At QUE Colour, we believe your dream shade should never come at the expense of strong, glossy hair. The good news? With the right prep, the right approach in the chair, and the right love at home, you *can* have both.

Here’s how to colour smarter, not harsher - straight from the QUE experts.

Why Does Hair Breakage Happen When Colouring?

Let’s break it down (pun intended). Colour works by lifting the hair cuticle so pigment can get in or out. It’s totally normal, but it does make strands more vulnerable. Add in regular heat styling, bleaching, or a little too much DIY box dye action, and breakage risk skyrockets.

How to know if your hair’s crying out for help? 

Watch for:

• Split ends that multiply faster than you can trim.

• Snapping strands around your hairline.

• That dull, rough feeling that no amount of brushing fixes.

• Colour that seems to fade the minute you leave the salon.

But don’t panic, colour and healthy hair can absolutely co-exist with the right care.

 

How to Prepare Your Hair Before Colouring to Avoid Breakage

Think of pre-colour prep as your hair’s training session before the big game. Just like an athlete wouldn’t show up without warming up, your strands need a little TLC before facing the colour bowl. When your hair is strong and hydrated, the colour payoff is richer, longer-lasting, and far less damaging.

Deep Hydration Treatments

Moisture is the foundation of healthy hair. A week or two before your appointment, start treating your hair with rich masks or leave-in treatments packed with ingredients like aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, and ceramides. 

These restore shine and softness while helping to smooth the cuticle, so your strands can better withstand the colouring process. Pair hydration with protein-based treatments to rebuild elasticity and strength; this balance is key to preventing snapping or brittle ends.

Bond Builders Before Colour

If you’re planning to lighten your hair or go through a big colour shift, bond-repair treatments are essential. Products like Olaplex or K18 work on a molecular level to reconnect broken bonds inside the hair shaft. 

This means your stylist can lift your colour safely while keeping your hair’s structure intact. Think of bond builders as a safety net; they give your hair extra resilience during chemical services.

Give Heat Tools a Break

Overusing straighteners, curling irons, and even blow dryers leaves the cuticle fragile before you colour. In the lead-up to your appointment, give your hair a “heat holiday.” Try air-drying, gentle braids, or heatless waves to reduce cumulative stress. This rest period gives your strands more flexibility and strength once the colour process begins.

Clarify and Nourish

A clean canvas always delivers the best results. Using a gentle clarifying shampoo a week before your colour removes product build-up, minerals, and excess oils that can block even colour absorption.

 But don’t stop there,  follow up immediately with a deep conditioning mask to replenish lost moisture. This one-two punch ensures your hair is perfectly primed to soak up both pigment and treatments at the salon.

 

Pro tip: Healthy, prepped hair doesn’t just resist breakage, it also holds onto colour better, meaning fewer touch-ups and a longer-lasting glow.

 

In-Salon Tips to Avoid Hair Breakage During Colouring

 

This is where your stylist’s expertise makes all the difference. At QUE Colour, we never copy-and-paste colour formulas - everything is designed around your hair’s condition, texture, and long-term goals. By choosing the right techniques and treatments in the chair, you can enjoy beautiful colour without compromising your hair’s strength.

Choose the Right Technique

Not every colouring method is created equal. Balayage, foils, glosses, tints, and root melts all put different levels of stress on the hair. For fragile or previously coloured strands, a gloss or partial balayage may be far gentler than a full-head bleach. 

The right choice depends on your hair’s health, your maintenance preferences, and the look you’re chasing. A skilled colourist will guide you toward options that give maximum impact with minimal breakage risk.

Make Bond Builders Non-Negotiable

Ask your stylist if bond-building treatments can be added directly to your colour service. These advanced formulas (like Olaplex or K18) protect and repair hair as it’s being coloured, acting as armour for your strands. Especially if you’re going lighter, bond builders dramatically reduce breakage and leave your hair feeling stronger post-service.

