When it comes to maintaining color-treated hair, applying products is the easy part. The real challenge lies in determining why your hair is struggling, what it needs to thrive, and which solution will save the day.
Ready to make spring your most vibrant hair season yet? Read ahead to get clear on the right color maintenance strategy for your unique hair needs!
If you see the product you’ve been looking for, use the code CPMAMA for our Mother’s Day 25% Off Treatments & Stylers Sale, from 5/7/25 through 5/12/25!
Do I Need a Trim or a Treatment? Maintenance Tips for Color-Treated Hair
Keep an eye out for split ends, tangles, & breakage
If you only cut your hair during color sessions, chances are you’re opening up the door to premature color fading. Though they might not seem important, regular trims directly support the vibrancy of color-treated hair by removing damaged ends!
Split and damaged ends don't just affect appearance — they can actually "travel" up the hair shaft, creating a pathway for color molecules to escape, dulling the shade of your hair. If you don’t notice visible splitting, keep an eye out for other signs you need a trim, like excess tangling and a brittle hair texture.
TLDR, a trim every six weeks is the simplest way to effectively seal the hair's cuticle, preventing the dull, frayed appearance that makes even fresh color look lackluster.
In the meantime, you can help prevent damaged ends before they happen using a combination of Essential Leave-In and Smooth Drops! Volume-focused products also tend to focus on preventing breakage, so Volume Shampoo and Volume Conditioner will also support your anti-breakage goals.
Act fast if you notice flatness, dullness, roughness, & dryness
Regular trims aren’t the only way to lock in color. If you’re dealing with damage, a restorative hair treatment will boost hair health, and subsequently, the longevity of your color!
The relationship between hair health and color vibrancy comes down to science. When hair is damaged, the protective cuticle becomes lifted and porous — essentially creating microscopic escape routes that allow color molecules to wash away prematurely with each shampoo. Signs something is amiss include hair appearing flat, lacking natural reflection, feeling straw-like to the touch, and struggling to absorb products.
At Colorproof, we believe in a two-fold approach to hair treatments.
First, treat your strands to a mask in the shower 1-2 times per week. Instant Reboot Treatment Masque and Cuticle Closer will be especially useful for overcoming damage!
Second, use a leave-in conditioner daily, or at least after every shower. Our Essential Leave-In fits the bill, but Baobab Recovery Treatment Spray is especially helpful with damaged strands.
Healthy hair and vibrant color, here you come!
Prioritize hydration, especially after a color session
As much as we love volume-boosting, texture-enhancing, and growth-focused formulas, if we could only choose one goal for color-treated hair, it would be moisture retention.
Again, the reasoning here is rooted in science! Hydrated and moisturized is better than dry hair at maintaining the structural integrity of the cuticle layer, which acts as the protective barrier for color molecules. When hair becomes dehydrated, the cuticle lifts and creates microscopic gaps that allow color molecules to escape every time you shampoo, causing that expensive salon color to fade prematurely.
Moisture Shampoo and Moisture Conditioner are designed to maintain your hair’s natural moisture levels, offering daily hydration support—and subsequently color retention. But if your strands are feeling particularly thirsty after a lightening and toning session, treat them to Moisture Styling Crème. It infuses moisture and shine to the shaft, giving your hair the texture it needs to stay bright and vibrant between appointments.
Always shield against potential environmental damage
Did you know that heat is a key cause of color fading? That goes for both styling tools and UV exposure — high heat tools cause hair cuticles to open, allowing color molecules to escape, while sunlight can cause hair color to fade by way of free radicals.
That’s why the majority of our post-shower treatments and styling products protect hair up to 450 degrees, including:
- Plush Locks Leave-In Smooth®
- Lift It® Mousse, Super Plump® Whipped Mousse
- Biorepair Thicken Blow Dry Spray
- Volume Blow Dry Spray
- Moisture Styling Crème
Make these a regular part of your routine, and you’ll never look back!
Be picky about ingredients, no matter the formula
If you aren’t yet ingredient-obsessed, you will be after washing your fresh new color away in your first post-appointment shower. Because even when a product claims to preserve color, drug store products often include ingredients that speed up fading.
That’s why we’re so picky about tackling the seven factors of color fading — particularly sulfates and harsh alcohols. Instead, we use our proprietary blend of powerful proteins and potent antioxidants to repair, preserve, and protect against fading and environmental factors.
From Clear It Up® Shampoo to Texture Charge Defining Finishing Spray, every product that comes in contact with your hair is an opportunity to go beyond color protection with formulas that actually enhance the appearance of your shade. At Colorproof, everything we make does just that: keeping hair in optimum condition for lasting color vibrancy.
Here’s to your brightest hair color yet! From 5/7/25 through 5/12/25, Don’t forget to use the code CPMAMA for our Mother’s Day 25% Off Treatments & Stylers Sale.
As always, we love hearing first-hand how Colorproof supports your color journey, so share more about yours with hashtag #ColorproofHair on Instagram and TikTok.
See you there!
Xx,
Colorproof
