This Is the Hairstylist Trick for Getting Your Dye Job to Last 6 Months

DO: USE A TEMPORARY COLOR BEFORE A PERMANENT ONE

As much as you may have a certain shade in mind, celebrity colorist and co-founder of dpHUE Justin Anderson recommends testing the waters first with a semi-permanent version. "It will gradually wash out after multiple shampoos," he explains. "Permanent color lasts much longer and will most likely require you to see a professional to get it fixed if something goes wrong." By starting with a semi-permanent dye, you'll be able to save yourself any hassle if it turns out you're not as big of a fan as you thought. (Photo via Charisse Kenion/Unsplash)

DON'T: LIGHTEN YOUR HAIR MORE THAN TWO SHADES AT A TIME

When you shift your hair more than two shades in a single session, it can be seriously damaging to your strands — not to mention unsightly. "Permanent color is typically formulated to lighten approximately two levels," explains David Stanko, vice president of technical design and education at Madison Reed. "If you try to bend this rule, the dyes will not be able to control the additional undertones exposed, and the result will be a color that is too warm or red, AKA brassy." If you want to lighten more than two shades, schedule multiple days (spaced a couple of weeks apart) to get the job done so your hair stays as healthy as possible. (Photo via Mathilde Langevin/Unsplash)

DO: PICK A COLOR THAT COMPLEMENTS YOUR COMPLEXION

A flattering hair color is one that neither washes you out nor makes you look older than you really are. To figure out which shade best suits your complexion, take NYC-based Eddie Arthur Salon colorist Christine Neos' advice. "Hold a silver foil up to your face (representing ash tone), followed by a gold foil (representing gold tone)," she instructs. "You'll be able to see which reflects better on your skin." (Photo via Vladimir Yelizarov/Unsplash)

From there, remember that opposites attract. "In the hair color world, this means that you should not pick a shade that matches your skin's undertones," advises Stanko. "For instance, if you have pink or warm undertones and choose a copper color, the combination of reds becomes overwhelming and your skin will look blotchy. For cool skin tones, a super-cool hair color will just wash you out to ghost land."

DON'T: CHOOSE A COLOR SOLELY BASED ON THE PICTURE ON THE BOX

Imagine having to wear a single dress every day for months at a time. Would you select it solely based on how it looks on the mannequin? Not a chance. The same goes for your hair tint. "What's pictured on the front of the box may not necessarily be the color that you are going to achieve," Anderson says. "It's important to pay attention to both the shade and the tone. Keep in mind that the color can be affected by any dye or treatments you may already have. If you are unsure about the color you should use, always lean towards something on the lighter side because you don't want to end up with a dark band in your hair."

Or, forget the front of the box altogether. Turn it to the side, which usually contains pictures showing what the result will be based on your current hair color. You could even head to Walmart, Walgreens, Wakefern, and Meijer to use Garnier's Shade Selector Tool. It allows you to virtually try on the entire range without ever touching your tresses.

DO: TOUCH-UP YOUR ROOTS WITH A ROOT PRODUCT

Selecting the right shade (and formula) for your roots is critical. "It's best to choose a product specifically designed to be a root touch up [like Revlon Root Erase ($10) or Clairol Root Touch-Up Semi Permanent Color Blending Gel ($10)]," says Revlon global master colorist Miquel Garcia. "If you use a traditional all-over permanent product, the color is likely going to be a darker, more vibrant color [since it's designed for your entire head as opposed to an in-between touch-up]. Root-specific products are designed [to be a bit lighter] to mimic your lengths and ends approximately two weeks after your last color."

That's not to say it's impossible to conceal your roots with regular hair dye, but Garcia notes that it can lead to more damage since you have to blend it down your mid-lengths and ends. To avoid any negative effects, he says the best and safest way to get your closest shade match is to apply the color allover but only leave it on for five minutes so it's less likely to wreak any havoc.

DON'T: DYE DAMAGED HAIR

While the process can revive lackluster color, it won't do anything for strands not in workable conditions. "When [strands are] split, dry, and damaged, the follicle is compromised and misshaped," says Courtney Goebel, the client education lead at eSalon. "Imagine a microscopic close-up of a single strand of hair. If healthy, the follicle will appear round and smooth. If damaged, it will look frayed, twisted, and wheat-like." Applying dye to the latter can be pretty tricky since it wont be able to absorb evenly. "This will cause an uneven, spotty shade, as still-healthy parts of the follicle may take in dye, while damaged parts are left uncolored," she says. (Photo via Valeriia Kogan/Unsplash)

DO: CHOOSE PRODUCTS FROM THE SAME BRAND

It may not seem like a big deal to combine a variety of brands together, however, when it comes to your tresses, it's best to take extra precaution and stick to just one collection. According to Stanko, hair color manufacturers create their products to specifically work together in a way that's healthy for your mane. He explains that when you mix one brand of color with a different brand of developer, you risk too-thick or too-thin formulas that won't evenly distribute throughout your strands. "Whether it's balance or viscosity that's off, it can lead to unpredictable color results," he says.

