Are You Washing Your Hair Color Down the Drain? Let Me Tell You About Shampoo

You just spent two hours and a few hundred dollars getting your hair colored. It looks amazing. You love it. And then two weeks later, it's faded and dull and you're wondering what happened.

I'll tell you what happened: you're using the wrong shampoo.

This is the conversation I have at least three times a week. Someone comes in for a color touch up way sooner than they should need one, and when I ask what shampoo they're using, they tell me whatever was on sale at Target.

I'm not trying to be a snob about products. I'm trying to save you money. Because if you're paying for color and then washing it out with cheap shampoo, you're literally pouring money down the drain.

I'm Danielle, I work at Rock Paper Scissors in Chino, and I do a lot of color. Let me explain what you actually need to know about shampoo so your color lasts.

Why Your Regular Shampoo Is Stripping Your Color

Most shampoos contain sulfates. Sulfates are the thing that makes shampoo foam up really well. They're great at cleaning, but they're too good at it. They strip everything out of your hair, including your color.

Every time you wash your hair with a sulfate shampoo, you're washing out a little bit of your color. Over time, your expensive balayage or your perfect dimensional color fades to nothing.

I had a client, Michelle, who came in for a full balayage. It looked gorgeous when she left. She came back six weeks later and all the tone was gone. Her hair was brassy and the color looked washed out. I asked what shampoo she was using. She said Head and Shoulders.

I said, "That's why your color is gone."

She was shocked. She had no idea that shampoo could affect her color that much. We switched her to a sulfate free shampoo and her next color lasted twice as long.

What "Sulfate Free" Actually Means

Sulfate free shampoos use gentler cleansing ingredients that still clean your hair but don't strip the color out.

The downside is they don't foam as much. A lot of people don't like that because they're used to shampoo that lathers up like crazy. But foam doesn't equal clean. It's just a sensory thing. You have to get used to it.

Sulfate free shampoos also tend to be more expensive. A good one is usually $25 to $35 instead of $6 at the drugstore.

But here's the thing: if your color lasts twice as long, you're not coming back to the salon as often for touch ups. You're actually saving money in the long run.

I know it feels expensive to spend $30 on shampoo. But if it means you're getting your color done every 12 weeks instead of every 6 weeks, you're coming out ahead.

The Shampoos We Actually Carry and Recommend

I'm not going to list off 20 different products. I'm going to tell you the ones we carry at the salon that I actually use and recommend.

Amika The Kure Bond Repair Shampoo is what I use on clients with lightened or damaged hair. It's sulfate free and it has bond repair technology that helps strengthen hair that's been bleached. If you have highlights, balayage, or any kind of blonde, this is a good option.

Amika Normcore Signature Shampoo is great if you just want a solid, everyday sulfate free shampoo that works for most hair types. It's gentle, it cleans well, and it doesn't weigh your hair down.

Keratin Complex Color Care Smoothing Shampoo is what I recommend if you've had a Brazilian Blowout or keratin treatment on top of color. It's formulated to work with those smoothing treatments and keep your color locked in.

Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo is another bond repair option. It's really good for damaged hair. Some people prefer it over Amika, some people prefer Amika. They're both good.

Those are what we carry. There are other good brands out there, but these are the ones I know work because I use them all the time.

You Also Need to Clarify Sometimes (But Not Too Often)

Even if you're using sulfate free shampoo, your hair can still build up product over time. Dry shampoo, hairspray, styling products, even the minerals in our water here in Chino, all of it can leave residue on your hair.

When that happens, your hair looks dull and feels heavy and it won't style right.

That's when you need a clarifying shampoo. It's a stronger shampoo that strips everything off your hair and gives you a clean slate.

But you can't use it all the time or you'll strip your color out. I usually tell people to clarify once a month. If you use a ton of products or you swim a lot, maybe every two or three weeks.

And after you clarify, you have to deep condition. You just stripped everything out, so you need to put moisture back in. Otherwise your hair will be dry and brittle.

I had someone come in with hair that was so dry it was breaking off. I asked what she was doing at home. She said she was using a clarifying shampoo every time she washed her hair because she liked how clean it felt.

I told her she was destroying her hair. We cut off the damaged parts and I put her on a normal sulfate free shampoo with weekly deep conditioning treatments. Her hair is so much better now.

Deep Conditioning Is Not Optional

If you color your hair, you need to deep condition it regularly. Color, especially bleach, damages your hair. It makes it porous and weak. Deep conditioning helps repair that damage and keep your hair healthy.

