Got platinum blonde hair? Brunette? Jet black? Bright red? What determines the best shampoo for color treated hair is its formula. All the ingredients and what it's specifically designed to do. Will it keep your color vibrant or will it fade after a few washes?
What Makes Color-treated Hair Fade?
There’s really no experience as good as getting your hair freshly colored. You certainly don't want all that gorgeousness leaving you right when you exit the salon. How, then, do you keep that look fresh in between visits? The answer lies in what happens to your hair cuticle during coloring.
When hair is dyed, the cuticle opens slightly to allow pigments to enter the hair shaft. Once that happens, the pigment settles within the hair. What's normally expected is that the cuticle closes after this is completed. However, that rarely happens. The hair becomes slightly more porous than virgin hair.
This porosity makes it easier for water, heat, and sunlight to lift the cuticle again. Some other factors that accelerate this process:
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Washing too often can actually cause color pigments to fade over time.
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Sulfate shampoos remove natural oils and lift the cuticle.
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UV rays- always wear sunscreen! When you expose colored hair to UV rays without protection, it can oxidize the color molecule and alter the tone.
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Quality of dye - If the color molecules escape quickly, your dye may not be up to par.
That’s why finding the best shampoo for colored hair is so crucial. Using a gentle, color-safe shampoo helps keep the cuticle sealed tightly and smooth, so the pigment remains locked within the hair shaft.
What Is the Best Shampoo for Color Treated Hair?
Colored hair is under treatment. This means that they need the utmost care, compared to virgin hair. If you don’t want your color-treated hair to lose its shade, GK Hair’s Shield Shampoo and Conditioner is a color safe shampoo and conditioner for you. The duo contains ingredients like:
Juvexin - the unique ingredient that sets GK Hair products apart. It is a natural plant-based protein blend for strengthening and repairing hair.
Aloe Vera - supplies hydration
Natural Flower Seed Oil- soothes hair and scalp
Most color-treated hair suffers from quick fading and brassiness. What is often the cause? The ingredients in the shampoo bottle!
Ingredients to Avoid in a Shampoo for Colored Hair
Don’t say you have the ‘best shampoo for color treated hair’ when you've not read the ingredient list on the back of these products. When it comes to maintaining your color, the ingredients found on that little shampoo bottle could be more important than you realize. There are some damaging ingredients that can fade your hair color by drying it out or lifting the cuticle.
1. Sulfates (SLS/SLES)
It doesn't matter how deep your hair color is, sulfates are capable of turning it brassy and dull in just a single wash. They're powerful because they create the lather many people associate with clean hair. This chemical is too aggressive for dyed hair. Even normal hair can become damaged by sulfates.
Unfortunately, even some high-end brands include this harsh ingredient, so you have to be careful to avoid it.
2. High Concentration of Alcohol
You'd have to quickly scan through the ingredients list to be sure it doesn't contain alcohol or ethanol before making a purchase. Alcohol causes damage slowly and continuous use builds up and leave your hair brittle, dull, and dry.
3. Parabens
They are used to extend the shelf life of cosmetic products. While it has this benefit, it's better to avoid it altogether since it can affect both the scalp and hair. Using a paraben-free option is a gentler option for comfort and hair health.
4. Heavy Fragrances (and Synthetic Dyes)
Fragrances may appeal to your nostrils, but they can irritate sensitive scalps. When selecting other products, such as dyes, avoid synthetic ones whenever possible. While they may cost less, they can irritate your scalp and do not stay in your hair for very long before fading.
Ingredients to Look for in a Shampoo for Color Treated Hair
While you carefully avoid harmful ingredients, it helps to select based on the beneficial ingredients they should contain. It is a perfect choice if it lacks ingredients to avoid and contains those it should have.
The best shampoo for color treated hair usually contains ingredients that protect the cuticle from losing pigment, support moisture, and strengthen the hair's fibre.
