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Now that you\u2019ve spent hours in the salon getting that just-right hair color, it\u2019s time to keep it intact for as long as possible. \u201cHow you take care of your hair color affects how long it lasts,\u201d says Laura Gibson, RUSK global artistic director.<\/p>\n
Truth be told, we\u2019re all guilty of committing one\u2014or all\u2014of the below hair-color sins. From washing too early to using the wrong products when it does come time to shampoo, these mistakes are more common than you think. Ahead, an expert roadmap to when to wash your hair after coloring, which products to avoid and how to keep your post-salon color fresh for longer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
We all ask ourselves the same question a day or two after our color appointment: When is the right time to wash freshly colored hair? Celebrity colorist Aura Friedman makes it simple: “Wait at least three days before shampooing your hair after color,” she says. Leo Izquierdo, cofounder and colorist at New York\u2019s IGK Salon, agrees, explaining this three-day waiting period gives ample time “for the cuticle to close and the color to set.” <\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the biggest mistakes I see is clients washing their hair too soon after their color appointment, especially with hot water,\u201d adds Sierra Kener, celebrity colorist and owner of ESK\u00c9 Salon. \u201cGiving the hair a little time to settle and using cooler water can really help preserve tone and shine.\u201d<\/p>\n
When it comes to sealing in hair color and getting as much longevity as possible, Emily Claire Sacco, colorist at Rob Peetoom Williamsburg, says professional-grade treatments may be your best bet. “Patented treatments such as Olaplex or K18 have been proven to seal the cuticle shut, locking the color molecules into the hair,” she says.<\/p>\n
Kener agrees, noting summer can be especially tough on color-treated hair\u2014particularly for blonds. \u201cOne of my favorite ways to maintain the health and longevity of color is using the K18 Mask ($75)\u00a0to help repair and strengthen the hair internally.\u201d<\/p>\n
When it comes to keeping color vibrant, celebrity colorist and dpHue cofounder Justin Anderson offers up a solid tip: “My number-one rule is definitely shampoo less,” says Anderson. “Over-shampooing not only strips your color but also the natural oils that your scalp produces, which are essential for the health of your\u00a0hair\u00a0and scalp.” <\/p>\n
New York City\u2013based colorist Jaclyn Seabrooke recommends washing your strands two to three times per week. “If you wash your hair every day, you are not only washing away a little bit of your color each time, you are also washing away natural oils that are needed to moisturize your hair and scalp, which keep it looking fresh and healthy.”<\/p>\n
“I always say, think of your favorite T-shirt,\u201d says Anderson. \u201cIf you were to wash it every day, the color would fade; the same applies to your\u00a0hair\u00a0color. I recommend my clients opt for dpHUE\u2019s ACV HairRinse ($38)\u00a0as a shampoo substitute. This will give your\u00a0hair\u00a0a gentle cleanse, without stripping any essential oils and that beautiful vibrant color you just received at the salon,” he says.<\/p>\n
Clarifying shampoos have their place for their ability to deep-cleanse the scalp and hair of excess buildup, but Ryan Trygstad, celebrity hairstylist and cofounder of Mark Ryan Salon, says this type of shampoo is the number-one thing those with fresh color should stay away from. <\/p>\n
“Clarifying shampoos can remove the fresh pigment and tone of your hair,” he says. Instead, Sacco says to opt for a sulfate-free or color-safe shampoo so you can cleanse without worry. Kener\u2019s go to? Milbon. \u201cIt\u2019s a Japanese brand, it doesn\u2019t strip the color and it leaves the hair, nice and silky and smooth and treats your hair each time.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSulfates are fresh color\u2019s worst enemy,” adds Sacco. “They strip color molecules from the hair, leaving it dull and dry.” In addition, your colorist may suggest using a tinted shampoo or conditioner to maintain your tonality in between services, she notes.<\/p>\n
Swimming can be tricky, says Sacco, noting that both salt water and chlorine will strip or alter your color. Tina Outen, founder of Tina Did It Salon at Ricky\u2019s NYC, compares the chlorine in swimming pools to Kryptonite for color. It’s a bleaching agent, meaning colored hair should stay far, far away.<\/p>\n
“Blond hair is susceptible to turning green [from chlorine] while darker hair becomes more dull and loses its shine,” adds Seabrooke. The reason: “Chlorine is attracted to the most porous parts of the hair, which would be your fresh highlights,” explains Trygstad.<\/p>\n
