Insights
How to Make Your Hair Colour Last Longer
You have just left the salon with colour you love, and the next question is how to keep it looking that good for as long as possible. Colour fades naturally over time, but a few simple habits slow it right down and protect the condition of your hair between visits.
The first forty eight hours matter most. Try not to wash your hair for at least two days after colouring. The colour molecules are still settling into the hair, and washing too soon strips some of that fresh tone before it has locked in. If you can stretch it a little longer, even better.
What you wash with makes a big difference. Use a sulphate free, colour safe shampoo and conditioner. Sulphates are harsh cleansers that lift colour out faster, so a gentler formula keeps your tone truer for longer. Washing less often also helps, so if you can go from daily to every second or third day, your colour will thank you. Dry shampoo is handy for stretching the days in between.
Heat is the other big factor, both from washing and styling. Wash in cooler water where you can, since hot water opens the hair and lets colour escape. When you style with straighteners or a curling iron, always use a heat protectant first and keep the temperature sensible. Constant high heat fades colour and damages the hair, which makes the colour look dull even when it has not fully washed out.
For anyone who has gone lighter or has blonde tones, a purple shampoo used once a week or so keeps brassiness at bay and the tone clean. For warmer and darker colours, a colour depositing conditioner can refresh the shade between appointments. A weekly treatment or hair mask keeps the hair hydrated, and healthy hair holds and reflects colour far better than dry, damaged hair.
Do not forget the things that fade colour without you noticing. Sun exposure lifts colour over a long summer, so a hat helps on big outdoor days. Chlorine and salt water are tough on coloured hair too, so rinse your hair before and after a swim, and consider a leave in product as a barrier. These small steps add up.
Finally, book in for the right upkeep. A toner top up partway between full appointments can refresh your colour without a full service, and it keeps that just done look going. Ask us what products suit your hair, because the right shampoo and treatment for your colour type make all the difference. Look after it well and your colour will stay bright, glossy and healthy right up to your next visit.