The five-minute wash routine that protects your colour

Ask any colourist where colour really fades and they will point at your shower, not the sun lounger. How you wash your hair matters more than almost anything else you do between appointments. The routine below takes five minutes and protects the work we do in the chair.

Start with the water

Turn the temperature down. Hot water opens the hair cuticle and lets colour escape, which is exactly what you are trying to avoid. Lukewarm is kinder to tone, and a cooler rinse at the end helps seal everything back down.

Choose the right shampoo

Not every bottle is built for coloured hair. The two things to look for are a sulphate-free formula and, for blondes, an occasional toning wash.

• Use a gentle, sulphate-free shampoo for your everyday wash.
• Concentrate it at the roots, where oil actually builds, rather than the mid-lengths and ends.
• Reach for a purple or blue toning shampoo once a week, depending on your shade.

Wash less than you think you need to. Coloured hair rarely wants a daily shampoo.

Condition with intention

Conditioner is where coloured hair is rebuilt. Work it through the mid-lengths and ends, leave it for a minute while you do everything else, then rinse cool. Once a week, swap it for a treatment mask to keep the hair strong enough to hold its tone.

Do this consistently and you will notice the difference at your next appointment. Your colour will have held, your ends will feel better, and there will be far less to correct.