Red roses.
Red lipstick.
Little Red Riding Hood.
Clearly we’re drawn to red.
So it should come as no surprise red hair reigns and is seen as a glamorous, if a bit risky, color.
Or that fashion magazines are filled with images of head-turning, eye-catching redheads.
So you may be ready to take a shade of red for a spin.
But your head is full of questions because of things you’ve heard. Like…
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- Does red hair dye fade quickly?
- Why does red hair color fade so fast?
- How do you keep red hair from fading?
- How can I make red hair dye last longer?
- How long should you wait to wash your hair after dying it red?
- How hard is red hair to maintain?
- What shampoo is good for red hair
Let’s address those questions one at a time.
Does red hair dye fade quickly?
Short answer: Of all hair colors, yes, red is infamous for being the fastest to fade.
Why does red hair color fade so fast?
Short answer: It comes down to the size of the color molecule itself.
It’s bigger.
As colorist Aura Friedman explained, being bigger prevents it from penetrating the hair shaft as deeply as do all other colors.
Hanging out not that far below the surface means it will use any excuse to leave your hair.
This also means it doesn’t matter whether you have the dye job done at a salon or you DIY it in your bathroom, the risk of color fade is the same.
How do you keep red hair from fading?
Short answer: You can’t exactly.
Sure you can do things to slow it down but it’s demise is inevitable and sometimes swift.
But that’s doesn’t mean there aren’t thing you can try…
Like.
Since it’s a known fact red is a fast fader and it’s also a known fact initially it will initially appear bolder than you may have been expecting … despite that, you might still want to go a shade or two darker to start with.
That will mean it will be perhaps richer and bolder than you like for a bit, it will fade into your dream color so pretty it will take your breath away for a while, and then the intensity will slowly melt away from there.
Like.
Get better color with a little help from your friends aka products.
So called holy grail products are those some swear by. As in “OMG this stuff changed my life” swear by.
One would be color depositing shampoos to intensify the redness keeping it bright and vibrant.
One suggestion
Quantum Colors Color Replenishing Shampoo, Riveting Reds
Another
Joico Color Infuse Red Shampoo
I would add one more with a caveat if I could.
Tressa Watercolors Crimson Splash Shampoo
The caveat. Right now it’s AWOL from Amazon.
Not sure what’s up with that.
Maybe it’s the neglected red headed step child. Dunno. But it was raved about on Amazon big time by reviewers during its stay so I thought it at least deserved a mention. It can be found elsewhere online.
One more thing.
Your results with products like these might improve over time as they sometime work more better the more you use them.
Finally …
The most surefire way to keep red bright is to simply wash your hair less often using a sulfate free shampoo formulated for color treated hair.
It’s the one thing pretty much anyone can do.
Because every time you lather up the redness fades.
And the last thing you want is for your stunning soulmate shade to do a slow fade out before it has to.
This is one of the most epic blog post I’ve seen that deals with keeping your color looking amazing.
Found it curious that out of 26 tips nine speak to shampooing.
Think that makes it more or less important to shampoo right?
Besides, it won’t kill you to wait at least 48 hours after coloring before lathering up.
How can I make red hair dye last longer?
Short answer: Didn’t we just cover this?
Okay two or three more suggestions since you insist.
Obviously you want to become fast friends with your dry shampoo so you can avoid lathering up every day and still look decent.
Or go rogue with a hack. Meaning mix a little something like Manic Panic in with your conditioner.
I don’t know maybe one part dye to two parts conditioner? Something like that.
DISCLAIMER: Obviously your mileage here will vary as will the right formula for your hair. I can’t pretend to tell you from here what will work with your tresses. But still wanted to put this idea out there for those who want to try.
Also UV ray blockers are important. Especially in the summer.
One other trick would be to use a high sheen gloss on your locks.
Being acidic by nature it will shut down the cuticle with an added shine chaser on the side.
Good to do since coloring can put a damper on sheen so you need all the luster you can muster.
The effect can push your next date with the colorist out a few weeks.
How long should you wait to wash your hair after dying it red?
Short answer: Guess you want an expanded explanation to the one already given.
Okay then.
Love the answer given to this “how long” question in Teen Vogue magazine.
Ready?
You want to wait as long as possible.
That way you give your cuticles time to close up tight and stay that way best they can.
Because when the warm water hit ‘em, the “cutes” will swell up and open up.
So commences the loss of precious red dye molecules.
RED HOT TIP: It may be smart to use an old t shirt as a pillow case for a day or two after embracing red hair. And/or use an old towel too. Why? Since red can be so fleeting it’s a definite possibility the escaping dye molecules will give your pillow case, or towels, a distinctive pink cast as they make a break for it.
Just saying.
You may not mind pinkish pillow cases. If not good. Cause it may not wash out.
But if you do …
Is red hair hard to maintain?
Short answer: Back to shampooing we go.
You can’t lather up daily and expect red to last.
That’s worth repeating.
You can’t lather up daily and expect red to last.
Also, wash your hair using the coolest water temperature that gets it clean.
Seriously.
Water temp plays an outsized role in color maintenance anyway. All the more with red.
Hydration is also vital so it pays to become religious about deep conditioning and leave in conditioner.
What shampoo is good for red hair?
Short answer: Go with your favorite color depositing sulfate free choice.
Otherwise you almost can’t go wrong with any low sulfate choices. It will always pay off in the long run.
In the end you’ll discover going red isn’t so much a hair color choice as it is a way of life. The more diligent you are with caring for it the longer you’ll be rewarded with exceptional color. Your call.
Now that you know how to slow down the dreaded red fade why not follow our Pinterest hair coloring board for even more inspired answers to questions like these?
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