Hair coloring is an expensive and time consuming process. Regular shampoos can strip away the color and waste all the money and time you have spent
To maintain the dye job, it is recommended to use shampoos that are specifically formulated for color-treated hair. They cleanse the hair strands gently and preserve the color. Some of these shampoos can even enhance the color by depositing the pigment onto the hair
They can also protect the hair from environmental damage that often leading to colorfading. These shampoos are infused with hair strengthening ingredients which not only improve hair health but also make the color more vibrant.
Not every shampoo for color treated hair are same. Check out the buying guide to know which factors to consider while purchasing the best one.
A list of best shampoos for color-treated hair is also provided below for your reference. We have shortlisted them after reviewing and testing.
Best Shampoos for The Color Treated Hair.
| shampoo for coloured hair | Ingredients | Fragrance | Quantity | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIOLAGE Colorlast Shampoo Color-Treated Hair | Extracts of bee pollen, kelp and quillaja | Mild orchid fragrance | 33.8 fl oz | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Pureology Hydrate Moisturizing Shampoo | wheat, oat, soy, jojoba, tea tree and extracts of aloe | Mild minty fragrance | 8.5 fl oz | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Joico Color Balance Purple Shampoo | peptide complex | Mild refreshing fragrance | 33.8 oz | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Redken Color Extend Shampoo | Aqua / Water / Eau, Sodium Laureth Sulfate | Mild fragrance | 33.8 oz | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Keratin Complex Color Care Shampoo | provitamin B5, wheat, soy protein and keratin | Mild fragrance | 33.8 fl oz | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Nioxin System 3 Cleanser Shampoo | European botanicals and rich humectants | Mild fragrance | 16.9 oz | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Tigi Bed Head Colour | almond oil, coconut oil and keratin | mild vanilla fragrance | 25.36 oz | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| LuxeOrganix Moroccan Oil Shampoo | orange, vanilla and Moroccan oil | orange-vanilla fragrance | 8 oz | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Bingo Hair Care Sulfate Free Shampoo | argan oil, keratin, vitamins, collagen | Mild fragrance | 14 fl oz | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Nexxus Color Assure for Color Treated Hair | Elastin Protein and Quinoa | Strong fragrance | 33.8 oz | CHECK ON AMAZON |
1. BIOLAGE Colorlast Shampoo Color-Treated Hair
Our list starts with biolage shampoo. This can protect the hair colour for a longer period of time. It will cleanse your hair gently while maintaining the colour, shine and depth of hair.
The reason behind this unique formula that gives prolonged colour vibrancy is its low pH level.
This formula also consists of extracts of bee pollen, kelp and quillaja.
Kelp helps to strengthen hair and scalp and quillaja can help you fight dandruff.
Inspired by antifade properties of vibrant orchids, this can balance out the moisture and even our hair surface to make it shiny and vibrant.
This also hydrates your hair and protects it from environmental damage.
Moreover, this is a paraben and sulfate-free product and completely safe for use.
Massage this on wet hair and wait for 3-5 minutes to get the best results.
Quantity- 33.8 fl oz
Ingredients- Extracts of bee pollen, kelp and quillaja
Fragrance- mild orchid fragrance
Pros
- Protects all colour hair
- Keeps hair and scalp healthy
- Removes dandruff
Cons
- The smell might not favourable for all
2. Pureology Hydrate Moisturizing Shampoo
This award-winning shampoo is among many favourites as a choice for colour protecting shampoo. This is a sulphate product that will gently wash your hair while protecting hair colour.
This contains jojoba, tea tree and extracts of aloe. It helps to smoothen and nourish your hair and also keep it hydrated and moisturized.
This anti-fade complex has a combination of wheat, oat, and soy. This strengthens the hair stand and repairs the damage.
Your hair is also conditioned with an added natural shine.
This colour treated shampoo is also a cruelty-free product.
