Without fail, just as I'm beginning to come around to my 3-inch, laissez-faire dark roots, I find myself in a florescent-lit bathroom experiencing sheer horror. When did they become so brassy?
While some may be quick to blame a hack dye job, all the pros will tell you—it's par for the lived-in course. Especially if you're a blonde.
To get to the bottom of things, I looked no further than Rita Hazan, celebrity colorist and owner of Rita Hazan, because 1) She's the master behind Queen Bey's golden-goddess strands 🐝 and 2) Her salon is a no-brass zone. Here's what you need to do to nix those orangey tones once and for all.
Stay Out of the Sun
"Sun and pollution can cause hair to go brassy and oxidize," explains Hazan. "UV rays do the same to your hair as they do to your skin. It gets dehydrated and loses its vitamins and nutrients, then you lose the pigment."
To keep your hair from oxidizing, shield it from the elements with a sealing agent that has SPF and UV protection—like Phytoplage's Protective Sun Oil ($30).
"Apply to hair a few times while in the sun and especially after you have been swimming ," she advises.
Gloss Your Hair
Take it from someone who hates adding extra steps to her showering routine, you should be glossing every time you wash your hair as a constant color refresh. But I promise, it's totally quick/painless. And Hazan's new Breaking Brass formula really is as cool as it sounds.
"Brassiness happens over time so you have to do something that counteracts any environmental problems that occur," explains Hazan.
Knowing that time is of the essence, she formulated her gloss so that it's a quick, 3-minute step in between shampooing and conditioning. Ed Note: I leave it in while I shave my legs.
Watch Out for Water
Fact: The majority of color is lost by simply rinsing your hair with water. But a girl's got to shower, right? If your local water is proving to be at odds with your color, Hazan recommends using a filter, like the T3 Source Showerhead Filter ($130), which removes 95 percent of chlorine AKA dull, lifeless hair's #1 ally.
Use Products That Are Color-Safe
Color Safe = paraben-free, sulfate-free, and complete with UV protection, says Hazan, who formulates her products as just that.
Rita Hazan True Color Shampoo and Conditioner, $26 each; sephora.com.
Be Realistic About Your Color Choice
The truth hurts sometimes..."If your hair gets brassy [to often], go one shade darker because it means your hair is not capable of being that light," says Hazan.
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