How to Keep Hair Color From Fading
Coloring your hair is easy with any over the counter dyes. The difference between those more expensive ones and cheaper ones is in their application method and contents within the box. Some color will last longer. For instance, red colors will always fade the fastest no matter how well you try to preserve it. Dark colors over gray hair tend to be longer lasting than light browns. Blond color camouflages gray better, but regardless, once the hair is colored, you want it to last at least four weeks or more. To do this, do the following:
- After coloring, do not wash your hair for 72 hours. This allows the color to stabilize and set.
- Avoid shampooing your hair often, meaning, not more than twice a week. Water is the number one enemy for it relaxes the hair and color is released. The more you expose your hair to water, the quicker you will lose hair color. In between shampoos, use a dry shampoo like TRESemme Fresh Start.
- After coloring, apply a good conditioner that adds pigment to your hair like Vidal Sassoon Color Finity and leave on for two minutes then rinse. Always use a condition that adds pigment and protects from sunlight.
- Speaking of sunlight, avoid it! UV rays fade color like water does over time. If you are at the beach, cover your hair and limit water exposure.
- When coloring gray hair, leave the color on for 45 minutes to allow the color to penetrate gray resistant strands. Leaving it on for 20 minutes or so, is not enough time for most gray hair. If your color is a light brown, use a dark brown because over time the dark brown will become lighter and last over 4 weeks.
- Wash your hair quickly and only saturate hair with water briefly. Use a color friendly shampoo or use no shampoo at all, in this case, simply rinse your hair well and apply a conditioner with pigment. Your hair will still be fresh and smell fine. The longer you stay under the feel good shower, your color is washing away.
Using the above will make your hair color last at least four weeks and longer, Water, sun, chlorine water, frequent washing, are color's greatest enemy.