Quantity- 8.5 fl oz
Ingredients- wheat, oat, soy, jojoba, tea tree and extracts of aloe
Fragrance- mild minty fragrance
Pros
- Keeps hair nourished
- Makes hair shiny
- Cruelty-free product
Cons
- Quantity offered is less
3. Joico Color Balance Purple Shampoo
Our third product comes in a set with a conditioner. This is specifically designed to protect the colour and vibrancy of your hair.
It has a peptide complex that corrects the tone of your hair and prevents it from any further damage.
This multi-spectrum defence complex can neutralize yellow tones to maintain blonde grey hair.
Massage this for 3-5 minutes and allow it to penetrate deep in the follicles. After rinsing it with water apply the hydrating conditioner to keep your hair moisturized.
This set is specifically to protect brassy/ yellow tones on blonde or grey hair. It can protect 89% of hair colour which lasts up to eight weeks.
Quantity- 33.8 oz
Ingredients- peptide complex
Fragrance- mild refreshing fragrance
Pros
- Protects hair colour up to 8 weeks
- Hydrates hair
Cons
- Not suitable for all colour hair
4. Redken Color Extend Shampoo
Redken is a famous brand that develops professional hair styling products, shampoos and conditioners to deal with dry and frizzy hair.
This Color Extend shampoo from the brand cleans your hair gently leaving it to be shiny and manageable. It fights with all the factors that cause the colour of your hair to fade away like environmental factors, water and minerals to retain the colour for long.
It’s pH balance formula enhances the hair colour while maintaining the shine and health of your hair.
Having ingredients like cranberry oil, the shampoo strengthens your hair while increasing the vibrancy of the colour.
There’s also a cationic conditioning polymer to enhance the texture of hair and also to add shine. This shampoo also contains UVA and UVB filters that prevent the fading of the hair colour.
Quantity- 33.8 Fl Oz
Ingredients- Cranberry oil, Soy protein
Fragrance- Mild fragrance
Pros
- Keeps the hair colour intact for 12 weeks.
- Makes the hair super soft.
- The bottle lasts several months.
Cons
- Can cause rashes to sensitive skin.
5. Keratin Complex Color Care Shampoo
This colour safe shampoo is induced with keratin. Keratin is great for your hair and helps to strengthen hair. It acts as an external protective protein and also an internal structural protein in the cortex.
This shampoo gently cleanses hair and minimises flyaways and frizzy hair. Making your hair healthy smooth and shiny.
Moreover, this can be comfortably used by any hair type including dry, damaged, colour-treated, and keratin-treated hair.
Along with keratin it also consists of provitamin B5, wheat, soy protein. This helps to retain the moisture and make your hair look glossy.
You also get a conditioner that makes your hair smooth and nourished.
Massage this on wet hair for 1-2 minutes. After rinsing it with water, apply conditioner.
Quantity- 33.8 fl oz
Ingredients- provitamin B5, wheat, soy protein and keratin
Fragrance- mild fragrance
Pros
- Induced with keratin
- Moisturizes hair
- Comes in a pump bottle
Cons
- Nozzle might get clogged
6. Nioxin System 3 Cleanser Shampoo
Nioxin shampoo is a professional-quality product for hair and scalp cleansing.
This is enriched with European botanicals and rich humectants. These ingredients moisturize chemically treated hair and dry scalp. It also consists of vitamins, proteins and amino acids which nourishes hair and makes it strong.
This works great for dry hair as it relieves the tightness and tension caused by dryness.
Its active Renewal technology helps to remove follicle-clogging sebum, fatty acids and environmental residues from scalp and hair.
This shampoo will give you thicker and fuller hair and can also maintain the colour vibrancy of hair.
Nioxin has also won an award for Behind the Chair Stylist Choice.
Quantity- 16.9 oz
Ingredients- European botanicals and rich humectants
Fragrance- mild fragrance
Pros
- Removes excess oil buildup
- Treats dull and dry hair
- Award winning product
Cons
- Quantity is lesser compared to others
7. Tigi Bed Head Colour
Bedhead shampoo smoothly cleanses your hair and restores the electrifying colour of your hair.
