Now that you’ve spent hours in the salon getting that just-right hair color, it’s time to keep it intact for as long as possible. “How you take care of your hair color affects how long it lasts,” says Laura Gibson, RUSK global artistic director.
Truth be told, we’re all guilty of committing one—or all—of 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.
Don’t Wash Your Hair Too Soon
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’s IGK Salon, agrees, explaining this three-day waiting period gives ample time "for the cuticle to close and the color to set."
“One of the biggest mistakes I see is clients washing their hair too soon after their color appointment, especially with hot water,” adds Sierra Kener, celebrity colorist and owner of ESKÉ Salon. “Giving the hair a little time to settle and using cooler water can really help preserve tone and shine.”
Trust At-Home Treatments
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.
Kener agrees, noting summer can be especially tough on color-treated hair—particularly for blonds. “One of my favorite ways to maintain the health and longevity of color is using the K18 Mask ($75) to help repair and strengthen the hair internally.”
Practice Washing Less
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 hair and scalp."
New York City–based 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."
"I always say, think of your favorite T-shirt,” says Anderson. “If you were to wash it every day, the color would fade; the same applies to your hair color. I recommend my clients opt for dpHUE’s ACV HairRinse ($38) as a shampoo substitute. This will give your hair a gentle cleanse, without stripping any essential oils and that beautiful vibrant color you just received at the salon," he says.
Stick to Gentle Cleansers
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.
"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’s go to? Milbon. “It’s a Japanese brand, it doesn’t strip the color and it leaves the hair, nice and silky and smooth and treats your hair each time.”
“Sulfates are fresh color’s 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.
Take Caution When Swimming
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’s NYC, compares the chlorine in swimming pools to Kryptonite for color. It's a bleaching agent, meaning colored hair should stay far, far away.
"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.
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 “to create a barrier and help protect the cuticle.” Getting hair wet with filtered water before jumping in can help, too.
Mix Up Your Shampoo
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.)
"We recommend maintaining our clients’ 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.
"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,” he says.
Avoid Hot Water
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. “Instead, simply use cold water (lukewarm is okay, too), as it will help seal up the cuticle and lock in your fresh color,” says Cleveland.
Rethink Your Workout
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.
Steer Clear of the Sun
Chemicals and chlorine are two of the more obvious color-strippers, but Eric Leonardos, celebrity hairstylist at STARRING, says there’s another huge one we often forget about: the sun. “You should avoid direct sunlight for long periods of time and use an SPF designed specifically for hair.”
“A 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,” warns Kener. “I always recommend using a heat and UV protectant daily, even if you’re simply air drying or spending time outside.”
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—it's great for both your hair and skin."
Skip Certain In-Shower Treatments and Masks
Dandruff-busting shampoos or clarifying treatments can also do a number on hair color, because as Outen explains, “they 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.”
Lay Off the Chemicals
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 chemicals. “Anything from hairspray and styling products with alcohol to too much blow-drying can all contribute to color fading.” The chemicals found in hair-styling products open up the hair cuticle, allowing the color to slip out.
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.
Protect Your Hair Color
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.
"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)—use it on damp or dry hair—before touch-ups and styling.
In fact, Dorram notes the only product you should really be using when heat styling is a protectant. “Try 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,” says Dorram.
