The Good. Clean. Fun.™ BLOG

Whether you’ve spent time in a salon or dyed your hair on your own, we’re here to help make your color last as long as possible.

We’ll be honest: maintaining colored hair is no joke. But when you’ve already invested time and money into achieving the ideal shade, you better believe you’re protecting your investment. So to make sure you’re taking the best possible care of your color, we’ve rounded up five imperative tips that’ll keep your color vibrant and your hair looking healthy.

5 Ways to Maintain Your Color-Treated Hair

1. Wash your hair as infrequently as possible

One of the easiest things you can do to maintain your color-treated hair is to wash it less. We know, it may not be desirable if you’re used to washing every day, or even every other day. But when taking care of your color, aim to cut down on washing as much as possible. If you wash every day, try to cut down to every other day. And if you’re already at every other day, maybe try to stretch to once every three days.

Chances are, excess oil will be an issue between washes, if it isn’t already. Try blasting your roots with dry shampoo before you hop in the shower, and secure your hair under a shower cap. When you get out, take your hair down and massage the dry shampoo into your roots. This way, it has time to absorb any excess oil, and you’ll leave the shower with cleaner-feeling hair than when you went in. Win, win.

2. Avoid washing with clarifying shampoos

Even if your hair feels dirty, you’re going to want to steer clear of clarifying or detoxifying shampoos if color maintenance is a concern. These formulas use ultra-strong surfactants to get your hair as clean as possible, which can in turn strip your hair and alter your color. Instead, try a double wash with a gentle shampoo for color-treated hair (like Better Natured Color Care Shampoo and Conditioner) if you’re feeling like you need a more thorough scrub.

3. Deep condition weekly

One of the key ingredients to gorgeous, long-lasting color is healthy, hydrated hair. Incorporating a weekly deep conditioning treatment into your shower routine is imperative when it comes to keeping colored hair from drying out. Once weekly, after shampooing, simply replace your conditioning step with a hair masque or deep conditioner, like the Better Natured Moisture Replenishing Masque. Pull your hair up for a few minutes (this is a great time to shave your legs!), and then rinse. Your hair should feel healthier and more hydrated, which will help the color maintain its vibrancy.

4. Use a color-correcting shampoo and conditioner

Maintaining your tone can be tricky, especially if you’ve had a gloss on your hair, which can wash out over time. So, to prevent your hair from getting too brassy or ashy, use a color-treated conditioner to help boost vibrancy and keep your desired warmth or coolness. The Better Natured Color-Correcting Creams are great for blondes and brunettes who want to avoid brassiness or ultra-golden tones, or for maintaining warm tones in golden hues.

5. Take care of your hair at the pool & in the sun

They say blondes have more fun – but that tends to come to an end when an innocent pool party tints their hair green. Chlorine is the culprit here, and it’s not just bad for blondes. Because it’s bleach-based (try saying that five times fast), it can cause chemical changes in your hair. This can include that dreaded green tint for blondes, or fading in darker colors.

Before jumping in the pool, dampen your hair in the shower, coat it with leave-in conditioner and pull it into a high bun. Because it’s already wet and treated, this will prevent it from absorbing damage-causing chlorine.

And while we’re on the topic of having fun in the sun, here’s your friendly reminder that your hair needs sunscreen too! A wide-brim hat is great protection when you’re lounging, or if a hat isn’t an option, we recommend spritzing an SPF hair mist onto your strands before heading outside.