Restoring volume to dyed hair

Image credit

Have you found that dyeing your fair has left it limp and lifeless? It’s a common problem. When you dye your hair, you’re essentially painting it strand by strand. The weight of all that extra material can cause it to sag. Furthermore, some dyes remain sticky even after quite a few washes, causing hair to stick together in heavy strands rather than moving freely and bouncing as you move. There are, however, tricks that you can use to restore some life to hair like this, and this article outlines some of the best.

 Use a volumizing shampoo and conditioner

We’re all used to seeing hair care products that make all kinds of wild claims, so you may have assumed that volumizing shampoos and conditioners are just more of the same. Not so. They thicken individual strands of hair in one of two ways: either by adding a glossy coating to the outside (which can also add to the brilliance of your color) or by penetrating the sheath and infusing moisture into the interior of each strand, which also helps to make it more elastic. Although this has the effect of adding more weight to your hair, it adds sufficient volume that hair looks fuller and healthier overall.

 Try the Viabrance system

Viabrance takes a different approach to making hair look bigger by helping you to grow more of it in the first place. It incorporates minoxidil, which can help to restore follicles that have stopped producing hair due to their age, and it also uses a complex of vitamins and minerals to supply your scalp with precisely the nutrition it needs for optimum hair production. The results can take a little while to show because new hair still needs time to grow, but over time, your dyed hair will look thicker. If you’re a Twitter user, you can follow Viabrance for more information.

 Brush regularly

Brushing your hair helps to keep it in good condition by distributing natural oils (and hair care products) from root to tip. Brushing from underneath also helps to lift up your locks and make them look fuller. Use a soft brush – boar bristles are ideal – and don’t tug at tangles but instead tease them apart carefully with your fingers. As long as you’re gentle, you can brush as often as you want to and give your hair natural lift.

 Towel dry your hair

Depending on your hair type, you may find that blow drying knocks the life out of it and leaves it flatter than ever. It can also dry your hair out, further depleting its fullness. If you have the time, toweling your hair dry is much better for it. Don’t rub it as this can cause damage. Instead, simply pat and squeeze it, allowing your towel to absorb as much moisture as possible.

 Give your hair a lift

If you feel that your hair needs a little extra help, blow drying it can be very effective if you do it after toweling and immediately follow up with a hair care product such as mousse or gel applied to the roots. Use it sparingly and don’t run it along more than an inch of the length of the hair. This will help to keep your hair standing upright at the base, giving the impression of volume, while the top part looks light and natural.

 Don’t drag it down

Going overboard with hair care products is like adding more layers of paint to your hair, and the effect won’t always be flattering. Take a look through the products you use and decide how many are really necessary. Individually, they may each be flattering, but together they’re more likely to be flattening. Use as few as you feel that you can get away with, and go lightly on those.

 Consider curls

Straight hair is always more inclined to look limp. Adding curls or waves to your hair is a great way to enhance its fullness and really bring it to life. There are lots of ways to do this, from perms to hot oil treatments or simple, old-fashioned curlers. Shorter styles tend to get the most benefit from this approach and are also inclined to let your hair look fuller to begin with, because hair has its own weight and is more inclined to pull itself flat when long.

Dyed hair will always have a slightly different texture from natural hair, and it will never move in quite the same way, but with the right care, it can still look full and fabulous.