You're not imagining it... Red hair color does fade faster than other shades, making a protective hair care regimen essential for maintaining vibrancy. Your starting point is shampoo. The best shampoo for red color-treated hair is a gentle, color-safe formula with metal-purifying and shine-enhancing ingredients that help prevent fading. So, what’s ticking the boxes? Here are the shampoos that make red hair glow…
First – Why Does Red Hair Color Fade Faster Than Other Hair Colors?
Red hair color tends to fade faster than other shades, in part due to the size of the color molecules. They are usually much larger than the dye molecules in brown or blonde shades, which prevents them from penetrating the hair cuticle as deeply. Instead, red pigments sit closer to the surface of the hair shaft, making them more vulnerable to fading. Everything from UV exposure to harsh shampoos can encourage these molecules to escape – cue unwanted color fade.
What Should I Look for in a Shampoo for Red Color-Treated Hair?
Gentle Yet Effective Cleansing
Every color-safe shampoo should be gentle and non-stripping, yet effective enough to remove product build-up. It's a delicate balance that's best achieved with pro-approved, salon shampoo formulas. Ensure you're choosing a cleanser that specifically states it's for color-treated hair and, ideally, opt for a sulfate-free formula to help protect red tones.
Metal Purifying Ingredients
Because of their rich, underlying warmth, red hair colors can be prone to brassiness – a challenge made worse by metals in the hair. These microscopic particles, often transferred through water, can distort your shade. That's why we've packed our colored hair care formulas with Metal Purifier technology, which neutralizes metals to help reds stay vibrant for longer.
Rich, Red-Enhancing Shine
Shine-boosting is key in shampoos for red color-treated hair. Whether you're working strawberry blonde, mahogany, cherry or copper hair, you want the tones to look glossy and fresh. Look for formulas that amp up healthy shine, like INVIGO Brilliance Color Protection Shampoo, or the B5 and Glycine blend in ULTIMATE COLOR Shampoo.
The Best Shampoos for Color-Treated Hair
Now you know what to look for in a shampoo for red hair, let's explore the formulas that tick all of your boxes. These are the shade-enhancing shampoos to know…
For Up to 10 Weeks of Color Vibrancy¹: ULTIMATE COLOR Shampoo
Why you'll love it: This luxurious shampoo is a color-protecting powerhouse, packed with all you need to enjoy color vibrancy and moisturized hair. Its sulfate-free, anti-metal, hydrating blend leaves hair feeling clean, soft and cared for.
The benefits:
- Gentle, sulfate-free formula with a luxurious lather.
- Moisturizes your hair while providing soothing scalp care.
- Detoxes hair of shade-distorting metals to minimize color fade².
For Color Protecting Shine: INVIGO Brilliance Color Protection Shampoo
Why you'll love it: Shine is everything when it comes to red color-treated hair, and this antioxidant-rich shampoo truly delivers. It treats strands to protective, gloss-enhancing vitamins, while the low-pH formula helps to seal the hair cuticle, so red color molecules are locked in.
The benefits:
- Enhances shine with a cuticle-smoothing, low-pH formula.
- Helps maintain color vibrancy with antioxidant protection.
- Two options for different hair types: one for fine hair and one for normal to coarse hair.
For Deep Repair and Stronger Hair: ColorMotion+ Color Protection Shampoo
Why you'll love it: If your red colored hair is prone to damage or breakage, this strengthening shampoo – plus the Structure+ Mask – will transform your hair care regimen. Color protection meets deep care in the nourishing formula, which foam into a rich lather that's packed with protective antioxidants.
- Strengthens³ weakened, chemically treated hair.
- Helps reduce breakage while preserving color.
- Improves smoothness and manageability after coloring.
Your Complete Red Hair Care Regimen for Lasting Vibrancy
1. Start with a Color-Safe Shampoo
Your red hair care regimen begins with your color-safe shampoo of choice, whether that's ULTIMATE COLOR Shampoo, INVIGO Brilliance Shampoo or ColorMotion+ Shampoo. Make sure you wash with lukewarm water – never hot water – to prevent your red shade from being stripped from the hair shaft.
Pro tip: If the lengths of your hair are dry, focus shampoo on the scalp only. Let the lather run through the ends rather than scrubbing them directly. This helps keep your red tones from fading unevenly.
2. Reduce Rinsing Steps with a Leave-In
The more you expose your hair to water, the faster your red shade will fade. So, instead of using rinse-out masks and conditioners, reduce your rinsing steps with a leave-in treatment. ULTIMATE COLOR Miracle Leave-In Mask is formulated for exactly this purpose, giving red hair a boost of shine-enhancing moisture, minus any unnecessary water exposure.
