Best Shampoo for Dyed Red Hair (That WON’T Cause Fading)!

Red hair is one of the most beautiful and striking colors. Whether you’re a natural redhead or you’ve dyed your hair more toward that color, it’s an elegant look that will get you noticed. But, red hair color also fades quicker than any other shade.

It’s a noticeable hue, but also one that won’t last if you don’t take care of it properly. So, how can you shampoo your dyed red hair without letting the color fade? The answer comes from using the right shampoo!

The key for redheads is protecting your natural hue. Otherwise, you could be heading to the salon every month or spending a fortune in home dye kits to keep your color looking fresh. Washing your hair regularly is vital, but many shampoos can strip it of its red tone and natural brightness.

Shampoos that do this often contain harsh chemicals and preservatives. That can be good for getting your hair clean, but bad for color – especially when it comes to dyed hair. Redheads will do better with shampoo that is specially-formulated for their hair color.

There are other things you can do to extend the life of your color and keep it looking vibrant for longer. Choosing the right shampoo is essential. But, adding a few extra ‘boosters’ can make your shampoo work even better for your auburn locks.

What is the Best Shampoo for Red Dyed Hair?

Using a shampoo that is formulated for dyed hair is the best way to go. If you don’t want to use one that features chemicals, a natural shampoo will also cause less damage to your hair and the color. This guide will highlight some of the best shampoos for red dyed hair; some that are specifically-formulated for the color, and natural solutions.

We’ll also go over some of the best things you can do to keep your color vibrant, and things you should and shouldn’t do after you’ve dyed your hair red. If you’re a natural redhead, you can make the most of your color by using the right shampoo and keeping these bonus tips in mind. If you consistently dye your hair that color, you’ll get more lasting power from it by utilizing the advice in this guide.

Why Does Red Hair Fade So Fast?

If you’ve dyed your hair red before, you probably already know how difficult it is to keep up the color. Red hair tends to fade faster than any other color. But, there’s a reason for that. Red hair molecules are large. They are larger than other hair color molecules. Because of this, the dye can slip out of your hair’s cuticles faster. The dye doesn’t have a chance to penetrate into the hair.

Each time you wash your hair, the dye can easily slip out. If you’ve been dyeing your hair red for a long time, you might notice that with each treatment, the color stays a bit longer. But, it’s still more prone to fading away than any other color. So, it takes a bit of extra work to keep your red locks looking vibrant and not brassy or dull.

What Ingredients Should I Avoid in Shampoo for Color Treated Hair?

One of the best things you can do when choosing the right shampoo is knowing what ingredients to avoid in shampoo for color-treated hair. Most shampoos include several basic ingredients.

These include the following:

• Sodium lauryl sulfate
• Sodium laureth sulfate
• Ammonium lauryl sulfate
• Ammonium chloride
• Glycol

While these ingredients are fine for most natural colors like brunette or black hair, some should be avoided if you have red hair or colored hair. Two of the most common ingredients in shampoo are sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate. Unfortunately, these are also the most damaging. They will strip your hair of its color quickly.

You should also avoid formaldehyde. Things like natural additives may not be harmful, but they are usually unnecessary ingredients. You’ll end up paying more for them, and they won’t bring any benefit to your hair color.

What are the Best Ingredients in Shampoo for Redheads?

Now that you know which ingredients to avoid, it’s important to recognize some ingredients that can prolong the vibrancy of your hue.

Keep the following ingredients in mind when you’re looking for the right shampoo:

• Sodium myreth: It’s important to keep your hair moist for its general health and softness. Many shampoos that strip your hair of its color will also cause it to dry out. This can lead to split ends and make the hair look brittle and frizzy. Sodium myreth is a gentle cleaning ingredient that will cleanse your hair without stripping it of color and moisture.
• Citric acid: Look for a shampoo with an acidic additive. Citric acid, for example, will help to keep your hair color bright and vibrant. Washing your hair with a shampoo that doesn’t contain an acidic additive can make it turn dull and look lifeless after just a few washes. This ingredient will prolong the vibrancy of your color and leave it looking shiny and glowing.
• Cocamidopropyl: If you want your hair to look smooth, look for Cocamidopropyl. It will tame frizz, especially if you use heat tools to style your hair.

There is no hard and fast rule that shampoos for color-treated hair have to contain certain specific ingredients. The ones listed here will help to protect both your hair and the color. But, a good rule of thumb is to keep it simple and stay away from things that will strip away the red hue.

Once you know which ingredients to avoid and which are safe to use, you can be better informed when it comes to choosing the right shampoo.

