Symptoms

• Locks that were once radiant now refuse to shine
• Blondes look ashy; brunettes look dingy or gray; redheads become brassy or orange
• Hair color looks lighter instead of rich and vibrant

The Cause :

• When the outer cuticle is roughed up by chemical processes or hot-tool overkill, parts of the cortex are exposed and damaged, and the hair becomes more porous, As a result, strands no longer accept dye as readily and the color pigments seep out in the shower. Also styling-product buildup can give hair a lackluster appearance.

The Cure:

• Reduce the fading with shampoos and conditioner that help preserve color. "These work by depositing more pigment onto the surface of your strands," Wilson says. "But they don't last the way permanent dyes do, so the result rinse away if you don"t use them regularly," Also try styling products that contain broad-spectrum UV filters; they create a barrier agaist pigment degarding rays.

To bolster your hair's shine, style your do with cuticle-smoothing products that contain natural oil or silicone. "That's how you're going to get that major glossy sheen,"