Pro tip: ULTIMATE COLOR Miracle Leave-In Mask also contains UV ray protection, so you get essential moisture and shade shielding in one.
3. Always, Always Use Heat Protection
Whether you straighten your hair daily or just do the occasional blow-dry, a heat protectant is a staple in your colored hair care kit. ULTIMATE REPAIR 5-in-1 Protective Leave-In is our most powerful protector, designed to shield against your five biggest concerns: heat, UV rays, breakage, frizz and mechanical damage.
Pro tip: For a lighter finish, a multi-tasking oil serum like ULTIMATE SMOOTH Miracle Oil Serum can also provide heat protection while boosting shine, offering a glossy glow.
4. Top Up the Tone with a Color Mask
When your red shade starts to look a little less vibrant, a color-depositing mask is your go-to for a quick refresh. These pigment-boosting treatments revive fading tones while conditioning the hair, so your color looks richer, glossier and more even between salon visits. Use Color Fresh Mask in Copper Glow or Red whenever your color needs a radiance boost. Focus it through clean, damp mid-lengths and ends, let it develop for 10 minutes, and then rinse to reveal your recharged red.
Pro tip: Make sure you squeeze out excess water before applying a color mask. This way, the red pigments won't be diluted.
5. Protect Red Hair Color While You Sleep
What you do while you sleep matters more than most people realize. Friction from cotton pillowcases can rough up the hair cuticle, which leads to faster color fade, dullness and dryness – especially for red tones that already sit closer to the surface of the hair. So, follow these tips for overnight protection:
- Switch to a silk or satin pillowcase, which will be softer and gentler on your hair than cotton.
- Apply an overnight protective serum, like ULTIMATE REPAIR Night Serum. Smooth it through mid-lengths and ends before bed, and wake up to visibly smoother, more manageable hair.
- If your hair is long enough, secure lengths in a low, loose braid with a silk scrunchie before you go to bed. This will prevent it from getting ruffled if you tend to toss and turn.
"ULTIMATE COLOR CELEBRATES THE COLOR: IT'S GREAT FOR VIBRANCY, FOR LONG-LASTING COLOR RESULTS AND AN AMAZING SHINE FINISH ON THE HAIR"
Jordanna Cobella (@jordannacobella), Wella Professionals Color and Trends Ambassador
FAQs for Red Color-Treated Hair
How Often Should You Wash Red Color-Treated Hair to Prevent Fading?
You should wash red color-treated hair around 2-3 times per week. This frequency ensures your scalp is getting the care it needs, while the lengths (and the color) don't become overworked. If you find your roots become oily quickly, invest in a good dry shampoo. This will help you extend the wear of your hair between wash days.
How Do You Protect Red Color-Treated Hair From Heat and UV Damage?
To protect red hair from heat and UV damage, you need multi-tasking hair products with protection built in. Choose a formula that shields against both in one step, like ULTIMATE REPAIR 5-in-1 Protective Leave-In. The delicate cream is a heavy-hitter when it comes to shielding, leaving hair soft, nourished and, above all, protected. If you have red hair, you won't want to be without it.
Can You Refresh Fading Red Hair Color at Home Between Salon Visits?
Yes, you can refresh fading red shades at home with a color depositing mask. These tinted treatments top up the tone damage-free, so reds look radiant for longer. Try Color Fresh Mask in Copper Glow for coppery tones or Red for brighter hues. All you have to do is smooth it through clean, damp hair, let it develop for 10 minutes, and then rinse thoroughly.
Is it Safe to Dye Your Hair Red if You Have a Sensitive or Irritated Scalp?
Yes, it is safe to dye your hair red if you have a sensitive scalp, but we always recommend putting the tasks in the hands of a professional hair colorist. Find your nearest Wella salon to begin your red transformation, and you'll be treated to such color products as Koleston Perfect, which not only reduces the risk of new allergy development⁴, but also comes in a wide array of vibrant reds.
Looking for more advice on your hair care regimen? Discover our virtual hair consultation tool, designed to build a high-performance hair care regimen completely bespoke to you.
¹ With regular use of ULTIMATE COLOR regimen from salon to home.
² Vs. non-conditioning shampoo.
³ When using Structure+ Mask.
⁴ This product must only be used on consumers with no existing allergy to PTD or PPD. Although the risk of developing a new allergy is reduced, there remains a risk of allergic reaction that can be severe. Always perform an Allergy Alert Test 48h before each coloration. Strictly follow safety instructions and consult www.wella.com. If your client has ever experienced an allergic reaction to hair colorants, you should not color.
ME+ is present in specific shades of Pure Naturals, Rich Naturals, Vibrant Reds, Special Blondes and Deep Browns of the Koleston Perfect ME+ brand.