What’s Inside:
One of the biggest hair investments you can make is your color. Finding a stylist who is knowledgeable and skilled in hair coloring is the first step. Taking care of your color between salon visits is a critical second step.
And that’s where a good color protection shampoo comes in.
In this blog, you’ll learn why color-safe shampoo is so important, what causes color to fade, how long hair dye should last based on different color types, and which color protection shampoo is best (spoiler alert: it’s Oribe’s Beautiful Color).
Do You Really Need to Use a Color Safe Shampoo?
If you care about the vibrancy of your color, how long your color lasts, or the health of your hair, a color safe shampoo is an absolute must.
Let’s face it.
A great color service isn’t cheap. So why would you pay for hair color if you’re not going to make the most out of it?
But we’re not here to sell you rainbows and unicorns.
Here’s the truth:
Color is going to fade no matter what, regardless of the shampoo you’re using. And, hair grows, so you’re going to have roots over time.
How fast this happens is a little more under your control thanks to modern technologies used to create professional hair products these days.
The best way to protect your color investment is by using quality products—and a good color shampoo should be at the very top of that list.
Why is Color Shampoo So Important and What Causes Color to Fade?
The reason your choice of shampoo is so vital for color-treated hair is because shampoo can actually “cleanse” the color right out of your hair. Of course, shampoo isn’t the only thing that can prematurely fade your color.
The factors that most affect how long hair color lasts are:
Water Yep, just water can do it, especially hard water and super hot water. Any time your hair gets wet, the hair cuticle opens a bit. This provides an opportunity for color molecules to make a break for it. Not sure where they think they’re going to go or what benefit they think they’re getting once liberating themselves from the hair, but that’s what they do.
How frequently you shampoo Overwashing your hair is perhaps enemy number one to colored hair, but it has other downsides as well. It can lead to breakage and make your hair more dry and brittle. It can also cause dandruff or dry scalp.
Pro Tip: “Many people think shampooing or having dirty hair are their only options. That's simply not true with the right product! Use Oribe Cleansing Crème between shampoos—it’s a game changer!” - Julie Perrott, Specialist Hairstylist at Alkali
Your lifestyle Sometimes, we’re our own worst enemies when it comes to our hair color. This can include overwashing your hair. But some other examples include frequent swimming, being out in the sun a lot, and using heat styling tools without protection. That doesn’t mean you can’t do these things, or you have to sacrifice your color to do them, it just means you need to prioritize the proper, high-quality products needed to protect your hair from certain activities.
The hair products you use (or don’t use) Using low quality products or even the wrong high quality product for your hair can also contribute to color discoloration or fading. A knowledgeable stylist isn’t going to recommend you a product you don’t need or that isn’t right for your specific hairstyle or color.
Harsh shampoo ingredients Not all shampoos are formulated equally. While some can include toxic and harmful ingredients to your hair and overall wellness, even some “safe” ingredients aren’t safe for color-treated hair or are more prone to reactions and skin and scalp irritations.
How quickly your hair grows This one is pretty much out of your control, which is why doing everything you can to preserve your color based on the factors above are critical to your color investment.
Hair health The health and integrity of your hair makes a significant impact on your color. If your hair is overly processed or damaged, color just won’t hold as long, as the hair cuticle is unable to fully close—if it can close at all.
Damaged or over processed hair can also affect how the dye molecule works and how your color looks. Most notably, it can cause rich colors to appear dull and muddy.
No matter how good your colorist may be, there’s only so much they can do if you have poor hair integrity. In this case, you and your stylist should be focusing on restoring your hair’s health and doing your color in stages, until you’re able to achieve the color you truly want without causing further damage to your hair.
How Long Should Hair Dye Last?
This is kind of a loaded question and there’s no concrete answer. How long hair dye lasts varies from person to person, color to color, and the points mentioned in the section above.
Here’s the short answer: on average, high quality, professionally dyed hair should last between 3 and 12 weeks.
Yes, that’s a broad range. Here’s the long answer based on specific color types:
Glaze, Glossing, or Toning
Glazing, glossing, or toning is often a part of your initial color process, but it can also be a standalone service. The main purpose for these services is to refresh color, boost color tones, and give the hair added shine. When used in between your full color appointments.
Extend vibrancy by: up to 3 weeks with color protection shampoo and proper at-home care.
