Collage: Paula Balondo; Source images: Courtesy of brands Save Story Save this story Save Story Save this story There’s nothing quite like leaving the salon with glossy, freshly colored hair. While fading is inevitable over time, using the best shampoos and conditioners for color-treated hair can help extend the life of your meticulously crafted shade between salon visits. These gentle, often sulfate-free formulas cleanse away oil, flakes, and product buildup without stripping pigment so that your pricey balayage, bleach-and-dye treatment, or at-home color job continues to look as good on day 30 as it did on day one.
Regular shampoos aren’t necessarily formulated with color-treated hair in mind. Many, like sulfate-filled or clarifying shampoos , contain strong cleansing agents that can strip away color, which can ultimately cause your fresh color to fade faster and lose its shine. Long story short: “Using a shampoo made for color-treated hair helps protect your investment, keeps the color looking fresh longer, and helps maintain shine and overall hair health between appointments,” says Sierra Kener Mehl , a hairstylist based in West Hollywood. Color-safe conditioners, for their part, also help keep your strands feeling moisturized and healthy, which is especially important after a dye job when they might be especially dry, damaged, and in need of a little extra TLC.
Whether your color is fresh from the salon or courtesy of an at-home dye kit, upgrading your wash-day routine with a color-safe shampoo and conditioner set is one of the easiest ways to keep things looking vibrant. After months of testing, these are the duos worth adding to your shower.
What shampoos should you avoid for color-treated hair? How often should I wash color-treated hair? What causes hair color to fade? What are sulfates, and are they bad for color-treated hair? How is shampoo for colored hair different than "regular" shampoos? Which shampoo is right for my hair color? Meet the experts How we test and review products Our staff and testers Best Overall: Pureology Hydrate Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner Save to wishlist Save to wishlist Pureology
Why we love it: Whether you have just a touch of subtle highlights or a full head of faux color, Pureology’s Hydrate Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner are up for the task. This Allure Best of Beauty Award -winning duo is one of our all-time favorite in-shower combos for its brass-busting lavender tint and creamy, jojoba oil-powered formulas that leave hair impressively smooth. Both the shampoo and conditioner also contain antioxidant-rich green tea and sage extracts to hydrate strands while supporting scalp health. Keep in mind that the original formula might be too heavy for finer hair types, but no sweat: Pureology also makes lightweight options specifically for thinner hair.
Allure beauty director Sarah Kinonen before using the Pureology Hydrate Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner
Kinonen after using the Pureology Hydrate Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner
Tester feedback from beauty director Sarah Kinonen
“As someone who washes their hair once a week, my shampoo-and-conditioner selection is super important. I have long, fine, color-treated hair, so it has a lot of needs: hydration, damage control, and color protection. This Pureology duo does all of the above and more with an earthy (shampoo) and minty (conditioner) scent that lingers long past the last rinse. I typically double- (and sometimes even…