Why Your Coloured Hair Needs Extra Monsoon Love? Expert Insights

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Each year, the humid, rainy season wreaks havoc on our hair, leaving us frustrated with unmanageable, frizzy, and weak strands, an oily scalp, dandruff and fungal infections. For those with colored hair, the monsoon just doubles their hair troubles.

We spoke to Ritu Vijayvargiya, Co - Founder, 2.Oh!, who explained why the season is so unforgiving on coloured hair, and how to protect that colour investment over the next three months.

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The Coloured Hair-Monsoon Connection

There is nothing more liberating than expressing yourself through bold and vibrant hair colour shades, but come monsoon and you'll probably find yourself slinking under hats and baseball caps! Why? Colored hair looks its worst when it's dull, brittle, washed out and faded, and the rainy season does just that to it!

"Coloured hair strands have new pigment deposits on them. Now, your hair's natural pH is 4.5-5.5, but the excess humidity in the air raises that pH level, causing the cuticles to open up. The wider the cuticles open, the faster the moisture and colour pigment drain out, leaving your bold reds, pinks, purples and browns fading away into the shadows during this time of the year," explained Vijayvargiya. Like the bark of a tree, cuticles once lifted may settle back in but unfortunately never fully close, continuously leaking moisture and pigment over time.

Other Damages Caused by the Season

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Humidity aside, every time you get wet in the rain, sweat excessively, or wash your hair, you also wash away a small amount of your hair's pigment. Frequent hair washing is far more common during the monsoon than in summer or winter because high humidity, combined with pollutants, makes the scalp much oilier and dirtier.

"Those living in polluted cities are also exposed to acidic rain, which can settle on the hair shafts, weakening the pigment and making the hair brittle and dull. However, not all is lost. You can protect your hair by following a few simple preventive measures throughout the season. The easiest is to use an umbrella to shield your hair from rainwater and dry it as soon as possible if it gets drenched," added Vijayvargiya.

The Silver Lining Behind Every Monsoon Cloud

Now that you know why the monsoon is the worst season for coloured hair, follow these hair care rituals to throw off your caps and flaunt your colour worry-free! First, start by choosing the right hair colour. Semi-permanent hair colours work faster, leaving the cuticles minimally exposed, making them an ideal choice for this season over non-ammonia or MEA (Monoethanolamine)-based hair colours, which can cause more damage.

"Also, remember to choose semi-permanent or permanent hair colours made with micro-pure pigments that penetrate deeper into the hair shaft. As they are far less likely to wash out quickly, they remain locked in, helping retain the vibrancy of your hair colour for longer," advised Vijayvargiya.

The Sacrosanct Aftercare Routine

Step 1

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Use a tri-surfactant shampoo to deep-clean your scalp without stripping away the colour, or choose a shampoo with a pH of 4.5 and colour-protect technology to help keep your cuticles flat and lock in moisture.

Step 2

Regularly nourish and pamper your hair with a pH 4.5 mask enriched with a deep-conditioning concentrate and colour-protect technology.

Step 3

Follow up with a panthenol-packed leave-in conditioner that acts as a humectant, hydrating your hair while forming a protective coating that helps slow down colour leakage.

What You Should Know

Think of your monsoon-coloured hair as a usually well-behaved child who throws an attention-seeking tantrum once every year! For these 2-3 months, indulge, pamper and invest your time and energy to offer that extra dose of TLC to your hair to calmly tide you over the bumps of the season!

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.