So You Want To Dye Your Hair Red: Learn How To Care For Your New Ginger Mane With These Five Tips.

Dyeing your hair is always fun, but quite a bit of maintenance comes along with it, especially if you’re dyeing it red. According to hair stylists, red is the most difficult color to maintain because it rinses out the fastest. To prevent, or at least delay, this from happening, utilize these five tips!

1. Use sunscreen on your hair.

• Yes, you heard that right! Using sunscreen or UV protective balm on color-treated hair can prevent your freshly dyed hair from fading. In addition, sunscreen protects your body and skin from damage from the sun. Without it, the UV rays can cause harm; the same goes for your luscious locks!

2. Try a sulfate-free shampoo.

• For those who don’t know, sulfates are very damaging to hair. While they’re often found in shampoo as a cleaning agent, sulfates strip your hair from its natural oils, leaving your scalp and hair very dry and unhealthy. Using a sulfate-free shampoo will help your dyed hair retain moisture and color. 

3. Limit the use of heat in your routine.

• Just like sulfates, using heat on your hair can cause it to become dry and damaged. However, limiting the heat can help keep your color looking fresh. If you can’t ditch your straightener, curling iron, or blowdryer, try decreasing the temperature!

4. Deep conditioner and hair masks are your new BFF.

• Dyeing your hair can cause dry and brittle hair, so you want to invest in a good deep conditioner or hair mask. Christophe Robin has a shade variation hair mask to restore the hue of dyed hair in between salon visits. One of the more popular options is the Olaplex No. 8 Bond Intense Moisture Mask. This product will help restore your hair cuticles while making your locks more shiny and healthy. If you’re looking for a more affordable option, Garnier’s Whole Blends line includes a restoring hair mask that helps repair damage while simultaneously moisturizing your hair. One of those options, once or twice a week, will help restore your hair and retain its color. 

5. Patience is a virtue.

• Wait at least 48 hours after the initial application of color! I know that waiting for two days can be annoying, but doing so will allow the dye to sit and get into each strand. According to hair stylists, red hair dye is difficult to use because of how large the molecules are; these large molecules have a hard time penetrating your hair.