Dear Ouidad:

I love to color my hair and normally do a permanent color and a rinse once a year. I have noticed however that my hair is dry at times and seems to be shedding/breaking (I don’t know the difference”> when I twist it at night. Can you advise me of ways to (a”> get my hair back to a more healthier state, and (b”> color my hair in a more healthy way?.

A:

Try these hair coloring tips for healthy hair. Use semi- or demi-color instead of permanent. Also use a Deep Treatment 3 days before coloring and 10 days after coloring to protect and nourish your curls. For coloring services, make sure your stylist is using a gentle coloring system and following with an in-salon Deep Treatment to seal in color (makes it last longer!”> and condition your curls after the processing. Finally, try not to twist your hair because it causes breakage. Instead, gently put your curls on top of your head in a loose ponytail (with soft strip of cloth or scrunchie”> so that there’s less stress on your curls.