9 Things Colorists Wish You’d Stop Doing After Leaving the Salon

Oct 28, 2024

Real hairstylists get real honest.

Marina Demeshko/Getty Images

You feel like a million bucks when you walk out of a salon with that fresh new hair color and bouncy, shiny strands. The trick, however, is keeping things that way once you dive back into your routine hair care. Turns out, there are probably a handful of things you’re not doing right when it comes to maintaining the vibrancy and health of your newly dyed strands. No biggie—just try to avoid the things your hair colorist wishes you’d stop doing at home. Here are the biggest no-nos, according to professional stylists.

Let’s be real: you’re probably not going to put down the hot tools at this point if you rely on them to look and feel great. Instead of foregoing them altogether, professional hairstylist Laurent Saint-Crocq suggests dialing back the temperature.

“Using excessive heat can be one of the most damaging things to your hair, causing hair breakage and dryness and can even burn your hair,” he says. “Instead use a lower setting 200 to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and always use a heat protectant spray prior to using a blow dryer, curling iron, or any other hot hair tools.”

There’s definitely a balance when determining the right frequency to wash your hair. Too little and you can disrupt the equilibrium of your scalp and experience irritation and oiliness. Too much, though, and you risk faded color and dryness.

“Like clothing detergent and soaps, shampoo strips hair of color and moisture,” notes Keith Shore, a celebrity stylist at Sally Hershberger.

“Instead, try a cleansing conditioner in place of at least one shampoo per week. Healthy hair needs to be shampooed less and a cleansing conditioner will cleanse it just enough to cancel scalp oil while adding moisture to the ends.”

Leaving with a fresh blowout is arguably the best part of a salon visit, but sometimes you’re short on time or you prefer to just blow-dry yourself. Beth Minardi, a hair color expert at James Fojt Salons and color director at ArtegoUSA, says to think twice before pulling this one.

“You and your colorist need to see your color when your hair is dry so that you can both evaluate the results most accurately,” she says. “Invest in a salon blowout so that you can avoid any surprises. Plus, you’ll leave with your hair looking gorgeous.”

Having your hair professionally colored is a splurge—and that’s exactly why you should do everything you can to maintain the vibrancy. Stretching out time between appointments is fine, but Saint-Croq says to skip the box dye when doing so.

“Box color typically contains harsh metallic salts, high ammonia, and chemicals that can damage your hair. They are generally not good for your scalp either and in addition to being very difficult to remove, the results can be unpredictable, leading to uneven color,” he says. Stick to professional color and use a temporary root cover up spray, anti-brass shampoo, glossing treatments, or toners to help with growth, grays, and dullness.

When you get a major color makeover, it’s tempting to run straight to friends and fam to show off and get their perspective. Unless you know they’ll be completely supportive, Minardi says to hold off.

“Everyone has an opinion—only yours matters,” she says. “Embrace and adjust to your new hair color privately. View your color in different light sources: outside in natural sunlight insight and in various locations. Trust yourself. Then, allow your friends and family to admire your hair without your need for their approval.”

Hair is in a pretty vulnerable state in the days and weeks following bleaching, highlighting, or dyeing. One of Shore’s biggest mistakes he sees clients make is brushing their hair a bit too vigorously directly after a color service.

“Do not rake non-moisturized hair with a metal brush post highlighting. Your hair will break and won't look expensive,” he says. “Instead, spray in a leave-in conditioner and use a brush specifically for wet hair and carefully brush it out and then style it.”

You don’t have to spend a fortune on shampoo and conditioner, but do try to avoid bottom-shelf products when you can. Your hair color is an investment, and the daily products you use can make a difference in color vibrancy and hair health.

“Shampoos with sulfates can dry out your hair, fade your color, and irritate your skin,” Saint-Croq says. “Instead, you should use a shampoo specifically formulated for color-treated hair. Quality shampoo makes a big difference in maintaining hair health and color.”

Flat irons can come in clutch, but along with turning down the temperature Shore says to avoid using this tool on your hairline.

“Hair at the hairline is finer and more delicate than everywhere else and is often the hair that is highlighted for a color service,” he explains. “If you must use one, leave the hairline out and style it with a round brush and blow dryer, especially after it was just bleached. It creates breakage and flyaways and is not necessary.”

Try not to schedule your color appointment before a pool party or tropical vacay. And if you do, avoid getting your strands wet. And for those who like to get their hair colored right before your vacation, Minardi says to make your appointment is the week before, as opposed to the day before.