There’s nothing worse than paying top dollar for a beautiful dye job, just to have it fade away sooner than expected. Even if you color your hair at home, you still want your hard work to last as long as possible. 

So, what can you do to preserve your hair color and ensure it doesn’t completely fade away between salon visits? Luckily, there are quite a few things in your control.

Wait to shampoo your hair a full 72 hours after coloring. Washing your hair too soon after it’s been colored should be avoided as it will interfere with the cuticle, which opens during the coloring process, and can cause color to wash away in the shower. Because it takes about three days for the cuticle to close back up, waiting this long to shampoo allows for color to absorb fully into the hair first. 

Use a sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner. Sulfates strip away natural oils and moisture each time you wash. Using shampoos and conditioners that contain sulfates on color-treated hair further disrupts the cuticle, stripping hair of color more easily, so always look for sulfate-free products

Add some dye to your conditioner. This is especially beneficial for anyone rocking a pink, green, blue, or purple look because these colors tend to fade quicker (or at least more noticeably) than colors closer to your natural hair color. Regardless, this is a great way to re-dye and refresh your hair with every wash. 

Wash your hair with cold water. We’re so used to taking hot showers, that the idea of bathing in cold water may sound insane, but you’ll be doing your color-treated hair a favor. Hot water opens up the cuticle, allowing for color to wash away much easier than if you lower the temperature. Try shampooing with lukewarm water and rinsing out the conditioner with cold water. This will help to seal the cuticle and protect your precious color. 

Wash your hair less often. As a rule of thumb, you shouldn’t wash your hair every day, and this is especially true for color-treated hair. Shampooing every day can cause hair’s natural oils, which provide moisture and help keep color looking fresher for longer, to be stripped away. On top of this, you wash away some of your color each time. Instead, try washing your hair every other day, or even just a couple of times a week to get more longevity from your color.

Use dry shampoo. On non-wash days, trying using a color-safe dry shampoo. This is a great way to amplify color by refreshing your hair without water. There are even color-tinted dry shampoos out there, which is an easy way to amp up your look in just a few minutes. 

Use a heat-protecting spray when using hot tools. Protecting your hair against heat styling is a good idea for everyone, however, it’s especially important for color-enhanced locks because heat strips away color and hydration, leading to dry, faded, and damaged hair. Heat protectants can also help defend against UV-rays and humidity, both of which contribute to color fading.

Keep up with trims. Dead ends don’t hold color well, so make sure you’re getting your hair trimmed consistently. Trimming every 6-8 weeks is a good habit to get into to keep your locks looking fresh. 

What other tips do you have for making your hair color last? Feel free to share them in the comments!

2 thoughts on “Ask St. Eden: How To Make Your Hair Color Stand the Test of Time

  1. Danyelle says:

    People have no clue that fast growth shampoos (obviously without any sulfates, parabens or DEA) are even a thing. Hair styling enthusiasts are now able to enjoy longer hair and attain more options. Certainly worth considering.

    When you’re exploring alopecia, hair damage, avoiding skin disorders, fast hair growth, hair care normally, very similar rules actualize.

    In general, you have to avoid hair treatments and products that use chemicals such as parabens, DEA and sulfates.

    What’s beneficial for your hair is healthy for your skin also.

    For obvious reasons the content on this page is so accurate for many reasons. It stays away from the accustomed traps and mistakes most fall into- purchasing defective alternatives. Keep up the great content!

  2. Azzie says:

    Most people have no clue that scalp therapy shampoos for fast hair growth (of course with no sulfates, no parabens, no DEA) exist. We all are now able to achieve longer hair and enjoy more possibilities. Definitely worth looking up.

    When you’re examining hair loss, hair damage, preventing hair disorders, hair growth, hair and scalp health at large, very similar principles become relevant.

    For the most part, you want to steer clear of hair treatments and products that include chemicals such as parabens, DEA or sulfates.

    What’s healthy for your hair is healthy for your skin all the same.

    It goes without saying your content here is so accurate for so many reasons. It steers away from the common traps and pitfalls so many fall into: purchasing defective alternatives. Thank you!

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