You leave the salon with a vibrant color, and a few weeks later it has already lost some of its intensity. The culprit is not always who you think it is. Shampoo plays a major role in how long a color lasts, for better or worse. Here’s what really dulls color, and how a formula can help preserve it.
Why color fades
Coloring deposits pigments in the hair fiber, beneath a protective layer called the cuticle. As long as this cuticle stays smooth and closed, the pigments stay trapped and the color lasts. As soon as it opens or becomes damaged, the pigments escape with each wash.
Several factors speed up this process.
- Highly detergent surfactants, which open the cuticle and carry away pigments with every wash.
- Hot water, which swells the fiber and makes it easier for pigments to escape.
- Sun rays, which degrade pigments through oxidation.
- How often you wash, since each shampoo is an opportunity to lose a little color.
How a shampoo can protect color
A color-protecting shampoo works on the first factor on the list, the one you control with every wash. Its logic is based on softness and fiber care.
Gentle cleansing agents clean without stripping, which limits the cuticle from opening. Coating and nourishing actives help the fiber stay smooth, so it holds onto pigments better and reflects light better. A well-protected color therefore looks deeper and lasts longer, without any magic, simply because the fiber is preserved.
What our evaluations show
Our shampoos are evaluated by an independent laboratory, under real-world use conditions. Nourished and preserved fiber provides the basis for better color retention over time.
The routine that extends your color
Shampoo does a lot, but a few extra steps can significantly improve how long a color lasts.
- Space out washes when your scalp allows it, to reduce the number of opportunities for pigment loss.
- Rinse with lukewarm water rather than hot water, to keep the cuticle tightened.
- Protect your hair from the sun during prolonged exposure, as oxidation dulls the pigments.
- Finish with a treatment that smooths the fiber, for a sharper shine and a visibly more intense color.
