How to Make Your Hair Color Last, According to Celebrity Colorists

Whether you get all-over color or just a few highlights, knowing how to protect your freshly dyed hair and extend the color's longevity is important. And according to experts, there are several ways to go about doing this. You can implement basic measures like upgrading your wash day routine with color-specific shampoos—or more elaborate steps like investing in a filtered showerhead. To learn about everything you can do to maximize the life of your color, we tapped four colorists to share all their tips and tricks.

Meet Our Expert

• Emilie Riant Passelande is the head colorist at the Christophe Robin Salon in Paris.

• Bianca Hillier is a celebrity colorist.

• Michelle Hong is the founder and creative director of NYC The Team.

• Michelle Cleveland is a hairstylist and the owner of Hair Addict Salon.
  

Use a Color-Safe Shampoo and Conditioner

Our experts all agree that using a color-safe shampoo and conditioner is crucial in caring for newly dyed hair. "To extend your hair color's longevity and vibrancy, wash with a color-safe, sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner," says Hillier. "Sulfates [can be] too abrasive for your hair color and will fade your color faster."

Hillier recommends Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo ($30) and No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner ($30), while Hong recommends Shu Uemura Color Lustre Shampoo ($55).

Resist Over-Washing Your Hair

If you tend to wash your hair several times a week, refrain from doing so immediately after your appointment. "Don't wash too soon after your color application," Cleveland shares. "It will raise the cuticle, releasing some of the newly applied color."

Use a Weekly Hair Treatment

Hillier notes that since coloring technically is a chemical treatment, you want to nourish your hair back to health. "A weekly hair treatment (an oil or mask) is a must for repairing damage and enhancing color longevity," Riant Passelande suggests.

Hillier recommends Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector, a pre-shampoo treatment that relinks damaged hair bonds, and No. 8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask. This weekly mask repairs hair bonds while deeply hydrating. "Make sure to keep up with bond-building treatments that hydrate, strengthen, and repair hair," she shares. "Using just one of [the Olaplex products] is fine; using both is the cherry on top," Hillier adds.

Use an Oil

Hair oils can be intimidating (no one wants greasy hair), but oil may be precisely what your freshly-colored hair needs. "I love using camellia oil on my client's color-treated hair," Riant Passelande says. "It nourishes and protects without weighing down the hair. I like to use it before color, but it can also be used as a treatment afterward to keep the hair healthy."

Hong also notes that applying oil can help protect your color-treated hair during a workout. "Applying an oil is a good way to give yourself an instant treatment and also helps the sweat not sweep into the hair," she says. "K18 Molecular Repair Hair Oil ($65) is a great option as it's easy to apply and reverses damaged hair."

Use Hot Tools on Low Settings

Generally speaking, hot tools can damage your hair if not used properly. When you add color treatment to the mix, you must be especially careful with putting heat on your hair, as it can impact color and cause breakage.

"Lower the temperature of your appliances," Cleveland emphasizes. "Blow dryers, flat irons, and curling wands can have temperatures as high as 450 degrees. Lowering your appliances' temperature can extend your hair color's life."

Wash With Cold Water

You've probably heard this tip before, but washing your hair with cold water is truly beneficial. "Use a cooler temperature water when washing," Cleveland says. "Just as washing in general raises the cuticle, using a temperature that is too hot will raise them even more, allowing the color to fade quicker than should be."

Invest In a Water Filter

You've probably seen all the buzz around filtered showerheads, and it's for a good reason. Options like the Jolie Filtered Showerhead ($165) can help remove chlorine, heavy metals, and other bacteria from your water. This ensures less residue on your hair and that its pH is balanced—leading to a shinier, even color. "A water filter on your shower head does wonders," Hillier adds. "They are easy to attach onto your shower head and filter out the pollutants, saving your strands." 

Avoid the Pool

Our experts advise that you act quickly if you take a dip, as chlorine and salt water can cause your hair to be discolored or dull. "Make sure to cleanse your hair after swimming in the ocean or after being in the pool," says Hong. "Chlorine must be rinsed out immediately."

Get Regular Trims

Most hairstylists will agree that getting a trim every six to eight weeks is important. "Regular trims help keep your hair healthy, and color looks best on healthy hair," Hillier says. "If you have split ends, the split can travel up the hair shaft, dulling the color and making it look frizzy and flat."

Protect Your Hair From the Sun

Too much exposure to sunlight can cause your hair color to fade. Using products that protect against sun damage can help prevent this. "Use an oil like Shu Uemura Essence Absolue Oil ($30) to protect from UV-induced damage, nourish the hair, and seal in hydration," Honng says. "Sun Bum also makes a scalp and hair mist with SPF 30."

Read the original article on Byrdie.