5 aftercare tips to keep your vivid hair color vibrant and bright.
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So you're probably wondering how long can vivid hair color last? A better way to think of it is how long does the color fade? Because these colors are designed to fade. Each color goes through a vibrant period and then gradually fades away into lighter pastel version of themselves. Deeper tones will fade over 40 washes and lighter tones will fade over 20 washes. So the less you wash your hair the longer your vivid hair color will last. Which bring us to our first tip. Go longer between washes.
Tip #1 - Go Longer Between Washes
Having vivid hair color myself I wash my hair every 4 days. For me this is only possible with the help of dry shampoo. My hair is pretty oily so dry shampoo is my BFF. My favorite is Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo. Click here to buy Perk Up Dry Shampoo. Pro tip after getting your color done wait at least two days before washing your hair. This gives the color time to settle into your hair and for the hair cuticle to close back down. Which will allow the color to stay in your hair longer. If you wash right after you get your hair color done the cuticle is still open and the color will wash right out.
Tip #2 - Wash Your Hair With Cold Water
I love hot showers! So I understand why this is not ideal. However it is a must for vivid hair color. This is because vivids are direct dyes which means they sit on top of your hair's cuticle rather than inside like permanent color. Heat opens the cuticle which cause the vivid to fade very quickly. I recommend wearing a shower cap during your hot showers. Then when you're ready to wash your hair turn the water to cold. You could even stand outside your shower and wash your hair separately so the cold water doesn't touch your body.
Tip #3 - Wash Your Hair With Sulfate Free Shampoo
Sulfate free is important because sulfates are too harsh on your hair. They over cleanse, stripping away color and moisture. Sulfates will cause hair color to fade quicker and lack of moisture on the scalp will cause itchy dryness. Amika Mirrorball High Shine + Protect Antioxidant Shampoo and Conditioner are my favorite. Click here to buy Amika Mirrorball High Shine + Protect Antioxidant Shampoo and Conditioner.
Tip #4 - Keep Your Hair Out Of Chlorine And Salt Water
Chlorine and salt water cause hair color to fade. Chlorine fades hair color, natural and colored. It pulls out your hair's melanin which is what gives your hair its natural color so image how quickly it will fade colored hair. Salt water strips your hair, making hair color fade faster and your hair dull and dry. If you are a swimmer I recommend applying a pre-swim treatment and wearing a swim cap. For a pre-swim treatment I recommend using Amika Fade Block Pre-Shampoo Color Seal. This treatment seals the hair cuticle and shields against chlorine and salt. It can also be used before washing your hair to protect it from hard water. This product is a jelly consistency and will apply best on damp hair. Apply before putting on your swim cap and after you're done swimming wash your hair to remove any chlorine or salt. Click here to buy Amika Fade Block Pre-Shampoo Color Seal.
Tip #5 - Color Deposit Mask
Keep your hair color fresh with a color depositing mask. I recommend IGK Color Depositing Hair Masks. I use Strawberry Milkshake to keep my pastel pink from going blonde. Use mask once a week after you wash your hair and leave it in for at least 5 minutes. For more intense results apply to dry hair and leave in for 15 minutes. This mask is also very moisturizing. Use code BOLDHEARTS20 to get 20% off your order. Click here to buy IGK Color Depositing Hair Mask.
I hope you found these tips helpful. Let me know what you think. Comment below and feel free to ask me anything.
Creatively,
Jessalyn
P.S I absolutely love doing vivid hair color! I am located in Portsmouth NH and I am always taking new guests. Click here to book a new guest vivid consultation.
