How to keep hair dye from fading

After finally achieving your dream hair colour, the last thing you want to think about is your hair dye fading. But sometimes, it might feel like your new colour looks fresh and vibrant only for a few washes before it starts losing its lustre.

Nothing lasts forever, and all colour fades (even the permanent ones), but there are many ways to keep your colour looking great for longer. Here are our top eight tips for keeping your hair looking vibrant and fresh in between your next colour top-up.

1. Condition (like all the time!)

The more porous your hair is – that is, the drier it feels and the more split ends it has - the quicker your colour fades. So, it’s definitely worth using a conditioner every time you wash your hair and, if you can squeeze it in, a hair mask (or a deep conditioning treatment) once a week.

These products help hydrate dry hair and form a protective layer over your hair strands, which can trap hair colour molecules and prevent the colour from washing or fading away quickly.

2. Choose your hair products wisely

For best results, try to find hair products made specifically for colour-treated hair. A colour-protecting shampoo and conditioner can make a real difference. Where possible, choose one that’s made for your shade.

If you're rocking a light blonde look (especially if you have bleached hair), try out a purple shampoo that tones your hair and reduces any yellow hues that can make your hair look dull and brassy. If you have brunette hair, opt for a blue shampoo and conditioner duo designed with darker brown hair in mind.

3. Stay off the alcohol

On that note, avoid styling products that list alcohol as one of their ingredients. Alcohol can contribute to drying your hair out (this will also strip your colour faster).

Instead, go for sulphate-free products which contribute to maintaining the natural oils on your scalp (don't worry - these are the good, healthy oils) and leave your hair moisturized and hydrated. This is especially important for wavy and curlier hair textures.

4. Wash your hair less often

We’re not telling you to skip out on showers completely, but the more you shampoo, the more you rinse or fade out your colour. So try to limit your hair washes to a couple of times a week and wait at least 24 hours before shampooing your hair for the first time post-colour.

You can always use a dry shampoo between washes if you need to. Try a colour-safe dry shampoo - created specifically for your hair colour - to keep your hair looking fresh in between washes.

5. Choose your water temperature wisely

Although we love them too - try to avoid boiling hot showers. Hot water can dry out coloured hair, causing the colour to fade away quicker.

When you wash your hair, use warm or lukewarm water (or cool water if you can) and try a filtered shower head (this removes some of the iron and limescale from your shower water) which can also help protect your vibrant colour from fading.

6. Protect your colour in the pool

With that being said, try to avoid swimming pools if possible. Chlorinated water is one of the biggest culprits of drying out coloured hair and weakening hair strands (this can also cause split ends).

Large amounts of chlorine can strip your hair of natural oils and even cause chemical reactions in your hair that change its colour. To avoid chlorine-related damage:

• • Wet your hair before going for a dip in the pool.
• • Wear a swim cap. 
• • Use a leave-in conditioner under your swim cap for maximum chlorine protection.

7. Give your roots some love

You might notice your roots growing out or your colour starting to fade around your roots, but you don't have time to re-colour your hair.

Touching up your roots saves you from having to do an all-over colour. It’s super quick to do (it only takes 10 mins) and lasts up to three weeks. Root Touch-Up by Nice ‘n Easy is simple to use and available in 28 shades - from light ash blonde to golden brown to true blue black. It's also perfect for covering any stray greys.

You might also want to try our temporary Root Touch-Up Spray for when you are looking for a touch-up on the go.

8. Care for your hair

A glossing treatment is also a great way to keep your colour looking fresh and your locks in top-notch condition. 

You can apply our Colour Gloss-Up straight from a tube and get a colour boost (in less than 15 minutes) that lasts up to ten washes. The shea butter and argan oil found in our hair gloss also help nourish and condition colour-treated hair for added tone, shine, and smoothness (the only downside is that it won’t cover greys).

9. Protect your hair from heat

Our final tip is to avoid using any hot tools (or try to reduce the amount you use them if you're a fan of heat styling). Heated appliances like flat irons, curling irons, or blow dryers can also fade your colour and make your hair appear duller.

Applying a heat protectant before styling with heat can help reduce damage to your hair. Heat protectant sprays create a barrier between your locks and the styling tools you use and can also help smoothen the hair cuticle (the outermost layer of your hair).

Also, try to avoid extended exposure to sunlight (sun exposure can, unfortunately, fade your colour as well). Instead, try wearing a hat in the sun for extra UV protection.

Looking for more post-dye tips and tricks? Learn how to keep your colour fresh and glossy with Colour Gloss Up, or discover how to correct your colour if it's starting to look dull.