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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.
1. After coloring, wait a full 72 hours 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!
2. 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. L’oreal has great options for all hair types, so whether you have frizzy, curly, straight, or even thin hair, there is a sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner option for all.
3. Turn down water temperature when shampooing
Though hot showers feel amazing to some, it isn’t so great for your hair color. When washing hair with hot water, your hair’s cuticle is opened, allowing your color to wash out while shampooing and conditioning.
To prevent seeing all of your color go down the drain, try shampooing with slightly warm water and then rinse with cold water after conditioning. The warm water will allow the shampoo and conditioner to penetrate and cleanse, while the cold water will help seal in the moisture from your conditioner while preventing color from fading by sealing the hair’s cuticle.
4. Wash hair less frequently
Washing your hair every day is something you want to avoid if wanting your hair color to last longer, especially if you have a vibrant color. Not only are you washing away the natural oils that moisturize and keep your hair color looking fresh! Try washing your hair every other day or even 2-3 times a week to keep your color on lock. You shouldn’t wash more than that unless you’re working out a lot.
5. On off days, use dry shampoo
On your off days of not washing your hair, try using color-safe dry shampoos. These will refresh your hair and make it look like you just got a blowout without even having to wash your hair! You can also try color-tinted dry shampoos to revamp your color without having to head to the salon.
6. Avoid chlorine and salt water
Chlorine is a chemical bleaching agent that cleans pools and will definitely strip color from your hair when enjoying a sunny pool day. Blonde hair is susceptible to turning a greenish tint, while darker shades may become dull, dry out, and lose their shine. So, if you find yourself wanting to go to the pool, try a swimmer’s cap!
7. Keep up with trims
Dead ends won’t hold color and will fade even faster, so make sure you are cutting off those dead ends every 6-8 weeks so your color looks fresh from root to tip.
-Mimi ❤️
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