The coloring shampoo changes your color in no time. But it must be used with care

“After a decade as a blonde, I finally switched to brown,” wrote the supermodel Karlie Kloss to comment on the post on her Instagram page, the photo that portrays her with a milk chocolate head created by New York hairstylist Jenna Perry, responsible for Kendall Jenner’s new honey red and jet black worn by Dua Lipa at the Madison Square Garden concert in early March. A range of different colors but all with a high seduction rate: you want to try them! The simplest solution, and which avoids going to the hairdresser, seems to be the coloring shampoo: in a single gesture, which combines cleansing & tinting, it gives the desired shades that go away with a few washes. To understand more about a product, which on paper seems to be the decisive factor in “jumping” happily from one shade to another, we asked an expert, who explains how they work and why they should be used with caution.

How does it work

It should not be confused with the detergent formulated to preserve the new reflections (shampoo for colored hair) and not even with the one that preserves from yellowing (shampoo for blonde gray hair,) because it is formulated to add pigments to the stem: depositing on its surface they modify it the reflexes instantly. «They are used on the wet head and left on for 5 to 10 minutes: increasing this time the tone becomes more intense. They have less aggressive formulas than permanent coloring and, unlike the latter, give shades that dissolve after 6-8 washes », explains Andrea Gennaro, Wella Professional Divi and Divine top stylist from Certaldo (Florence). It seems the solution panacea to renew the hair and return “to the origins” in a relatively short time, saving expensive visits to the hairdresser. “In reality these are cosmetics to be used with caution and always under the supervision of a trusted hairdresser ».

What are the characteristics

From black to emerald, from vermilion to lilac to indigo: the range of colors available is wide and tempting, but before embarking on daring experiments it is better to know the characteristics of coloring shampoos.

• They contain direct pigment and works as a kind of paint, capable of creating an external film subject to dehydration. “After application, which must be done using plastic gloves because they stain, the hair must always be intensely hydrated with a restorative and nourishing conditioner or mask,” explains the expert.
• They fade easily. «The washes favor the detachment of the pigments, and the reflections easily become less intense, dull and dull. These phenomena also accelerate the hair dryer at high temperatures, styling with plates and cylinders, exposure to sunlight, sea water and chlorine ».
• Pay attention to some shades. “For the double function performed, detergent and dye, this type of product has a major drawback: it contains surfactants. These are the degreasing components that cause a slight lifting of the cuticles which, in this condition, make the new pigments penetrate deeply. While it may seem like an advantage, it is actually not the best situation, because once absorbed it is difficult to remove them perfectly. Thus, when you decide to go back to the original shade, it may happen that several cycles of professional coloring are needed to be able to remove them completely », says Andrea Gennaro. It goes without saying that while original hues like electric blue or hot pink are fun, the chances of their faded version sticking to the stem for a long time are high.
• Colors at risk. “Green, blue and purple tend to be very difficult to remove. Pink only takes root well on light or bleached lengths. Some overlaps, then, do not work: light blue on brown could become an unpleasant hybrid between light green and yellow! With tone-on-tone nuances you risk less ».
• The tip: prefer coloring masks. “They do not contain surfactants and provide direct pigments that actually go away in a few washes”. There are several on the market and with complete color palettes and the result faithful to that promised: from Color Fresh Mask from Wella Professionals to Axenia Color Evolution from Socofrom Color Refresh from Maria Nila to Alchemic Creative from Davines. «Resorting to coloring packs also means respecting the well-being of the hair by using the shampoo that best suits your needs: with sebum-balancing agents in the event of a tendency to greasiness, protein-based if the shaft tends to break, for example. Let’s not forget that cleansing is the first step in taking care of the hair ».

The safe alternative is the coloring mask