Permanent or Demi-Permanent Hair Dye
These are the two longest-lasting forms of hair dye. The main difference between permanent and demi-permanent boils down to chemical composition and function. Permanent dye penetrates the hair cuticle to deposit color, while demi-permanent color coats the hair shaft.
For example, permanent hair color is good for bigger color changes like lightening hair. Demi-permanent is good for blending and rich colors that don’t require lifting.
Color life expectancy by: up to 6-8 weeks
Extend vibrancy by: 2-4 weeks with color protection shampoo and proper at-home care.
Semi-Permanent Hair Dye
Semi-permanent color is for less dramatic changes and washes out much faster than its demi and permanent cousins.
Color life expectancy by: up to 4-6 weeks
Extend vibrancy by: 2-3 weeks with color protection shampoo and proper at-home care.
Blonding
Blonding falls in the permanent category, as it typically requires lightening your natural or color-treated hair to achieve your desired look. While all hair color faces new hair growth challenges, blondes are especially affected by how fast your hair grows. The lighter you go, the more obvious your roots will be between visits, even if your overall color still looks nice and vibrant.
If you’re someone who can’t stand having any roots, then you’re going to have to get your color done more often. There’s no getting around that. But if you can handle a little regrowth, you can still maximize your time between visits.
Color life expectancy by: 6-8 weeks
Extend vibrancy by: up to 3 weeks with glossing or toning between visits, color protection shampoo, and proper at-home care. Keep in mind, though, that even if you’re extending the vibrancy, you will have roots depending on how fast your hair grows regardless.
Fashion Color and Reds
Reds and fashion colors have the shortest lifespan of all colors. The reason for this is that reds and fantasy shades have larger molecule sizes than other colors, which prevents color from penetrating the hair’s cortex as deep as other colors. They’re also more susceptible to degradation in UV light.
So, if you’re thinking of going a shade of red or another fantasy shade, just know that you will need to get your color done more often to maintain that vibrancy. And of course, depending on your natural color, roots can be an issue.
Color life expectancy by: 4-6 weeks
Extend vibrancy by: 2-4 weeks with color protection shampoo and proper at-home care, but like blonding, the roots can really get you here.
Booking Recommendations
A good colorist makes rebooking recommendations based on how long the vibrancy of your hair color should last with proper at-home care, the health of your hair, and your unique lifestyle. Not to get you in sooner, or to push your appointment out—but to keep your color looking its best between visits.
Best Shampoo for Colored Hair: Oribe Beautiful Color
Okay, so now that you know why color protection shampoo is important, let’s jump into which color shampoo is the “fairest” of them all.
It’s no secret we love Oribe products at Alkali—and for good reason! Oribe makes excellent products, and most of them happen to be safe for colored hair.
But when it comes to preserving and protecting hair color, there is one shampoo that shines above the rest: Oribe Beautiful Color Shampoo.
This crown jewel of a color protecting shampoo packs a serious punch.
What Makes Oribe Beautiful Color So Special?
Beautiful Color doesn’t just cleanse and help extend the life of your hair dye, it moisturizes and strengthens color-damaged or overprocessed hair. It even protects against environmental pollutants.
But it’s not just that.
Like most Oribe products, it literally feels “high-quality” on the hair compared to other shampoos, especially store brands.
I probably sound like an ad right now, but in my experience, it’s true!
Personal Experience: 6 Weeks of Shampooing After Color Service
I like how Beautiful Color shampoo makes my hair feel—soft and clean. It also has a pleasant, light scent. As someone who’s sensitive to strong fragrances, that’s a huge bonus for me. Paired with Beautiful Color Conditioner—your hair combs through like butter, baby.
But it’s how it works that really counts. My most recent color was done on December 5, 2024. The amazing hair artist Amber Woodall designed me a bold shade of reddish orange paired with some spectacular chunky, bright blonde highlights.
Anyone who’s gotten red hair color or a fantasy shade knows how quickly these colors can fade, so this blog was the perfect opportunity for me to put Beautiful Color to the test!
I took photos after several washes since my color service. Here are the pics—check out the results for yourself.
