beauty addict

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Top hairstylists, makeup artists, and beauty gurus answer your questions.

Q: How can I make my hair color last longer?

Once you’ve found the perfect hair color, keeping it rich and vibrant between touch-ups will require proper care and maintenance. Porous or damaged hair can be especially prone to fading because the cuticle is blown open. To equalize the porosity and protect against the sun’s rays, be sure to use a leave-in conditioner with UV protection every day. Water can similarly strip hair of artificial color, so wait a full 24 hours before and 48 hours after a color service to wash, which will give your strands time to heal and help lock the color into the hair shaft.

Shampoos and conditioners for color-treated hair also play a vital role in maintaining color and generally fall into two categories: color conservers and color enhancers. Look for color-conserving products that can be used daily, such Redken’s Color Extend line, which includes shampoos, conditioners, and treatments that provide gentle cleansing, UV filters, and cuticle reinforcement. Color enhancers actually deposit tonal boosters in between services and are especially good for blonde and red shades, which tend to fade quickly and become brassy. Look for a good tinted shampoo or conditioner, such as Aveda’s Blue Malva for pale blondes and Madder Root for redheads. But beware of using color enhancers too often, as using them more than once a week can lead to oversaturation and color buildup that can be hard to remove.

If you’ve tried all this and your color still won’t last, visit your salon once every four weeks for a glaze. This will add shine, refresh your color, and give your hair new life without the hassle of a full color application. A glaze usually takes only 10 minutes at the shampoo bowl, and most likely you won’t even need to make an appointment.

Philadelphia hairstylist and makeup artist Dena Epstein’s background includes Redken, Aveda, Alpha-Parf, and Wella training, as well as salon, commercial, and runway work.

Photo credit: Armend M.

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