Among the most common hair treatments availed of today is hair coloring. This is a fast, easy, and often affordable way to change your whole look. But while it is simple to get your hair colored, it takes some dedication and commitment to maintain the vibrancy of the treatment. This is because hair color treatments can fade out over time, and although this is the natural order of things, failing to take care of your hair after a color treatment could speed up the process.

But that’s not to say there’s nothing you can do to keep your treatment bright and fresh. Find out how to maintain your hair color with these colored hair tips.

1. Change your shampoo routine

Think of your colored hair as a painted canvas. Every time it gets washed down with water, the paints are likely to fade and wash away a little at a time until you’re left with a clean canvas in just a few washes. With that in mind, it’s important that you change your shampoo routine to lessen the washing out of hair color. The solution is simple: shampoo your hair with mild products and lukewarm or cold water just 3 times in a week at most. You can work on an alternating schedule of shampooing every other day, but try your best to keep it at a minimum. If in case you didn’t leave your house and you feel as though your hair doesn’t need to be washed even if you’re scheduled for a shampoo on that day, you can opt to skip it and set it for tomorrow instead. This allows your hair to retain the natural oils that it needs in order to maintain your hair’s health and keep color intact at the same time.

If you’re the kind of person who really just can’t skip a day without washing their hair, there is a solution. And that is to wash your hair with quality color-safe dry shampoo on days that aren’t intended for regular shampooing. This will clean away any residue, grime, filth, or dirt that might make you feel uncomfortable, leaving a smoother, cleaner, fresher feeling until your next wash.

2. Avoid using heat

The bonds that keep your hair color treatment sticking to your hair are very weak and flimsy, and the exposure to harsh environments could cause them to simply wash off. One of the most important colored hair tips you should keep in mind is that colored hair and heat do not mix. If you’re used to blow drying or heat styling your hair on a daily basis, be prepared to put that practice in storage for a while. Instead, opt to air dry your hair by brushing through it with a soft bristle brush to avoid damaging the color. You can also use other styling techniques like rollers and non-heat methods to achieve the look you want. Of course, it’s acceptable to heat style if you really must for a special occasion, but make sure you keep it at a minimum.

Heat styling and blow drying aren’t your color treated hair’s only enemy. Even hot water and direct sunlight can cause your color treatment to fade faster than it should. That said, it’s important to make sure that the water you use when you take a bath isn’t on the hot side, especially when you’re shampooing. It also pays to use an umbrella whenever you’re out and about to protect your hair from the harsh elements present in the environment.

3. Be gentle

Finally, the most important colored hair tip you need to know is to be gentle – as gentle as gentle can be in all instances that you have to manage or handle your hair. Can the hard bristle brush you’ve been using all these years and get something softer. Stop raking your fingers aggressively through your hair and try to be a little more careful if you really have to. Forget all those clips, the tight hair ties, and the sleek pulled back buns that put a great amount of tension on your scalp. It’s the little things that matter and when you take the time to really care for your hair, you’ll find that color staying much longer than it used to.

Another thing you need to keep in mind is pillow. Yes, the covers you use on your pillow can cause friction during sleep. This in turn damages hair and saps it of the necessary oils it needs to maintain a healthy, nourished, and vibrant glow. That said, see to it that you replace your pillowcases with something smoother, like silk, to avoid creating friction between your hair and the case. If you really want to take it to the next level, you can put your hair in a wrap before you go to bed so the hair is maintained in place and doesn’t end up tangled in the morning. This reduces damage caused by friction, and also eliminates the need to brush through it aggressively.

Final thoughts

Yes, it might seem like a lot just to take care of your hair, but these colored hair tips can work wonders for those who really want to make that color last. Keep these tips in mind the next time you have your hair colored and make the most of that treatment for a fresh, bright, and vibrant look every day.