4 tricks to prevent red hair colour fading

Okay, I’ve got a confession to make. I have a big, fat celebrity crush and it’s not Ryan Gosling or Bradley Cooper.
It’s Christina Hendricks - or more specifically, her hair.
I mean, have you ever seen a more beautiful shade of red in your life?! I’m in awe of the fiery femininity of that incredible crimson - it’s hair so good, it’s famous in its own right.
The question is: how in the world does she manage to maintain that vibrant shade? Dyed red hair is notorious for fading faster than any other colour, so I decided to do a little investigating into what it takes to be a bonafide redhead…
Turn off the hot water
If you’re serious about keeping that red hue in tip-top condition, take less hot showers - at least when you need to wash your hair. Yep, really! The heat opens the hair shaft and exposes the colour, meaning it’s more vulnerable to fading faster. By contrast, cooler temps close the hair cuticle, sealing in the moisture and sebum that’s responsible for making your strands shine. Brrr… get ready to turn down the temperature!
Don’t rush to wash
The worst thing you can do after colouring your mane is washing it. Red molecules are large, and aggravating them with shampoo so soon after getting your hair did with can release pigment prematurely. The result? You’ll end up watching helplessly as all that red dye goes down the drain. To avoid this, wait at least 48 hours before pulling out the products - and make sure they’re specifically formulated for coloured hair.
bh tip: We can’t go past the John Frieda Radiant Red Colour Protecting Shampoo and evo fabuloso red conditioner. Both are made for colour-treated hair and free from sulfates so they won’t strip your hair of its gorgeous hue.
Shield your strands from the sunshine
Like skin, hair can suffer from sun damage, so it’s important to do what you can to protect it from those harsh rays. Spritz on a UV protection spray before heading outside to prevent your colour from fading.
bh tip: We love Wella Professionals System Sun UV Spray - it's non greasy and promises to hydrate, protect (and serve).
Take on the task
When you don’t have time (or money) to book in at the salon, get familiar with at-home dye jobs. They’ll cover you in the short term, and won’t dry out your strands. Oh, and Ms Hendricks has just been named as the Clairol Nice N Easy hair colour ambassador, saying she’s used it for over a decade. Hey, if DIY dye is good enough for her…
bh tip: When you’re scouring the shelves for an at-home red dye colour, keep an eye out for Garnier Color Sensation, Napro Palette and Goldwell Professional Topchic Max Reds.
How do you maintain the colour of your fiery red strands? And are you also obsessed with Christina Hendricks?!
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66 Member Comments
Thank you for this article. I have learnt a few tips on caring for my red locks.
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I maintain it because it’s natural... I “love” this article was titled “calling all redheads” and then proceeded to talk about only dyed redheads... who aren’t even redheads they just have dyed hair...
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Update: they changed the name of the article Hahahaha
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It's such a beautiful colour
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Great tip's, I like Christina in the right photo more then the left.
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I would be interested to find out which shade Christina uses, as I haven't found a good coppery red from Nice'n'Easy. Great light auburn and it fades to a nice strawberry blonde but I've never seen a result like hers!
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Henna fades slower than box dye, but is a lot more work in the application process. Also i found that it darkened over time, so l went back to box dyes.
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wow, gorgeous hair!
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Totally girl crushing on Christina Hendricks but I don't think I could get away with beautiful red hair like hers... :(
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I love love love her red hair.
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Henna? My friend uses it and her hair does never fade and keeps its shine
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I'M A NATURAL REDHEAD, BUT COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY MY HAIR COLOUR HAD STARTED FADING,MORE THAN A FEW YEARS BACK. THANKS FOR YOUR INFO HERE....I LOVE MY RED/COPPER HAIR, BUT NOT FADED ROOTS, SO I USE, John Frieda Radiant Red Colour Protecting Shampoo, AND CONDITIONER. JOHN FRIEDA PRODUCTS SUIT MY RED HAIR. THANKS FOR TIPS ABOUT NOT WASHING WITH HOT WATER.
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I have had coloured red hair for over 10 years and for the most part have used Tressemme products, but was recently told to switch to a red based colour shampoo. My colour lasts so much long and hardly washes out. Really loved this article.
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I have been using a cherry red napro foam hair color that you shake and then apply. This means I can colour my long hair in like five minutes. It's the easiest way to color long hair. It's cheap in comparison to other brands but doesn't compromise on rich even coverage. My hair falls below my breasts & often takes me 25 minutes to put in a normal hair color. I just love these shaker packs. Convenience, gloss & a red not comparable is from my napro mousse color.
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That lady is stunning and love love her hair. Not many can pull that color. She reminds me of cate Blanchett.
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She’s a big American actor in her own right
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A vibrant red color with a touch of violet is the most shimmering shade for dark skinned beauties. For as little as aud$4 you can put the alive colors in your hair. They are a mousse texture & only take 5-10 minutes to put through long hair. Doesn't knot your hair up either. Great all round color.
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Christina is a beautiful woman and I love how she has embraced her pale skin.
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My hair always looks better if I leave it as long as possible between washes, but that is so hard with oily hair!
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I am not a fan of having red hair
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I could never stop the dye from coming out of my hair when it was red.
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