Yes, I'm a bit slow to be blogging about dip-dyed hair – and because I've also had it since January, till now. Many people I know ask me all the time about my hair, whether I've had it touched up, bleached it, etc.

To answer one of the common questions asked, NO, I've not re-dyed my hair since January. It is now approximately 5 months since I had it dyed, and it is now a very strong pink.

To be honest, the original color was purple, with two blue streaks (but not very obvious). It had slowly faded over time, with my purple becoming pink, and the blue became purple. Eventually, it became my current pink color and has stopped fading for two months now. I did notice the ends are a bit of a lighter pink though.





To answer another popular question, do I need to bleach it? Yes, of course you must. Unless you are born with light or blonde hair, then you may skip the bleaching process.





Does beaching hurt? No it doesn't. But it will spoil your hair if you do not take super good care of it.

Now most people I know have dip-dyed hair colors that fade after a few months. Which I guess, is the reason why I'm writing this post, to teach you how to care for your tresses and save yourself a trip to re-dyeing at the saloon or chopping off your locks.




COMB YOUR HAIR BEFORE WASHING
The first rule, whether your hair is dip-dyed or not (doesn't apply to curly hair or afros though). Tangled hair gets worse when it's wet/damp. While your hair is still dry, run a brush or comb through it to smooth out all the tangles. Then proceed to wash.


WASH YOUR HAIR LESS OFTEN
Sounds gross, I know. But washing too frequently strips the colors off your dyed locks. However, I have a method I use that is useful for those with normal to oily scalps. Since dip-dyed hair is usually only applied to the bottom-ends of your hair, you can avoid having to wash it too often. What I do is to bundle up my hair ends into a low-bun at the nape of my neck, secure with a rubber band or scrunchie. Next, you get a shower cap and with another rubber band, secure it around the low-bun. Then just proceed to shampoo your scalp as per usual.

If you wash your hair daily, then be sure to give your entire hair a full wash once a week, three days break in between. If like me, you only wash your hair once every three days, then you don't really need to use this method unless you have to.


USE HOME HAIR MASKS
If you can't afford the saloon, then use a home hair mask. I make my trips for deep conditioning once every two months, so I still need to use a home mask every time I wash the ends. It doesn't have to be an expensive one, but it needs to be concentrated enough for your hair. It's only an additional 5 minutes after conditioning your hair, so please spare the time for the sake of beautiful dip-dyes. I'm currently using the hair repair mask from the Sunsilk Soft & Smooth range.

Even if you can't afford to buy home hair masks, you can compensate with your body lotions or an avocado hair mask, although the results might not be as great.


MINIMIZE HEAT
When washing your hair, do not use hot water. Warm water is fine, but after you condition, please rinse your ends with cold water. This is to lock moisture and color in.

When it comes to drying your hair, try to let it dry naturally if you can. If you need to blow-dry your hair, my advice is to only blow-dry the crown of your head, towel dry the ends. As you blow-dry the top, just shake out your hair a little so that your ends can get rid of as much excess water as possible. Leave to air and dry naturally or under a fan. Avoid blow-drying the ends or heat styling them.


KEEP THEM OILED DAILY
Bleached hair is brittle, so keeping them oiled keeps them strong. If they're dry, they break off easily and split ends will ruin your hair (which will require you to snip em' off). So the best thing to do is to use your serums wisely. Too much and it'll weigh your hair down or make it look too oily (which will cause the need to wash them too often). I recommend this amazing argan oil product I'm using, Orofluido – which I've reviewed, and you won't even need to use a lot of it. Just a small penny-sized drop will effectively protect your hair throughout the day. Apply only on the dip-dyed ends, keep away from your crown. You may also use a night-repair mask if your hair is extremely dry – so you get soft and beautiful tresses when you wake up.





And that's it! Pretty simple tips, huh? You just need to sacrifice a little, get dirty a little; for the sake of pretty hair. ;)