I’m totally happy with the results so far and confident that by the three-month mark, my color will still be pretty vibrant. That said, one of the things I mentioned earlier that is out of our control is hair growth. My hair grows like a weed, so I do have some regrowth at the roots, but it’s still 'liveable' for me at 6 weeks.
Another thing I want to note is that I bought my current bottle of Beautiful Color shampoo in May 2024 and still have some—the standard size, not the liter. So don’t be afraid of the price tag! This stuff lasts and lasts. You don’t need much!
For context, I have medium-thick Type 2 hair that’s a little past my shoulders and I’m a natural strawberry blonde. I was actually born with flaming red/orange hair, but my hair has darkened over time (boo!). I usually shampoo two to three times a week—once if I got a good blowout, or if I’m feeling … adventurous. Don’t judge. That’s what dry shampoo is for!
I’m also using Beautiful Color Conditioner, and we use high quality color at Alkali (Goldwell), so I suppose the shampoo can’t take all the credit—but it is a significant part of it.
How Beautiful Color Works: Star Ingredients and Technology
To be honest, Beautiful Color seems a little like magic or some kind of hair voodoo. But really, its effectiveness is due to high-tech, ultra high-quality ingredients. Like the secret sauce, but for hair color.
Bioflavonoids and UV Protection
Much of the “magic” revolves around Bioflavonoids. You know, the stuff that gives fruits their beautiful pops of color. Bioflavonoids help maintain your hair’s pigment and helps prevent fading.
Beautiful Color also protects against UV rays, which can cause discoloration and fading as they penetrate the hair shaft. UV rays can also damage your hair fiber, leading to dry, brittle hair—and no one wants that!
The way Beautiful Color shampoo combats UV light is through its super moisturizing and strengthening properties, most notable are baobab tree extract, hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), and Oribe’s signature flower complex.
African Baobab Tree Extract
One of the star ingredients for repair and moisture in Beautiful Color Shampoo is African baobab tree extract. Baobab works to repair damage, moisturize, and strength the hair. It’s bursting with all kinds of good stuff like omega fatty acids, vitamins, and antioxidants.
But that’s not on the back of the bottle, you might say.
That’s because it’s listed as its fancy scientific name: hydrolyzed adansonia digitata seed extract. You really do learn something new every day, right?!
Fun fact: The baobab tree is often dubbed as the tree of life. It has over 300 uses and is depended on by humans and animals alike for sustenance, medicinal uses, and practical purposes like making paper and ropes to instrument strings.
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (HVP)
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein is a naturally derived protein from keratin, wheat, or soy. It helps make hair stronger by coating the hair shaft. It also prevents UV degradation as it penetrates the middle layer of the hair shaft (the cortex).
The cortex is what’s responsible for giving hair its color and integrity. The HVP in Beautiful Color works to protect healthy hair and treat damaged hair while working to preserve color.
Watermelon, Lychee, and Edelweiss Flower
Oribe’s signature flower complex comprised of watermelon, lychee, and edelweiss is your knight in shining armor when it comes to defending your hair against oxidative stress and the damaging effects of the elements.
Watermelon (limonene): Moisturizing, hydrating, and packed with vitamin C and the amino acid citrulline, watermelon works to prevent breakage, maintain hair health, and keep your hair hydrated.
Lychee (litchi chinensis pericarp extract): With it antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, and it’s vitamin C and copper content, Lychee helps give your hair shine, makes your hair texture smoother, and promotes hair and scalp health.
Edelweiss (leontopodium alpinum extract): Another antioxidant-rich ingredient, edelweiss works to protect and strengthen your hair and promote hair health.
As you can see, Oribe Beautiful Color has a lot going for it!
Here’s a full list of ingredients if you want a deeper dive:
sorbitan laurate
The Importance of Protecting Your Beauty Investment
With the cost of some color services, especially elaborate techniques and custom looks, averaging around $400 give or take, it’s important to protect your investment.
The TL;DR of it is this. Regardless of what brand you go with, if you color your hair, use a color protection shampoo—always! Just be mindful of lifestyle factors and ingredients that can be working against your investment, and make product decisions that can counter them.
As a follow-up to this blog, Alkali’s owner & CEO Amber Woodall will be performing a wash experiment between Oribe Beautiful Color and some of the most popular color protection shampoos to compare actual performance, and I’ll be doing a deep dive into the ingredients of each one. So stay tuned for that!