Bumble and Bumble Color Minded Collection — A View To A Hue
If, like me, you approach changing your hair color with the same cavalier attitude typically reserved for scooping up under-$10 accessories, then you know that the consequences of your rash action can range from riotously satisfying (turns out you’re a fierce redhead!) to glaringly glib (that blue black dye transformed you into a veritable Addams Family member). When you do find the right shade, however, the resulting transformation can feel like utter self-vindication, so that the change transcends the exterior, providing you with renewed perspective and the confidence to explore new challenges and feats — all the result of a triumphant hair color experiment. And, of course, we all want to relish that fresh “win” for as long as we can, to hold on to the radiant, nuanced color that first made us beam when we stared at our own reflections in a salon mirror.
But, of course, as days and weeks elapse, your once vibrant color will inevitably begin to fade — shampoos will begin to strip your strands of their saturated color, eventually leaving behind a wimpy hue or turning a glorious shade brassy or grayish, and the sun’s UV rays will likely dim its luster, making strands appear a bit lifeless. Like a tarnished, rusty, peeling trophy, your hair color can start to feel like a relic o past glory days rather than functioning as a source of pride.
What to do? Well, Bumble and Bumble has developed the Color Minded Collection precisely to address the concerns of women with color treated hair — whether they’re trepidatious customers who dye their hair solely to cover gray strands or fearless chameleons who shift hair colors on a seasonal basis. The four products in the collection were formulated with the Bumble and Bumble Color Minded Color Preserving Complex, a dual polymer technology that helps to create an invisible “net,” thereby preventing too much water from entering and leaving strands, hence minimizing color washout. This complex plays a particularly critical role in the Bumble and Bumble Color Minded Sulfate Free Shampoo ($29 at bumbleandbumble.com) and Bumble and Bumble Color Minded Conditioner ($32 at bumbleandbumble.com) since these are the cornerstones of the collection, the two products that women with color-treated hair will likely reach for with the most frequency.
The Color Minded Sulfate Free Shampoo contains no harsh detergents that can weaken strands likely to be teetering on the verge of dehydration due to the color treatment incurred, and it feels incredibly gentle. As someone with drastically color-treated hair (I went from dark brown to near-platinum blond), I’ve often bemoaned the pitifully parched state of my hair, not to mention the breakage, frizz, and split ends that have resulted from my impetuous ways. One of my biggest gripes is shampoo — the simple act of washing my hair can sometimes prove painful since many formulations are exceedingly harsh, turning my wet mane into a tangled mess that no conditioner can undo. The Bumble and Bumble Color Minded Shampoo, however, has no such detrimental side effects. As you work the product into your hair and massage it in, you’ll feel a delightful lather being created and yet you can still comfortably run your fingers through your hair without them getting caught in some web-like maze. In fact, strands feel a bit plumper as you cleanse them, rather than feeling stringy to the touch.
Any points earned by the Color Minded Sulfate Free Shampoo are doubled by the Color Minded Conditioner, a deliciously creamy substance that contains the best botanical extracts to nourish and soften strands while also protecting hair color from fading: shea butter moisturizes and softens hair; sunflower seed oil, which is rich in lanoleic acid essential to hair health along with vitamin E that protects strands from harmful UV rays; jojoba seed oil, which restores strands to their optimal moisture balance, boosts luster, and stimulates hair growth; sesame seed oil, which boasts moisturizing properties but also functions as an antibacterial agent, a hair shaft strengthener, and a natural hair sunscreen; rosemary leaf extract, which stimulates circulation at the scalp level; meadowfoam seed oil, which seals in moisture; and macadamia seed oil, which is rich in essential fatty acids and has a composition hat mimics that of our own sebum, making it penetrate strands easily, hydrating, strengthening, and protecting hair from free radicals, without leaving behind any greasy residue. This conditioner is absolutely delicious — I actually like using it as a mask, leaving it in for 20 minutes as a special treat for my parched hair.
These two hair care products are accompanied by two styling aids: the Color Minded UV Protective Styling Balm ($28 at bumbleandbumble.com), a lightweight, lotion-like balm containing nourishing ingredients like hydrolyzed wheat protein and the lactic acid-derived lactamide MEA, along with natural UV filters so that you can prepr your hair for styling while also coating it with a protective veil; and the Color Minded UV Protective Polish ($28 at bumbleandbumble.com), a concentrated, serum-like substance that boosts shine, tames frizz, and protects hair from the sun’s harsh rays.
My experience with these producs has been extremely positive — in fact, the nuanced shade my colorist worked so hard to achieve has remained almost intact three weeks after my last salon visit. It’s a hue-tiful day, folks!
