Maintaining Your Hair Color on a Budget

There is no denying that fall is finally in full swing! For many of us, the change in weather and temperature isn’t the only thing that changes. From cuts to extensions to coloring, the hottest hair trends can change as often as the seasons do and it’s no secret that looking good doesn’t always come cheap...or can it?

Andrea Pomerantz Lustig, author of How to Look Expensive, gives us some great tips on getting that perfect hair color on a budget and how to keep your new fall do in tip-top shape all season long!

HOW TO GET EXPENSIVE-LOOKING HAIR COLOR FOR CHEAP

BE A HAIR SPY. Investigate women’s hair on the bus, in yoga class, or at the office. See a color you like? Ask who did it. Or walk into a chic salon you came across and check out the hair color on the employees. Ask who did it. It’s usually another employee. This can be a great way to discover up-and-coming colorists whose prices have yet to skyrocket. Chances are, they have apprenticed with the star colorist in their salon and will give you a great color at half the cost!

ASK YOUR STYLIST TO DO A FINER HIGHLIGHT AT THE ROOT, GETTING THICKER AND CHUNKIER DOWN THE LENGTH.This process will avoid a severe root line and making it okay to grow out a little without having to spend the extra cash on the constant up-keep.

HOW TO MAINTAIN YOUR HAIR COLOR INVESTMENT

Once you’ve got your color where you want it, how do you keep it this way? Try these tips:

WAIT 48 HOURS AFTER FRESH COLOR BEFORE WASHING IT. Although there are no studies to prove this works, it’s something that many colorists have suggested, so it definitely can’t hurt. Give your color some time to settle into your roots and hair.

KEEP IT DIRTY. Not REALLY dirty, of course, but avoid washing it every day. The less often you wash, the less your color will fade. Use dry shampoo to sop up greasy roots between shampoos. A great low cost option would be the newAmika Perk-Up Dry Shampoo. It’s available at professional salons and folica.com for only $21 andleaves your hair looking clean, shiny, and beautiful!

USE HIGH TECH ANTI-COLOR FADERS. It’s not a marketing hype. Products designed to maintain the color in color-treated hair can help prevent fading, keep color true, and put back needed hydration.

INVEST IN A WATER FILTER FOR YOUR SHOWERHEAD. This filter will remove water minerals like chlorine from the water, which can fade or distort your color (turning it green or brassy). You can pick one up for only $20!