DON'T: LEAVE THE DYE ON FOR TOO LONG

As with most beauty treatments, leaving hair dye on your head for longer than recommended is never a good idea. "Timing is very important," Goebel says. "If a color has not been left on long enough, there is the possibility that your roots may be lighter (or darker) than your ends, your color won't come out as imagined, or your grays won't be covered." While most permanent solutions eventually stop processing at about the 40-minute mark, Goebel points out that leaving it on past that can actually lift the shade, causing what's known as hot roots, where that area gets lighter and doesn't match the rest of your head. (Photo via Adam Winger/Unsplash)

DO: CONSIDER THE BIGGER PICTURE

Sit down and listen up, because here's the real deal when it comes to at-home hair color. "Whenever you color your hair, consider time, cost, potential damage, and maintenance/frequency of coloring," Stanko advises. "The farther you travel from your natural shade, the more time it will take, the more it'll cost, the greater the potential for damage, and the more often you'll need to [dye] your hair." At the end of the day, you can't go from blue black to icy blonde without taking all these factors into account. "Social media has fooled us into thinking drastic color changes are easy, but remember that celebrities have a whole beauty squad behind them," he says. "When you see them [switching up their strands] a few weeks apart, you don't see all the energy, effort, expertise, hair extensions, and even photo filters that go into the look. Social media pictures might tell a story, but they never tell the whole story."

Here's How Often You Should Cut Your Hair, According To Professionals

I’ll admit it — it had been eight months since my last haircut. My hair had lost its shape, my layers were nowhere to be found, and my ends were begging for mercy. Life got busy over the last few months and I was neglecting my haircare like never before.

My hairdresser could immediately see that I was beyond due for a cut and said I needed to get more taken off than I was hoping. I was definitely disappointed — I'd been working on growing out my hair for a while now, and it just felt like my hard work had completely gone to waste. He explained that getting consistent haircuts is the key to growing out healthy and strong hair, rather than letting it grow and grow until it eventually breaks. So let's dig into the top three things you can do to avoid this scenario!

1. Just Get The Dang Haircut

Also avoiding a haircut like I was? You might want to schedule one at your nearest salon. Like my stylist said, when you wait too long between trims like I did, you risk your hair becoming heavy, dull, and lifeless. When the hair is dry or even dead, it’s nearly impossible for it to hold a curl or style, essentially collapsing on you and taking on more and more heat damage all the while. I know the pain of spending time on a blowout only for it to fall minutes later — it’s the worst.

According to Jack, getting a haircut every 10-12 weeks is the best time frame or your ends will pay the price. Between blow-drying, curling, straightening, sun, and weather, our ends get dry and start to break without the proper care. Getting consistent haircuts allows hair to bounce back, shine, and perform the way we want in a healthy way.

2. Leave-In Conditioners Are Your Friend

His top piece of advice to keep your hair looking and feeling hydrated between trims? Invest in conditioning treatments. Jack swears by the Olaplex conditioning system, specifically the No 3 Hair Perfector. Made with patented OLAPLEX Bond Building Technology™, this conditioning treatment repairs and prevents damage in as little as three minutes. No 3 promises to reduce breakage and visibly strengthen hair, so it’s the perfect assistance to keep ends fresh between cuts. Another conditioning treatments I’ve used and loved for years is the Moroccanoil Intense Hydrating Mask, which is designed to restore moisture, elasticity, and shine to dry hair.

3. Switch Up Your Shampoos

Switching shampoos frequently is a pretty hot tip that I honestly hadn't thought of. Our hair gets used to the same products and grows tired of them, resulting in lackluster locks. Jack’s advice is to switch brands after finishing every bottle of shampoo to bring life back to your hair. Have two brands that you’re loyal to? Even switching back and forth between them after every bottle should make a big difference in your hair. I’m a huge fan of the R+Co Dallas Biotin Thickening Shampoo, which makes my hair look thick and full, as well as the Moroccanoil Hydrating Shampoo, which is so hydrating and gives so much shine.

In the end, navigating your back-and-forth relationship with haircuts often feels like a rollercoaster ride between wanting that fresh look and cringing at the receipt. Luckily, by using conditioning treatments and switching up your products,, you can keep your locks healthy, shiny, and full of life between trims. But take a newly learned lesson out of my book: don't let your ends pay the price for procrastination and just book the haircut.