SHAMPOO SMART
Choose products that are color-safe and free of sulfates, or opt for cleansing creams. Shampoos with sulfates open up the cuticle layer of your hair, which means they can wash away dye molecules too. "Keeping the cuticle closed is the key to saving them," says Aura Friedman, a colorist at Sally Hershberger/Tim Rogers salon in New York. Limit shampooing to three times a week, especially if you're a redhead. "Red color molecules are large, and they don't penetrate deeply, making them prone to getting washed away," says Sheenon Olson, founder of Miami's Atma Beauty. Try Moroccanoil Moisture Repair Shampoo ($25) and Pantene Gold Series Deep Hydrating Co-Wash.
USE A SHOWER FILTER
Another thing in your shower that causes color to look lackluster: tap water. It contains minerals that bind to hair, creating a film on each strand that can add a greenish hue to blondes and dullness to brunettes and redheads. "Minerals also cause hair to feel rough and tangled," explains Harry Josh, a stylist and colorist at Serge Normant at John Frieda salon in New York. Olson suggests using a water filter on your showerhead, which acts like a Brita for your hair. Try T3 Source Showerhead Filter. Friedman recommends Nexxus Color Assure Primer for Colored Hair pre-shampoo.
KEEP GRAYS UNDERCOVER
"Some women get grays around their hairline as quickly as two weeks after leaving the salon," says Tracey Cunningham, a colorist and co-owner of Mèche salon in Los Angeles. "And you can't stop your hair from growing." Cunningham likes Redken Root Fusion ($25), a D.I.Y. roots-only dye. "Paint it on your hairline and roots at the crown of your head between salon appointments," she says.
Nexxus Color Assure Primer for Colored Hair, $20, nexxus.com; Tresemmé Repair & Protect 7 Pre-Styling Spray, $5, target.com; T3 Source Showerhead Filter, $130, medicalspaskincare.com.
MAINTAIN BRIGHTNESS
To banish brassiness, use a purple-tinted conditioner. "It penetrates the hair shaft and temporarily negates the yellow and gold that show up from oxidation due to the sun or shampooing," says Josh. Try L'Oréal Paris EverPure Blonde Conditioner ($7.99). All shades can benefit from using a tinted conditioner weekly to infuse hair with pigment between touch-ups. Try Christophe Robin Shade Variation Care Nutritive Mask with Temporary Coloring.
PREVENT HEAT DAMAGE
"The more fried your hair is, the more the color slides off," says Josh, who recommends applying a heat- protecting spray every time you blow-dry or use a curling iron. Try Tresemmé Repair & Protect 7 Pre-Styling Spray. And shielding your hair from the sun is just as crucial, says Friedman. Her solution: Coat hair with virgin coconut oil before heading to the beach or pool.
STRENGTHEN IN SALON
Healthy hair equals more vibrant color. But consistent coloring can cause damage to the cuticle and your color to look less than stellar. Ask your colorist about b3 Brazilian Bond Builder: "It's a co-polymer–based treatment that I add to every color, bleach, or gloss before I apply it to the hair," says Friedman. "It seals in the color by closing the cuticle and helping to build back the bonds that keep the hair together, preventing color from flying out." The result? Healthier hair inside and out.
John Frieda Luminous Glaze Clear Shine Gloss, $10, johnfrieda.com; Pantene Gold Series Deep Hydrating Co-Wash, $10, pantene.com; Christophe Robin Shade Variation Care Nutritive Mask with Temporary Coloring, $51, sephora.com.
SEAL WITH GLOSS
Josh's hair-color Rx for all of his clients: Apply John Frieda Luminous Glaze Clear Shine Gloss after every other shampoo. "It creates a temporary sealant on hair," Josh explains. "And if you keep protecting your hair, there's no way that color can slide out."
