Repigmenting hair care: the trick to boost its color

It is a product that we see more and more in recent years, and not only in hairdressing salons: there are many hair brands that offer repigmenting care (or just called pigments). Combining care active ingredients with colored pigments, the latter promise to boost the radiance of the color while caring for the hair.

How does this hybrid product work? We asked Stéphan, colorist and reference expert for Leonor Greyl, to explain to us the interest of repigmenting care, whether you have colored hair or notand to explain to us the good reflexes to use it, as well as the gestures not to make.

Repigmenting care, the ephemeral colo option

The repigmenting treatment is an ephemeral coloring treatment whose result lasts on average the time of 3 shampoos. Unlike a classic chemical coloring, the repigmenting treatment colors and envelops the hair on the surface, without ever opening its scales. It surrounds it and settles there like a veil, but does not penetrate to the heart of the hair fiber, which means that it does not modify its structure and does not damage it.

“It is sometimes possible that a tiny part of the product penetrates inside the hair because it is porous from having been colored and chemically manipulated”, nuances the colorist. “The scales are open and the hair will then tend to absorb the product.” But nothing that does not make the coloring durable: the repigmenting treatment remains ephemeralit will simply have a grip that may be a little longer.

“Basically, the repigmenting treatment aims rather to close the scales,” he says. In effect, beyond its coloring power, it is a real treatment with moisturizing and nourishing ingredients to repair, coat and beautify the hair (except in the case of shampoo formulas which may have a less pronounced care effect than a conditioner or a mask).

Pigmenting hair care, who is it for?

This treatment is mainly intended for people with colored hair who wish to keep their shade intact over the days. “He comes as reinforcement when the color loses its intensity and/or the reflections become distorted“, explains Stéphan. On a daily basis, many parameters can effectively tarnish a color: the quality of the hair, repeated swimming, the sun, the wind, UV rays, shampoos, or even styling products, “in particular those which are very fixing and which contain alcohol, an ingredient which comes to oxidize the coloring in an excessive way”.

Available in several shades, from the lightest to the darkest, the pigmenting treatment meets all hair desires, whether you want to bring light, prolong radiance, or accentuate warm reflections. There are also bright colors like pink, blue or green, shades that work very well on light or bleached hair.

Applied routinely, it also ensures a longer hold of the color and therefore to space out the colorations. This avoids having your hair treated too regularly. A good point when you know the consequences of chemical coloring on the hair: damaged lengths, dry and porous hair…

Repigmenting treatment, limited effectiveness on white hair

In case of regrowth with a root effect or demarcations, a repigmenting treatment may not be enough to cover white hair.

“On the other hand, it can be interesting for people with white or natural salt and pepper hair, who wish to avoid unwanted yellow reflections”, explains our expert. “The repigmenting treatment then acts like a gloss which restores brilliance”. To obtain a beautiful luminous effect, we rather draw in the shades of cold blond, which will make it possible to obtain pretty ashy or icy reflections.

Does the repigmenting treatment work on non-colored hair?

Repigmenting treatments are not necessarily reserved for colored hair. On hair that has never gone through the coloring box, it brings pretty reflections, which harmonize easily with the natural color and blend subtly into the hair.

Of course, this only applies if you choose a shade close to its original color, equivalent or a shade above. “The objective of a repigmenting treatment is to revive a chemical or natural color, but not to color a hair“, recalls Stéphan. “It is just a complement, a small bonus to sublimate his hair. Using an icy brown or intense brown repigmenting treatment on blonde hair to change your hair style is clearly a thing not to do. There is no guarantee that the result will be aesthetic and uniform.”

Good reflexes when using a repigmenting treatment

The repigmenting care is used just after the shampoo and comes to replace the conditioner or the mask. It is applied to well towel-dried hair and must be distributed as evenly as possible to avoid differences in shades on the hair. “It can be used partially in certain special cases, especially if you have done a hair contouring on the front of the hair”, adds the colorist. Once applied, leave it on for about 5 minutes, before detangling and then rinsing your hair well.

As for the frequency, it all depends on the desired result: “The repigmenting treatment colors the hair in a rather subtle way. It may be that on first use, the rendering is not intense enough. We can then repeat the treatment on the next 3 or 4 washes then space out the uses. When we find the right light, the intensity that suits us, we apply it every 2 or 3 shampoos in maintenance.” On the contrary, if the shade seems too intense, it is possible to reduce its depth by mixing the repigmenting treatment with another care cream by dosing 3/4 of repigmenting care, 1/4 of classic care.

In some cases, systematic use can be interesting: “If you have damaged, very dry hair and it is technically difficult to hold the reflection (especially the warm reflections – coppery, extra golden, red, eggplant… – which are the most difficult to fix), it is a care that can be done with each wash to really have an optimum result“, advises Stéphan. Another scenario: if you do sweeps and you want to take the hair out of color at all costs, you can also do a repigmenting treatment each time… making sure you don’t have any visible blue or purple reflections.

Last little practical precision: if you use a copper or brown repigmenting treatment, it is better to avoid taking a white towel to dry your hair right after. Nothing irreversible, but the treatment may leave some traces on white linen.