So you just dyed your hair the color of your dreams, but oh no, it's fading so quickly. Let's talk about some reasons why that might be happening! Plus, what you can do to minimize fading.

Water and Hot Tools

Heat opens up the cuticle of the hair and makes the color fade away faster. To prolong your hair color, try to limit how much you use heat on your hair. If you're going to be using hot tools, make sure you're using a heat protectant spray (like our Prime) and when you rinse your hair, try to stick to cool water. 

Sun

UV rays breakdown chemical bonds that are present in hair dye and cause your color to fade faster. They can also breakdown hair proteins and cause damage, resulting in drier, weaker hair. The easiest way to protect your hair from the sun is to wear a hat or a scarf. It also helps to invest in hair products that are designed with sun damage in mind. Here at Good Dye Young, we formulate our semi permanent dyes with sunflower extract which adds protection from heat and UV to help your color last longer. 

Chlorine

We all love a good pool day, but chlorine is one of your hair’s number one enemies. Chlorine is a bleaching agent and will fade your color super fast. It also strips natural oils out of your hair, which can make your hair drier and more brittle. If you're going to be going in the pool, try rinsing your hair with non chlorinated water before you get in so that your hair is saturated with freshwater and doesn't absorb as much chlorinated water.

You can also apply a deep conditioner or pre swim hair product before you get in to create a protective barrier and once again minimize the amount of chlorinated water that's absorbed by your hair strands. 

Hard Water

Hard water has a high mineral content and it is not great for your hair. Mineral buildup from hard water can mess with the color of your hair a little bit, and it can also fade your color. It also can make your hair feel greasy, even if you've just washed it, which might make you want to wash it more often, and washing your hair more often is going to make your color fade faster. 

Hard water can also dry your hair out and make it look more dull, and it's also not great for your skin. So if you live in an area with hard water, think about installing a shower filter. You can also try a shampoo designed to help remove mineral build up. 

There you have it, some reasons why your hair color is fading. We suggest doing your best to avoid hot tools or hot water, sun exposure, chlorine, and hard water. If these things are unavoidable in your life, be sure you’re taking the necessary steps to minimize color fading! Use heat protecting sprays and products, wear a hat or minimize sun exposure, pre-rinse your hair in non-chlorinated water before your next pool day, and consider investing in a shower filter or products targeted at breaking up mineral build up.