HOW TO STOP YOUR HAIR DYE FROM FADING

Let’s face it - your hair looks best freshly coloured. Nothing beats the ultra-glossy, rich and lustrous look of toned, tinted, highlighted or balayaged tresses. And there’s almost nothing more annoying than discovering your newly-coloured hair is fading with every wash.

Whether you colour your hair at home or in the salon, you may be wondering if it’s possible to make your hair dye last longer. The great news is yes, you can - here’s our professional guidance on how to maintain and preserve your hair colour, and keep your blonde glowing, your brunette rich and your red vibrant.

How long does permanent hair dye last?

It’s common for permanent hair colour to last 6-12 weeks, depending on the condition of your hair when it was dyed, how often you wash it, and the kind of shampoo and conditioner you use.

Permanent hair dye won't wash out of your hair in the same way that temporary or semi-permanent hair dye does, but it will eventually start to fade and change shade over time.

How long does semi-permanent hair dye last?

Semi-permanent hair dyes last, on average, around 6 weeks. Like with permanent hair dye, how often you wash your hair and the products you use will have some bearing on how long the dye lasts.

It’s unlikely that semi-permanent colour will completely wash out, especially if you’ve gone for a shade like dark brunette or black, or if your hair is damaged - as broken hair tends to be more porous.

Which hair colours fade the fastest?

Dyed red hair tends to fade the fastest, as the molecules which make up the pigment in red hair dye are larger than average, and unable to deeply penetrate your hair’s central cortex deeply enough for long-term colouring.

By contrast, dark colours such as mahogany, burgundy and black take longer to fade as the molecular structure of these pigments is able to penetrate your hair deeply and deposit colour more successfully.

Does bleached hair fade?

Bleached hair doesn’t fade back to your natural hair colour in the same way that other dyes will. However, it can become darker or duller over time if the toner washes out, leading to yellow pigments becoming visible again.

Bleach also tends to make hair more porous, meaning it absorbs minerals in water and products that can cause discolouration and brassiness.

How to stop dyed hair from fading

You can't preserve your hair colour indefinitely as life will always get in the way, but you can switch up your routine to prolong your hair colour:

• Use a colour-protecting shampoo and conditioner: Our Sheer Blonde, Brilliant Brunette and Radiant Red ranges are tailor-made for dyed hair, and formulated to resist colour loss. Our Pro Colour Revive range is perfect for all dyed hair colours - it's expertly-formulated to strengthen hair and protect against colour fade.
• Limit washing: If you can, reduce how often you wash your hair to retain your hair’s natural oils that protect colour. Use dry shampoo in between washes to absorb excess oil.
• Rinse your hair with cold water: Cold water seals your hair cuticles and prevents colour bleed. If you can’t face cold water, go for cool water, and tip your head forward to avoid a cold shower.
• Maximise UV protection: If you’re somewhere hot and sunny, shield your hair from sun exposure using UV-protective sprays or wearing a hat. You should always protect your hair in the sunshine anyway to prevent sun-damaged hair.
• Avoid chlorine: Protect dyed hair from pool water by wearing a swimming cap or applying a leave-in conditioner before swimming.
• Deep condition your hair weekly: Applying a deep conditioning treatment maintains moisture and helps prevent fading. Our Detox & Repair Masque nourishes and cares for dry hair, leaving it hydrated, soft and revitalised.

How to stop brown hair from fading

Whether your brunette is caramel and golden, or a deep, dark chocolate tone, one thing is certain - your colour looks best when it’s shiny and radiant. Our Brilliant Brunette range will keep your colour in check - the products you choose will depend on your hair colour.

• Our Midnight Brunette Colour Deepening Shampoo infuses rich, chocolatey and lustrous colour as you wash. It’s made with Cocoa and Evening Primrose Oil to smooth and nourish dark brunette hair - finish with our Midnight Brunette Colour Deepening Conditioner to lock in your dark, glossy tones.
• If you’ve got lighter dyed brown hair, our Brilliant Brunette Colour Vibrancy Shampoo rehydrates, replenishes and restores brown hair. Its Light Reflecting Complex showcases your hair’s tones, and Sweet Almond Oil protects and soothes your strands. Lock in your colour and maintain your colour’s depth with our Brilliant Brunette Colour Vibrancy Conditioner.

How to brighten blonde hair

Depending on the type of blonde hair you have and the issues you’re trying to troubleshoot, we have three unique ranges which can get you back to your brightest multi-tonal blonde in no time.

• Our Violet Crush range is developed for blondes suffering with dull, brassy hair with red and orange undertones. Our Violet Crush Purple Shampoo neutralises brassy tones and restores cool, toned blonde. If you’re worried your brassy hair needs an extra helping hand, our Violet Crush Intensive Purple Shampoo knocks out stubborn brassy tones in just one wash.
• Our Highlight Activating range illuminates faded balayage, babylights and highlights, bringing back your hair’s array of blonde tones. Use our Highlight Activating Moisturising Shampoo to reveal your blonde’s full set of tones, and finish with our Highlight Activating Moisturising Conditioner to reveal hydrated, vivid blonde.
• Our Go Blonder range is formulated with 3X Blondecare to lighten, nourish and protect blonde hair. Our Go Blonder Lightening Shampoo has been developed with professional colourists to deliver natural-looking, lighter and brighter blonde. Pair with our Go Blonder Lightening Conditioner to moisturise blonde hair for a sunny, soft bright blonde, and use our Go Blonder Controlled Lightening Spray to deliver natural-looking, brighter blonde with results starting in just one use.

How to stop red hair from fading

Maintaining red hair can be tricky, and that’s because red hair dye molecules are much larger than other pigment molecules, so the hue washes out and fades quickly.

The best way to prevent faded red hair is by using colour-depositing hair care products, such as our Radiant Red range - our Red Boosting Shampoo and Red Boosting Conditioner are expertly-formulated and specifically for redheads. Pomegranate Extract and Vitamin E soften and smooth your strands with every wash, and will preserve red hair long after your last dye day.