Coloured hair isn’t the easiest thing to maintain. If you aren’t careful, the wrong kind of shampoo can ruin your hair dye. If you want to hold on to your coloured tresses for as long as possible, read on and find out our top picks for the best shampoo for coloured hair!
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What’s In A Good Hair Colour Shampoo?
What sets colour protecting shampoo apart from your regular brand? Normal shampoo has chemicals that scrub your hair very thoroughly to get rid of oil and grime – that’s what shampoo is supposed to do, after all! But these same chemicals can also wash off the dyes used in coloured hair, which can cause it to fade out or even vanish completely.
Colour protecting shampoo avoids this by having ingredients that are gentler on the hair without sacrificing the cleaning power of normal shampoo. In addition, some brands even contain extra ingredients that can actually add more colour to your hair in order to make your dyes last longer!
This is “colour shampoo” used for toning and protecting coloured hair, and they come in two kinds:
- Blue shampoo: has blue pigments that help maintain dark-coloured hair that’s been dyed in a lighter shade. This works especially well for brunettes that have grey hair or other blonde-like colours.
- Purple shampoo: has purple pigments that maintain light-coloured hair that’s been dyed in a darker shade. It’s best used by blondes that have dyed their hair in darker colours.
If you’re confused about which one you should use, ask your stylist for recommendations. Most brands will generally offer both or an all-purpose colour protecting shampoo, so do your research and take your pick!
Our Picks For The Best Colour Shampoos
11. Fanola After Colour Colour Care Shampoo
Starts at: $45.00 AUD
Good for these types of hair: all kinds of colours and dyes
This shampoo oxidises instead of scrubbing your hair like regular shampoo, helping you preserve the colour for longer. It’s also packed with Vitamin E and Linseed oil to promote healthy hair growth and scalp circulation!
10. L’Oreal Elvive Purple Shampoo
Starts at: $8.50 AUD
Good for these types of hair: highlighted brunette, blonde, or grey hair
Trusted by experts around the world, L’Oreal’s Elvive Purple Shampoo reduces the brassiness that comes with light-coloured hair, helping it maintain its original colour. Best used with their Elvive Colour Protect for best results!
Available at Chemist Warehouse.
9. De Lorenzo Instant Rejuven8
Starts at: $16.00 AUD
Good for these types of hair: all kinds of colours and dyes
Enriched with extracts from Baobab seeds, Ginkgo Biloba, and Bilberries. This shampoo will leave your hair vibrant, soft, and moisturised.
Available at their Chemist Warehouse and De Lorenzo Salons.
8. Keratin Complex Blondeshell Debrass Shampoo
Starts at: $26.00 AUD
Good for these types of hair: hair dyed in lighter tones
The blend of keratin and amino acids in this shampoo helps your hair maintain its strength after the chemical treatment of dyeing it.
7. Milk_Shake Color Maintainer
Starts at: $55.00 AUD
Good for these types of hair: all kinds of colours and dyes
Hydration is the key for healthy hair! Milk_Shake’s milk-scented shampoo moisturises and protects colour hair all day long.
Available at Home Hair Dresser.
6. John Frieda Visibly Deeper Colour Deepening Shampoo
Starts at: $9.00 AUD
Good for these types of hair: brunette dyes
This formulation specifically adds more shades of brown to brunette-coloured hair, restoring lost pigments and helping you get a more vibrant shade with each use.
Available at Chemist Warehouse.
5. Redken Color Extend Magnetics Sulfate-free Shampoo
Starts at: $30.00 AUD
Good for these types of hair: all colours and dyes
Sulphate is a common ingredient in many shampoos that damages the colour dyes in pigmented hair. Redken’s sulphate-free formulation not only keeps your coloured locks from fading, but gently cleans it for a softer bounce.
4. Bosley BosRevive Shampoo for Color-Treated Hair
Starts at: $30.00 AUD
Good for these types of hair: thinning, colour-treated hair
Sometimes your hair can’t handle the specific colour you’ve dyed it with. Luckily, Bosley’s formula not only helps keep that colour in, but rejuvenates your hair with its moisturising and nutrient-rich ingredients.
Available at My Hair Care And Beauty.
3. Joico Color Endure Shampoo
Starts at: $23.00 AUD
Good for these types of hair: brunettes and redheads
Red hair is most susceptible to fading due to the unique mixture of pigments used. Joico’s colour shampoo preserves the red pigments used with red shades while being gentle on the hair and scalp.
Available at My Hair Care And Beauty.
2. Matrix Biolage Colorlast Purple Shampoo
Starts at: $33.00 AUD
Good for these types of hair: blonde hair and other light shades
Matrix’s Purple Shampoo deposits pigments that neutralises the yellow-ish tones that blonde hair sometimes gets, keeping your colour vibrant and conditioned till you need to reapply it again.
1. Kevin Murphy’s BLONDE.ANGEL.WASH
Starts at: $40.00 AUD
Good for these types of hair: blonde and grey hair
With a generous infusion of lavender extract, this shampoo preserves and enhances the naturally bright shades of blonde hair. It’s gentle on the scalp and maintains colour tone especially well!
Available at Adore Beauty and Kevin Murphy salons.
Colour and wash in comfort
Choosing the right kind of colour-protecting shampoo is critical to keeping those vibrant coloured locks lasting for a little longer. Just make sure that you choose the right kind of shampoo for your natural and dyed hair colour, and you’re all set to strut in style straight out of the shower!
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