To keep hair color from fading, wait about two days before the first shampoo, then wash less often, in lukewarm water, with a shampoo made for color-treated hair. Use a heat protectant before hot tools, and cover your hair in strong sun and in the pool. Here is what dermatologists, color brands and lab studies say about each step, and where they disagree.
Key takeaways
- Every wash takes some color with it, because the dye dissolves into the water.
- Wait about 48 hours before the first shampoo (Wella, Joico, Matrix). Matrix says three or four days is even better.
- Brands suggest shampooing two or three times a week; the AAD says to wash based on how oily or dirty your hair gets.
- Use a color-safe, sulfate-free shampoo, lukewarm water and conditioner every time.
- Use heat protectant and the lowest heat setting that works.
- The AAD says sun can fade hair, especially dyed hair. Wear a wide-brimmed hat outdoors and a swim cap in the pool.
- Do a patch test 48 hours before every color service, including a gloss or toner.
Why does hair color fade?
Every wash takes some color with it. A 2009 study in the Journal of Cosmetic Science found that permanent (oxidative) color fades during shampooing mainly because the dye dissolves in water. Wella lists four common causes:
- Water. Each wash swells the hair and lifts the cuticle, so color escapes.
- Harsh shampoos and rough handling.
- UV light, which can leave color brassy or dull.
- Heat styling without a heat protectant.
L’Oréal Professionnel adds chlorine, salt water and mineral-rich hard water. The causes add up: in a 2005 lab study of auburn permanent dyes, color faded most when hair got both simulated sunlight and shampooing. Dyed white hair and dyed bleached hair lost much more color than dyed brown hair (Locke and Jachowicz).
How long to wait to wash hair after coloring
Sources vary:
- Wella: a minimum of 48 hours, so the cuticle can close and hold the color.
- Joico: about 48 hours.
- Matrix: at least 48 hours, preferably longer. Three or four days is even better.
Wella also points out that the salon shampoos the color out at the end of the service, which makes waiting easier.
How to wash color-treated hair
How often. Wella, Matrix and L’Oréal Professionnel all suggest two or three shampoos a week; Matrix says never more than every other day. The AAD takes a different angle: wash based on how oily or dirty your hair gets. That can mean every day for straight hair and an oily scalp, or at least once every two to three weeks for dry, textured, curly or thick hair. Wella also says scalp health comes first: if your roots get oily fast, you may need to wash more often. On days off, Matrix suggests a shower cap in the shower and a color-safe dry shampoo at the roots.
Which shampoo. Pick one made for color-treated hair. In a 2010 review, Zoe Draelos of Duke University’s dermatology department noted that shampoos meant for dyed hair use milder detergents. Wella says sulfates have a reputation for fading color by swelling the cuticle, and Wella, Matrix and L’Oréal Professionnel all recommend sulfate-free shampoo for colored hair.
Water temperature. Wella says hot water lifts the cuticle and lets pigment out, so use lukewarm water. It advises against cold water, because cold doesn’t rinse out shampoo and conditioner well. Matrix says lukewarm or cooler; Joico and L’Oréal Professionnel say cool.
Technique. The AAD says to massage shampoo into the scalp, let the rinse flow through the lengths without rubbing, and use conditioner after every shampoo.
Does heat styling fade hair color?
Wella, Joico and L’Oréal Professionnel all say it can. Wella says hot tools can weaken the cuticle and leave colored hair open to pigment loss. For hair in general, the AAD advises letting hair air-dry when you can, using low or medium heat settings, and using a product that protects hair from heat.
- Apply heat protectant every time you use a dryer or iron. Our guide explains how to use heat protectant.
- Turn the tool down. Wella’s guide: 250–320°F for fine or damaged hair, 320–355°F for medium hair and 355–390°F for thick or coarse hair.
- Blow-dry on the lowest heat setting, or use the cool blast if your dryer has one, as Matrix suggests.
How to protect colored hair from sun and pool water
Sun. The AAD says sun exposure can leave hair weak, dry, rough, faded and brittle, and that this is especially true of dyed, bleached or permed hair. It recommends a wide-brimmed hat, or a leave-in conditioner that contains zinc oxide. L’Oréal Professionnel says UV breaks down dye molecules even when it isn’t sunny.
Compiled from the American Academy of Dermatology, Wella and Matrix.
- Wet your hair with clean water and apply a leave-in conditioner, so it soaks up less pool water (Wella, Matrix).
- Wear a swim cap (AAD, Wella, Matrix).
- Rinse your hair right after swimming (AAD).
- Wash with a swimmers’ shampoo, then use a deep conditioner (AAD).
Wella calls a swim cap the best protection against chlorine and salt water.
Green tint. Matrix blames chlorine. A 2022 case report in the International Journal of Trichology instead ties green hair to copper in pool or tap water, often from copper-based algaecides. It adds that earlier damage to the cuticle seems to be necessary, and blonde hair is most affected.
