UrbanUpdate

The first rule of having a great dye job: Let a professional do it. Never mind how many friends might say “it looks great; I can’t believe you did it at home!” the truth is, a DIY job skips a lot of proper steps that protect the integrity of your hair, as well as the color’s longevity. After all, unless it’s going to get buzzed off a few days later, you need that color to look good for the long haul.

But even when you do see a professional, it’s imperative to know how to preserve the color (or the bleached/platinum lack thereof). And for advice on that front, we spoke with Rebekah Norris, colorist and educator at Cutler Salon in NYC. Here are her tips on how to keep the best color, longer.

How to Keep Dyed Hair Vibrant (and Healthy)

Before we dive into our own picks for the best hair care products and tips for dyed hair, Norris has one key piece of advice: Ask your colorist or stylist what they recommend for you, specifically. “They know your hair type, and what it needs most,” she says.

1. Stick with the Big 3

Here’s one safe generalization. Norris says most people are safe sticking with the “Big 3” products of hair color preservation: heat protection, masks, and dry shampoo. Here is her take on the benefits of each.

Heat protection

When hair is exposed to heat (from a blow dryer, hot showers, or even from the sun), the cuticle opens up and releases color, causing it to “fade”. In general, heat also dries out hair and leaves it fried and frayed (whether it’s dyed or not). So, enter a heat-protecting product, like a spray or oil: “Heat protection puts a barrier around the hair shaft and seals down the cuticle, locking in your hair color. Just apply after the shower onto towel-dried hair, comb it through and style as usual,” Norris says. As for the shower itself, simply shower in cooler water (lukewarm should suffice).

Oribe heat protectant styling spray$69

Sephora

Bumble and bumble heat protectant oil$29

Sephora

Color-friendly masks

A hair mask is one of the best products you can use for long-term hair health (as well as short term, quick results). By choosing one that targets color-dyed or bleached hair, you can help hair recover from the damage caused by color processing or stripping, while also plumping strands full of the nutrients that amp ump your color of choice. I

]t’s like a super conditioner, says Norris: “Masks usually have a higher consistency than conditioner, though, and are packed with moisture and hydration. The longer you leave them in, the more your hair will absorb.” Make sure to use them as directed, though: Some are pre-wash masks, others are overnight masks, while you might also find a post-wash option for 10 minutes’ recommended wear. With dyed hair, it is more important than ever to follow brand directions to a T.

As is the case with shampoos and conditioners targeting blond/silver/platinum hair, the designated hair masks will also usually have a purple hue to prevent brassy tones in the bleached hair. (Naturally gray-haired folks can also use these to boost vibrance.)

Kérastase mask for blonde + platinum hair$63

Sephora

Olaplex hair strengthening, color-safe mask$28

Amazon

Dry shampoo

We already know that dry shampoos are great for excessively oily scalps, and to give hair an extra lift between wash days, by absorbing excess sebum at the root. Norris champions them for dye jobs, too: “Over-shampooing can lead to color fading and dulling,” she says. “Dry shampoo gives your hair that clean feeling without compromising on your color. The less you wash, the longer your hair color will last.”

2. Use color-safe shampoo + conditioner (with the proper frequency)

How often you wash and condition your hair might be a matter of preference and personal need, but there are a few universal things to keep in mind. First, anything you put in your name (namely the shamoo, in this case), should be free of sulfates and surfactants (SLSs). Hopefully you ditched these products long ago, but it’s worth double checking. “Products formulated without these harsh additives will help to prevent your color from fading, not to mention they're better for the pH levels of your scalp,” says Norris.

