Colouring your hair is both an art and an investment. This process can be time-consuming, whether you are carefully applying at home DIY dying hair or spending hours at a salon. Not to mention, it often comes with considerable expense as well.

That’s why seeing your vibrant new hair colour fade prematurely can be quite disappointing—it’s like watching your money wash down the drain.

Now, you might be wondering, why does hair dye fade so quickly?

The truth is, keeping your hair colour vibrant involves more than just using colour-safe products. It requires proactive steps to protect and nourish your hair effectively.

In this blog, we’ve provided you with 11 essential tips to help you preserve your hair colour, keeping it vibrant and lasting longer.

Are you ready to extend the lifespan of your hair colour?

Let’s explore some effective strategies to protect and maintain your hair colour:

11 Tips on How to Make Hair Colour Last Longer | Prevent Colour Fading

Whether it’s striking highlights, subtle lowlights, or eye-catching balayage, maintaining your hair colour can be a challenge. To help you extend the life of your dyed hair, here are some dyed hair tips to prevent colour fading and maintain its brightness.

1. Don’t Wash out Hair Colour too Quickly

After colouring your hair, hold off on your first shampoo for at least 72 hours. This pause allows the colour to be fully set and reduces the risk of it washing out prematurely.

2. Choose Shampoo Wisely / Use colour-toning shampoos

Switch from regular shampoos to those formulated for colour protection. These shampoos are gentler and help maintain your hair’s vibrancy.

So, what’s the best shampoo for coloured hair?

Highly recommended shampoos for colour protection include:

• L’Oreal Paris Elvive Colour-Protect Protecting Shampoo
• Tresemme Colour Revitalize Fade Protection Shampoo
• Dove Hair Therapy Colour Radiance

These shampoos are infused with UV filters and antioxidants, enhancing your colour’s durability by shielding it from environmental aggressors. Purple shampoos are especially beneficial for blonde or lightened hair, neutralizing brassy tones with violet pigments to keep your colour true.

3. Never Skip the Conditioner

Colouring can dry out and damage your hair; a good conditioner will keep your hair moisturized and vibrant. If you’re concerned about how to get colour out of hair less often, ensure you’re using a conditioner that locks in colour and moisture. Consider using color-lock conditioners like:

• L’Oréal Professionnel Colour-Retaining Conditioner for Coloured Hair
• EVO Fabuloso Intensifying Conditioner
• Muk Vivid – Muk Colour Lock Conditioner

These products help preserve the vibrancy of your colour and prevent dye from washing out.

4. Use Colour-Safe Products

Products labelled “colour-safe” are formulated without harsh chemicals, like sulphates, that strip hair colour. Incorporating these into your routine can drastically reduce colour fading.

5. Limit Hair Washes

The more you wash your hair, the quicker the colour fades. Consider extending the time between washes using dry shampoo, which also adds volume and texture.

6. Avoid Washing Hair with Hot Water

Hot water can open up the hair’s cuticle which allows the colour to escape. Instead, use lukewarm water to rinse your hair colour, and if you can handle it, give it a final rinse in cool water to seal the cuticle.

7. Maximise the Moisture

Dry and damaged hair loses colour faster. Do not skimp on moisture; use leave-in conditioners and hydrating masks regularly to keep your hair healthy and your colour intact.

8. Use Hair Oil for Extra Shine

Use a lightweight hair oil that not only seals in moisture but helps your hair colour last longer. Additionally, it enhances your hair’s natural shine.

9. Protect Your Hair from Chemicals and Minerals

Exposure to hard water, chlorine in pools, and ocean salt can damage colour-treated hair and cause unwanted colour changes. To shield your hair:

• Install a shower head filter to reduce the harsh minerals in hard water.
• Use a hair mask after showering to counteract the drying effects of these minerals.
• Pre-wet your hair with tap water before swimming. This saturates your hair, making it less likely to absorb chlorine or saltwater, helping maintain your hair’s health and colour integrity.

10. Shield Your Hair from The Sunlight

UV exposure can rapidly fade hair colour. Simple protective measures like wearing a hat or using hair products with UV protection can make a significant difference.

11. Reduce Heat Hairstyling

Frequent use of heat styling tools can accelerate the fading of your hair colour. To prevent colour from fading, air dry your hair instead of using heat tools. If you need to use heat styling tools, it’s advisable to lower the temperature settings to mitigate damage. Additionally, always apply a heat protectant before hair styling as it acts as a barrier against high temperatures.

Pro Tip:

Rinse your hair with room-temperature water after using shampoo and conditioner. This helps your hair colour last longer. Then, finish with a brief rinse of cold water for an added boost in sealing the colour. This step helps close the hair cuticles, locking in the colour more effectively.

Ready to elevate your hair game and make your colour last longer?

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FAQs

Q1. What are the different types of hair dye?

There are mainly four types of hair dye:

1. Temporary hair dye: It washes out after a few shampoos and is ideal for short-term colour changes.
2. Semi-permanent dye: It lasts for about 4 to 12 shampoos and does not use a developer, which means it doesn’t penetrate deeply into the hair shaft.
3. Demi-permanent dye: It lasts longer, typically around 12-24 shampoos, and can darken the hair without a drastic change.
4. Permanent hair dye: It changes the hair colour permanently until new growth occurs and usually requires a developer to open up the hair cuticle for colour deposit.

Q2. How long does hair dye last?

The longevity of hair dye depends on the type of dye used:

• Temporary hair dye can last from one to a few washes.
• Semi-permanent hair colour typically lasts for about 4 to 12 washes.
• Demi-permanent hair colour can last around 12-24 washes.
• Permanent hair colour remains in the hair until you grow out, chop off or re-colour your hair strands.

Q3. How long does permanent hair dye last?

Permanent hair dye lasts until the hair grows out or is dyed again. The visible longevity of the colour, before it starts to fade, typically ranges from 6 to 8 weeks, depending on hair type, quality, and the post-colour care routine.

Q4. Why does my hair colour fade so quickly?

Your hair colour can fade quickly due to several reasons:

• Washing your hair too often, especially soon after dyeing.
• Using harsh shampoos that strip colour from the hair.
• Frequent use of heat styling tools without protecting the hair.
• Exposing coloured hair to hard water, which can alter the colour

Q5. Which hair colour lasts the longest?

Darker colours generally last longer on hair. Shades like deep browns, blacks, or rich reds tend to fade less quickly compared to lighter colours like blondes or pastels. Darker tones embed deeper within the hair shaft and often require less frequent touch-ups.

Q6. What type of dye is best for hair?

For long-lasting results, permanent hair dye is the best choice. It involves a chemical process that changes the hair colour permanently by penetrating the hair cuticle. This allows the colour to endure for several weeks or months, showing minimal signs of fading with proper care.