After spending all that money on dyeing your hair a different color sometimes it feels like it does not stay nearly long enough.  Now there are a few ways to ensure that the color you love stays for weeks to come. The following 5 tips will help to ensure that your color lasts long, and helps to protect your hair!

1. Wash Your Hair in Cold Water

Washing your hair in cold water prevents further damage to your hair and also keeps the hair color longer. Using cold water closes the cuticle and prevents colored molecules from escaping the hair cuticle.

2. Use Color Protecting Shampoo and Conditioner

Using color protecting shampoo will help to protect the color in your hair and keep that color looking like the day you first got it.

A great brand to use would be the Paul Mitchell Color Protecting Shampoo, and the Paul Mitchell Color Protect Conditioner. These products lock in moisture, and add extra protection from the sun, keeping the color bright and hair strong.

3. Reduce the Amount of Times you Wash your Hair During the Week

It seems next to impossible, but reducing the amount of times you wash your hair can help to maintain the color of your hair.  Due to not opening and closing the cuticle the color will stay much longer.

People who have oily hair may want to try using a dry shampoo, like the Deep Clean Dry Shampoo from RedKen. This shampoo goes onto dry hair and will absorb any oil from your hair keeping your hair looking fresh and clean between washes.

4. Reduce Heat Damage

After coloring your hair, you may notice a lot of damage done to your hair.  This occurs because typically your hair is bleached to lighten the color which overall does do some damage to your hair.

If you typically use a hair dryer, straightener, or a curling iron and apply heat to your hair directly then you may be causing additional damage to your hair. To reduce this damage use a heat protecting spray. These sprays are absolutely amazing and will protect your hair from the heat, as well as the UV rays from the sun.

A great product is the Color Fanatic Multi-Tasking Leave-in Spray from Pureology. This spray moisturizes, protects against heat damage, and strengthens and repairs damage.

5. Hair Masks

When your hair becomes damaged from color a great way to maintain the moisture is to use a hair mask.  Hair masks are designed to absorb moisture into the hair cuticle and help to repair and strengthen the damage.

Olaplex N0.8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask is a great product to help absorb more moisture into the hair follicle and help to strengthen hair. Helping to add smoothness, moisture, and shine.

Though after-color hair care can seem intense, it is much more simple than expected. Taking the time to give your hair the life it deserves. Life is short, live it like your hair! Strong, full, and colorful!