There’s nothing quite like the way you feel when you leave the salon with freshly colored hair. Your new, vibrant shade is such a delight that you just have to take another peek in the rear-view mirror before you start the car. But without the right at-home regimen, color-treated hair can fade or become brassy. What can you do to keep that shimmering color you love? Here are a few simple tips to maintain hair color longer.
1. Wait to wash your hair.
After your color appointment, put off shampooing your hair. Try to wait for at least twenty-four hours. Up to seventy-two hours is even better, especially if you made a dramatic color change. This will give the color time to set in your hair. A good dry shampoo like Oribe’s Gold Lust will absorb any product build-up and oil to keep your style fresh. As an added benefit, it will perfume your hair with Oribe’s luscious scent.
2. Take extra care in the shower.
When you are ready to wash your hair, treat it with extra care. Heat is the enemy of color, so keep the water as cool as is comfortable. You may also want to consider a shower water filter. It can cut down on chlorine and hard minerals that can strip and dull color. Filtered water doesn’t just pamper your hair, but it’s also good for your skin. Filtering out impurities helps combat dry, itchy skin and flaky scalps. Taking warm showers instead of blistering hot ones is good for your hair even when the color isn’t new. So make this change a lifelong habit.
3. Choose the right products.
Color-treated hair has particular needs that can’t be addressed by just any product. Choose formulations that are designed to care for your hair. A good example is Bain Chromatique Riche Sulfate-Free from Kérastase. This gentle shampoo is not only sulfate-free. It adds UV protection because the sun is no friend to color, particularly at our high altitude. It also keeps color-dulling residue off your hair. This is especially important because you never, ever want to use a deposit-removing shampoo on colored hair.
4. Don’t shampoo every day.
Even with the right products, it’s a good idea to only shampoo color-treated hair two or three times a week. On the other days, simply rinse your hair with cool water or use a gentle conditioning cleanser like Re.Store from Kevin Murphy. This single product replaces both your shampoo and your conditioner. It also nourishes your hair with superfood proteins and strengthening amino acids.
5. Add weekly masks to your hair care routine.
A weekly deep conditioning mask is a good idea for everyone and helps you maintain hair color longer. It will combat many of the elements that damage hair, like sun exposure, pollution, and styling damage. But for colored hair, it’s especially important to stay one step ahead of damage. Damaged hair has rough cuticles, which allow the color molecules to escape. Keep color in place and your hair feeling silky with a treatment like Oribe’s Gold Lust Transformative Masque. It penetrates deeply to condition hair with gentle white tea, baobab, and jasmine extracts.
6. Refresh and seal your color with a glossing treatment.
For a potent boost of color and shine, book an appointment at Deseo Salon & BlowDry for a luxurious glossing treatment. It not only freshens color, but it also lowers your hair’s pH to seal the cuticles. This keeps the color locked in and the strands glossy. This special shine treatment will leave your hair soft with a gleaming shimmer. The same gentle products that protect your color-treated hair will also help maintain your glossing treatment.
There’s no reason for you to have to watch that wonderful fresh-from-the-salon color fade. With a little care and the right products, your color will stay vibrant and true. Maintain hair color longer and enjoy healthier hair with these products and habits. If you’re seeking a fresh new hair color or help in keeping yours perfect, contact us at Deseo Salon & BlowDry to make an appointment with one of our expert stylists.