Brighten Up Your Hair Color

Published Mar 20, 2011

If your hair color is looking drab or discolored, minerals in your tap water could be to blame. Too much iron (especially common in homes with old pipes) can turn hair orange while extra chlorine (like Los Angeles tap water) or copper makes hair green. Mineral deposits can also coat your hair, making it dull and almost dirty looking (even if you've just washed it). If you have "hard water" (like London tap water), that means it's full of minerals. Blond hair that's been bleached is especially susceptible to discoloration, but any highlighted or damaged hair is at risk. That's because lightened hair strands are more dry and porous, so they soak up minerals like a sponge every time you shower. So how do you keep your hair color bright and beautiful? Take a cue from swimmers and use a chlorine- and deposit-removing shampoo every week. Here are a few of Beautylish's favorite shampoos to keep your hair color shiny and true:

1 Joico K-Pak Chelating Shampoo

Great for damaged and overprocessed hair, this shampoo has a chelating formula which means that it removes mineral deposits (like iron, copper, or chlorine) from your hair. Unlike typical clarifying shampoos, Joico's creamy formula won't dry out your hair.

2 Kenra Clarifying Shampoo

Also a chelating formula, this shampoo will brighten blond and silver hair. It also helps to remove product build-up like wax and silicone, which can weigh down hairstyles and affect shine.