
L’Oréal Paris Magic Retouch Brown Root Touch Up
BUY NOWLiving Proof PhD Triple Detox Shampoo
BUY NOWYou may also like
The best hair masks for every type, every texture, and every concern
Main image: Getty
Sign up for our edit of what to buy, see, read and do, and receive a free mini-mag of the top 5 fashion trends you’re sure to see in 2024.
By signing up you agree to occasionally receive offers and promotions from Stylist. Newsletters may contain online ads and content funded by carefully selected partners. Don’t worry, we’ll never share or sell your data. You can opt-out at any time. For more information read Stylist’s Privacy Policy
Thank you!
You’re now subscribed to all our newsletters. You can manage your subscriptions at any time from an email or from a MyStylist account.