It’s been four months since I coloured and highlighted my hair. Here’s how I’ve been managing my colour at home using Alfaparf Ultra Concentrated Pure Pigments. Suitable for all hair types and fully customisable. A Curl Maven, curly girl friendly product that doesn’t cause any damage to the hair!

In September 2020, I coloured my dark brown hair, using a combination of techniques such balayage, baby lights and face framing highlights. You can read all about it in this post. The colouring process of course involved bleach, and toners – both of which will always cause some damage to the hair, no matter what you do. But until my highlights grow out, because I’m not doing another big chop! I wanted to find a way to manage my colour at home, without causing any further damage.

Damage-Free Colour Management

Once I succeeded in maintaining healthy hair when I coloured it. My next priority was to find a damage-free way to manage my colour long-term. I wanted to avoid multiple trips to the salon to get a toner applied. Because even toners cause damage, as they contain a low percentage of peroxide – which is what causes the damage. But salons had to close due to covid restrictions and lockdowns. So at-home colour management became even more important!

Pigments don’t contain any peroxide and don’t cause any damage to the hair. They’re not an active ingredient, they’re just pure colour pigment. It’s actually the pigments (aka colour) that fades over time. So this post is how I’m managing my colour at home, without causing any damage. I’ve been using Alfaparf Ultra Concentrated Pure Pigments, which were recommended and given to me by my hairdresser, Laura.

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What are Alfaparf Ultra Concentrated Pure Pigments?

Alfaparf Ultra Concentrated Pure Pigments are just that, ultra concentrated colour pigments. They come in a variety of shades, and can be used individually or mixed with other shades for a completely custom colour and/or intensity. Alfaparf pigments can be added to your shampoo, conditioner, hair mask or styling product.

They can also be used to correct brassy or copper tones. Although these are often caused by metal and mineral deposits in the water. So clarifying using the Colour WOW Dream Filter is a great way to remove those unwanted tones from the hair without fading the colour. It’s also curly girl friendly, and you can get 20% off using code CURLMAVEN at Look Fantastic – who ship worldwide.

Curly Girl Friendly Colour

Alfaparf Ultra Concentrated Pure Pigments are curly girl friendly, adding dimension and shine to natural or colour treated hair. Intensifying and revitalising colour and tone. And make damage-free colour management and maintenance at home really easy. Although the coverage and lasting power isn’t the same as a semi, demi or permanent colour. Pigments don’t cause any damage, or have any adverse effects on the hair. So when the salons re-open, you can get your colour or toner re-applied, without any issues.

Suitable for all hair types

You can use pigments on virgin, highlighted, bleached or colour-treated hair. Colour pigments aren’t just for blondes who want rainbow-coloured hair for festival weekends. Brunettes can use them too, although the brighter colours aren’t as vibrant. They’re a great way to add multi-tones and dimension to highlights, not to mention shine. Dark pigments are not strong enough to cover grey, but brighter pigments can be used, similar to blondes.

How to Mix Pigments

Alfaparf Ultra Concentrated Pure Pigments are intended for professional use, and meant to be available in-salon only. Mixed up and added to your favourite hair mask (or any other product) by your hairdresser. But salons are closed, and I can see them available on various sites online. So do a quick search on Google to find a reputable retailer near you, until the salons re-open again. You can see more information and all 12 shades available on the Alfaparf website here.

Blue and purple shampoos, Curlsmith Hair Makeup, Curly World’s With or Without Hue are all just hair products with pigments added to them.

There’s specific ratio instructions given on the back of the bottle, according to what product you’re mixing them with. You can mix different pigments together to create your own custom shade. And the intensity can be adjusted by adding a high or low concentration of pigment into the mixture.

You don’t have to custom-mix each time, there’s no active ingredients so the drops don’t lose potency. The idea is that your hairdresser will mix the pigment into a tub of your favourite hair mask for you to use at home. I just prefer consistency and a more intense golden mahogany colour, which is why I add 10 pumps per application. I’d love to try the new Golden Violet .32 shade next for a cooler alternative to Golden Mahogany.