Colour-treated hair: what fading actually is

Colouring hair is a controlled act of damage, and that is not a criticism. To get pigment into the fibre, the cuticle has to be opened. Bleach goes further and strips existing pigment out. Both processes leave the outer layer more porous than it was.

Why colour leaves

Porosity cuts both ways. A cuticle that let dye in will also let it out. Every wash carries a little pigment away, and heat, sunlight and hard water all accelerate it. Warm tones go first, which is why brunettes go brassy and reds fade fastest of all.

So fading is not really a colour problem. It is a cuticle problem wearing a colour problem's clothes.

What helps

• Wash less, and cooler. Every wash is an opportunity for pigment to leave. Hot water opens the cuticle further.
• Seal after every wash. A leave-in treatment smooths the scales down while the hair is still damp, which is when they are most open.
• Shield before heat. The straightener is doing to your colour exactly what it does to your fibre.
• Mind the sun. UV degrades pigment directly. A formula with a UV filter helps; a hat helps more.

A note on expectations

No leave-in product restores colour that has gone, and none will hold a tone indefinitely. What good aftercare buys you is time between salon visits, and hair that still reflects light while it waits. Within the Ellips range, Nutri Color is the formula built around coloured hair; it is a cosmetic treatment and makes no claim to repair or re-pigment.