Hair that has just been coloured, highlighted, balayaged or lightened, especially where the water is hard or high in copper. It suits all hair types because the texture is a light gel rather than a heavy cream.

It is a professional product. The 500 ml pump bottle is made for salons to use after colour services, and for experienced at-home users who already follow the Metal Detox routine.

A colour or lightening service is exactly when metal in the hair does the most harm, and the minutes after it are when the fibre is most open to new deposits. This care is L'Oréal's answer for that moment: a light, quick-absorbing gel that protects the fibre from particle deposits, strengthens it straight away and leaves it less porous, so the colour you just applied stays even, vibrant and shiny. Salons using the Metal Detox protocol use it between the shampoo and the mask.

• After the colour or lightening service, cleanse with Metal Detox Anti-Metal Cleansing Cream Shampoo.
• Apply 2 to 3 pumps to the hair.
• Work it through until a little foam develops so it spreads evenly. The effect is immediate.
• Rinse, then follow with Metal Detox Anti-Deposit Protector Mask for the best result.

Pros

• Made specifically for right after a chemical service, when hair is most vulnerable
• Light gel texture that spreads with a little foam and won't weigh hair down
• Works with any colour or lightener brand
• Large pump bottle is economical for salons

Cons

• A professional product: home users need to follow the shampoo-then-care-then-mask order to get the intended result
• Not a rich conditioner; very dry ends still need the Metal Detox mask after it
• Fragranced, with linalool, limonene, geraniol and hexyl cinnamal listed