R+Co BLEU color-preserving shampoo$59

Amazon

R+Co BLEU color-preserving conditioner$59

Amazon

You might already be familiar with the purple “toning” shampoos and conditioners that many bleached/platinum/silver-fox types use. This helps prevent the “brassy” effect that the hair experiences, due to a permanently lifted cuticle and the presence of warm hair pigments that compromise your chosen color. However, because dyeing hair almost always starts with a bleaching, it is equally susceptible to the brassiness. (This further underscores the importance of a professional dye job, wherein they can minimize the damage to your hair, and recommend proper bonding/treatment products to restore cuticle function). Regardless of your chosen color, Norris says to use these purple toning shampoos/conditioners once every other week. (You might also get this nourishment from a toning hair mask.) People with more vibrant colors, can do it once every month, she adds. “Less is more with this stuff, because overly toning your hair can actually create a buildup of color,” she says Suddenly, you have an unwanted rosy, purpley tone to the hair. “Do not use toner products as your primary shampoo or conditioner for this reason,” Norris warns.

Sachajuan purple-toning conditioner$34

Amazon

3. Get touch ups every month or two

How frequently you get your color touched up is a matter of the color itself—and possibly your hair length, quality, and texture. (Your colorist can advise on those aspects, with your hair health and overall aesthetics top of mind.)

Here is Norris’ general recommendation, across the primary types of colorings she administers:

Most Uniform Color Jobs: 6-10 weeks; shorter styles will require more frequent touch ups given the ratio of dyed/undyed hair

Platinum: 4-6 weeks; the hardest to maintain since it requires a double processing (leaving it especially vulnerable to damage); the pro can balance this color as safely as possible and match the roots carefully

Gray Roots: 4-7 weeks, since it only requires a single process.

Highlights: 7-10 weeks, to ensure that they err more on highlights rather than full-on dye

4. Double down in summer

Summer seems like the best time to unleash a vibrant new hair color and carefree persona—but it comes with a steeper list of color balance and care. “If you're exposed to a lot of sand, sea, and chlorine, chances are your hair is dry and lacking moisture. You'll want to up the heat protection by using something serum-based,” Norris says, since the serums are much more concentrated than other options. “Be sure to specifically look for UV protection. And you'll want to up your mask usage to 2x monthly.”

Aveda UV-defense heat protectant serum$27

Amazon

5. Use “professional styling” brands and products

When it comes to the best color-friendly hair styling products, there is a general rule of thumb to follow, says Norris. You can best trust the brands that are backed by salons—whether they’re the salon name itself, or are frequently carried by hair professionals. Think Sachajuan, Kérastase, Davines, R+Co, Oribe, Kevin Murphy, Living Proof, Olaplex, Mizani, Bumble and bumble, Aveda, Redken, K18. It doesn’t hurt to shop these brands for hair care products, either.

6. Consider a shower filter

Regardless of where you like, there is probably something in the water that can impact the color of your hair, from hard-water minerals to rust properties.

“If you live in a more rural area, you're likely exposed to well water, which is going to be very drying to your hair, and create a lot of frizz,” says Norris. “And if you live in a more densely populated area, you're likely exposed to rust in the pipes, which is going to dull your hair color. In both instances, you'll benefit greatly from a hard water shower filter, which will catch all the harsh minerals before they deposit onto your hair, thus saving you money in the long run on color maintenance. ”

AquaBliss shower fitler$36

Amazon

7. Get regular haircuts

One underrated aspect of hair health (especially for color-processed hair) is getting routine cuts. “Products alone won't save your hair from breakage and split ends,” Norris says. “This is frequent advice I have for people who want ‘effortless’ platinum hair. Hair is never effortless if you want it to be healthy.” She suggests getting longer hair trimmed quarterly (every 3 months). For shorter styles, it’s of course more frequent, especially to mind the ratio of dyed to natural-toned hair. 

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Adam Hurly has been covering men's grooming since 2013 (and for GQ since 2016). He is also a travel writer. In Fall 2024, Adam is launching Blue Print by Adam Hurly, a men's grooming platform. Adam resides in Lisbon (previously Berlin, NYC, and San Francisco). He is a Sioux Falls, SD, native... Read moreWriterInstagramRelated Stories for GQHair