How to Make Hair Color Last Longer
Today I’m sharing my tips for how to make hair color last longer this Summer and year round. If you plan on swimming in the ocean, pool or hot tub, here’s everything you need to know.
How to Make Hair Color Last Longer
I love having color-treated rainbow hair. I also love to change my hair color frequently, so that means I need to give it extra TLC. This is my short list of 12 tips for longer lasting color and healthier hair. Try these out! Your hair will thank you for it.
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Wear a hat if you’re going to be outside for more than a few minutes.
If you wear a hat, you protect your color from the sun’s harmful UV rays. It also protects your scalp!
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Avoid washing your hair in hot water.
I’m guilty of this one. I love a good hot shower, but not only is hot water bad for color treated hair, it’s bad for your skin. You should use lukewarm water on your hair to help preserve the color. Some people swear by only using cold water, but it’s just not comfortable for me. Lukewarm is also better for your skin since it doesn’t dry out your skin. Now, obviously since I do hang out in hot tubs, what I do in that situation is clip my hair up so it doesn’t get wet.
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Saturate your hair before you swim.
This is one that I’m surprised most people don’t know! Saturate your hair with normal water OR a conditioner before you get into the pool or ocean. Your hair will swell up with the water and then absorb less of the chlorine or salt water, which can leech your color. I also recommend going to the beach as the sun is setting or at night, since the temperature is cooler and it’s far less crowded.
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Wait before you wash.
Right after you dye your hair, try to wait 3 or more days before you wash it. I personally only wash my hair every 7 days or so. Unless you have an extremely oily scalp, you should be able to wash every 3 or 4 days. This helps your color to last longer. You can also use dry shampoo at the roots to help out your hair.
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Use a UV Spray if you’re going to stay outside.
If you want to lounge by the pool or ocean and don’t want to wear a hat, use a UV spray to protect your hair from the sun’s harmful rays.
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Use a shower filter.
You should install a shower filter on your showerhead to remove any minerals that might be in your water. This can also help prolong the life of your hair color. This is the showerhead that I bought and installed in 2 of my bathrooms because it has a great filter.
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Don’t heat style all the time.
I love my hair in waves and curls, but I don’t do it every day. Heat styling daily will cause your color to fade faster. I love using Cora’s method of no-heat curls with this headband to get waves in my hair.
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Always use a heat protectant.
When you do decide to use heat styling, make sure you use a heat protectant to protect your strands. This will help to minimize breakage and fading.
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Deep condition your hair.
Give your hair some TLC! Make sure you deep condition at least once a month. Every other time I wash my hair, I deep condition with Overtone’s Go Deep Weekly conditoning treatment mask.
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Air dry your hair when you can.
I realize this isn’t an option for everyone, but when you can, air dry your hair. Give it a break from blow drying. I try to air dry as often as I can. When I can’t, I use a thermal protectant spray before I dry.
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Use sulfate-free when you wash.
Washing less frequently is great, but make sure that what you’re washing with is good quality too. Your shampoo doesn’t have to say ‘for color treated hair’ to be good. Choose a sulfate-free shampoo that works for your hair type. I’m currently in love with the Paul Mitchell Marula Oil Shampoo that I bought from my salon, iStyle.
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Use a leave-in spray on longer hair.
If you have longer hair, which I do these days, I find it really helpful to use an alcohol-free leave-in spray to condition from about my chin down. This keeps it from tangling. You can also use a smoothing serum. The added benefit of choosing these products from my favorite indie brand, Cocoa Pink, is that you can get these products in your favorite scents. I have Hawaiian Cake right now.
What do you do to help prolong your hair color?
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I do all of these things (even take cold showers….even when my hair isn’t a fun color haha) and mine still fades so fast 🙁 I need to invest in some overtone for sure
These are great tips Phyrra, an informative post as usual. I do most of those things – I have been washing my hair in cool water for a long time now and it does make a difference. Cannot do cold in winter here though!
I buy shampoos & conditioner that a great for colour treated hair – generally adding volume ones, as the pure products for coloured hair absolutely add too much oil for my already oily hair. Strange at my age – 60+ to have oily hair, but that’s the case. I usually air dry my hair anyway. I have found DeLorenzo Rejuvin8 products to be excellent.
I love volume products too!
Wonderful tips and I am loving that natural photo of you!!! Kisses, Sissi
Aww thank you! This was at Siesta Key Beach
You are kidding! Should have told me and I would have come around! 😉
Good info! My hair stylist hates that I wash my hair every day, but I run or do some other sweaty workout pretty much every day plus my scalp is really oily! I do wait 24-48 hours before I shampoo after I get my color done, it really does make a big difference.
I do wear a hat and/or spray-in conditioner with UV protection any time I’m at the pool or beach. I’ve also gotten into the habit of wearing a hat when I run. Those have more to do with protecting my skin (I’ve had melanoma and don’t want it again!) but have the added bonus of protecting my hair as well!
I hadn’t heard the tip about saturating your hair before swimming, I will have to remember that!
Yes! Either with water or a good conditioner so that it swells up with those products and less of the salt / chlorine can get in to dry out your hair.