Tips on Keeping Red Hair Red

I've been dying my hair red for about a year. I don't think I'm an expert. Actually, I am probably the last person who should be giving advice for anything related to beauty on the planet! But I have definitely learned a lot in the trial and error process. I've had a lot of people, especially random people, stop and ask me how I keep my hair so vibrant. While, I am no expert, I thought I'd blog about some of the things I do and use for my hair.

I'll start out by saying I use box dye. I haven't dyed my hair myself, but that's what I use. I'm really cheap, so going to the salon is definitely not in my budget. However, when it comes to box dye I tend to go for the more expensive dye. I just don't trust cheap dye. I started dying my hair with L'Oreal Feria Intense Red hair colors. The only problem I've ever had with it was after I had my hair dyed professionally it turned my hair blackish. But it faded when I washed my hair and turned redder. I used Garnier Fructis R3 Ultra Color Light Intense Auburn for the first time and I love it. The only problem I found was that it's harder to get it off your skin. With the L'Oreal Feria I never had a problem with it dying my skin.

The number one tip I have is only wash your hair every 4-5 days. Now, before you get all "But my hair gets SOOOOO greasy after a day," hear me out! After the first week of trying to not wash my hair it did get very greasy. If you want to train your hair to not get oily as fast you need to get through the first week or so of not washing it every day. I like doing it on a week when I don't care what my hair looks like so I can put it up and not feel the oiliness. But once you start washing your hair every day that's when it gets oily faster. Also, don't touch your hair! That's what causes it to get so oily! This tip will also save you time in the shower!

When washing your hair use cold water! I can't stand cold showers, but I just make the water cold whenever the water touches my hair. So, before I later, and after the shampoo and conditioner rinse. Then I immediately turn the water back to hot!

As for shampoo, they all say to use shampoo with no sulfates. I just use Herbal Essence: Color Me Happy Shampoo. It has sulfates, but I figured since it's for color treated hair it'll be fine. As for conditioner, I use Organix Coconut Milk Conditioner. It's kind of pricey, but when your only washing your hair every 4-5 days it goes a long way. I bought it at Target. After a shower I put on Palmer's Coconut Oil Formula on my hair, focusing on my ends. I also bought it at Target, but I found it in the ethnic hair aisle.

I don't put any heat protection on my hair and I blow dry and straighten my hair ALL THE TIME! However, I am open to suggestions for a heat protection product you found that really works!
Now, I've never had a problem with my red hair dye getting on clothes or sheets while it's dry. It's when it's wet that you need to be careful. I alway use a dark towel when I wash my hair. Also, if you change clothes with wet hair make sure you wear a dark or red shirt. Also, be careful about rain! I'm always more conscious of carrying an umbrella with me. I also bring a towel with me if I wash my hair at someone's house or at a hotel.

Now, just remember, red hair color may vary after depending on your natural hair color. I would love to get more tips on hair dying! If there is something here I haven't answered feel free to leave a comment!

*This is my hair color after almost 4 weeks