How to Extend Your Hair Color

Must Have Products for Long Lasting Color Vibrancy

Fighting hair color fade can be a losing battle. If your reds don’t stay vibrant, your blonds get brassy, or your brunette color turns mousey long before it’s time for your next visit to the salon, these products and tips may be what’s necessary to win the war against fading hair color.

Brighten Brassy Highlights with Blond Brightening Shampoo

The biggest complaint about highlights or blond hair color is that they often turn brassy after a few weeks. Brassy highlights can be the result mineral deposits in your water, toner that didn’t quite stick during the color process, or environmental deposits (like pollution). Gross, right? Instead of rushing to the salon for an updated highlight, opt for a brightening shampoo once or twice per week. You’ll get instantly brighter hair, less brassy blond, and less expense in the salon. Here are some of my favorites:

• Pravana Pure Light Brightening Shampoo
• Rusk Sensories Bright Chamomile and Lavender Brightening Shampoo
• L’anza Healing Color Care Silver Brightening Shampoo
• John Frieda Sheer Blonde Go Blonder Lightening Shampoo

Brighten Dull Reds & Enhance Mousey Browns

I’m loving color depositing shampoo for brunettes and redheads. Meant for use once or twice per week, these color depositing shampoos leave a touch of color behind to keep your color fresh between salon visits. Check out some of these great shampoos for enhanced, longer lasting color:

• Ted Gibson Individual Color Shampoo
• John Frieda Radiant Red Color Captivating Daily Shampoo
• Pantene Pro-V Expressions Daily Color Enhancing Shampoo

Color Extending Daily Shampoos & Conditioners

For everyday shampooing, a good color extending shampoo and conditioner is a must. Color extending shampoos and conditioners are sulfate free, hydrating to lock in color, and contain a UV protecting agent to aid in color fade due to ultra violet rays. My favorite color extending daily shampoos and conditioners include:

• Bedhead Colour Goddess Shampoo & Conditioner
• Garnier Fructis Color Shield Shampoo & Conditioner
• Redken Color Extend Shampoo & Conditioner
• CHI Ionic Color Protecting Shampoo & Conditioner

UV Protection Treatments

One of the biggest culprits in the color fade battle is ultra violet rays from the sun, especially if you’re a redhead or love rich brown tones. The best way to protect your hair from prolonged sun exposure is to protect your hair just like you’d protect your skin. Check out some of these products that take UV protection for your hair to the next level:

• Kerastase Soleil Creme UV Defence Active
• Pureology ColourMax UV Color Defense
• L’Oreal Professional Expert Serie – Solor Sublime UV Protect Balm
• Redken UV Rescue Daily Sun Milk

More Color Extending Tips & Tricks

Extending your hair color doesn’t have to mean spending more money on products. There are things you can do at home that will help extend your color:

• Cool It: when washing (and especially when rinising) your hair, cool the water off. A cool water rinse will help seal your cuticle, add shine, and extend the life of your color.
• Extend Your Shampoo & Extend Your Color: if you shampoo your hair daily, you may be scrubbing the color right out of your hair. Try extending your wash by a day (or two) whenever possible.
• Hats On to Longer Lasting Color: hats are trendy, royal, and chic… try wearing a hat to shield your hair from UV rays.