This is infused with essential oils like almond oil, coconut oil and keratin. These act as a defence mechanism against your hair colour keeping it vibrant.
It comes in a duo with a conditioner that nourishes the hair. This is a favourite among professionals for its efficiency.
Apply this on wet hair and massage it thoroughly. Then follow up with a conditioner.
Quantity- 25.36 oz
Ingredients- almond oil, coconut oil and keratin
Fragrance- mild vanilla fragrance
Pros
- Infused with essential oil
- Makes hair soft and nourished
Cons
- The scent might seem too sweet for some
8. LuxeOrganix Moroccan Oil Shampoo
Moroccan shampoo comes along a conditioner. This is a sulphate free and sodium chloride free product. This is also a cruelty-free product.
Along with colour protection, this has many other benefits like-
Hydrating hair, controlling frizziness, making hair strong and preventing it from breakage. It also slows down the fading of hair.
This comes along with a conditioner. By using this you can protect your hair from UV and thermal rays.
It has refreshing citrus and vanilla scent
Quantity- 8 oz
Ingredients- orange, vanilla and Moroccan oil
Fragrance- orange-vanilla fragrance
Pros
- Controls frizzy hair
- Prevents breakage
- Protects hair from UV rays
Cons
- Check out the scent before purchase
9. Bingo Hair Care Sulfate Free Shampoo
The package says loud and clear that this is sulfate-free. This fact is great for hair as it would not strip away the natural oil of your hair.
This shampoo is composed of all-natural ingredients like argan oil, keratin and vitamins that protect your hair.
Argan oil helps to fight dry and damaged hair. It moisturizes the hair and improves the elasticity. This also has vitamin E and collagen.
The benefits can be countless like protection from UV rays, detangling of hair, making it frizz-free and to get a smooth shiny finish.
This shampoo conditioner duo is a cruelty-free product.
Quantity- 14 fl oz
Ingredients- argan oil, keratin, vitamins, collagen
Fragrance- mild fragrance
Pros
- Treats dry hair
- Cruelty-free product
Cons
- Can irritate the eyes
10. Nexxus Color Assure for Color Treated Hair
Nexxus shampoo gives nourishment and maintains frizz-free coloured hair. It smoothly cleans your hair while protecting the colour.
This is infused with a protein fusion blend with elastin and quinoa. And this blend ensured long-lasting colour that can last up to 40 washes.
With suitability of any hair type, this can definitely be included in your grooming regime to make your hair vibrant.
Massage this on your wet hair to get the best results.
Quantity– 33.8 oz
Ingredients- Elastin Protein and Quinoa
Fragrance- strong fragrance
Pros
- Improves the elasticity of hair
- Lasts up to 40 washes
Cons
- The smell can be too strong
How to choose the perfect products that suit the color- treated hair?
Washing your color-treated hair can be a bit disheartening. Every time you wash your hair, you might notice your hair losing a tiny amount of color. Whenever the hair dyes that you have applied to your hair get direct exposure of water and shampoo, they start dissolving and slipping from the hair fiber.
However, you can slow down this fading process by using specially-formulated hair products and shampoos are one of the most important products.
How do Shampoos for Colored Hair Work?
Shampoos formulated for color-treated hair usually perform two tasks. Like any regular shampoo, they work on cleansing your hair and scalp. Apart from this, they also work on protecting your hair color.
The main culprit behind the fading of hair color is the presence of harsh chemical detergents in shampoos. Thus, these shampoos do not contain any such ingredient that can strip off the dye from your hair. The shampoo also helps in preserving the hair color.
Features to Consider While Buying Shampoo for Color-Treated Hair
Here are a few pointers that you must check for before buying the best shampoo for your color-treated hair.
