Your Colored Hair Care Guide – Approved by Professionals

Reaching the hair color you’ve always dreamed of is no small feat. (As salon pros, we understand more than many.) It takes time, money, and a fair share of emotional investment, not to mention the endless Pinterest scrolling. So once you finally get that perfect shade, you want to make sure it will last. Not just for a few washes, but long enough to make all that effort worthwhile.

That’s why a standard hair care routine won’t cut it – you need products specifically designed for color-treated hair, formulated to protect your color vibrancy – whether you're wearing it all over, in highlights or with a balayage.

So, we've rounded up the seven essential tips we always share in the salon. If a shade that goes the distance is your goal, consider this your new routine...

1. Switch to a Sulfate-Free Shampoo

The wrong shampoo will fast-track color vibrancy loss, so choose your formula carefully. It needs to be thorough enough to remove dulling impurities, but not so harsh that it strips out your color. We carefully formulated ULTIMATE COLOR Shampoo to strike this delicate balance, with a sulfate-free blend of ingredients that's gentle to your scalp and rich in the creamiest lather. Massage it into wet hair and rinse thoroughly for a wash that leaves your colored hair feeling soft and moisturized.

2. Always Wash with Lukewarm Water

When you’re washing your hair, be mindful of the water temperature. While hot showers might feel relaxing after a long day, they can wreak havoc on both the condition and color of your hair. But, before you put yourself through the shock of cold showers all in the name of hair health, we have good news: cold water isn't the answer to long-lasting color either. Phew. Lukewarm water is kindest to your hair (and – bonus – your skin), as it's warm enough to remove residue, but not so hot that it leaves hair stripped and vulnerable to shade fade.

3. Reduce Your Rinsing Steps

Rinsing your hair is an essential part of hair wash day, but the more your strands are exposed to water, the quicker your color is likely to fade. So, incorporate products into your regimen that reduce your rinsing steps. ULTIMATE COLOR Intense Miracle Leave-In Hair Mask is your new go-to treatment.

You apply it after stepping out of the shower, when your shampooed hair has been towel-dried, and the lightweight blend of antioxidants, glycine and B5 gives your hair up to 4x more resistance against breakage*. Meanwhile, when paired with the full ULTIMATE COLOR regimen from salon to home, it revitalizes your hair from the very first wash, so you'll enjoy color vibrancy for up to 10 weeks**.

4. Apply a Hard-Working Heat Protectant

Heat styling is one of the biggest culprits behind fading color, so if you're not ready to ditch the flat iron or curling wand, a heat protectant is vital. You must use it every time you apply heat – from wash day blow-dries to quick flat iron touch-ups – so make sure it's a formula that fits your hair type and goals in every scenario.

On Wash Day: Use ULTIMATE REPAIR Protective Leave-In

This delicate cream protects against your five biggest hair concerns: breakage, frizz, mechanical damage, UV exposure and, of course, heat styling tools. Because it's richer in texture, we usually recommend using it on damp hair before blow-drying, but if you're dealing with brittle, dry hair, you could use it as a shield in between wash days too.

In Between Washes: Use EIMI Thermal Image

If you prefer lighter heat protection when you're styling dry hair, EIMI Thermal Image is a weightless mist that combines shielding and shine in one. Shake to mix the bi-phase formula, then spray evenly through dry hair. You'll have the perfect canvas for using your flat iron or curling iron.

5. Keep Hair Protected When You Swim

Whether you go swimming regularly or just on vacation, you should take steps to protect your colored hair every time you enter the water. Swim caps are your most effective shield, but there are other techniques, starting with clean water. By soaking hair with fresh water pre-swim, you create a kind of barrier that keeps chlorine and saltwater at bay. Why? Because your hair is somewhat like a sponge in that it reaches saturation, so when you drench it with clean water, it can't absorb anything else. Give it extra reinforcement with a misting of ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue, a leave-in treatment that repairs hair damage in 90 seconds***. Your color-treated hair will love the nourishing effects.

6. Enhance the Tone with a Color-Depositing Mask

Hit the 'reset' button on fading color with the Color Fresh Mask, a tinted treatment that refreshes and revives your shade in just 10 minutes. It comes in a range of colors – including blondes, brunettes, reds, pastels and bolds – allowing you to banish dull hair on your own terms – perfect for in between salon visits. Simply smooth your chosen mask through clean, damp hair, allow it to absorb for 10 minutes, and then rinse thoroughly. Once dried and styled, your refreshed shade will have that 'just left the salon' look.

7. Give Color-Treated Hair Extra Shine

Don't underestimate the power of a shine spray. Whether it's week one or week six for your color, a veil of radiance will let you see your shade in its most flattering light. That's exactly why we added ULTIMATE COLOR Shine Spray to the line-up, a mist that leaves your hair up to 4x smoother****, so it can better reflect the light. Cue glass-like shine.

Colored Hair Care: Your Questions, Answered

What Causes Hair Color to Fade?

The truth is, all hair colors will fade to some degree, no matter what product you use. What you want to avoid is speeding up this process – and that usually comes down to daily habits and routine. Factors to be aware of include:

• Harsh shampoos and sulfates – These can strip natural oils and color pigments from your hair.
• Over-washing – Too-frequent washing and too many rinsing steps will remove color faster than necessary.
• Excessive heat styling – Blow dryers, flat irons, and curling wands can fade color over time when used without heat protection.
• Sun exposure – UV rays break down color molecules, leaving your hair dull, dry and, sometimes, brassy.
• Chlorine and saltwater – Pools and oceans can alter hair pigments and cause fading.
• Hard water and mineral buildup – Minerals coat hair, dulling the color and affecting shine.
• Chemical treatments – Perms, relaxers, and some styling products can weaken color retention.

What Should I *Not* Use on Color-Treated Hair?

Harsh shampoos and excess heat are your color care no-nos, so try to avoid them if you want your shade to stay vibrant for longer. With a sulfate-free shampoo, like ULTIMATE COLOR Shampoo, and a heat protectant, like ULTIMATE REPAIR Protective Leave-In, you'll avoid two of the biggest culprits behind fading color vibrancy. Plus, the Protective Leave-In gives you UV protection, which may help to prevent brassiness and overly warm tones from shifting your shade.

What is the Hardest Hair Color to Maintain?

Red hair colors may appear to fade faster than other hair colors, but this is largely because they're so bold and vibrant to begin with, which can make the fading seem more noticeable. The truth is, if you have a high porosity hair type, any color might be trickier to maintain. This is because gaps in the cuticle can allow the color molecules to escape.

In this case, merge your color care steps, above, with specialized products for damaged hair. ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue will be your savior, with a dose of AHA that makes its way right down to the cortex. Once there, it repairs the internal hydrogen bonds, while Omega-9 smooths the outer layer, repairing hair damage in 90 seconds***.

Now that you have all the tips you need to build your color-treated hair care routine, explore the complete ULTIMATE COLOR regimen. For every shade, every hair type and every texture, it's your answer to a salon-fresh vibrancy for longer.

* Vs. non-conditioning shampoo.

** With regular use of Ultimate Color regimen from salon to home.

*** When using ULTIMATE REPAIR Miracle Hair Rescue.

**** Vs. untreated.