You don't need to do it every time you wash your hair. Once a week is usually enough.

There are different types of deep conditioners. Some are protein based, which means they strengthen your hair. Some are moisture based, which means they hydrate your hair.

If your hair feels gummy or stretchy when it's wet, it needs protein. If it feels dry and brittle, it needs moisture.

Most people with color treated hair need moisture more than protein, but it depends on how damaged your hair is.

I usually recommend starting with a moisturizing deep conditioner and seeing how your hair responds. If it still feels weak or gummy, then switch to a protein treatment.

Do Your Shampoo and Conditioner Have to Match?

Not necessarily, but it helps.

Brands formulate their shampoo and conditioner to work together. The shampoo preps your hair and the conditioner seals everything in. If you use them together, you're more likely to get the results the brand promises.

That said, you can mix and match if you need to. If you have an oily scalp but dry ends, you might use a clarifying or balancing shampoo on your roots and a rich, moisturizing conditioner on your ends.

I do this sometimes. I'll use one shampoo on a client's scalp and a different conditioner on their lengths and ends because their hair has different needs in different places.

The most important thing is that both products are sulfate free and designed for color treated hair. Beyond that, you can experiment.

Why I Don't Recommend Drugstore Shampoo for Colored Hair

I'm not saying drugstore shampoo is terrible for everyone. If you have virgin hair and you don't color it, some drugstore shampoos are fine.

But if you color your hair, drugstore shampoo is almost always going to fade your color faster.

Most drugstore shampoos contain sulfates because sulfates are cheap and they make shampoo foam really well, which people like.

The sulfate free options at the drugstore have gotten better, but they're still not as good as professional products. The ingredients are lower quality and the formulas aren't as concentrated.

Professional shampoo is more expensive up front, but you use less of it because it's more concentrated. A bottle lasts longer than you think.

And again, if it makes your color last longer, you're saving money on salon visits.

I've had clients switch from drugstore to professional shampoo and tell me they can immediately feel and see the difference. Their hair is shinier, softer, and their color stays vibrant way longer.

What Happens If You Use the Wrong Products

Your color fades fast. That's the main thing.

But it's not just fading. Your hair can also get dry, brittle, and damaged if you're using harsh shampoos and not conditioning properly.

I've seen people come in with hair that's breaking off because they were using clarifying shampoo every day or sulfate shampoo on bleached hair. The hair just can't handle it.

Once your hair is damaged, there's no way to repair it. You can make it look and feel better with treatments and good products, but the only real fix is to cut off the damage and start over.

That's why I'm so annoying about this. I'd rather you spend $30 on good shampoo than have to come in every few months for a major haircut because your hair is breaking.

How Much Shampoo Do You Actually Need?

Most people use way too much shampoo.

You only need a dime to quarter sized amount. Emulsify it in your hands with a little water to make it spread easier, then apply it to your scalp. Not your ends. Your scalp.

The shampoo will run down your hair when you rinse and that's enough to clean the lengths. You don't need to scrub shampoo into your ends. That's how you dry them out.

Conditioner is the opposite. You put conditioner on your lengths and ends, not your roots. If you put conditioner on your scalp, your hair will look greasy.

This seems basic, but I'm always surprised by how many people don't know this.

Should You Buy Products From the Salon?

I'm biased because I work at a salon, but yes, I think you should.

When you buy from us, you know you're getting authentic products that are fresh and haven't been sitting in a warehouse for two years. You're also getting advice from someone who knows your hair and can recommend the right products for you specifically.

If you buy from Amazon or some random website, you don't know what you're getting. There's a huge market for counterfeit salon products that are watered down or expired or just fake.

Also, when you buy from the salon, you're supporting us. We're a small business in downtown Chino. We're not a chain. Your money stays local.

But I get it, professional products are expensive. If you can't afford to replace everything at once, start with shampoo. That's the most important thing. Keep using whatever conditioner you have until you can afford to upgrade.

The Bottom Line

If you color your hair and you care about making it last, you need sulfate free shampoo. That's non negotiable.

You also need to deep condition once a week and clarify once a month. That's the basic maintenance that will keep your color looking good and your hair healthy.

Is it more work than just using whatever shampoo is on sale? Yes. Is it worth it? Also yes.

Come see us at Rock Paper Scissors if you want help picking out products. We're at 5222 D St. in Chino, right downtown across from City Hall. Call us at (909) 707-9553 or just stop by.

We'll look at your hair and tell you exactly what you need. No pressure, just advice.

Stop washing your expensive color down the drain with cheap shampoo.

Danielle