Hard water, buildup and clarifying shampoo
Color brands say minerals and metals in tap water can shift color. Wella names metals in the hair, such as copper from plumbing pipes, as a major cause of fading. Joico says chlorine, minerals and calcium in hard water can turn color off-tone. Both suggest a shower filter if you have hard water.
A clarifying shampoo is the deep-clean option; our clarifying shampoo guide explains how clarifying and chelating shampoos differ. Brands disagree on using one on colored hair. Matrix says clarifying shampoos can strip color and suggests saving them for right before a color service. Wella says colored hair can take an occasional clarifying wash if you focus it on the scalp and follow with conditioner.
How to refresh faded hair color
Some shades fade faster. Matrix and L’Oréal Professionnel say red dyes have larger molecules that don’t penetrate as deeply, so they wash out sooner; L’Oréal includes pink and other bright shades. Wella also singles out red as especially quick to fade. L’Oréal adds that natural and bleached blonde hair is more porous, so color escapes more easily.
- Toning shampoo. Joico says its purple shampoo cancels yellow tones in blondes and grays, and its blue shampoo cancels orange tones in brunettes. See purple vs blue shampoo.
- Color-depositing shampoo and conditioner. Joico suggests using them every other shampoo.
- Gloss or toner. L’Oréal Professionnel says a gloss or toner between appointments can refresh faded tone and add shine without a full recolor. Our guide to permanent vs demi vs semi-permanent color explains the options.
Before any new color, do a patch test. The FDA says to patch test every time you dye your hair, and Wella says to do it 48 hours before every application. Here is how to do the 48-hour patch test. The FDA also says not to scratch or brush your scalp for three days before dyeing, and to wait at least 14 days after bleaching, relaxing or perming.
How often to recolor is another split. The AAD suggests stretching the time between touch-ups, to every 8 to 10 weeks or longer in winter. Matrix says no more than once every five to six weeks.
At OBB
- Joico K-PAK Color Therapy Color-Protecting Shampoo: a color-protecting shampoo from Joico’s K-PAK Color Therapy line.
- Pravana Moisture Marvel Color Protecting Shampoo: a color-protecting shampoo from Pravana.
- Color Wow Color Security Shampoo, travel size: a sulfate-free shampoo.
- Wella Ultimate Color Conditioner: the conditioner from Wella’s Ultimate Color line.
- K18 HeatBounce: a heat protectant; K18 says it protects up to 450°F.
- Sebastian Trilliant: a heat protection spray.
- Olaplex Nº.4C: a clarifying shampoo; Olaplex says it removes mineral deposits, chlorine and product buildup.
- Pravana Clear Cleanse: a clarifying shampoo.
- K18 AirWash Dry Shampoo: a non-aerosol dry shampoo mist.
Call or text (949) 591-5304 with your list and we will confirm stock and pricing, then pick up at our Westminster store.
Related reading: Protein vs Moisture for Hair, How to Get Hair Dye Off Skin and Hair Dye Allergy Test: 48-Hour Patch Test.
FAQ
How long should I wait to wash my hair after coloring?
Wella says at least 48 hours and Joico says about 48 hours. Matrix says three or four days is even better.
Does cold water keep hair color from fading?
Brands agree hot water speeds fading but differ on how cool to go. Wella recommends lukewarm rather than cold, because cold water doesn’t rinse products out well; Joico and L’Oréal Professionnel say cool.
Do sulfate-free shampoos help color last?
Wella, Matrix and L’Oréal Professionnel all recommend sulfate-free shampoo for colored hair. Wella says sulfates have a reputation for fading color by swelling the cuticle.
Why does red hair color fade so fast?
Matrix and L’Oréal Professionnel say red dye molecules are larger and don’t penetrate as deeply, so they wash out sooner.
Does the sun fade hair color?
Yes. The AAD says sun can fade hair, especially dyed hair, and recommends a wide-brimmed hat.
Sources
- American Academy of Dermatology, Coloring and perming tips for healthier-looking hair, 10 hair care habits that can damage your hair and Tips for healthy hair
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Hair Dyes
- Wella Professionals, How to Avoid Hair Color Fading (2026), How Long Should I Wait to Wash My Hair After Coloring It? (2026) and Hair color safety tests
- Matrix, 26 Tips to Help Color-Treated Hair (updated 2026)
- L’Oréal Professionnel, How to Make Your Hair Color Last Longer (UK, 2026) and How to Take Care of Your Dyed Hair (US, 2026)
- Joico, How To Stop Washing Your Hair Color Down The Drain
- Studies: Zhou Y et al., color fading from shampoo washing, J Cosmet Sci 2009; Locke B, Jachowicz J, fading of artificial hair color, J Cosmet Sci 2005; Draelos ZD, hair cleansing review, Int J Trichology 2010; Tomas X et al., Pseudo Green Hair, Int J Trichology 2022
- Product pages: K18 HeatBounce and OLAPLEX Nº.4C
This is general information, not medical advice. Follow your colorist’s advice and the directions on your color and care products. If a patch test leaves your skin red, swollen, burning or itchy, don’t dye your hair, and see a dermatologist, as the AAD advises.