1. Keratin
A protein-based ingredient that helps repair weak areas in your hair strands. For us, it is Juvexin, as it is contained in each of GK Hair products. Juvexin protein blend is important because colored hair tends to be more fragile after each coloring session. However, its use should be regulated. For instance, if you're using GK Hair Moisturizing Shampoo, 2-3 times a week is just fine. You could indulge in a keratin treatment if your hair color was not just done.
2. Aloe Vera
Aloe is widely known for its soothing and hydrating properties. It helps maintain moisture and keep hair well hydrated.
3. UV-protecting Ingredients
Colored hair’s worst nightmare, apart from harsh shampoos, is UV exposure. Ultraviolet rays break down the chemical bonds in your color, causing it to fade. UV protectants in shampoo help prevent sun damage. GK Hair Shield Shampoo is packed with nourishing ingredients, making it your go-to shampoo for sun-damaged hair.
4. Hydrating Plant Extracts
Plant-based extracts work synergistically to maintain softness and elasticity across all hair types. Use products rich in them, and your colored hair would thank you!
Maintaining Your Color-treated Hair
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Go for the Best Sulfate Free Shampoo for Colored Hair. Hair color isn’t going to play nice with every shampoo on the market. Keeping your color vibrant and shiny on your hair starts with picking a shampoo that feels gentle on your hair, is safe for color, and is loaded with natural ingredients. We recommend you use our Color Shield Shampoo, which works on all hair types with zero lather for its wash.
It also prevents harmful sun rays that can cause dryness and split ends. If you are looking to extend the life of your color-treated hair, you can't go wrong with our Shield Shampoo and Conditioner for the extra shine, softness, and smoothness.
And if your hair has been dyed too dark than you want it, read on How to Lighten Hair Dyed Too Dark.
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Wash Hair Less Frequently. As you now know how to pick the best shampoo for color treated hair, colored hair requires more gentle care than non-treated hair. If you want your color to last, try reducing the frequency of your washes. By spreading out your wash days, you allow more moisture to stay in your hair. Many find that washing their color treated hair only twice a week is sufficient to keep the scalp clean.
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Always Use Heat Protectant When Heat Styling. You'll usually hear "don't heat style if you color your hair." That's great advice if you absolutely want to avoid having fried hair. On a good day, heat styling is required to style and give your hair a finer finish.
But for colored hair, heat strips away color, resulting in damaged hair. While using any heat tool, use a heat protectant cream like GK Hair Thermal StyleHer to reduce moisture loss from hair and smooth the hair from the inside out.
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More Hydration is Needed. Colored hair needs extra hydration. Every leave-in conditioner should supply hydration, but you should go for color-specific options. GK Hair offers the best leave-in conditioner and best shampoo for color treated hair that you can get within reach.
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Wear Swim Caps to Avoid Chlorine and Salt Water. If you’re a pool bum, then you know chemicals can be just as bad for your hair. Chlorine is used to bleach pools in order to kill germs. While it’s doing that, it’s also breaking down the dye in your hair. Wear a swimmer’s cap before jumping right into the pool.
Best Products for Color-treated Hair
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Cream Color: Does your hair feel like it has already faded? Pick up GK Hair Cream Color and Developer and get your hair colored in any pretty color you want!
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Shield Shampoo and Conditioner: Helps restore brilliance while protecting hair from UV/UVA rays in regular washes.
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Silver Bombshell or Purple Shampoo: Tone your blonde hair effectively while supplying moisture with GK Hair's Silver Bombshell Shampoo, which has every blonde super excited!
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Shield Duo and Serum Deal: This comes with an Argan Oil Serum that nourishes hair and scalp. It's a good combination to care for your colored hair.
Final Thoughts
Color-treated hair is certainly not boring to rock or to keep. When your hair is feeling dry or brittle, don't get worked up. GK Hair's got you covered every step of this ride with the best shampoo for color treated hair. Browse through our Color and Masque collection and move the products you need from cart to your shelf!
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