Freshly colored hair radiates intensity – yet after just a few washes, color often loses depth, brilliance, and shine. With the patented pH Plex system and the right care habits, your hair color stays richer, more even, and glossier for significantly longer. In this article, you’ll learn how to use the 3‑step system optimally and achieve maximum color stability with five simple routines.
Why Hair Color Fades in the First Place
Chemical colorations and bleaches raise the hair’s pH value from a natural 4.5–5.5 to levels above 10 – the cuticle opens, color pigments are deposited, but also washed out again. Additionally, harsh shampoos, hot water, UV radiation, and heat styling deprive the hair of moisture, causing color to look dull and fade faster. This is exactly where pH Plex comes in: the world-patented system bonds with all 21 amino acids of the hair structure and stabilizes both pH value and color pigment.
Tip 1: Mix pH Plex Step 1 (Protect) Directly into the Color
The most important lever for long-lasting color is set during the coloring process itself. pH Plex Step 1 (Protect), with a pH value of exactly 9.0, is added directly to the color or bleach mixture and proactively protects the hair bonds – before any damage can even occur. Because the pH value is ideally matched to typical colorations, there are no color shifts and no extended processing times – the result is clean, even, and intense.
Tip 2: Close the Cuticle Precisely with Step 2 (Repair)
After rinsing out the color, the cuticle remains open and the hair is vulnerable to pigment loss. pH Plex Step 2 (Repair), with a pH value of 5.0, brings the hair back to its natural acid balance, closes the cuticle, and restores the acid mantle. This reduces swelling of the hair fiber – color pigments cannot be washed out as easily, and the hair visibly regains shine and smoothness.
Tip 3: Establish Step 3 (Stabilize) as a Weekly Home Treatment
Color protection doesn’t end at the salon – the weekly at-home application of pH Plex Step 3 (Stabilize) stabilizes the hair structure long-term between colorations. This home treatment preserves shine, elasticity, and smoothness, and prevents the color from losing depth between salon visits. Ideally, anchor it firmly in your care routine – for example, every Sunday evening – making color care a consistent habit.
Tip 4: Wash Gently – Less Often, Cooler, Milder
The more frequently colored hair is washed, the faster color pigment is flushed out. Rely on the following basics, which optimally support the effect of pH Plex:
- Wash only every 2–3 days, using dry shampoo in between
- Use sulfate-free, color-protecting shampoo
- Rinse with lukewarm to cool water to seal the cuticle
This combination prevents the acid mantle stabilized by pH Plex from being roughened up again.
Tip 5: Apply UV and Heat Protection Consistently
Sunlight breaks down color pigments – especially in light, red, and copper tones – and makes even fresh colorations look dull quickly. In summer, use leave-in products with a UV filter and wear a hat when exposed to direct sunlight. Also, always combine blow dryers, flat irons, and curling irons with heat protection and operate them at moderate temperatures, so as not to stress the hair bonds repaired by pH Plex once again.
The 3‑Step System at a Glance
| Step | Product | pH Value | Function |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | pH Plex Protect | 9.0 | Mixed into color/bleach, protects amino acid bonds during treatment |
| 2 | pH Plex Repair | 5.0 | Intensive repair after rinsing, closes the cuticle |
| 3 | pH Plex Stabilize | 5.0 | Weekly home treatment, preserves shine and smoothness |
Takeaway for More Color Shine in Everyday Life
Long-lasting hair color is no coincidence – it’s the result of a well-thought-out interplay of protection during coloring, repair afterwards, and a consistent care routine at home. With pH Plex as a molecular foundation and the five tips mentioned, you noticeably extend color intensity, reduce fading, and preserve the mirror-like shine you love right after coloring.