You know that feeling you get immediately you step out of the salon with your freshly colored hair. Beautiful, right? Well, that beautiful deep brunette, ombre, balayage, brown, or red blonde hair is worth the struggle and time you spent. However, that blonde hair can quickly become dull and fade with the intense and harsh sun. Don't let this bother you because the secret to vibrant and long-lasting colored hair lies in the best shampoo for colored hair, among many other routines.

Why Does The US Sun Fade Color-Treated Hair Quickly?

The US is home to diverse climates, ranging from humid and cold days to summer and dry days. Yet the ultraviolet ray remains the common enemy to colored hair everywhere.

Here is what it does to your color-treated hair:

• Color-treated hair no doubt has undergone a lot of processes to get to where it is. The pores of the hair have been lifted, and as such, they make each strand dry up easily. It also appears rough to the touch, has split ends, and is overall dull.

• Aside from causing it to dry out, the UV radiation from the sun breaks down the bond in the chemical structure of the hair dye, causing the color to fade more easily and effortlessly through a process called photo-degradation. 

• A lot of oxidative changes happen when the colored hair, particularly red blonde, is exposed to the sun. It changes the hue of your desired shade to something completely different.

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Protecting Your Hue From Fading In The Sun

Having established that the sun triggers the fading of your color-treated hair, we need to take practical steps to protect it from fading out.

A shampoo for colored hair should be within reach. However, you must ascertain that beyond being labeled as “color-safe,” you are sure of the ingredients it contains and the prospects it promises to deliver.

The best shampoo for colored hair should:

Be Sulfate-Free

Sulfates like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES), though rich in forming lather, can cause the hair to lose out on the natural oil it produces, and with this, speed up fading. So be certain the shampoo you are using is sulfate-free and gentle to your scalp. A good place to begin is with a brand like GK Hair that offers a sulfate-free shampoo.

Have Hydrating Ingredients

Remember, one of the side effects of color-treating your hair is that it leaves it dry. For this reason, you need a shampoo that offers increasing hydration to your strands aside from the primary cleaning it provides. With one or more of these ingredients like argan oil, aloe vera, jojoba oil, and butter, you can keep in mind that your strands will be well moisturized. GK Hair's Moisturizing Shampoo is an excellent choice for color protection and moisturizing properties.

Want to give your hair a moisturizing treat? Find Out More On Moisturizing Vegan Shampoo and Conditioner: Its Uses and Benefits 

Additionally, a specially formulated shampoo that ensures your yellow undertones are in check and prevents the slightest form of brassiness in your hue, like the GK Hair Silver Bombshell, is an excellent choice for people with blonde hair. You can be rest assured that with this purple shampoo, you’ll see beautiful contrast in your hair tone.

UV Protectant

The best color-safe shampoos give more than a mere satisfaction you get from just cleaning your scalp and hair. These shampoos are filled with ingredients, most especially antioxidants, that coat each strand with a protective layer to reduce damage from the direct impact of sunlight. To get this result, GK Hair's Shield Shampoo is an excellent choice, which shields against UV damage, especially that caused by the sun.

pH-Balanced Formula

You need a shampoo that immediately brings your hair closer to the pH of the hair, which is usually around 4.5-5.5, as soon as the washing session is over. This way, the hair cuticles can be sealed and hair color locked without the worries of quickly fading out. With GK Hair Balancing Shampoo, build-up of other products is removed, bringing it to its optimum pH balance required by the hair.

What You Must Avoid On Your Color-Treated Hair

Your dyed hair must ensure it stays clear of 

• Harsh sulfates

• High alcohol

 

Extra Care For Color-Treated Hair On Sunny Days

Gentle Shampooing: A gentle shampooing (and we mean “gentle”) is key. In other words, the shampoo must be sulfate-free, as sulfate in shampoo strips off oil in the hair and gets worse with exposure to the sun.

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Regular Conditioning: The reason for conditioning hair shouldn't just be a routine of post-shampooing alone. If you desire to maintain silky, shiny, and vibrant hair, then this should be your adopted system because it contains ingredients like vitamins and nutrients. It also coats your strands with additional shields that prevent fading when they are exposed to the sun.

Put On a Wide-Brimmed Hat: Give your hair a break from the sun by putting on a hat that covers your hair properly. This is an alternative to shield and prevent direct contact with the sun on your hair. 

Wear a Shower Cap: If you decide to relax in a pool with salty or chlorinated water, be sure you have a shower cap on first. This basic step does a lot more in keeping the hue from fading.

Use a Leave-In Conditioner: Your choice of leave-in conditioner must contain antioxidative properties. Only then can you enjoy all-day protection.

Stick to a Wash With Cold Water: This may sound trivial, but it makes a huge difference. Warm water can lift your hair cuticles and make the color-treated hair fade out easily and quickly. To maintain your hair color, washing with a sulfate-free shampoo for dyed hair and cold or lukewarm water lies the secret. This washing pattern can make the hair feel vibrant, youthful and help it retain the color for longer.

How Often Should You Wash With A Color-Safe Shampoo?

Here goes the big question! The answer to this question depends greatly on many factors and varies from person to person. They include, hair type, color intensity, lifestyle, and specific product type. 

Hair Type

Fine and Oily Hair may demand you wash it often, especially with a moisturizing shampoo. You can apply color-safe shampoo once a week to prevent drying out.

Thick and Coarse Hair does not necessitate washing too often. In fact, you can wash with a color-safe shampoo once a week.

Dry and Curly Hair may require you to wash less frequently or use a dry shampoo. You can wash with a shampoo for colored hair once a week.

Color Intensity

If your hair retains hair dye longer than usual, you might not necessarily follow a wash routine of once a week with a color-safe shampoo. Adjust yours based on your hair's response to color.

Lifestyle 

If your lifestyle is tailored towards long hours in the sun or the job and activities you do require you to stay out long in the sun, it is a good idea to wash more frequently to keep and maintain your hue.

Specific Product

GK Hair gives a guide on how best to use its product, leaving you with no doubt. 

If you, however, have any doubts about the frequency of using a color-safe shampoo, ask your hair colorist.

Bottom Line

Your hue deserves more than just a few days of vibrancy. GK Hair Shampoo provides an alternative to long-lasting hair color with sulfate-free and color-safe shampoo for your hair, despite the intense US sun. It eliminates the stress and difficulty in finding the best shampoo.