Red is the hardest colour to maintain because the colour molecules are small, so when you get your hair wet and the cuticle opens they all rush out. Prepare for an onslaught of hair-related preaching!
- Definitely use a colour safe shampoo. I only use sulphate-free ones, which don't lather as much (lather = colour fading). You can get the L'Oréal EverPure range in Boots; it's sulphate free and pretty good. There's a new sulphate-free brand called Shea Moisture which you can also get in Boots and is very good, but it's a bit pricier! Anything with lemon juice or salt is a no no.
- I add a bit of hair dye to my conditioner/hair mask every time I do wash it to brighten up the ends. I let it sit on my hair for at least 5 minutes before washing it out. Messy but worth it!
- Wash your hair in as cold water as you can stand. Limits the amount the cuticle opens and reduces colour leakage. I wash my hair by sticking my head over the bath so I don't freeze!
- Wash your hair less. I wash my hair once a week which sounds vile but my hair has adjusted after doing it for so long. It means I only need to do a proper full head redye every 2-3 months, which is really good for red! Dry shampoo is my best friend, haha. The more you wash your hair, the faster it will fade.
- I use hair oil (argan oil etc) to keep my hair soft, smooth and shiny. However, if you moisturise your hair too much, this can make the colour fade so try and strike a balance between keeping it soft and keeping it bright.
- I also use a UV spray on my hair as the sun fades the colour so it needs protection, just like your skin. I use one from the L'Oreal Ever Pure range.
Shameless self promotion but I've written a ton of blog-related stuff about this so I shall leave this linky
here :)
