by Brianne Chohrach

Created on: March 15, 2009

Many women go to a salon to get their hair colored and walk out without making any other purchase. They assume that that beautiful color that they, more than likely, paid a good deal for, will last and last without so much as any change or maintenance on their part. Wrong. That salon that you just went to also sells wonderful products for helping to maintain and keep your new color. Yes, the product may cost a bit more than you would pay at the grocery store, but for good reason. They work.

There are a few key things that can help to prevent or slow down color fading and also a few things that can speed it up. The first and what I deem most important factor is the shampoo you use. It is almost imperative that you use a color safe and color keeper shampoo. Many salons are even able to mix up a shampoo with the color they just put on your hair. This is a good idea and usually cost effective. Many products that you buy at the supermarket have harsher chemicals in them and can actually leave nasty buildup on your hair. Salon products are made with higher quality.

Another thing to consider is your water. Hard water leaves mineral deposits on the hair and can also strip your hair of color. A good way to determine if you have hard water is how your skin feels after you shower. If your skin feels stripped and dry, imagine how your hair is feeling. Getting a water softener or using shampoo products made for hard water can help to prevent fading.

Blow drying, flat ironing, or curling your hair everyday can make fading happen quicker. Again, I stress product. Most salons sell heat protecting sprays, creams, serums or gels that can coat and protect not only your color, but your hair, from the damaging effects of thermal styling. The sun also strips the hair, so using a protective serum with SPF in it is vital.

The final thing I will mention is leaving your hair "dirty" a day or two. By washing your hair every day, you wash away essential oils that do your hair good. By leaving your hair "dirty" or unwashed, you are allowing your hair time to absorb some of those oils and also giving it a stress free day. Plus, you are not going to be washing out more of your color.

A few products I have found very useful are Pearatin serum which has SPF in it, Big Sexy for heat styling, and AG for their wonderful color keeping line. The proper care and products used daily should help to prevent or put off color fading and keep your color beautiful in between salon visits.

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