How to Maintain Red Hair at Home

On the colour maintenance scale, red hair ranks as one of the most difficult to take care of. After all, it’s a tone that relies on vibrancy – meaning dullness is non-negotiable. By nature, red tends to fade fast (yet is one of the trickiest colours to remove… go figure). So how can you maintain red hair for longer? The answer lies in how you care for it before, during, and after wash day. We've got your tips...

But, First – Why is Red Hair Colour Tricky to Maintain?

It all comes down to the size of the colour molecules. In red shades, they're larger than the molecules found in blondes and browns, which makes it harder for them to penetrate the hair's cortex. As a result, they sit closer to the surface of the hair, making it easier for them to escape.

This means that every wash – especially with harsh shampoos containing sulfates – can strip these surface pigments away more quickly, leading to fading. If you have high porosity hair, red tones may fade even faster, resulting in a dull, washed-out, brassy look.

How to Maintain Red Hair Before the First Wash

1. Don't Shampoo Too Soon

While your colour is still fresh from the salon, resist the urge to wash it immediately. Hold off for at least 48 hours so the hair cuticle has time to close and lock in the red colour molecules. When you do wash, always use a sulfate-free, colour-safe shampoo. We love ULTIMATE COLOR Shampoo, which moisturises, removes shade-distorting metals, and leaves hair feeling beautifully balanced from root to tip.

2. Set a Wash Day Schedule

Deciding how often to wash red hair is a delicate balancing act. Wash too often and you speed up fading, but wash too little, and you may compromise scalp health. So, set yourself a goal to wash your hair no more than two to three times per week – but be flexible. If your hair feels oily or product build-up appears, you might need to adjust your routine to suit your scalp's sebum levels.

How to Maintain Red Hair on Wash Day

1. Turn the Water Temperature Down

When wash day comes around, be sure to turn the tap down to a lukewarm temperature. Otherwise, too-hot water can open the hair cuticles, allowing red pigments to escape. Cold water isn't ideal either, as it won't remove the residue from your shampoo and conditioner properly, leading to build-up. So, go for warm water to reduce colour damage, while ensuring hair is clean and residue-free.

2. Maximise Moisture with Conditioners and Masks

Healthy hair is shiny hair, which is why red manes need plenty of moisture. The more hydrated your hair is, the more gloss you’ll get out of those copper or scarlet tones.

For a hair mask: Our go-to is ULTIMATE COLOR Miracle Leave-In Mask, which reduces your rinsing steps and, in turn, dials down fading. Smooth it through the lengths and ends of your hair post-shower, and the luxurious cream will seal in your shade, veil hair in UV protection, and reduce breakage with intensive moisture.

For conditioner: Use a product specially formulated to enhance the beauty of your shade. We love ULTIMATE COLOR Conditioner, which helps to reduce hair porosity and seal the colour pigments in, so you enjoy up to 10 weeks of colour vibrancy*. Use it after squeezing excess water out of your just-shampooed hair, ensuring you coat the lengths and ends for a mega moisture boost.

3. Top Up the Tone with a Tinted Treatment

If you're weeks away from your next salon visit, and you're noticing signs of fading, treat your hair to the Color Fresh Mask in Peach Blush (for peach, apricot or strawberry blondes), Copper Glow (for copper, pumpkin spice or ginger reds), or Red (for bold cherry and scarlet tones). These tinted treatments top up your tone in 10 minutes. Here's how:

• After shampooing, your choice of Color Fresh Mask is applied to clean, towel-dried hair.
• The mask develops in 10 minutes, veiling red hair in a vibrant tint.
• Once rinsed, your red hair colour appears brighter, bolder and salon-fresh.

It’s that simple to dial up your red hair at home, no matter if you’re working a peach blonde or cherry red look.

Maintaining Red Hair in Between Washes

1. Protect Red Hair Against Heat Styling

Heat styling is one of the fastest ways to fade red hair. High temperatures can weaken the hair cuticle, allowing delicate red pigments to escape and leaving your colour looking flat or dull. So, before blow-drying, straightening, or curling, always apply a heat protectant, such as ULTIMATE REPAIR 5-in-1 Protective Leave-In. It helps shield hair from heat damage while helping to strengthen and smooth the fiber, so your red shade stays richer and more vibrant.

2. Avoid Brassy Red Tones with UV Protection

UV rays break down both the hair structure and the colour molecules, making hair protection essential – especially during the summer months. Using a leave-in treatment with built-in UV protection, like ULTIMATE REPAIR 5-in-1 Protective Leave-In, helps defend your shade against sun damage while maintaining softness and shine. For extended time outdoors, pair it with a hat or silk scarf to keep delicate red molecules under wraps.

3. Shield Your Hair Before You Swim

Chlorine and saltwater are notorious for stripping hair colour and moisture – reds included. So, to minimise damage, prep your hair before swimming by wetting it with clean water first, then applying a nourishing leave-in to create a barrier. We love ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue for a treatment bun, as the weightless, supercharged, AHA and Omega-9 blend repairs hair damage in 90 seconds**.

If possible, wear a swim cap, and always rinse your hair thoroughly after swimming to remove any lingering chemicals that could dull your colour.

Image Credit: @jhair_stylist | @ferca.ed

Take Red Maintenance Further with a Gloss

Want to upgrade your red maintenance regimen? Then get help from a pro by heading to your nearest Wella salon, and booking in for a Koleston Perfect Pure Glossing Service in between colour appointments.

It's not a regular colour application; it’s a quick way of topping up your tone with a sheer veil of red, and takes just the space of a lunch break. (Yes, seriously.) To create the look, your colourist mixes a little of your target shade with a developer and conditioning treatment, then applies the blend over the top of your existing colour. It’s left to develop for up to 10 minutes – we told you it was quick – before hair is washed and styled.

Brassiness will be banished, and your red hue will appear instantly brighter. Bridging the gap between colour applications just got much glossier.

* With regular use of ULTIMATE COLOR regimen from salon to home.

** When using ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue.