How to Deal with the Texture Struggles of Coloring Curly Hair

I have a love-hate relationship with coloring my hair. 

At first, I feel gloriously anew after a fresh dye job. My blonde is bright, shiny, and 100% root-free. But then, I have to deal with my natural curly texture, which becomes a hot mess post-peroxide. By this, I mean uneven, fuzzy, and stringy all at once, to the point where it's unwearable unless I straighten it.

Usually it takes at least one or two washes before it returns to normal, and because I, like many curly girls, don't wash my hair every day, it's a real snag in my good hair agenda.

To find out why this happens and how I can resuscitate my curls STAT, I looked to celebrity colorist Rita Hazan AKA the woman behind Beyoncé's brilliant blonde, Katy Perry's rapid-fire color changes, and J.Lo's honey highlights.

Why Curls Loosen Up

First off, how your texture changes post-dye job is dependent on how you color it, how often, and how much you're coloring it, says Hazan. For some women, the change in texture is so subtle it's a non-issue.

"When anyone colors their hair, the chemicals can damage it slightly," she says. "When you're coloring curly hair, instead of breakage, you'll get a relaxed curl. Curly hair is more fragile, so any treatment with a chemical will make it a bit more rough."

Whether your hair is curly or straight, it takes 2-7 days after a color treatment for your hair to settle and relax into a color. As for expediting this time frame there is but one solution...

How to Speed Up Your Return to Normal Texture

After a dye job the hair gets super dry, which can effect the curl pattern. If this is the case for you, conditioning treatments can help bring your curls back to life. 

"Your hair gets dehydrated after coloring, so I always recommend my clients use a nourishing treatment to hydrate and repair the hair, as well as gloss in between appointments to help extend the color and shine," she says.

Hazan's in-shower Weekly Remedy Treatment (opens in new tab) only requires two minutes in the shower (and works wonders, trust me), but if you're looking for a quick D.I.Y., olive and coconut oils can nourish too, she adds.

Moral of this curly girl conundrum? Moisturize early (and often) post-color appointment. Flip hair. Repeat.

1. Rita Hazan Weekly Remedy Treatment For Deep Hydration & Superior Shine, $42; sephora.com (opens in new tab).

2. Rita Hazan Ultimate Shine Gloss, $26; sephora.com (opens in new tab).

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