Best Shampoo for Color Treated Hair: Make Those Highlights Last

From haircare tips to hair masks and best shampoo for color treated hair, here’s our shopping list for tackling all colored hair problems!

Hey gorgeous! We are doing a hair color series, and we SlubTeam are excited to color our hair already! And since it’s the holiday season, it’s perfect time to experiment. But it’s also important to take care of our hair once it’s chemically treated. Good hair products not only help make the color last longer, but also intensify it and keep the hair soft and glowy.

So from using the right shampoo to hair conditioners to hair treatments, here’s everything you need to know about the care of color treated hair. We have listed out the shampoo brands that we personally liked and also went through lots of online and offline beauty stores, and rounded off the best. Let’s check out!

How to Keep Your Hair Healthy?

Our hair goes through so much daily that it loses moisture. Apart from pollution, heat treatments like blow drying, straightening or curling make the hair dull and fragile. So, when you color your hair, they need extra protection. Or you might encounter problems like hair fall, dandruff, dryness and the worst of all the color might fade. I mean I don’t wanna pay a bomb and sit for hours together at the salon only to end up with frizzy dull hair and faded color! So, here are some tips on how to take care of colored hair:

1. After coloring your hair, don’t expose your hair to direct sunlight for atleast 48 hours.
2. Also, another common question that arises when you color your hair is, “How long to wait to wash hair after dying?” You should avoid shampooing your hair for 48 hours after coloring. (more on that below)
3. Do not use any kind of heating products for atleast a week.
4. Use gentle and mild shampoos for color treated hair as the colored hair is more fragile than your natural hair.
5. Use hair mask, hair oil or deep conditioning every fortnight to help retain moisture.

How Long To Wait To Wash Hair After Dying?

So, I’m elaborating about washing hair after coloring here because there seems to be a lot of confusion. All I can see on Google are things like “Can I wash my hair after dying it?” or “Can I wet my hair after coloring?”

Ideally, once you’re done with coloring, it’s recommended to not shampoo your hair for 48 hours. But you can wash your hair with cold or lukewarm water, and then use color-intensifying conditioner. Avoid washing your hair with hot water. But if you’ll have to use a shampoo, then go for a herbal one or a color protecting one. We have rounded off loads of options here for all hair types.

Best Shampoo for Color Treated Hair | Shampoo Brands To Look Out for

There are many brands to choose shampoo for color treated hair. Some specialize in hair products and colored hair. We went through so many hair brands’ websites and rounded off these 5 shampoo brands to look out for:

1. L’Oreal
2. Kerastase
3. John Frieda
4. Matrix
5. Aveda

How to Choose The Best Shampoo for Color Treated Hair

Always go for hair products that are specific to colored hair and are color protective or color intensifying. From the basic ones to dandruff to moisture retaining shampoos, here’s a list of different types of shampoos and conditioners to choose for color treated hair:

Best Shampoo and Conditioner for Damaged Hair

1. Oribe Shampoo ($44.00) & Conditioner ($46.00) for Beautiful Color

Damaged hair is a common problem when you color your hair. So, Oribe shampoos and conditioners are gentle cleansers that are paraben free. The conditioner preserves the moisture and reserves the hair color. Though it’s pricey, it’s worth a try.

Dandruff Shampoo for Color Treated Hair

2. Jason Natural Cosmetics Dandruff Relief Shampoo ($9.00)

Dandruff is caused due to a number of reasons and dry scalp is one of them. When the scalp is moistureless, it leads to dandruff. Jason is a natural shampoo that contains rosemary, olive and jojoba as the key ingredients. And there are almost all positive responses and reviews on Amazon.com. And it’s super cheap. Now that’s a deal! All these features make it one of the best shampoo for color treated hair.

3. Matrix Biolage Antidandruff Shampoo ($22.00)

Matrix is a famous anti-dandruff shampoo for colored hair. It relieves the scalp irritation by controlling the appearance of visible flakes.

Best Smelling Shampoo

4. The Body Shop Ginger Scalp Care ($10.00)

This paraben-free shampoo is good to get rid of dandruff. If you’re having too dry and flaky scalp then The Body Shop Ginger Shampoo works the best. And one of the reviews on Amazon describes it as the best smelling shampoo. It read, “This shampoo works great to thoroughly clean my very thick, very course hair without leaving behind flakes like other shampoos can. Plus, I’m obsessed with the scent!”

Best Drugstore Shampoo for Color Treated Hair

5. L’Oreal Color Vibrancy Intensive Shampoo ($4.00) & Conditioner ($4.00)

L’Oréal has best drugstore shampoo and conditioner. The color vibrancy shampoo is soft with colored hair and the conditioner deeply nourishes it. One of the top customer reviews on Amazon read, “Appears to be a shampoo developed not to fade color-treated hair” Also, a good deal for money! This one has a non “vibrancy” version that Shilpa has been using for many years now and certainly recommends it as the most affordable and best shampoo for color treated hair.

Best Volumizing Shampoo for Color Treated Hair

6. The Body Shop Rainforest Radiance Shampoo ($81.00)

The Body Shop Radiance Shampoo is free of silicones, sulfates and parabens. It doesn’t produce lather, which means virtually zero hairfall, making it perfect for volumizing colored hair.

Best Shampoo for Fine Hair

7. Delicate Volumizing Shampoo with Rose Extracts by Christophe Robin

For everyday use and to add natural volume while retaining the hair color, the delicate volumizing shampoo by Christophe Robin is perfect. The reviews say that it’s one of the best shampoo for fine hair.

