How to Make Color Last Between Dye Jobs

Maintaining the color is an ongoing enterprise for people who dye their hair. Here's how to make your color last longer'and how to cover up those pesky roots.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Deep Conditioner
• Hot Oil Treatments
• Shampoos For Color-treated Hair
• Spray-in Highlights
• Deep Conditioner

1. Opt for a color-boosting shampoo and conditioner every other day until you achieve the color you want, and then stop. Your salon will have good choices, or you can try a beauty specialty store, which may sell discounted products. Ask your hairstylist to recommend a brand.

2. Use a color-safe shampoo and conditioner when you wash your hair, once you've achieved the color you want with color-boosting shampoo and conditioner. You can buy all of these at beauty stores or drugstores.

3. Think about a hair sunscreen, which can protect your hair color from fading. Look for it in spray-on hair protectants.

4. Try smoothing your hair back with gel'this darkens the hair so colors blend together'and using a headband to conceal roots.

Tips & Warnings

• Some color-enhancing products may irritate the scalp, so test new hair products by applying them to a small patch of skin on the back of your neck.
• If you're pregnant, get your doctor's OK before proceeding with any hair-color treatment.
• Avoid chlorine and salt water for a few days after coloring your hair, since it may alter the color.

[rebeccas1974]

on 7/28/2009 When buying any type of "professional" hair product, do not purchase them in the typical retail store, i.e. Rite Aid, Walmart, CVS, etc. The "professional" products that they have are only suppose to sold by a licensed hair salon. Usually the "professional" products found in the retail stores are out of date or have been exposed to excessive heat and sunlight which lessens the quality. I had to find this out the hard way on my own. Please don't repeat my mistake.

[Susancnw]

on 6/2/2008 Non sulfate shampoo - you have to read the ingredients, but Rite Aid carries several, as do most discount stores now. nothing with SLS in it, or any ingredient that has 'sulfate' in the word.

on 8/13/2006 There is a difference! Detergents are milder, concentration of water to "active" ingredients are less than store bought, emollients are richer, and 99.9% of the time. You get a money back guarantee, or exchange for a different product if it doesn't work for you. Don't buy cheap if you are chemically processing your hair!

on 8/8/2006 Try to avoid concentrated heat on dyed hair! It may be a good idea to use the cool button on your blow dryer, or buy one that only uses cool air!

on 6/30/2006 To hide grown out roots, you can simply zig zag your hair line and this will minimize the roots. Blow dry your hair into a normal part and then zigzag. This will also add volume to your hair.