Becoming a redhead was one of the best choices I’ve made. I get to standout from the crowd, while still sporting a natural hair colour. The number of compliments I receive in regards to my red hue is incredible! I love everything about my hair colour, except one small annoyance – red hair dye fades faster than you can imagine. Within days of a salon visit, my colour rids itself of almost all vibrancy which leaves me longing for another appointment to give it a boost. Sure regular touch ups are necessary when maintaining a colour that isn’t natural, however, monthly visits are just not an option for me – or my credit card. So I turned to the only option I could find – a colour depositing conditioner.
Fading that occurs between salon visits. First picture is pre-salon, second is after a fresh colour.
After a bit of research I settled upon the Aveda Madder Root Colour Conditioner. A shampoo to complement is available too, however, I prefer to use a thickening product instead. At first glance, this conditioner looks terrifying. It is bright red – which is exactly what I wanted, but it looked like it would make a huge mess of my shower. On the bright side, it smells amazing, a subtle mint aroma.
The first time I used the colour depositing conditioner I assumed it wouldn’t make much of an impact. I started with a large palm full and ran it through the top of my scalp, slowing moving towards the ends of my hair. I left it in for about five minutes to really allow it to work. After a thorough rinse, I was able to wash out all of the product. When my hair eventually dried, you could see the places I had focuses on. I had streaks of bright red popping through my brassy orange. It didn’t look bad, but it wasn’t really what i was going for.
The second application was much better, I used slightly less product and started from the ends of my hair and worked upwards, combing through my locks with a wide tooth comb during the application. I felt like I had applied the conditioner much more evenly than my first attempt. After a good rinse I eagerly awaited the drying process to see the results.
I have noticed with repeated use I have a much more vibrant red colour than ever before. I do still see a few spots that I have missed, however, they don’t look odd or out of place – more like natural highlights. I think the more I use the conditioner the more even the results will be. For me, the colour depositing formula keeps my hue fresh enough to save me at least one salon visit. The conditioner itself leaves my hair smelling great and looking healthy. I just have to remind myself that a little goes a long way.
If you’re a brunette, the madder root colour conditioner would likely give you a nice auburn shine. if you’re blonde – STAY AWAY – your hair will turn pink. For my fellow redheads – if bright is the colour your aiming for, I highly recommend the Aveda Madder Root Colour Conditioner. I plan to try it on dry hair soon, saturating each strand thoroughly and leaving it on for a while (as though I was dying my hair) to see if it will deposit even more colour. I’ll keep you posted on how that turns out!
If you’re considering going red (or any other unnatural colour) here are a few lessons I’ve learned that I’m happy to share. First, don’t wash your hair within forty-eight hours of a salon visit. You want the colour to really set in your hair before getting it wet. Secondly, use cooler water in the shower. For me, the cooler the temperature, the less fading I experience. Yes it is terrible to take cold showers, so I tend to wash and condition my hair in the cooler water and then turn up the heat for the rest of the cleansing. Finally, don’t over wash your hair. The more shampoo and conditioner you use, the faster the colour will disappear. If you can get away with bi-weekly hair washes, you’re set. I typically will wash my hair three times a week because I frequent the gym a lot. Don’t be confused – this doesn’t mean you only have to shower a few times a week, I am just saying skip the hair washing every day. Not only will you notice less fading, you’ll also experience healthier and shiner locks.
Aveda also offers colour depositing/enhancing products for blondes, brunette and black hues.
A 5'3 Perspective 