What Makes Shampoo Color-Safe?

There’s nothing more frustrating than getting your hair to that perfect, vibrant color of your dreams at the salon, only to see that gorgeous hue swirl down the shower drain after you shampoo your locks. Big yikes.

And as much as we hate to say it, this happens to plenty of hair color newbies who don’t know how to find the right shampoo for their tresses. But what makes shampoo color-safe and perfect for vibrant hair in the first place? Keep reading to learn more.

What is a Color-Protecting Shampoo? 

A color-protecting shampoo is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a shampoo formulated with the right ingredients to protect your fabulous hair color and keep it looking fresh and radiant for as long as possible. 

See, regular shampoos that you see in the drugstores are typically too harsh for dyed hair. After one or two rinses with these products, you’ll start seeing dye being washed out on the shower floor and dull, faded locks when you look in the mirror. That’s a total nightmare for anyone who loves sporting bright, electrifying, colored hair!

Color-protecting shampoos, on the other hand, are designed to be gentler on your strands. Instead of stripping the dye from your hair, they lock in the color instead, helping you maintain your vibrant hair shade. They wash off all the gunk, sweat, and oil in your hair after a long day while simultaneously preserving your gorgeous hue. 

What Makes Shampoo Color-Safe? 

Washing your colored locks with a shampoo that isn’t color-safe is a rookie mistake. But what is it exactly that makes color-protecting shampoo safe for colored hair? Here are three tell-tale signs that a shampoo is the right fit for your strikingly stunning locks.

It has no sulfates

Your run-of-the-mill shampoo from the drugstore will usually have sulfates–the harsh, stripping “detergent” in most shampoos. While sulfates create that satisfying, super bubbly lather that thoroughly cleanses your hair in the shower, it’s also the culprit of hair fading. It strips the dye off your locks. And when you rinse the shampoo off, you’ll see the color go down the drain (literally!).

But what makes shampoo color-safe is that it’s sulfate-free. Instead of a harsh sulfate, these formulas use alternative cleansing ingredients that wash your hair gently and without fading your color. Instead of huge, soapy bubbles, these shampoos create a creamy lather as you cleanse your tresses. And when you rinse, you don’t see a drop of color going to waste.

It moisturizes and repairs damage

Colored locks are dry, damaged, and oh-so-fragile, no thanks to dyes and chemicals that weaken your strands when you get a fresh hue. And when you have a stripping shampoo, that dryness just gets worse.

That’s why most color-safe shampoos are infused with rich, moisturizing ingredients. Not only do they replenish your thirsty tresses with hydration, but they also add shine and life back to your mane. And when you have dazzling, healthier-looking hair, your eye-catching color pops out even more!

It extends your color’s vibrance

A color-protecting shampoo is also specially formulated to seal your hair cuticles, allowing them to hold on to your color longer. That means even with dozens of wash days, your hair color will stay bright, bold, and beautiful!

Looking for a color-safe shampoo that ticks all three of these boxes? Look no further than the COLORLOMO Color Maintenance Shampoo! It’s free of sulfates, peroxide, parabens, and other stripping ingredients. Instead, it’s formulated with natural, hydrating ingredients, such as sweet almond oil and lotus flower extract. It’s also powered by Chroma Balance Tech, an advanced formula that keeps your color bright and intact for up to 50 washes.

What’s terrific about the COLORLOMO shampoo line is that it has formulas in every shade imaginable! Whether you’re rocking sultry red tresses or cute, girly pink locks, there’s a shampoo that can help you make the most out of your magnetic shade.

Best Ingredients to Look For in a Color-Safe Shampoo

Are you not sure which shampoo is perfect for colored hair? Here are some ingredients you should keep an eye out for when shopping for a shampoo post-color treatment!

• Sulfate-free cleansers: Look out for safer alternatives to sulfates, such as cocamidopropyl betaine and sodium cocoyl isethionate.

• Natural oils: Hydrates your locks to add shine and bounce back to dyed strands.

• UV filters: Protects your hair from the sun, which can cause color fading.

• Proteins: Rice, keratin, silk, and more strengthen your strands that have been damaged by the coloring process.

Shampoo Ingredients to Avoid for Colored Hair 

Sulfates are the ultimate no-nos for washing colored locks. But what are other ingredients to steer clear of if you want to maintain your hue? Here are just a few of them:

• Alcohols: They dry out your locks and hasten the fading process, just like harsh sulfates!

• Sodium chloride (aka salt): Manufacturers use salt to thicken shampoo formulas, but they can end up drying out your hair and fading color fast.

• Artificial dyes and fragrances: They can be pretty drying and stripping too. Low-quality dyes in particular can even mess with your hair’s perfect hue if you aren’t careful!

Time to Find an Awesome Color-Safe Shampoo!

Now that you know what makes shampoo color-safe, it’s time to toss that harsh, stripping shampoo and switch to a gentler formulation that will care for your color. Make the switch to a color-safe shampoo that can extend the lifespan of your bright, breathtaking color. Check out COLORLOMO’s extensive line of color maintenance shampoos to help you keep your dyed tresses as vibrant and electric as possible!