If you have curly hair, you know that it requires a bit of special attention to look its best. If you want to change the color, you'll need to take special precautions to ensure that your hair stays healthy and maintains a voluminous look and nice texture. Here are some do's and don'ts that you should keep in mind before asking a hairstylist to color your curly hair. 

Do: 

Avoid using foils. 

On straight hair, stylists often use foils to process the color so that it sinks into the hair more quickly. Open-processing, or processing without foils, is ideal for curly hair since the individual hairs are extremely fine. You run the risk of the color lifting too quickly from your hair if you use foils. This could lead to lasting damage from the chemicals. 

Think about cohesion. 

Curly hair naturally has a lot of dimension and depth because of the shape of the coils. Whether you have tight, highly wound curls or loose, flowing ones, you'll want to think about how your new color choice will look as a whole. Speak with your hairstylist about using multiple shades of the same color to provide some additional variety and depth to your overall look. 

Remember ongoing maintenance. 

Colored hair requires ongoing care to look its best. You'll need to touch up your roots every six months if you want the color to look natural, and you should get some color-safe shampoo and conditioner to keep your hair hydrated and healthy. 

Don't: 

Color hair that is damaged. 

If your hair is already in rough shape from past color treatments or a lack of overall maintenance, you should focus on revitalizing it before coloring it again. Your hair will look better and handle the coloring process more effectively if you make sure that your curls are healthy first. 

Stop moisturizing. 

Your hair needs moisture more than ever after a color treatment. Use a conditioner every time that you wash your hair and don't forget to apply leave-in conditioner between showers. 

Skip your trim appointments. 

Regular trims are essential for keeping your hair healthy. Visit your hairstylist every few months to get the ends of your hair cleaned up so that your curls look healthy and vibrant. 

If you want to learn how to color curly hair, get in touch with the College of Hair Design in Lincoln. This family-owned beauty school has been in business for more than 50 years. The school maintains national accreditation through the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges. They help students successfully start careers in the cosmetology industry. See what they have to offer online or request more information by calling (402) 474-4244.