Fading Red Hair

Fashionable girl with shoulder long red hair
Photo: NeonShot/Shutterstock
Q: Hi! I just went today from brown hair to red hair. How long will the red last? How do I prevent it from fading too fast? Will the red rub off onto my pillow tonight or not? Thanks and greatly appreciated.
 
A: A good long-lasting red color is sometimes difficult to manage. Red hair color is usually the fastest to fade, and is most susceptible to becoming brassy. However, permanent hair color generally is permanent, but does get dulled down by frequent shampooing.
 
The best way to care for red colored hair is to follow the guidelines laid out by your stylist. If you did the color yourself at home, you can usually find "after color" conditioner treatments that will help to smooth the cuticle layer and lock in the hair color, making it last longer before dulling.
 
In addition, many makers offer tinted shampoos for color-treated hair that will give your hair just a touch of color boost when used. Just select a formula designed for your color (red) and you can help to prolong the color.
 
As to rub-off of the color on bed linens, etc., this can happen and is not uncommon. Most red hair colors are high-saturation and many women experience some rub-off onto fabrics that come in contact with the hair. It all depends on the color used, the porosity of the hair, and whether or not the cuticle layer was sealed.
 
You can usually prevent the color rub-off by wearing a sleeping cap. And if you do get color stains on your pillowcases, you can usually remove them by using bleach on whites in the wash, or by using an oxygenated stain remover.
 
For red stain on the skin, there are products available at your local beauty supply store that will remove hair color stain from skin easily, without affecting the color in the hair.
 
©hairfinder.com
 
See also:
 
How to make hair color last longer
 
Faded red hair color
 
Can you sleep with temporary hair color?
 
How do you lighten dark red hair?
Shop