If you’re investing the time and money necessary to get an experienced color professional to give you the candy-colored hair of your dreams, the last thing you want is to have it fade in a week. Long-lasting color that keeps its vivacity is one of the most important parts of candy-colored hair, and the steps you take to maintain your hair color can be a great start. With this step-by-step process, you can make sure your hair looks great for longer.

Healthy Pink Hair

1. Don’t wash your hair every day. If you shower every day, you should try to avoid shampooing every day, ideally aiming for 2-3 washes per week. Put your hair in a shower cap to shield it from steam and avoid getting loose strands wet.

2. Use lukewarm water to wash your hair. Hot water makes the hair strands expand, which makes the color bleed from the strands much more quickly than if you were to wash with lukewarm water. This is especially important if it’s a very light color like pink or mint green.

3. Always use a color-protecting shampoo and conditioner. If you don’t have one, ask your hairstylist or colorist for a recommendation. They’ll be able to recommend the product that will work best for your particular hair and the specific products they used.

4. Use a deep conditioning hair treatment once a week. When you go through a bleaching treatment to get your hair light enough for candy-colored hair, it can weaken the hair. Once a week, run the treatment through your hair, then add a shower cap to allow the product to sit. This can restore strength, shine, and vibrancy. You can also do this out of the shower. Wrap your hair with a hot towel or use a blow dryer to heat the strands and get an even deeper treatment.

5. Use dry shampoo very sparingly. Dry shampoo can be more noticeable with colorful hair, as it can leave a powdery white finish. Plus it can cause buildup over time. Remember to massage dry shampoo into your scalp to avoid any traces of it before you leave.

6. Avoid hot styling as much as possible. Color-treated hair is even more sensitive to hot styling tools than non-color-treated hair, so limit how much you use your hair dryer, curling iron, and flat iron. Remember to apply a heat-protectant spray when you do. Then sleep on a satin pillowcase to diminish frizz and tangles and keep hair soft.

7. Go back to your hair color professional for color touch-ups. Colorful hair fades faster than you think, and you must replace that color with the same brand and same process. Picking up a box dye that you didn’t use to get the initial look can end up causing undesirable interactions between different colors.

Get a Better Look With a Professional’s Help

If you’ve never tried out the playful hair color that you’ve been thinking about trying for so long, these tips should certainly give you the confidence to do so. This can preserve the vibrancy of your hair color while also making sure your hair looks beautiful and healthy at the same time. You don’t even need to be a professional cosmetologist to use these tips for a high-quality look.