Best Shampoo for Dry Scalp and Color Treated Hair

8. Color Wow Security Shampoo ($22)

Sulfate free shampoos for color treated hair work the best for dry scalp. We haven’t tried this one but it claims to be as gentle as water and the best moisturizing shampoo. And cleanses and retains the hair color without fading it.

Moisturizing Shampoo for Over Processed Hair

9. Kevin Murphy Plumping Wash ($39.00)

If you’re into coloring your hair and hair treatments often then this color safe shampoo is perfect for you. It’s basically a thickening shampoo that stimulates blood circulation and the key ingredient ginger strengthens and densifies fine hair as per the product description. Though it’s overpriced, it has the best reviews. For someone who’s always into experimenting, this shampoo works and is the best shampoo for color treated hair.

Best Clarifying Shampoo for Color Treated Hair

10. John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Visibly Deeper Colour Deepening Shampoo ($8.00)

Color-specific shampoos are a great choice if you wanna retain your hair color. The John Frieda brunette is good for both highlights and lowlights. It enhances the color and gives natural shine to hair.

Also check out: – Highlights and Lowlights: What’s the Difference & What’s Right for You

11. John Freida Radiant Red Shampoo ($8.5)

Red is a great color to enhance one’s looks. It’s also important to maintain the tones, because once faded, red hair color gives a dull coppery appearance. The radiant red shampoo creates volume and is one of the best clarifying shampoo for color treated hair.

Also check out:
– What Are Underlights & How to Rock the Hidden Highlights Trend
– Hair Color Ideas for Balayage Ombre and Trendy Hair Highlights

Best Shampoo for Oily Color Treated Hair

12. Matrix Biolage ColorLast Shampoo ($25.00)

Matrix Biolage is the best shampoo for colored hair. This salon shampoo is great to restore vibrancy, tone and depth to color treated hair.

Salon Shampoo for Color Hair

13. Kerastase Reflection Bain Chromatique Multi-Protecting Shampoo ($29.00)

Yet another sulfate free shampoo. This shampoo is good to maintain hair shine and retaining the vibrancy of the color. It’s one of the best shampoo for color treated hair!

Best Sulfate Free Shampoo for Color Treated Hair

14. Aesop Color Protection Shampoo ($59.00)

The Aesop products are well-known for their skincare products. It’s gentle and paraben and sulfate free shampoo that works well for highlighted hair as it retains the color. It’s overpriced but it’s ok to spend once in a while and go for the best shampoo for color treated hair.

Best Shampoo and Conditioner for Curly Hair

15. Deva Curl Devacurl Low-Poo DeLight Mild Lather Cleanser ($27.5)

The mild lather is perfect for the frizzy curly hair. It’s free of parabens, sulfates, silicones and creates mild lather, which makes it the best shampoo for highlighted hair. Also read: Curly Hair Problems and Solutions: A Complete Guide to Curly Hair

 

Best Natural Shampoo for Color Treated Hair

16. Aveda Blue Malva Color Shampoo ($62.00) & Conditioner ($24.00)

The Aveda blue shampoo and conditioner is made of pure plant and flower essences. But why do all the natural hair products need to be this pricey?! *sad face*

Hair Treatments to Try for Colored Hair

Colored hair needs a bit more care, especially if you straighten or blowdry it often. Here are some things to try:

A. Hair Spa and Haircut

If your hair is in a very bad condition, try hairspa or get a haircut. Shilpa advises to get rid of uneven split ends by going for an uneven layered cut. I’m surely gonna keep this in mind.

B. Deep Conditioning

Deep conditioning is a great way to regain lost moisture, and can be a good alternative to hair spa once a month. After shampooing, apply hair mask avoiding the scalp and wrap it with a towel soaked in hot water and leave it for 30 minutes. And then rinse with cold water. This helps to retain all the moisture.

C. Hair Masks

A hair mask is a must if you have dry hair. It’s important to restore moisture after coloring or you might encounter problems like dandruff and hairfall. Check out the list of our favorite hair maks for color treated hair:

1. L’Oreal Professional Serie Expert Vitamino Color A-Ox Masque ($29.00)

A hair mask that preserves the vibrancy. Shilpa says that she used this product before she found her next one (see below) and it’s worth it.

2. Loreal Professional INOACOLOR CARE Conditioning Masque Protection ($36.00)

Shilpa recommends this hair mask and has been using it for over two years now. It’s perfect for your fortnightly deep conditioning or home hair spa!

3. Kerastase Reflection Chroma Rich Masque for Color-Treated Hair ($46.00)

This salon conditioner is an expert in maintaining the color and making super soft. Shilpa says it was the one she tried after getting her hair colored for the first time and it was the “perfect indulgent one-time fling”!

18. Arvazallia Rejuvenating Hair Mask ($13.00)

A perfect hair mask for deep conditioning and it has the goodness of argan oil. It works well to add texture and volumizes your hair.

19. Phyto Phytocitrus Color Protect Radiance Mask ($45.00)

It nourishes the dry hair and restores the hair color.

20. Alterna Bamboo UV+ Rehab Deep Hydration Masque ($32.00)

The Bamboo UV+ hair mask is perfect for damaged hair as it helps to repair the hair by restoring its moisture.

21. Shu Uemura Lustre Brilliant Glaze Treatment Masque for Color-Treated Hair ($63.00)

The creamy texture contains rose oil that nourishes the color treated hair.

22. Oribe Masque for Beautiful Color ($20.00)

An ultra gentle cleanser and to nourish dull hair.

So, these were some tips on haircare and the list for best shampoo for color treated hair. Have you tried these before? Is there any product that you wanna share with us? Let us know! Tweet us @shilpa1ahuja!

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