Color depositing shampoo is the best way to maintain your hair color in between salon visits. Rather than suffer fading and washing out, you can help your color stay vibrant and saturated as often as needed at home.
Using a Color-Depositing Shampoo
If you've just had your hair colored, chances are good your stylist recommended a color-preserving shampoo for at home use. Hair color, regardless of whether or not the formula is permanent, semi-permanent, demi-permanent or temporary, is still prone to fading and will eventually wash out with regular cleansing and sun exposure. While some people may not mind the gradual lightening of their base color, others cringe at the sight of their vibrant red, brunette or platinum hue color changing into a different tone altogether. This is where a color depositing shampoo can help maintain your color while controlling any unwanted casts or tone.
Color shampoos work on nearly every hair color, but are especially beneficial for colored reds and blondes, where hue-changing and color fading are most frequent. Red hair color is the hardest to deposit into the hair shaft and is also the quickest to fade, often times to an undesirable shade of pink or copper. Maintaining your color with a specific red color enhancing shampoo will ensure your locks stay within the same depth and color family as originally colored. Many salons offer custom blended shampoos created specifically for you by your colorist. This is a wonderful option if your red has a different base (such as blue) rather than a standard over the counter color preserving product.
While redheads have the most difficult time preserving hair color with minimal fade out, blondes have a whole different range of challenges. Unwanted gold or brassy undertones are a sommon issue with platinum or highlighted hair. A color shampoo with a blue, purple or black base can help you avoid this situation. In addition to regular shampooing, blondes can quickly turn brassy from sun exposure, pool or water chemicals. If you've noticed a different tone or cast in your previously platinum locks, consider using a color-enhancing shampoo several times per week to remedy the situation.
Brunettes may not suffer from unwanted brassy tones, but they can experience a large amount of fading; this is especially true for anyone who deposits hair color on previously lightened locks. Bleached hair is much more porous than virgin hair, which means it will soak up color just like a sponge, but will quickly let go of the saturation, leaving a wash of color rather than deep pigment. Maintaining your color with a dark or walnut hue shampoo will help richen your tresses in between salon touch-ups.
Where to Buy
If you have your hair professionally colored, your stylist should be able to recommend a suitable cleanser that will help deposit and preserve your color. If you want to purchase an over the counter depositing shampoo, check out the following options, available to enhance every hair color:
Tips to Preserve Color
In addition to preserving color with a depositing shampoo, you can help prevent fade out and unwanted casts with these simple tips:
- Always wash and rinse hair in cool water. Cool water will cause less fading than warm water and will also help increase shine.
- If you're outdoors, wear a hat at all times, especially on vacation or at the pool.
- Treat your at-home water. If your water system has too many minerals, it may cause odd casts in your hair. Seek professional advice on water treatment options.
- Wash as infrequently as possible. Rather than shampoo daily, aim to cleanse your hair only 2 to 3 times per week.
Finally, make sure you apply a heat protecting styling product before you use blow dryers or heated styling tools.
