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Keep your color intact well past your dye job.
By
Wendy Rose Gould
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/WendyRoseGould_Headshot-edb4fc1739c741119de984dad69e323e.JPG "7 Things You Must Do Right After Dyeing Your Hair, According to Colorists (1)")
Wendy Rose Gould
Wendy Rose Gould is a freelance lifestyle reporter based in Phoenix, Arizona. For the last 10 years, she's covered beauty, health, wellness, and travel for leading lifestyle outlets, including NBC, The Zoe Report, Bustle, Glam, TripSavvy, and others.
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Published on January 25, 2023
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You know that just-walked-out-of-the-salon feeling. Your hair color is notably vibrant and shiny, it's got some legit bounce, and your head might just be tilted a little bit higher. You know you look good. Fast forward a few weeks and the luster isn’t quite what it used to be. What gives? Turns out, there are some strategic moves you can make to ensure those freshly dyed vibes stay for as long as possible. Keep reading to see what habits hair experts say you must incorporate into your post-salon routine.
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Avoid Washing for 48 Hours
There’s a low chance you’d want to wash your hair just after getting a cut, color, and style, but on the off-chance you get a hankering to hop in the shower we suggest you press pause. Celebrity stylist Cody Renegar says this helps the pigment settle into your hair. “If you wash it before then, there's a chance the color will fade,” Renegar warns. It also goes without saying that you should avoid getting hair wet in hot tubs or pools, which is even worse!
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Curb Your Shampooing
Even permanent hair dye is prone to fading over time, and shampooing is easily one of the biggest contributors to fading. We’re not saying you should outright skip the shampoo, but cutting back a bit (and using less shampoo in general) can help. “You want to wash your hair around like two to three times a week max,” says Glenn Ellis, a celebrity hairstylist. “This will really help improve the longevity of your hair color.”
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Use High Quality Shampoo
Ask any hairstylist about the biggest mistake their clients make and many will tell you it’s “using the wrong shampoo.” (Heat styling damage is also way up there, but we’ll get to that!) When you spend big bucks on gorgeous color, it makes sense to invest a little bit in your weekly hair care regimen, too.
“Chemically treated and color-treated hair tends to be dry,” Renegar says. “It’s very important to use a moisture-rich shampoo to hydrate, rejuvenate strands, and keep its tone. Moisture-rich shampoos are also very gentle on the hair, making them the best option for maintaining your hair's health and preventing your new color from fading.”
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Rinse With Cold Water
Along with frequent shampooing, washing your hair with super hot water tends to take a toll on your color. “Hot water fades color faster, especially if you have a vivid color,” says Ellis. Washing your hair with cool or cold water can help minimize fading, but it also helps seal the cuticle and retains more moisture on your scalp, strands, and skin.
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Shield Hair From the Sun
The sun does not discriminate—it’ll wreak havoc on your skin, clothing, and anything else that stands in its path, Ellis says, “Long exposure to the sun will fade your color, so try to avoid it.” That doesn’t mean taking up hermit status, but it’s a good move to wear a cute hat, use an umbrella, stick to shady spots, and use hairc are products that protect from sun damage.
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Use a Heat Protectant
Color-treated hair has already undergone a bit of damage, which makes it all the more imperative to protect it when using heat styling products. “A heat protectant essentially forms a shield between your hair and the heat source, which can prevent the color from fading,” Renegar explains. “It also helps prevent dryness which can cause things like frizz and split ends.” He recommends applying a heat protectant while your hair is wet after your shampoo.
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Schedule a Toning Treatment
Even following all the advice above, your hair color will naturally fade as time goes by. One way to keep riding that freshly colored high is to schedule a toning/glazing treatment in-between appointments. This service involves placing semi-permanent toner over your strands to nix brassiness and boost color, vibrancy, and glossiness. Schedule it for a day when you could use a nice blowout to make the most of this treatment.
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