Tips for Making Your Hair Color Last

Looking for ways to keep your color radiant for longer? Try Pantene Pro-V's Color Hair Solutions line. Pantene's Color Hair Solutions is a series of shampoos, conditioners, treatment crèmes and finishing products to help keep color-treated hair looking healthy. Because color-treated hair is usually porous, damaged and dry on its own, it often requires moisture-rich products to keep it strong and free of breakage. Pantene's Color Hair Solutions line contains proteins and critical, cuticle-repairing ingredients to coat damaged, color-treated hair and give it a nice, healthy sheen and shine. Pantene, used in conjunction with the following tips, can make your color last longer!

1. Select Quality Products Formulated for Color-Treated Hair
Always use shampoos and conditioners that are formulated for color-treated hair. As someone who frequently permanently colors her hair, I've found that finding the right combination of moisturizing and protein-based products can be tough. Strong shampoos and weak conditioners that are not color safe or designed for color-treated hair can cause even the most vibrant colors to fade. This was always a major problem for me. Maintaining my color over time just never seemed to work out, and my "chestnut browns" always seemed to turn a dry, ugly orange color in a matter of weeks!

Pantene's Color Hair Solutions line keeps us color-treated folks in mind! According to Pantene's researchers, permanent coloring changes the hair at the structural level. These structural changes cause the cuticle to become uneven, and the protective layer of the hair shaft will break down. This protective layer is important for keeping the hair fiber moisturized and supple. Regular use of Pantene's Color Hair Solutions line will help replace the important protective layer, because it contains micro-polishers that will help to smooth and reconstruct the cuticle.

The Color Solutions Shampoo gently cleanses the hair without stripping the cuticle of much needed protection. Color-safe conditioners deposit proteins along the shaft to reinforce color-treated hair, leaving it shiny, strong, smooth and vibrant.

2. Keep Your Water Temperature Cool to Preserve Hair Color
After shampooing and conditioning the hair with color-safe products like Pantene's Color Hair Solutions, rinse your hair in cold water to seal the cuticle and preserve your color. Always wash and rinse your color-treated hair in cool or tepid water! Hot water causes hair color to run and fades the vibrancy of your color over time. Hot water also rinses away critical conditioning ingredients that should remain on the cuticle to protect it.

3. Reduce Heat Use to Make Your Color Last
On color-treated hair, keep the use of heat styling tools to a minimum. Blow dryers, flat irons, crimpers and other heated styling tools can further assault the hair's cuticle and cause hair colors to fade over time. Exposure to sun, wind and salt or chlorinated water should also be limited to preserve color as much a possible.

4. Reduce Washing Frequency to Keep Your Color
Water is the enemy to vibrant colors everywhere! Whether your color is permanent or a simple deposit-only rinse, each washing reduces your color's boldness. If you intend to preserve your color for longer, try cutting back on daily washing routines if possible. The less you wash your hair and agitate the color, the longer it will last.

Try Pantene Pro-V Color Hair Solutions Color Preserve Shampoo, Conditioner and Color Nourishing Treatment to help preserve your colored style. For more information on Pantene's colored hair line or support in finding the right products to preserve your color, explore Pantene's New Customized Solutions for all hair types. Visit Pantene.com and use the Product Finder tool to find your customized colored hair solution.