Fight the hair colour fade

Love your vibrant hair colour but hate the way it fades? Check out these top tips to help fight the fade...

This season, show hair had to be vibrant - from über orange updos at Marc Jacobs to glassy chestnut bobs at 3.1 by Philip Lim and buttery blonde curls at Chloé, mousey brown is done and dusted for autumn. Just recently we've seen Cheryl Cole turn to damson and Peaches Geldof go purple, to dazzling effect. So if you've hopped on the technicolour bandwagon, (or just want to hang onto your perfectly highlighted look) follow our six golden rules to perfectly preserve that colour.

 

Rule one: Get salon savvy
Long-lasting colour starts in salon - getting the shade right as well as the technical stuff correct is key. "If you want a colour like Cheryl's, make sure you visit your hairdresser," says Sarah Brookes, TIGI European Creative Director. "TIGI colour has the newest technology which enables the colour molecules to stay tiny, penetrating deeper into the hair creating longer-lasting colour." Salon treatments can seriously extend the life of your colour - Kerastase's Pixelist Ritual is one of the best, when combined with a salon colour appointment. Also brilliant between appointments as a colour booster.

To find your nearest TIGI stockist visit Tigihaircare.com or call 08448440944. To find your nearest Kérastase salon call 0800 316 4400 or visit Kerastase.co.uk, Ritual treatments start at £15.


Rule two: Wash less
"Water contains chlorine and mineral deposits which cause colour to oxidise and fade," says Kelly Van Gogh, the master US colourist who is bringing her range of home colour and colour preserving products to Space NK stores over here later in September. "Every time water hits the hair, colour will fade." Van Gogh's entire range promises to build a barrier between hair colour molecules and water damage: try ColourDefinition^TM Daily Caviar Shampoo and Conditioner which gently cleanse and also control the porosity of hair. Another solution: wash less. "Wash only every other day to preserve the colour brilliance," says Frauke Neuser, Principal Scientist, P&G Beauty. "And use Clairol Nice n' Easy ColourSeal Gloss treatment once a week to help water-proof hair." Become a slave to dry shampoo - the handy brush-on Shampowder is just genius.

Shampowder, £15 at victoriahealth.com; Kelly Van Gogh ColourDefinition^TM Daily Caviar Shampoo, £23.50 and ColourDefinition^TM Daily Caviar Conditioner, £27 at Space NK stores and online from the end of September; Clairol Nice n Easy ColourSeal Gloss treatment, 99p.

 

Rule three: Be shampoo smart
Experts agree that looking after coloured hair is like caring for a delicate silk dress: you can't wash it any old way. Invest in the right shampoos and you'll increase the longevity of your colour and save money on salon appointments - "use colour specific care products to form a foundation for long-lasting colour. Be sure to use a conditioner every time you wash your hair, too: the better the condition of your hair, the less porous it is and the less colour will escape from your hair," says Frauke Neuser. Experts are divided over sulphate-free formulations - we advise alternating between sulphate-free and something more deeply cleansing.

We love: S Factor Colour Savvy Sulfate-free shampoo, £13.30; Pantene Radiant Colour £3.29; Redken Colour Extend Shampoo, £10.35 for stockists 08004448800.

 

Rule four: Guard from the sun
UV rays can do as much damage to hair colour as to skin: "UV radiation attacks the colour molecules inside the hair, breaking them down into smaller fragments with a lower colour intensity," says Frauke Neuser. "Red colour molecules are most vulnerable to attack by sun light so they get broken down first." The solution? "Conditioners and serums with UV protection really work to create a barrier between the sun and your hair to reduce damage," says A-list colourist Nicola Clarke, Creative Colour Director for John Frieda. "Try John Frieda's Frizz Ease Thermal Protection Serum - it protects from the effects of the sun, restores lustre to hair and helps banish the ‘straw effect' common with blonde hair."

John Frieda Frizz-Ease Thermal Protection Serum, £5.99

 

Rule five: Revive and refresh
If the damage is already done (and some colour fade is, of course, inevitable), there are a host of products which can restore some of the vibrancy to hair. Sibi Bolan, Head Colourist at Daniel Hersheson's Harvey Nichols salon, has developed Ready to Wear Gloss Shines in Gipsy Red and Russian Red that brighten and intensify redheads (also available for blonde and brown hair); Phil Smith's Brunette Super Shine shampoo and conditioner add richness to brunettes and TIGI's S Factor Colour Balance Booster treatments refresh colour and are a fave in the handbag office.

Daniel Hersheson Ready to Wear Gloss Shine, £18, Danielhersheson.com; Phil Smith Brunette Super Shine Shampoo and Conditioner, £3.99 each available from Sainsburys; TIGI S Factor Colour Balance Boosters, £19.50.

 

Rule six: Top-up tresses
Can't afford the full re-highlight just yet? Try one of a clutch of top-up colour products that allow you to put back your appointment a week or two. The newest and most innovative? Kelly Van Gogh's Root Rehab system, the most professional highlight touch-up kit ever to hit the market. Or schedule mini-appointments between colouring - Sarah Brookes advises asking your hairdresser for a toner, applied at the backwash: "Toners can be used to add shine, gloss, warmth, richness and to freshen up blondes, perfect just before an interview or wedding."

Kelly Van Gogh Root Rehab, £33 at Space NK

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