1. Sulfate-free
Sulfate is a very strong chemical that makes your hair dry and ruin the hair color by fading it way sooner than it should normally. It is not at all a suitable ingredient for your hair.
SLS i.e. Sodium lauryl sulfate is a chemical detergent that is found in most of the shampoos. It is responsible for generating lather and deep cleaning of your hair and scalp. Since it dries out the hair and strips off the hair color, you must look for a shampoo that is sulfate-free. Even for those who have curly or fine hair, you should look for sulfate-free shampoos.
To check whether your shampoo contains sulfate or not, look for the term sulfate-free or you can check the ingredient list for sodium laurel sulfate or sulfonated oils.
2. Look for UV Protectants
Adding UV protectants in your shampoo is very helpful as they prevent your hair from damage and color oxidation. The sun’s harmful rays work aggressively on bleaching out your hair’s color.
Usually, regular shampoos contain heat protectants along with UVA and UVB filters. For your color-treated hair, look for shampoos that provide UV protection using ingredients like methoxycinnamate and Benzophenone-4.
3. pH Balance
The color-treated hair is generally more prone to frizziness and dryness. The damage caused by the permanent color leads to the dryness of the cuticle. You can prevent this damage by selecting a shampoo that maintains a balanced pH levels between 5 and 7.
4. Moisturizing
Whenever you select a shampoo for your color-treated hair, make sure it offers hydrating properties. Even though the cleansing agents present in these shampoos are mild, they can still have some drying effect on your hair.
To combat this, look for shampoos that contain natural moisturizing ingredients including shea butter, argan oil, vitamin E, and keratin protein (it helps in strengthening and smoothening your hair).
5. No Harsh Chemicals
No matter whether you buy a shampoo for general use or for your color-treated hair, you should check whether it contains harsh chemicals or not. The presence of these harsh chemicals can strip off the color and moisture while you are washing your hair. They also cause an imbalance in pH levels.
Some of the chemicals that you should avoid in your shampoo are parabens, alcohol, salt, sulfate, and other artificial fragrance. Select a shampoo that not only cleans your hair but also protects them naturally.
6. Specialized Formulas
Most of the color-specific shampoos are designed to keep specific dyes and colors in mind. Out of all the specialized formulas, red and blond shampoos are the most common as both bleach and red dye fade off quickly when compared to other colors.
There are some brands that manufacture shampoos for specific neon shades such as blue or pink. They are a bit difficult to find though.
The purple shampoos are formulated using purple pigments. They help in reducing the brassy effect that happens after you color your hair either silver or blond. The purple shampoos counteract the yellow tone with a blue tone. The disadvantage of these shampoos is they can be a bit drying and can leave behind blue or purple undertones. Thus, you should only use it once a week.
7. Color Protection
You should buy a shampoo that offers color protection features. Such shampoos protect your hair color from fading away so that the color stays for a long time and you don’t have to go for frequent touch-ups.
A shampoo must contain extra proteins and emollients so that it can seal the cuticle of your hair and obstruct the leaking out of the pigment. This helps in preventing the color from fading and also enhancing the color’s retention ability.
8. Color Enhancing
The shampoos for color-treated hair are formulated specially to protect the color from fading away and improve the appearance of hair color. It makes your hair color look more lively and vibrant.
These formulas give your hair a healthy and shiny luster that pops out the color even more. Most of the shampoos help in enhancing your hair color and you can check for this property in the label. Thus, washing your hair with these shampoos can help you in making your hair color look better.
9. Color Depositing
The shampoo that you use on your hair should help you in retaining your hair color. Most of the shampoos and conditioners contain color depositing formula that helps in reviving the hair color.
It also helps the color to last for a long time than usual and saves your efforts of going for regular touch-up sessions. These shampoos make your hair color look prominent while leaving behind a soft and smooth finish. The shampoos that contain color depositing formula are in fact the best option for your color-treated hair.
