Ways to Keep That Gorgeous Hair Color for Longer ...

The best start is to select a suitable color in the first place. You may find it a bit daring to select a color that's the complete opposite of your natural hair color, but you will have a hard time keeping the shade for a long time. It is mainly because your roots will soon begin to show and you will need to re-dye. Selecting a color near to your natural hair color is the easiest way to make a dye job last longer.

Ultraviolet rays are harmful to skin and hair, and these same UV rays can also damage and dry out any hair color. Spend more time in the sun and you will have dull-looking, lifeless hair. The answer is to apply hair sunscreens before you go out. This will help prevent UV rays from penetrating the cuticle, causing the color to oxidize.

You may think you're using the best quality conditioners and shampoos, but they may not be the best for protecting your hair color. It is important that you use protective conditioners and shampoos because they have the ingredients to seal your hair cuticle. This will ensure that your strands can maintain the color for longer. You should also avoid using clarifying shampoos because they will strip strands and trigger the fading process.

Pool water contains chlorine and mineral deposits that can give a green-orange tinge to hair – they will also reduce the effects of your hair dye. It is therefore a good idea to use a protective conditioner before you go swimming.

Washing strips the color from your hair. Shampooing makes hair strands swell, causing the dye to wash out – slowly but surely. You should avoid shampooing too often, and use sulfate-free shampoos, color conditioners or similar products that re-color your hair a little every time you wash.

Washing your hair too often is never a great idea, but using hot water is a recipe for disaster for freshly colored hair. Always use cooler water whenever you want to wash your hair and finish with a cold rinse to seal the cuticle.

It follows that if hot water isn’t good for colored hair, then heat styling isn’t either. In the first week after coloring you should avoid hot tools completely if you can, to give the dye the best chance to bed in. After that, always use protective products when using your hair dryer or any heat styling tool.

Doing these things should help you avoid touch ups and re-dyes. They should also help with the health and condition of your hair when it has been colored.

Do you color your hair? Salon or home job?