Deciding to go red last fall was a huge decision and one I’m still obsessed with! I had dyed my hair a deeper auburn color about a decade ago, and had it for several years, but being a true redhead was new for me! I just couldn’t believe how great the tone of red looked with my skin and eye colors. It really made me look more like “myself”, if that makes sense. Anyway, I’ve been loving it so much. There is one drawback to having red hair, though, and anybody with dyed red hair would agree: it’s the maintenance.

Red hair is the quickest to fade, and you have to really take care to keep it vibrant. I knew this going in, but it’s proven to be true in several ways. Not only does red hair fade quickly, but my gray hairs and root show so much quicker! That said, I’ve found some tricks that really help keep my red hair healthy and vibrant, and that help extend the life of my salon visit. If you’re a bottle redhead, you definitely want to read on, but anybody who colors their hair can benefit from these tips!

Let me know if you have any questions, and please share if you have other tips for bottle redheads!

LIMIT WASHING

I only wash my hair twice a week. Once, if I can get away with it! I’ve found that washing my hair less makes my color stay more vibrant for longer and also makes my hair less dry and brittle. I always use Klorane dry shampoo in between washes when needed, and if I have to shower or bathe, I just cover my hair in a shower cap. When I do wash my hair, I make sure to use the Vegamour scalp treatment before I get in the shower to make sure my scalp is detoxed from all the dry shampoo from the week!

COLOR-SAFE SHAMPOO/CONDITIONER

This step is a must! There are shampoos and conditioners out there that are specifically formulated to clean without stripping your hair of artificial color, and these are a must for bottle redheads. Redken makes a really great wallet-friendly option, but the best one is the Shu Uemura Color Lustre line. I’ve noticed that it really keeps my color looking great for the whole month.

COLOR-DEPOSITING MASK

I swear by this trick for making sure my color stays fresh! Every other wash, I use a mix of two color depositing masks to mimic my hair color. I absolutely love the Moroccan Oil color masks, and they come in other colors besides just red! I mix the Copper and Bordeaux colors to best mimic my hair color, then I towel dry, leave on for 10-15 minutes, and rinse out. My color is instantly refreshed, and my hair is so soft and glossy!

USE A HEAT PROTECTANT

Whenever I was my hair and plan to give myself a blowout, I ALWAYS use a heat protectant on my hair! The Kerastase one is amazing because it’s a hair treatment and protectant in one. It’s pricy but worth it. A really great more wallet-friendly option is the Pureology Color Fanatic spray!

MIX UP AN AT-HOME HAIR MASK

I’ve shared my love for DIY beauty treatments many times on this blog, but sometimes the best little pick-me-up can be mixed up at home! Once a month, I try to do my DIY 30-minute hair mask. I wash my hair, towel dry, apply the mask from roots to tips, wrap my hair in a bun, and secure it with a claw clip– and then I either do work on my computer or take a nice steamy bath. When I rinse my hair, it’s so soft and silky!

ROOT TOUCH-UPS IN BETWEEN COLOR APPOINTMENTS

I have lots of grays popping up these days, and the hardest part of being a bottle redhead has been my roots showing SO much faster than when I was blonde! I usually color my hair once every 4-6 weeks, but towards the end of that window, I definitely need to give my roots attention. I love the Rita Hazan root touch-up spray in the red color. It is so easy to use, isn’t messy, and really works! Plus it works a bit like a dry shampoo at the root so it gives my hair some life!

Photographs by Julia Dags | Copyright © 2023 Happily Eva After, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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