Never Fade Again！The 6 Best Tips for Preventing Dyed Hair from Fading

To keep your hair color looking fresh for as long as possible, follow these top tips for preventing dyed hair from fading.

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Feb. 7

Photo by Jayson Hinrichsen on Unsplash

Cherie is an online community of beauty lovers sharing their stories; whether that's their favorite products, makeup tutorials, or skincare routines. Download the app today to be a part of #BeautyWithoutBarriers and show the world what beauty means to you!Hair dye provides endless options for those of us who aren’t satisfied with our hair’s natural color, with almost every shade under the sun available these days. As a result, many of us dye our hair regularly, but it’s never cheap when done professionally – and DIY kits are often extremely messy, time-consuming, and difficult to apply evenly. So, once you find your perfect shade, you’re going to want it to last for as long as possible. Unfortunately, however, dyed hair has a habit of fading fairly quickly, leaving it looking dull and off-color. It’s not all doom and gloom, though – there are some things you can do to preserve the color in your hair for as long as possible, leaving it looking shiny, vitalized, and vibrant for longer. We’ve scoured the internet and talked to hair care professionals to discover the best tips for stopping hair dye from fading and keeping the color looking fresh for as long as possible. Avoid shampooing for 72 hours After your hair is dyed, one of the worst things you could possibly do is wash it straight away. In fact, hair care professionals recommend that you should wait 72 hours – yes, that’s 3 days! This is because the cuticle layer of each hair is opened during the dyeing process in order for the dye to penetrate it; therefore, you need to give the cuticle layers enough time to close completely before they’re washed. If they don’t, a fair amount of the color will rinse out, leaving the hair looking dull and faded almost immediately. You may already know this, but if not, it’s worth noting that some of the dye will naturally seep out as the cuticle layers close. So, don’t panic if you see some on your clothing or bed linen. Just try to wear dark clothes and use dark pillowcases if you can – or put a towel around your hair. Be Smart When Washing Your Hair If you’re someone who washes your hair frequently with regular shampoo and conditioner, then it’s time to rethink your hair care routine. Even after the cuticle layers of dyed hair close, shampooing causes hair to swell, thereby allowing the color to seep out. So, simply washing your hair less often means the color will last longer. If you have oily hair, you can use dry shampoo in between washes – just choose one that has been formulated for colored hair. When you do wash your hair, you should ensure that the products you use are marked as ‘color-safe’ – and that goes for conditioner, too. They can actually help to seal the cuticle layers and lock the color inside each strand of hair. Whatever you do, avoid products marked as ‘clarifying,’ as they speed up the fading process by stripping the color from hair strands. Lastly, instead of continuing to run hot water through your hair after all the shampoo and conditioner is out, no matter how nice it feels, rinse it with cold water – which may not sound fun, but we promise it works. This is because hot water opens cuticles, which allows the dye to seep out, while cold water closes them; again, locking in the dye. Avoid Using Heated Appliances The number one rule for styling dyed hair is to avoid using heated appliances wherever possible – this includes blow dryers, curling tongs, and straightening irons. This is because the coloring process often makes hair slightly more brittle and, therefore, more vulnerable to heat damage, which can make dyed hair fade. However, on those occasions when you do use heated appliances, make sure you apply a heat-protectant spray beforehand – preferably one formulated especially for colored hair. Avoid UV Rays as Much as PossibleUV rays can be considered to be one of hair dye’s greatest enemies in similar ways to heated appliances. In short, UV rays penetrate the cuticle layers and lighten hair, thereby causing it to fade. It’s best, therefore, to avoid being in direct sunlight for long or wear a hat when necessary. Alternatively, although it’s not quite as effective, you can use a leave-in hair treatment containing a UV absorber that helps to protect hair by filtering the UV rays. FYI, the most effective products will contain cinnamidopropyltrimonium chloride, butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, benzophenone-3 or -4, or polyquaternium-59.Avoid Getting Chlorine on Your HairChlorine is absolutely terrible for dyed hair, so no matter how tempting a pool may be in the hot weather, you should try to avoid it at all costs. This is because it’s a bleaching agent that can cause blonde dye to turn green and darker dyes to look dull, washed out, and faded. If you do decide to get chlorinated water in your hair, try to make sure you rinse it with fresh water beforehand – this will limit the chlorine absorption. Also, rinse your hair immediately after to get as much chlorine out as possible.Use a Weekly Hair Mask Our last top tip for preventing dyed hair from fading is to use a hair mask once a week to lock in moisture and prevent over-drying, thereby keeping the hair healthy and the color looking fresh. Just make sure that the mask you use is paraben-free – and, ideally, it should contain aloe. Leave it on for about an hour (under a shower cap is best to help it penetrate the hair strands more effectively) and then rinse out according to the instructions on the packet. Wear Your Color ProudlyNow you know the best tips for preventing dyed hair from fading, you can choose your next color with confidence, knowing that you can get your money’s worth by making it last for as long as possible. The answers lie in your hair care routine – you need to be smart about the way you wash, dry, maintain, and style your hair. The good thing is that none of these tips are too drastic, so you shouldn’t have any trouble incorporating them into your life. So, lock in your color and wear it proudly!

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