8 Habits That Make Your Hair Colour Last Much Longer

There’s nothing worse than forking out for a hair colour appointment, only to have it fade substantially by the end of the month. Fortunately, there are easy tweaks to make to help preserve the integrity of your colour, without having to make endless trips back to the salon. Here are the eight tips to take note of.

Prioritise moisture

When it comes to maintaining the appearance of fresh colour, moisture is of the utmost importance. Damaged, dry cuticles can’t hold onto colour pigment as well as healthy, hydrated hair. So, layer nourishing masks, leave-in conditioners and reparative oils with adequate heat protection if you want to preserve your colour in 2026.

Philip Kingsley

Elasticizer Hair Treatment Mask

• Why we love it: A classic for good reason, this mask works wonders on every hair type to bring back flexible strength. So if harsh colour treatments, mechanical damage or excessive heat have made your hair prone to snapping off, it’s a formula worth investing in. The main attraction here is hydrolysed elastin, which is small enough to permeate the hair cortex and restore healthy stretch. Despite its rich texture, Kingsley explains that it’s suitable for fine hair because “as a pre-shampoo mask, any heavy excess residue is washed away.” Editor’s tip: If you like a sensorial shower experience, opt for the peach-scented Honey & Nectar variant over the original, which is fragrance-free.
• Key ingredients: Hydrolysed elastin, castor oil, glycerin
• Sizes: 75ml, 150ml, 1000ml

Heed the 72-hour rule

Another critical tip: don’t be in a rush to wash your hair after a colour appointment. Colour pigments continue to “set” into the hair even after you leave the hairdresser, with the chemical reaction taking several more hours to complete. Best practice is to wait 72 hours (three days) after colouring before washing your hair. After that, you’re only rinsing away excess pigment.

Try a colour sealing spray

An underrated hack: use a colour sealing spray. Simply spray the treatment onto freshly coloured hair (within the first few days) that’s been washed and towel-dried. Then, without rinsing, blow-dry your hair. They work because the very low pH formula helps to close the hair cuticle, which stops the colour pigment from dispersing and helps keep it more stable over time.

Shu Uemura Color Sealer Spray

Fresh water first

For swimmers who find their colour fades too quickly, there’s a simple fix. Before entering the pool, take a shower and rinse your hair in fresh water. Wetting the hair helps to limit how much chlorine can penetrate the hair shaft and erode the colour pigments.

Pick the best products

Shampoos and conditioners that are formulated without sulphates (or with very light surfactants) are best for coloured hair. Baby shampoos can be a good option for this, as well as colour-safe products.

Redken Acidic Colour Gloss Activated Glass Gloss Hair Treatment

Stay cool

Hot water is one of the biggest causes of colour fade in dyed hair. It dulls shine and can eke colour pigment from the hair. Instead, go for lukewarm water for hair wash days. If you can’t resist a super-hot shower, clip your hair up when under the hottest water.

Use a demi-colour treatment

Colour glosses, glazes and masks are a big help when it comes to properly preserving colour. These products tend to be nourishing bases imbued with colour pigments to replenish any vividness loss between appointments. The effect can last for anywhere between five and six washes, and it’s a budget-friendly way to stretch out the time between your salon appointments.

Bleach London Reincarnation Mask

Practise safe styling

Direct heat – think curling irons, straightening tongs and hairdryers – is the enemy of coloured hair. Like hot water, high temperatures can leech colour from the hair, creating a faded, patchy overall effect. A heat protectant creates a protective film over the hair shaft that can help protect your colour, and preserve your hair health, too.

Kérastase Nutritive Detangling Blow Dry Mist