Hair color serves a lot of purposes. For some people, it hides unsightly gray hairs. For others, it provides the opportunity to walk on the wild side of life, living as a totally different person. Well, a person with a totally different hair color, anyway.
The problem is that getting your hair colored isn’t exactly cheap. Dependent on the length of your hair, you can easily spend $50, $100, or more at a salon. Even if you buy a box color for $10 or less and do it yourself at home, who wants to be coloring their hair every few weeks? Fortunately, there are some things you can do to help your hair color last longer, saving you money as well as the time it takes to continuously go through the coloring process.
Condition Your Hair Before Coloring It
Hair that is healthy and moisturized not only grabs the color better, but it retains it longer as well. So, about a week before you’re due to renew its color, make sure you condition your hair real well. This will prime it to hold the color as best it can without experiencing any fading or discoloration, which also means that you can go longer in between visits to the salon.
Pick a Color Close to Your Natural Color
Kristen Colón, owner of On-Site Studio Hair Salon in Orlando Florida, recommends that you choose a hair color closer to your natural color if you want your color to last as long as possible. The more you stray from your own color, the more often you need to get your color updated, so stick to a shade that is at least in the same family and you will spend less time in the salon and more time out enjoying your new look.
Buy Shampoo and Conditioner for Color Treated Hair
One of the easiest ways to extend the color of your hair is to use hair products that are designed specifically to increase your color’s longevity. Most every brand has a product line that is meant to help you keep your color, so you can probably stick with one you know and love and just choose the type meant for color treated hair.
Stay Away from Clarifying Shampoos
You also want to avoid any shampoo that says that it is “clarifying” if you have your hair colored, and the reason is simple. Clarifying shampoos strip your hair of a number of different products that you use on your locks so, naturally, this also means that they can strip the color as well. While they won’t do it overnight, they will reduce your color’s longevity, which means more money out of your pocket, as well as more time out of your already busy schedule to go get it done.
Wash Less Frequently
Ideally, you want to go as long as possible in between hair washes because every time you shampoo, you’re dulling the color of your hair. Certainly, you don’t want to forego washing your head for weeks at a time, but one or two days in between is sufficient as long as your hair isn’t excessively oily, then this may not be a viable option.
Use Cooler Water
Wash your hair with hot water and you’ll find that your color will fade more quickly. Therefore, it is best to wash your head with water that is luke warm, or even cool, if you want it to last. While it may not feel as pleasant at first, you’ll love the way it keeps your color looking fresh, shiny, and new, which will make it more than worth it in the end.
Cover Your Head When You’re Outdoors
Just as anything left in the sun fades over time, so too does your hair, making covering your head when you are outdoors a necessity if you want to keep your color looking fresh and new. Sun hats work great for this purpose during the summertime, but don’t neglect wearing a hat in the winter just because it isn’t warm outside. The sun’s rays can still affect the color (and healthiness) of your hair, so you’ll want to wear a hat in the wintertime too to get the most out of the color on your strands.
Limit Your Time in the Hot Tub or Pool
The more time your hair is wet with chemicals used to treat pools and hot tubs, the more often you’re going to have to have the color updated. Chlorine is very damaging to your locks, so limit your time exposed to it. Furthermore, be sure to take a shower and wash the chlorine out as soon as you’re done swimming or lounging. This will help protect your strands’ color as long as possible while still allowing you to enjoy life and have a little fun at the same time.
Do these things and help your color last as long as it possibly can. The more you take care of it, the longer you’ll get to enjoy it.