Let’s take a look at some of the best shampoos you can buy for red hair:

Pureology Reviving Red Shamp Oil

Certain shampoos are specifically designed to keep the red tint of your hair vibrant, shiny, and glowing. Pureology’s Reviving Red Shamp Oil is a unique product that does just that. It is an oil-infused shampoo that is designed to keep your hair shiny and healthy, even with daily use. It is sulfate-free, so it won’t actively strip your copper-colored hair from its hue.

This shampoo is 100% vegan and features a blend of aromatherapy ingredients. Those include bergamot, black currant, mandarin, basil, rose, and musk. But, the real ‘magic’ of this product comes from its main ingredients.

The Reviving Red products, like this shampoo, use triple-action micro-oil formulas. They include things like Jaljala oil to protect your color and add nourishment to your strands. In fact, they suggest that you can wash your hair up to 30 times without the slightest bit of fading.

Encapsulated lycopene is another key element to Pureology’s Reviving Red Shamp Oil. It helps to protect your hair from becoming oxidized and keeps free radicals from doing damage to your locks. It seals the cuticle of your hair to prevent any other damaging ingredients or substances from doing damage from the inside out.

This isn’t a color-depositing shampoo for redheads. But, it’s meant to preserve your existing color and protect it from fading. It’s a great option for natural redheads who don’t want to lose their vibrancy. But, it can also work wonders for color-treated hair that won’t fade immediately.

Redken Color Extend Shampoo

Redken’s Color Extend Shampoo is designed to both strengthen your hair and protect your color at the same time. It’s won several awards, including the 2015 New Beauty Choice Award. It gently cleanses your hair while protecting it from environmental conditions of daily life.

Redken has developed a special formula to make this a powerhouse shampoo for people with red hair.

Some key features of their formula include:

• Micro-net: Helps to keep your hair’s dyed color locked in longer.
• UVB filters: Protects your hair from environmental conditions and the sun’s harsh rays. This helps to prevent fading.
• Cranberry oil: Keeps your hair moisturized naturally, without stripping it of color.
• Ceramide: Strengthens the fibers of your hair to limit damage and protect it against external elements.

This shampoo is strong enough to keep your color vibrant but gentle enough on your locks that it’s meant to be a daily-use shampoo. Redken’s Color Extend Shampoo features a line of color-extending products, including conditioner that is meant to be used along with this shampoo. If you use the entire line of products, you can extend the life of your color and keep your hair strong and smooth at the same time.

What is the Best Color-Depositing Shampoo for Red Hair?

Color-depositing shampoos work by naturally depositing color into your hair when you wash it. It’s a great way for natural redheads to get more vibrancy out of their color. If you have dyed red hair, it can make trips to the salon less frequent. What’s the best part? You only need to use it a few times a week to see lasting results.

Shampoo companies have been giving more attention to redheads in recent years. As a result, color-depositing shampoos have become better than ever. They won’t stain your scalp or leave you with a brassy-looking color. But, it’s still important to know which of these shampoos will give you the best long-lasting results.

One of the best color-depositing shampoos for redheads is Quantum Colors Color Replenishing Shampoo in Riveting Reds. It’s specially-formulated for redheads that need a little boost to their color. It contains ingredients like vitamin C to keep your hair hydrated. It also contains sunflower seed extract, which deposits the color without making your hair look too bright or ‘fake.’

The best thing about this shampoo is that it works on almost any shade of red. Whether your hair is copper, auburn or dark red, this shampoo will help your color last between dye jobs and will make naturally-red hair look even more beautiful.

What is the Best Natural Shampoo for Color-Treated Hair?

Many organic shampoos that contain only natural ingredients are better for color-treated hair. They don’t usually contain sulfates, parabens, or chemicals that will strip your red hair of its vibrancy. Almost any shampoo that is free of chemicals will be better for your hair than those that are loaded with them.

But, you should still look for an organic shampoo that explicitly says it’s safe for color-treated hair. Redheads especially need to be aware of this. Because red hair can fade and become dull, organic ingredients can cause it to lose its luster, too.

One of the best natural solutions for color-treated hair is Art Naturals Organic Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo. It’s a sulfate-free solution that is gentle on color-treated hair and naturally-red hair. Argan oil is a naturally-restorative ingredient for hair and skin. It will leave your hair looking shiny and soft, without damaging the color.

Other active ingredients in this natural formula include:

• Aloe vera
• White willow bark
• Burdock root
• Rosemary
• Thyme

These ingredients help to stimulate healthy hair growth. That can be extremely beneficial if you’re a natural redhead. You’ll get the most out of your natural color when your follicles are healthy and free of debris.

The ingredients in this formula will hydrate your hair and make your color look better. They will also protect it from outside elements and environmental factors. The better protected your hair is, the less likely it is to fade over time.