To curb any damage to your hair during the summer months and beyond, Kener recommends coating the hair with an oil or leave-in treatment beforehand \u201cto create a barrier and help protect the cuticle.\u201d Getting hair wet with filtered water before jumping in can help, too.<\/p>\n
To keep hair color looking bright and salon-fresh, washing with a pigmented shampoo at least once a week is a must. To tone oxidized blond hair, purple shampoos like dae Violet Hour Purple Shampoo ($28) instantly reverse yellow, brassy tones. (Lavender-tinted products also work to brighten gray and ashy hues.)<\/p>\n
“We recommend maintaining our clients\u2019 color with color-pigmented conditioners such as Christophe Robin Shade Variation Mask in Baby Blond ($53),” says Trygstad, noting these conditioners help maintain that fresh-from-the-salon color and tone.<\/p>\n
“If brunette hair is skewing a bit too copper, incorporate a blue-hued shampoo such as Redken Color Extend Brownlights Blue Toning Sulfate-Free Shampoo ($29) into your regular hair wash schedule to cool things off,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
It may seem second nature to just hop in the shower and shampoo as usual post-color, but celebrity hairstylist Michelle Cleveland says freshly colored hair should be sure to avoid hot water. Izquierdo agrees, adding that hot water will lift the outer layer of hair color and cause color to fade. \u201cInstead, simply use cold water (lukewarm is okay, too), as it will help seal up the cuticle and lock in your fresh color,\u201d says Cleveland.<\/p>\n
According to Gibson, certain workouts can impact the longevity of your hair color. Her two top tips: “Do not shampoo daily and avoid heated workout classes. This will cause your color to fade significantly faster,” she says.<\/p>\n
Chemicals and chlorine are two of the more obvious color-strippers, but Eric Leonardos, celebrity hairstylist at STARRING, says there\u2019s another huge one we often forget about: the sun. \u201cYou should avoid direct sunlight for long periods of time and use an SPF designed specifically for hair.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of people think heat protectant is only necessary when using hot tools, but if you live somewhere hot and sunny, UV exposure and direct heat from the sun can be just as damaging to freshly colored hair,\u201d warns Kener. \u201cI always recommend using a heat and UV protectant daily, even if you\u2019re simply air drying or spending time outside.\u201d <\/p>\n
Cleveland agrees, and always recommends a good UV spray protectant for her color clients. Her favorite that also boasts SPF? Sebastian Trillant Spray ($23). Friedman offers up another hair-saving suggestion: “Try a hat with UV protection\u2014it’s great for both your hair and skin.”<\/p>\n
Dandruff-busting shampoos or clarifying treatments can also do a number on hair color, because as Outen explains, \u201cthey are used to strip unwanted tones in color correction.” Another step to skip? Thick treatment masks. While they may seem nourishing to dry hair and a great way to keep color intact, Outen says they can have the opposite effect. “They penetrate so deeply into the hair and can drag the color pigments out with them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Celebrity colorist Sharon Dorram says one of the most important things to remember after coloring your hair is not to overexpose it to too many\u00a0chemicals. \u201cAnything from hairspray and styling products with alcohol to too much blow-drying can all contribute to color fading.\u201d The chemicals found in hair-styling products open up the hair cuticle, allowing the color to slip out.<\/p>\n
Not so lucky for us, Trygstad says heat-styling tools can seriously contribute to premature hair-color fading. Instead of reaching for your curling iron every morning, try throwing your hair into a loose braid while still damp for a heat-free wavy style.<\/p>\n
If you do plan to heat style, Seabrooke’s instructions are clear: “Do not style hair without a heat protectant before using hot tools. I see so many people blow-dry their hair and then hit it with a flat or curling iron and you can actually see where the color has lifted from having no heat protection,” she explains, adding that no matter how healthy your strands may be, heat will strip away color and hydration and lead to major damage.<\/p>\n
“A heat protectant will reduce moisture loss from inside the hair and smooth the outside, protecting it from humidity, which will also help maintain your color.” We love Mane Temp Check Anti-Frizz Heat Protectant ($26)\u2014use it on damp or dry hair\u2014before touch-ups and styling. <\/p>\n
In fact, Dorram notes the only<\/em> product you should really be using when heat styling is a protectant. \u201cTry to avoid using volumizers, mousse, hairsprays, and even gels with high heat for long periods of time. The hair is too vulnerable and easily damaged,\u201d says Dorram.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n