Red hair dye is one of the most difficult to keep looking fresh and vibrant. Many people have found, after dyeing their hair a red color that is has turned a dull, brassy color within a few weeks. This is partly due to the fact that the red hair color has very small molecules which wash out of the hair shafts as easily as they penetrate them. Every time you wash your hair you tend to wash out the color much more easily than you would wash out a black or brown hair dye, or even a blond hair dye. No matter what shade of red, this will happen. Dyeing your hair a dark red hair color or a very bold red will not protect it from easily losing color and fading.
Fortunately there are some simple steps you can take to protect your new red hair shade and to ensure that the color stays in place for as long as possible. The first steps are taken before you even dye your hair. Proper preparation of your hair in advance of dyeing it is important if you want the color to stay looking fresh and vibrant, even after many washes. Build-up of chemicals and other substance on your hair can actually hinder the dye from properly attaching to the hair shafts. If you ever use any hair styling products, or if you swim regularly you most likely have a build-up of these products still in your hair even though you wash it regularly with a normal shampoo. In order to strip all of these from your hair you should use a chelating shampoo, which is a special shampoo used to totally clean all such products from your hair. If you use chelating shampoo you should find that the dye sticks better to your hair and lasts longer as well.
After dyeing your hair you will probably find it helpful to use a color enhancing shampoo each time you wash your hair. You should be able to buy special red hair color enhancing shampoo and condition, and using these regularly will help prevent the color from fading from your hair. If possible you should buy these shampoos and conditioners from a hair salon as they usually have access to more professional and better types than you can buy in a regular shop.
There are other simple steps you can take that will help your hair to keep its color. Cover up your hair when you are out in the sun, as sunlight tends to make your hair color fade very quickly. Chlorine is another enemy of hair dye, quickly stripping all color from your hair. If you swim in chlorinated pools be sure to wear a swim cap.
Dye does tend to wash out when you shampoo your hair, so try to limit how often you wash your hair. Of course, this may not always be practical but if you can delay a hair wash for a day or two you are preserving your red hair color even longer. Finally, when you do wash your hair, give it a final rinse with cold water to help seal your hair’s cuticle.
While following these tips will not preserve your red hair color indefinitely, they will help you to keep your color for much longer than if you did not heed them.