How Can I Keep My Red Hair Color from Fading?

Whether you have naturally red hair or dyed, there are some things you can do to keep the color from fading away. Redheads might be at a disadvantage because it’s so easy for the color to lose its luster.

But, if you use a few of these tips, you can extend the life of your hair’s beautiful hue:

• Don’t wash your hair right after coloring. Even if you use a color-safe shampoo, it’s best to give the dye a chance to soak into your locks. If you’re able, it’s best to wait about 48 hours to wash your hair. But, even waiting 24 hours can make a big difference.
• Take cooler showers. When it comes time to shampoo your hair, try to turn down the temperature a bit. Hot water will strip your hair of its color quickly.
• Keep your hair dry in the shower. On days when you don’t shampoo your hair, try pulling it up in a loose ponytail when you’re in the shower. Or, just keep it away from the water. When your hair gets wet, the dye can slip out of it easily.
• Follow up with conditioner. A conditioner will help to keep your hair looking soft and hydrated. But, it will also work as a protectant for the color, sealing it in better. Most of the color-treated shampoos on the market come with a conditioner that complements the formula.
• Follow a healthy diet. This might seem strange, but you can increase the vibrancy of your hair from the inside out. The nutrients you absorb through what you eat will help with your hair’s luster and shine. Foods rich in iron and protein are great fuel for healthy hair.

What Other Products Should I Use for Red Hair?

Using a shampoo and conditioner that’s formulated for red hair is a great place to start. Following the tips above can also help your color last longer. But, there are other products you should consider to add a boost to your color and protect it from fading longer.

Two of the best options are a hair glaze and a hair gloss. These are often confused with each other, but they are two different things that work in different ways.

A hair glaze is temporary. It’s designed to complement the tone of your hair color with a certain pigment added to it. It sits on top of the hair, rather than penetrating into the cuticle. So, it’s best to use a glaze when you need a boost in vibrancy for a short period of time. Glazes are great to give yourself a color boost for a special event, or to use more regularly if your hair starts to fade before your next salon appointment.

A hair gloss is a semi-permanent solution. You can use an at-home gloss to create a protective barrier on your hair. This will keep your color from fading so quickly. Hair glosses fill in your hair and close up the cuticle, making the color stay set in the hair longer. With red hair, this is important, since the large molecules can be rinsed away so easily. A gloss can last about 3-4 weeks at a time. So, they tend to be more practical than a glaze if you want your actual color to stick around longer, rather than adding a boost of extra color to your hair.

You can choose to get a hair glaze or gloss at the salon or use at-home treatments to keep up your color between visits. If you want to give yourself a boost between colorings, these are two great ways to do it.

What Not to Do After You Dye Your Hair

Just like there are things you can do to extend the life of your color, there are things you can do that will shorten it. Unfortunately, there are many common mistakes you can make after dyeing your hair red. You may not realize you’re causing your hair to fade faster, but sometimes pieces of our daily routine can be contributing to the problem.

If you want to maintain your dyed red hair, follow these tips:

• Use less heat. Try to avoid using heating tools like irons, curlers, and hairdryers. These things can damage healthy hair enough on their own. But, dyed hair is more open to getting damaged. Let your hair dry naturally, if possible. If you do need to use heated styling tools, make sure you use a heat-protecting spray or serum first.
• Use UV protection. Along with avoiding heat from styling tools, it’s also important to avoid too much sun when you’ve got color-treated hair. If you’re out in the sun a lot, make sure to use a shampoo and conditioner that offers protection from UV rays.
• Avoid chlorine. If you spend a lot of time in the swimming pool, apply a leave-in conditioner to your hair before stepping in. Chlorine contains a lot of chemicals that can build up on your hair and strip it of its color. In fact, these chemicals can even make your hair turn a greenish hue. If you want to protect your locks, where a swimming cap when you’re in the pool.
• Don’t color your hair too often. Frequently dyeing it can cause damage. If your hair is damaged, color won’t look as vibrant and will be more prone to fading. Don’t color it more than once in a 5-6 week period. If your roots begin to come through, there are touch-up products you can use that won’t cause damage or dry up your locks.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a natural redhead or a redhead by choice. Keeping your hair healthy should always be your goal. Healthy hair will hold onto dye better than hair that is damaged. It’ll also look shinier and softer. Again, healthy hair starts from the inside out and should include the right hair products and lifestyle choices.

When it comes to keeping your color as full and vibrant as possible, use one of the shampoos listed in this guide. They are made to keep red hair looking tremendous and stop fading. The less often you have to go to the salon, the better. Using the shampoos and tips listed here, you can save money, protect your hair, and keep it looking great for weeks without the color becoming dull.