You did it! You got that gorgeous winter hair color you’ve been dreaming about, and you even followed our advice and picked up the right color-safe products. Now, I’m going to show you how to use color-safe products correctly to make your style last.
You want to have the right shampoo and conditioner, but that’s only half the battle. How you use them, when you use them, and what you do between washes makes all the difference in whether your color stays vibrant for weeks or fades in days.
So, let me walk you through exactly how to care for your color-treated hair, from the moment you leave the salon to your daily styling routine.
Wait 48-72 Hours Before Your First Wash After Coloring
Before we even talk about washing, let’s address the most important rule: don’t wash your hair for at least 48 to 72 hours after coloring. I know your hair might feel like it has product in it, and you’re tempted to jump in the shower immediately, but this waiting period is crucial.
During the coloring process, your hair cuticle opens up to allow the dye molecules to penetrate. After you leave the salon (or finish your at-home color), those cuticles need time to close completely and lock those color molecules inside. If you wash too soon, you’re essentially rinsing away color that hasn’t had a chance to set.
During these first few days, it’s best to keep your hair completely dry. If you absolutely must freshen up your roots, use a dry shampoo, but nothing wet. After 72 hours, your color is set, and you can proceed with your washing routine.
How to Wash Color-Treated Hair Properly
Now that your color has set, let’s talk about the washing process. This is where most of your color protection happens, so getting these steps right is essential.
1. Use Lukewarm Water to Clean Color-Treated Hair
Naturally, hot water opens up your hair cuticle, which can allow color molecules to escape down the drain. So, always wash your hair with cool or lukewarm water (never hot).
I know lukewarm water isn’t as comfortable, especially in winter, but your color will thank you. The cooler temperature keeps your cuticle sealed, which keeps your color trapped inside where it belongs.
2. Apply Shampoo Only to Your Scalp
You can follow this shampoo technique to prevent stripping your hair of the new color:
- Wet your hair thoroughly with lukewarm water
- Dispense a quarter-sized amount of color-safe shampoo into your palm
- Apply the shampoo directly to your scalp only, not your lengths
- Massage gently into your scalp for 30 seconds using your fingertips
- Rinse thoroughly to allow the runoff to clean your lengths as it flows down
That’s it. One lather is enough. Don’t scrub your mid-lengths and ends with shampoo (the runoff as you rinse is plenty to clean those areas without stripping your color).
The reason this works is simple: oil accumulates at your scalp, not your ends. Your ends are actually the driest part of your hair and where your color is most visible. By keeping the shampoo focused on your scalp, you clean where you need to while protecting your color where it matters most.
3. Apply Conditioner from Mid-Lengths to Ends
After every single shampoo, you want to condition to seal your cuticle back down and add moisture and protection. Here are the steps:
- Squeeze excess water from your hair (don’t rub with a towel yet)
- Apply your color-safe conditioner from your mid-lengths to your ends only
- Avoid your roots unless you have a very dry scalp
- Use more conditioner than you used shampoo (your ends need extra moisture)
- Gently work it through with your fingers or a wide-tooth comb
Then, leave the conditioner on for at least 2 to 3 minutes. This will allow the conditioning agents to actually penetrate your hair shaft and do their job.
4. Finish with a Cold Water Rinse
After conditioning, do a final rinse with the coldest water you can stand for 20-30 seconds. Yes, it’s uncomfortable, but this step seals your cuticle completely, locking in moisture and color.
Weekly Deep Conditioning for Long-Lasting Color
Once a week, swap your regular conditioner for a deep conditioning hair mask. Color-treated hair is more porous and prone to dryness, which leads to faster fading.
Here’s how to apply a hair mask
- After shampooing, gently squeeze excess water from your hair
- Apply your mask generously to damp (not soaking wet) hair
- Focus on your mid-lengths and ends, where color is most visible
- Use a wide-tooth comb to distribute evenly
- Clip your hair up or wrap it in a shower cap
- Leave on for 10 to 20 minutes
- Rinse thoroughly with cool water
These masks do more than just moisturize. They fill in gaps in your hair’s structure, which helps your hair hold onto color molecules better.