10. Price
Shampoos formulated for color-treated hair are usually more expensive than any regular shampoos as they contain special ingredients to protect and enhance your hair color. There are some budget-friendly options available within a price range of $6-$12 for an 8-10 ounce bottle. However, these options might or might not be sulfate-free. You will have to check the ingredient list for that.
The specialized formulas can cost you around $20-$50.
Few Tips and Tricks to Retain The Hair Color
Mentioned below are a few tips and tricks that can help you in retaining the hair color for a long period of time. Let’s have a look!
1. Don’t wash your hair right away
After you are done coloring your hair, wait for a while before washing your hair. Most of the hairdressers also would suggest you to wait for some days to wash your hair.
The reason behind this is some of your hair cuticles might get open while coloring and these cuticles are more susceptible to color fading. Thus, you should wait for at least 72 hours after coloring and then wash your hair. This time should be sufficient enough for the cuticles to close and thus, the chances of color fading becomes low.
2. Use lukewarm water to wash your hair
Washing your hair with hot water can make the cuticles vulnerable and this leads to fading away of the color. Hot water even makes your hair dry and frizzy as it strips off the moisture and essential oils from the hair shaft.
Using lukewarm or cold water while washing your hair can help in maintaining the quality of your hair and also help in color retention.
3. Give your hair washing sessions a skip
Some of the common reasons your hair color starts fading is washing your hair with water and harsh chemicals. Thus, it is good if you give some interval between washes and skip whenever possible. This will decrease the hair’s exposure to water and cleansers.
4. Try to avoid using heat styling tools
After coloring your hair, try to give your hair a break from all the styling tools. You can opt for hairstyles where you can embrace your hair’s natural texture. Let your hair air dry rather than using a hairdryer.
If you wish to sport beachy waves or messy look, you can apply a texturizing spray to damp hair and let it air dry.
5. Cover the roots
No matter how properly you take care of your hair color, there will be a time where your natural hair will grow and this when the roots will start showing up. You can either go to a salon for root touch-ups or color your hair at home.
However, if both these options are not possible, you can use a cover-up spray to hide the roots. These sprays are helpful in hiding the roots until you wash your hair the next time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Avoid washing your hair with chlorinated water. You can also prevent your hair from direct exposure to the sun’s rays by covering your head with a hat.
Also, try to reduce using heat styling tools such as blow dryers, hair straighteners, or curling rods. Using them even in the lowest temperatures can cause damage to your hair.
The red hair dyes are the ones that slide away from your hair very quickly. Since these colors are made using bigger molecules, they don’t penetrate deep into the hair shaft when compared to other shades. Thus, they slide away because of their bigger size.
It is always good to use a mild shampoo to wash your hair. If you are using a mild shampoo, you should not wash it more than twice or thrice a week.
If the shampoo that you are using is a bit aggressive, limit the number of washes to once a week.
The shampoos that are designed specially to be used on color-treated hair are generally more aggressive than regular ones as they contain ingredients that protect the hair color. Thus, the best way is to use a combination of mild shampoo along with the special shampoo for colored hair.
Yes, you should use a conditioner even after using a moisturizing/hydrating shampoo. These shampoos are not moisturizing enough to seal and nourish your hair in the same way that a conditioner does.
We suggest you to use a matching conditioner of the same range as that of the shampoo.
If you have colored your hair recently, you must avoid using shampoos that are formulated for oily hair. You should also avoid using anti-dandruff shampoos as they can have a drying effect on your hair.
Another product that you must avoid using is dry shampoos. Other aggressive products including hairspray, mousse or hair gels can also damage your hair and make them dry.
Conclusion
Finding a long lasting shampoo to protect your coloured hair can be difficult. Hence we bought you the best products in the market.
And among all these top products our favourite is BIOLAGE Colorlast Shampoo. This has a low pH level that helps the hair colour to last long. This also strengths the scalp and helps remove dandruff. Plus this is suitable for all hair types.