Experts Reveal the Top Shampoos for Maintaining Color-Treated Hair

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No matter if you frequent the hair salon or prefer an at-home approach, sustaining your new hair color for as long as you possibly can is a common goal once you've colored your hair. A plethora of factors can contribute to preserving your chosen shade, and one of the most vital is the shampoo you choose to use.

In summary, if you've colored your hair, you definitely should be utilizing shampoo specifically made for color-treated hair. We have experts clarifying why this is true and recommending their favorite products below. So, delve into our list of top-rated shampoos for those with color-treated hair.

This popular choice comes highly recommended by Fleming for its combination of gentle cleaning agents and moisturizers, leaving hair soft and color vibrant. It also includes UV filters—an important feature in a color-safe shampoo—given that sun exposure may cause undesired fading and color changes.

Recognized colorist Kristen Fleming, color director at Chicago's 3rd Coast Salon, suggests that colored hair would significantly benefit from a protein boost. This product provides precisely that, with a blend of elastin and quinoa protein replenishing lost nutrients and strengthening hair. It also enhances your color's vibrancy so much that it guarantees to prolong your color for up to 40 washes. Therefore, it's a leading contender for the best drugstore shampoo for colored hair.

While the shampoo you use trumps the importance of the conditioner when coloring your hair, if you favor matching your products, consider purchasing this set. 'Both items produce a pleasing lather, slip, and hydration, ensuring your color looks vibrant and your hair stays healthy,' remarks Guy Tang, colorist and creator of the hair color brand Mydentity. An added perk is the invigorating minty-herbal scent—a refreshing boost on groggy mornings.

This shampoo is Fleming's most recommended. Given its professional salon treatment background, often used in color services, this comes as no surprise. What's more, it's sulfate-free and repairs the hair bonds broken during coloring. Doing so allows your hair to retain color longer, simultaneously improving the overall health of your hair.

This selection earns high praises from Fleming for improving your color's appearance because the shinier your hair, the better your color looks. It includes goji berry extract, an antioxidant that prevents fading and enhances shine and color vibrancy. Musk rose oil is also included for lightweight hydration, an addition Fleming applauds.

Fleming suggests a color-depositing shampoo as an option to maintain color vibrancy and accuracy. Over time, regardless of care, color inevitably begins to alter and fade. She recommends using a color-depositing shampoo every five washes, and this option is perfect for brunettes aiming to neutralize unwanted orange, red, and brassy tones thanks to its cool blue pigments.

If you prefer a vegan option, Fleming suggests this one for color protection and conservation. It's free of sulfates and alleged to retain vibrancy for up to 10 washes. Additionally, it includes protective antioxidants like vitamin E and lychee extract, along with sunflower sprout extract to moisturize and tame errant frizz.

To compile our guide to the best shampoos for colored hair, we consulted hairstylists specializing in color and questioned them about various color treatments' effects on different hair types and prolonging color duration without salon maintenance. With their expert input alongside our research and experience as beauty editors, we've narrowed down the best options for colored-hair shampoos.

Wondering why you might need a color-protection shampoo? Keep reading to learn more about what sparks color fading and how the right shampoo can prevent discoloration.

First and foremost, it's important to note that it's actually water (and not shampoo) that is color's number-one worst enemy, says Fleming. Hair color fades when the cuticle — the outermost layer of the hair — is open and the dye molecules can essentially slip out, she explains. The hotter the water is in your shower, the more it will open your cuticle and the more you'll see color changes, explains Tang. The minerals found in hard water can also fade your color.

So, before talking about shampoo, keep in mind that the best way to preserve your color is to try and stretch the amount of time between washes (hello, dry shampoo) — and when you do wash, keep the water cool to warm, advises Tang. And, you guessed it, make sure you're using shampoo for colored hair.

This isn't just marketing hype, according to the experts interviewed. Rather, there are legit differences in the formulations between these shampoos and others. First, 'color-safe shampoos don't contain sulfates — the main ingredient you want to avoid because they're the harshest cleansing ingredients that can strip out the dye,' explains Fleming.

Secondly, they're usually more moisturizing since they contain ingredients such as vitamin B5, coconut oil, and argan oil to help add moisture and may contain proteins to help strengthen the hair. Why does that matter? It goes back to that open cuticle principle. Hydrated hair will have a tighter, more closed cuticle so the color is less likely to slip out, says Fleming. Similarly, stronger hair will also better be able to hold onto color. Finally, shampoos for colored-treated hair are specially formulated at a pH level to ensure that the cuticle remains closed and the color molecules stay in, notes Tang.

Shampoo specifically for color-treated tresses can go a long way in helping you keep your shade fresh and vibrant, ultimately even helping you go slightly longer in between colorings. It is worth noting, however, that if your hair is bleached or highlighted, it's a little bit of a different situation. 'Highlighted hair isn't colored hair. You've removed the color so there's nothing to preserve,' says Fleming. In this instance, you want to seek out more reparative, hydrating formulas to help combat some of the damage that the lightening process causes in the hair. That being said, if you are adding any kind of color, stock a shampoo dedicated to fighting color fading in the shower and thank the experts later.

Melanie Rud is a Chicago-based beauty writer and editor. Prior to moving to Chicago, Melanie held staff positions at Shape, Good Housekeeping, and Health. She now writes for numerous print and digital outlets, appears on television as a beauty and lifestyle expert, and consults with beauty brands. She holds a BA in Journalism and English from New York University. When she's not writing about all things beauty, you can find her organizing her beauty closet, watching anything and everything on Bravo, or spending time with her beloved rescue dog, George.