Even if you color your hair at the maximum allowed frequency, you might still have to deal with color fading or changing before your next coloring appointment. However, fading isn’t always inevitable, and you can always postpone it with a few great tips.
Find out how to get longer lasting hair color by using the right products and developing the right habits to keep your shade vibrant for longer. From the preparation before coloring to the way you shower, here’s what you can do to extend the life of your color.
1. Always Use a Clarifying Shampoo Before Coloring
If you don’t get rid of all the product build-up before you color your hair, you really can’t expect it to last. Use a clarifying shampoo twice in the week before you’re getting your hair colored in order to make sure that the color will stick to each hair for longer.
2. Only Use Hair Products for Colored Hair
This seems like a no-brainer for anyone who wants to get longer lasting hair color, but few make sure to always travel with their shampoo for colored hair or wonder if the hair mousse they’re using is good for the color. Your shampoo and conditioner have to be color safe, but any product that goes on your hair should be carefully considered.
3. Aim for Less Frequent Shampooing
Even with the gentlest shampoo for color hair, you still need to avoid exposing your hair to shampoo daily. Try co-washing, with a color safe conditioner, and consider dry shampoo as a solution for feeling fresh without stripping away too much color. There are two types of shampoos for colored hair, and you might need to experiment with both before deciding which works best for your color.
4. Try Color Depositing Shampoos
One way to get longer lasting hair color is to use color depositing shampoos. With strong pigments among their ingredients, they deposit a little color on your hair during each use. Of course, this type of shampoo can actually alter your hair color if you don’t find the perfect match. To reduce the risk of that happening, stick to a color depositing shampoo from the same line as your preferred hair dye.
5. Experiment with Color Lock Shampoos
The other type of great shampoo for colored hair locks the color on the hair strand without adding anything. It may be a right choice for you, especially if you have a vibrant shade, either red or less natural colors. Again, going for a color safe shampoo that locks pigment from the same brand as your hair dye is probably the best choice.
See also: Scary! 10 Toxic Ingredients in Hair Products
6. Deep Condition Weekly
A color safe conditioner is a must after every wash, but if you really want to get longer lasting hair color, then a deep conditioning treatment is recommended once a week. Hydrating masks are a good choice, as long as they’re safe for colored hair. Keeping your tresses moisturized with conditioner also provides a benefit when it comes to vibrant and long lasting color.
7. Check the Water
Exposing your hair to chlorinated water in pools is definitely a bad idea. If you have to, make sure you soak it before going into the pool. However, the water you use when you’re washing your hair is even more important. Invest in a showerhead that purifies water and removes any color-dulling minerals. And forget about washing your colored hair with warm or hot water. Using cold water helps prevent color fading better, but if that’s not an option, then settle on lukewarm.
8. Add Shine
A little extra shine won’t help you get longer lasting hair color, but it will disguise fading color a lot better than dry hair. Use a shine spray or any other color safe products that give more shine to your tresses, and the color will look a lot more vibrant.
9. Limit Your Use of Hairspray
If you absolutely have to use a hairspray, make sure that it’s formulated for color treated hair. A shine enhancing hairspray is the obvious choice, because the regular kind will make your hair color look duller.
More: 10 Things That Ruin Your Hair
10. Use Hair Sunscreen
Last but not least, if you want to get longer lasting hair color, make sure that you protect it from UV radiation which fades color. A leave-in sun protector is a must if you plan on spending time outdoors without a hat.
