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How to Take Care of Colour-Treated Hair

Updated on September 16, 2025 | 5 min read

Jaclyn LaBadia, Davines Writer

Whether you have bleached blonde, bold black, or somewhere in-between, colour-treated hair needs extra attention. No matter how healthy your strands, bleaching and permanently colouring your hair will inevitably cause damage. The good news is you can protect your hair colour and keep your dyed hair healthy with the right hair care habits. Keep reading for our complete guide to caring for colour-treated hair.

Key Takeaways

What to Know About Colour-Treated Hair

Prep with deep treatments before colouring.
Wash less often and use sulfate-free products.
Apply weekly hair masks for hydration.
Minimize heat styling and protect with filters.
Sleep on silk pillowcases to reduce breakage.
Get trims every 3–4 months to maintain healthy ends.

The Best Ways to Keep Dyed Hair Healthy

We’ve put together the best expert tips and tricks to keep your bleached hair healthy, shiny and vibrant.

Prep Before Dyeing Your Hair

Healthy, vibrant colour starts with proper prep, so taking care of your hair before your appointment is just as important as how you care for it after.

Do an Intensive Treatment Before Dyeing

To promote healthy hair before dyeing your strands, prep them with a deep conditioning treatment in the form of a hair mask. Masking twice a week for at least two weeks leading up to your colour appointment will deeply moisturize and reinforce the structure of your hair. Remember that hydrated hair is healthy hair, and you want to start with the healthiest hair possible. Apply the hair mask to lengths and ends of clean, damp hair. Leave on for 5 minutes, then comb and rinse thoroughly with cool water.

Do Your Research on the Stylist or Salon

You should never try to bleach or colour your hair at home, unless you’re a professional stylist using professional products. With box colour, you run the risk of getting something you weren’t expecting — the current state of your strands may not translate to the exact colour you see on the box. A professional takes several things into account before putting together a very specific formula to get you the result you want. Do your research before choosing a stylist or use our salon locator page to find a Davines professional near you.

back of woman's head as she washes her blonde hair

Wash Colour-Treated Hair Less Often

The more you wash your dyed hair, the quicker your colour will fade. In addition, washing too frequently strips your hair and scalp of the oils it needs, resulting in dry hair and damage. The best way to care for your colour is to wash two to three times per week: use a dry shampoo on your off-days as needed, and see our previous post for more on how often you should wash your hair.

Use Sulfate-Free Products

When you do wash your hair, use sulfate-free shampoo. Sulfates contain salt, which strips moisture — one of the main causes of colour fading. Sulfate-free shampoos are gentle formulas that don't disturb the hair cuticle as much as regular shampoos. Use a sulfate-free conditioner every time you wash to make your colour last as long as possible and follow up with leave-in conditioner.

Use Products For Colour-Treated Hair Care

The products you use on your hair make all the difference in the longevity of your colour and the long-term health of your hair. Use only high-quality coloured hair products, like those in our Alchemic and Heart of Glass lines, to protect colour. Alchemic is a system of shampoos and conditioners with pure pigments that intensify and brighten cosmetic colour, and Heart of Glass is a four-part regimen for maintaining the health and beauty of your blonde hair.

Incorporate a Weekly Hair Mask

Hair masks are deep conditioning treatments that lock in moisture and keep your strands as hydrated as possible. They’re great for all hair types, but especially if you have dyed hair. Just 5-10 minutes of masking once or twice a week can add a super dose of hydration and healing.

Air-Dry Hair

Heat from blow-dryers, straightening irons and curling tongs aren’t just damaging to your hair, they also strip the moisture from your strands and compromise your colour. As often as you can, air-dry your hair. See our previous post for heatless hairstyle ideas and more on how to air-dry hair.

Minimize Heat Usage

The most important thing you can do to keep your coloured hair healthy for as long as possible is to keep it hydrated. One way to do this is by minimizing the heat your strands are exposed to. Heat strips the hair of its natural oils and makes it brittle and prone to damage. It also disrupts the hair cuticle making it easier for colour molecules to escape. To prevent hair damage and colour loss, minimize heat in your hair care routine. Shampoo with lukewarm water and rinse with cold water after conditioning. Keep your heat tools on a low setting and prep with a heat shield for hair before using them.

Use a Shower Filter

A buildup of minerals can cause your strands to look dull and lifeless. To preserve colour and prevent lackluster lengths, install a shower filter. This helps to reduce the presence of chlorine, sulfur, bacteria, iron, rust, copper, and lead — that sometimes winds up in tap water. Not only will using a shower filter help keep your colour vibrant, but it will make your hair healthier in the long run. Impurities that buildup on your scalp can strip the moisture from your strands, making them dry and brittle. Hydrated hair is healthy hair so especially if you have bleached hair, using a shower filter is a must.

Sleep on a Silk Pillowcase

If you have colour-treated hair, thinking about how your scalp and hair are affected during the night is important. It's especially important to consider the effect your sheets or pillowcases have on your hair. Friction is one of the main causes of split ends and breakage. Sleep on a silk pillowcase or wrap a silk scarf around your hair before bed so that your strands slip around rather than snagging and breaking as you toss and turn through the night.

Get Frequent Trims

One of the best ways to keep your colour-treated hair looking its healthiest is to get regular haircuts or trims. Hair that is regularly trimmed is less likely to become damaged and develop brittle split ends, which can travel up your hair shaft toward your scalp. Get a haircut or trim every 3 to 4 months to keep your hair healthy and your colour vibrant.

Keeping Colour-Treated Hair Healthy

No matter how healthy your hair is, permanently colouring it will inevitably cause some level of damage. Protect your colour and get healthy hair with the right hair care habits and only the highest quality products. All Davines formulas are free of harmful toxins, use natural ingredients, and are made with renewable energy and packaging that minimizes the environmental impact. Our hair care isn’t just good for your hair, it’s good for the planet.

Davines Heart of Glass product line for blonde hair sits on the side of a sink

FAQs

What is colour-treated hair?

Colour-treated hair is hair that has been dyed, bleached, or chemically altered to change its natural colour.

Can colour-treated hair be healthy?

Yes. With the right care—hydration, sulfate-free products, and minimal heat—colour-treated hair can stay strong and healthy

How long does colour-treated hair last?

Most professional hair colour lasts 6–8 weeks, depending on the shade, technique, and how well you care for it

How often should colour-treated hair be washed?

Wash 2–3 times per week with sulfate-free shampoo to maintain colour and prevent dryness

Is colour-treated hair the same as bleached hair?

Not exactly. All bleached hair is colour-treated, but not all colour-treated hair is bleached. Bleaching is more damaging since it strips pigment and moisture.

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Treat Yourself

Visit your local Davines Salon for personalized treatments that make the most of your colour.

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How to Take Care of Colour-Treated Hair