Ask Smart Questions

Curiosity isn’t just welcome - it’s encouraged. During your appointment, don’t be shy about asking:

• Can bond builders be added to my colour today?
  
  

• What’s the best refresh or toning timeline for my shade?
  
  

• Which aftercare products will protect my colour and prevent breakage between visits?
  
  

The answers help you understand the process, set realistic expectations, and keep your results looking salon-fresh for longer.

Trust the Personalisation

At QUE Colour, we always weigh up the health of your hair with your dream shade. Sometimes that means slowing the process down and reaching your goal in stages rather than in one sitting. It’s not about saying “no” to your colour, it’s about saying “yes” to long-lasting, glossy results that won’t leave your strands compromised.

Pro tip: Breakage often happens when stylists rush the process. Taking it slow may feel like a longer journey, but it’s the only way to achieve your colour safely and sustainably.

Aftercare Tips to Prevent Hair Breakage After Colouring

The salon glow is just the beginning - what you do at home determines whether your colour stays glossy or fades fast, and whether your strands stay strong or start to snap. With the right aftercare routine, you can extend your colour, protect your hair’s structure, and prevent breakage long after your appointment.

Gentle Cleansing for Colour-Treated Hair

Switch to a sulphate-free shampoo designed for coloured hair. Sulphates strip away natural oils and pigments, making hair dry and prone to breakage. Washing less often allows your scalp’s natural oils to protect and nourish your strands, aim for 2–3 washes per week, and use dry shampoo in between if needed.

Handle Your Hair Like Silk

Freshly coloured hair is more fragile, so treat it gently. Instead of rough towel-drying, gently pat or squeeze out excess water with a soft cotton T-shirt or microfiber towel. At night, sleep on a silk or satin pillowcase, or wrap your hair, reducing friction while you sleep, which helps prevent breakage and keeps your cuticle smooth.

Detangle With Care

Always detangle hair when it’s damp, not soaking wet, and use a wide-tooth comb or detangling brush. Start at the ends and work upwards in sections to avoid unnecessary snapping. For extra protection, apply a lightweight leave-in conditioner or detangling spray.

Weekly Treatments = Stronger Strands

Think of weekly masks as your hair’s maintenance plan. Alternate between a deeply hydrating mask (to replenish moisture) and a bond-repair treatment (to rebuild strength and elasticity). Setting aside one “mask day” per week makes this habit easy to stick to — and your colour will last longer as a result.

Be Smart With Heat Styling

Heat doesn’t have to be the enemy, but protection is non-negotiable. Always apply a heat shield before blow-drying, straightening, or curling. Where possible, lower the temperature setting and avoid daily use. Your hair will thank you with fewer split ends and longer-lasting colour vibrancy.

Shield Your Hair From the Sun

UV exposure can fade colour and weaken hair fibres just as much as heat tools. When you’re outdoors, protect your strands with a UV-protective spray or a wide-brimmed hat. This small step keeps both your colour and your hair integrity intact.

 

Pro tip: Consistency is everything. Following these simple habits every week makes the difference between colour that fades fast and hair that stays glossy, strong, and breakage-free.

 

When to Call in the Hair Colour Experts

If your hair is shedding more than usual, breaking at the root, or your colour won’t hold no matter what you do, it’s time to let us take a look.

A professional consultation at QUE Colour can pinpoint the issue and set you up with tailored treatments (in-salon and at home) to get your hair back on track. Because sometimes, your strands just need that extra bit of expert love.

Final Thoughts

Colouring your hair should feel exciting, not risky. With the right prep, an expert stylist, and a little aftercare discipline, breakage doesn’t stand a chance.

At QUE Colour, our mantra is simple: healthy hair, always. We combine artistry with science so you never have to choose between your dream colour and the strength of your strands.

**Ready to protect your colour and your hair?**

[Book a Colour Consultation] with QUE Colour for personalised advice and colour planning.

[Shop Hair Repair Treatments] curated by our stylists to keep your hair strong at home.