Curls don't last as long after coloring?

MaggieT

Earlier this year, I decided to start coloring my very dark brown, then virgin, fine 3b curls. I asked the stylist to run a few strands of permanent dye through the crown of my head (I have a weird gray patch right on top of my head), and she also did some highlights that didn't lift the color too much. Since then, we have redone the color on the highlights (not with bleach but just with a dye that deposits color) and she once put a semi-permanent rinse on the rest of the hair to give the color more depth.

I can't say I think they dye MADE my hair frizzy (it's kind of frizzy hair), but it does seem a little more damaged even though this was a fairly gentle hair coloring process. And what I notice is that there is no more day 3 hair for me. Day one I can still get good, defined curls; day two less so; by day three, it's a frizzy mess.

What should I do??

My usual routine, in case this is helpful, is to wash with either the Matrix cowash or the AG one, or sometimes that Deva product that has the micellar water in it, and then I condition with Mixed Chicks deep conditioner, which I just use as a rinse out. Leave in is KCKT, then I put a little Deva Coconut Cream and a tiny squirt of the Camille Rose agave gel. Thank you!

Therese1

I'm not an expert on dyeing (I have never colored my hair), but my advice would be to do a protein treatment if you think that your hair is damaged. But if you think the dye has just deposited on the hair and is creating a barrier to moisture penetration, then I think that a deep conditioning treatment would be good. To do a DC, wash your hair as usual, then squeeze out excess moisture. Work in your rinse-out conditioner and leave it in the hair. Cover with a plastic cap and then put a towel on top of that to hold in your body heat. Let sit for 30 minutes and then rinse out and style as usual.

BrittCurly

I'm a stylist and a curly girl myself and I've colored and lifted my hair over the years. Do you deep condition at home besides the toner your stylist uses? Protein treatments once in a while are good (although you don't want to overuse protein) but it sounds like maybe your cuticle layer just needs a little TLC! Silicon mix is a super cost effective deep conditioner that I use bi-weekly with a shower cap for extra heat/moisture.

BrittanyM

Some semi-permanent hair colors have silicones in them. If it was a new product used, you could be experiencing build up which a sulfate clarifier followed by a deep conditioner will solve.
When it comes to dyed or bleached hair, the name of the game is moisture. Protein treatments help, but moisture will solve the frizz. The deposit only color still slightly damages and can cause porosity changes. Start incorporating the most moisturizing deep conditioners you have/can find. They don't necessarily have to be expensive. Protein treatments are worth a try and won't hurt unless you're protein sensitive or do them too often. Sometimes curls are fickle after a color service. Your curls aren't ruined if you're having good first and second day. It just sounds like your hair is losing moisture and drying out by day 3. I would guess a higher porosity is the cause. Best of luck!