5 Ways to Keep Your Hair Color Fresh Longer

You know, color technology had come a long way in recent years. You can go from brunette to blond in a matter of hours, or change your hair to three different shades in as many days if you want to (I actually did this once — do not recommend). But the hair industry white coats still haven't figured out a way to keep permanent color changes really, truly permanent. Get back in the lab, guys! Fade sucks.

So If you are cheap, lazy, or just plain hate going to the salon (too.much.small.talk) for endless touchup sessions, these tips might come in handy...

Treat it right

No, it's not an up sell; color-specific shampoo and conditioners actually have a very useful schtick. Brunette products deposit brown pigment into the hair shaft, keeping the color consistent and glossy, while blonde shampoos and conditioners contain either purple or silver reflects which work to offset brassiness (a result of color fade and the hair's natural keratin yellow shade shining through)

Hair sunscreen

Aside from excessive use of heat tools (swear on it: no heat protectant, no GHD) the number one cause of color loss is from sun damage. If UV rays can penetrate skin within 10 minutes of exposure, how badly do you think it's frying your hair, too? Add a SPF protectant into your routine if you want to get the most out of your new hue.

Shower less

Not so you are, like... dirtier. Just your hair. If you want longer-lasting color, stop stripping it so often. Hot water and the standard chemicals found in H2O will team up to shorten the time in between salon visits. Have cooler showers, less often.

Glaze it

If you are experiencing fade out, pick up a glaze product designed to top up and restore the glitz back into your stands. Specialist products like John Frieda's Luminous Color Glaze re-revs shine — an easy solution if you need to quickly extend your color expiration date.

Pre-(deep-)condition

Makes sense that you’d want your hair in the best possible shape before you apply drying color pigment to it, right? Apply a deep-conditioning masque the night before you hit the salon, and don’t stress about turning up with dirty hair. The more natural oils floating around on your scalp the better to mix with the color for a longer lasting shade.