Whether you have platinum blonde, brunette, black, red, or even blue hair, color treated hair needs a little extra attention if you’re wanting your color to last long. Nothing is worse than spending big bucks at your hair salon for the newest trending color and then having it fade after a week due to not taking care of your locks. Trust me, I learned the hard way. Coming from someone who has had pink, orange, black, brunette, and my more natural color, blonde, I have had to learn a thing or two about getting color to last longer. Here are my tips that I have gathered over the years!
- After coloring, wait a full 72 hrs before shampooing
When coloring hair, your cuticle layer is opened, making it easy for color to penetrate the hair shaft. When you wash your hair too soon after your appointment, the cuticle layer could still be open which then leads to your color being washed down the drain. It takes up to three days for the cuticle layer to fully close, so the longer you wait to shampoo your hair after you color your hair, the more time the color pigment will have to soak into the hair cuticle – which will help your color last longer in between salon visits.
- Use sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner
Sodium laureth sulfate, also known as sodium laureth ether sulfate, is a type of anionic detergent that is found in many personal care products. This ingredient is used to help produce a foaming effect to your shampoos and conditioners. By using sulfates, you run the risk of stripping your hair of its natural oils and moisture, which can then lead to stripping your beautiful color treated hair (which you just spent hours and dollars at the hair salon to achieve).
Try using a sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner to keep your hair color from fading. So whether you have frizzy, curly, straight, or even thin hair, there is a sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner option for all!