Apply Leave-In Treatment After Every Wash
After washing, always apply a leave-in treatment to damp hair. This creates a protective barrier that shields your color from environmental damage throughout the day.
- Spray or apply the leave-in product evenly through your mid-lengths and ends (avoid roots)
- Use your fingers or a wide-tooth comb to distribute
- Don’t rinse it out
- Style your hair as usual
If you have fine hair, choose lightweight leave-in sprays that won’t weigh you down. If you have thick or curly hair, you can use richer, cream-based leave-ins.
Apply Hair Oil Or Serum
The final step in your wash routine is applying hair oil or serum. This seals the cuticle and locks in all the moisture from your conditioner and leave-in treatment.
Apply 1 to 2 drops (that’s all you need) to your palms, rub them together, then smooth through your mid-lengths and ends on damp hair. Your hair will dry smoother, shinier, and with better color retention.
How Often Should You Wash Color-Treated Hair?
Wash your hair 2 to 3 times per week, maximum. Every single wash removes some color, no matter how gentle your products are. Even the best color-safe shampoo will strip a tiny bit of color because that’s just what washing does.
If you work out regularly or have an oily scalp, I know washing less feels impossible. You can try rinsing your hair with just water and conditioner on your off days (this is called co-washing). It refreshes your hair without the color-stripping effects of shampooing.
How to Care for Color-Treated Hair Daily Without Washing
Between wash days, your color still needs protection. Here’s how to keep your hair fresh and your color vibrant without washing.
1. Use Dry Shampoo at Your Roots
Dry shampoo absorbs oil at your roots and gives you that fresh, clean feeling without touching your color. Apply it to your roots, let it sit for a minute, then brush through. You can easily stretch an extra day or two between washes this way.
2. Refresh Ends with Leave-In Treatment
On non-wash days, apply a small amount of leave-in treatment or refresh spray to your ends. This keeps them moisturized and prevents dryness that can make color look dull. Just spray lightly and scrunch or smooth through.
3. Add a Tiny Bit of Oil for Shine
If your ends look dry or frizzy, add one drop of hair oil to your palms and smooth through your ends only. This adds instant shine and makes your color look more vibrant.
How to Style Color-Treated Hair Daily
Your daily styling routine can either protect or destroy your color. Here’s how to style safely.
1. Always Use Heat Protectant Before Styling
If you use blow dryers, flat irons, or curling wands, apply a heat protectant every single time.
Spray it on damp hair before blow-drying, or on dry hair before using hot tools. Just make sure you’re covering all the hair that will be exposed to heat.
2. Keep Styling Tools at 350°F or Below
High heat literally cooks the color out of your hair, so keep your tools at or below 350°F. Most modern tools let you adjust the temperature; remember to check your settings.
3. Air-Dry When Possible
The less heat you use, the longer your color lasts. When you can, let your hair air-dry.
You can apply your leave-in treatment and oil to damp hair, then let it dry naturally. If you need to speed things up, use the cool setting on your blow dryer instead of hot air.
Protect Color-Treated Hair from Sun and Chlorine
Your color’s enemies aren’t just in the bathroom. Sun exposure, chlorine, and salt water can fade your color fast.
1. Apply UV Protection Before Sun Exposure
Before you head outside for extended periods, apply a leave-in product with UV filters. The sun bleaches hair color just like it bleaches fabric. If you’re spending the day at the beach or outdoors, wear a hat for extra protection.
2. Protect Hair Before Swimming
If you’re swimming in a chlorinated pool, wet your hair with clean water first. Hair absorbs the first liquid it comes in contact with like a sponge. By saturating it with clean water first, it absorbs less of the color-stripping chlorine.
Even better, apply a leave-in conditioner or oil before swimming for an extra protective layer. After swimming, rinse your hair immediately with clean water and wash with your color-safe shampoo as soon as possible.
Wrapping Up…
Using color-safe products correctly is just as important as choosing the right products in the first place.
So, wait 72 hours before your first wash, use lukewarm water, wash less frequently, and never skip conditioner. Also, remember to protect your hair from heat and environmental damage every single day.
With the right techniques, those color-safe products you bought will keep your hair looking salon-fresh for weeks longer.
