Red hair is the moment! You know when you start noticing something then all of a sudden you see it all the time? That’s red hair for us, in a cool way. Tones of auburn, copper and ginger are definitely catching our eye; from the salon to the runways of Paris and Milan and just about everywhere in between – we love to see it.

If you’ve recently gone red, here are some ways to make the most of your new colour for even longer. If you’re thinking about going red, here's a little intel on making the most of your colour to be so you can get prepped - it's time to hit up your hairstylist to make you over.

If you already colour your hair a shade of red then you will understand how this colour can evolve over a prolonged period of time. Unless you can get to your hairstylist monthly it's pretty much unavoidable but there are some ways you can embrace the process and keep it looking awesome as time goes on.

You will most likely find that red hair dye will begin to fade about 4 weeks after visiting your hair stylist, the reason being that colour molecules in red pigment are larger than in other colours so it tends to slip out of the cuticle faster. For some, it might even take a couple of appointments to get the red pigment to stick to the hair, especially if it's more porous.

First up, we recommend holding off on washing your hair for two days post colour as this will give the cuticles time to close, trapping the red pigment in there. May as well make the most of that pro-styling anyway, right?

When it does come to washing, lower the temp a wee bit. Hot water opens the cuticle allowing the dye to slip out but colder water will help lock it in a little longer. Even better, give it a quick rinse with cold water before you jump out of the shower to ensure you're closing those cuticles.

If you’re a daily washer, we hate to break it to you but this is one way to fast-track colour fade. Try cutting back to shampoo & conditioning 3x per week. Why you ask? Over-shampooing is what causes the red pigment to become dull and brassy. Always reseal your cuticles with conditioner to lock the colour in and keep environmental aggressors out.

It’s all in the products you use:

It's no secret that the use of heated tools accelerates colour loss, causing it to lose its vibrancy and become dull over a shorter period of time. It's a shame that it's the kind of thing you realise when it's too far gone :( The easiest way to avoid this is to use a heat protector before you blast it with a blowdryer or run your iron over it - there's a reason your hair stylist always uses one when they style your hair!

Much like the outcome of heat, the sun's UV rays have similar effects on your hair colour; fading, hair can become brittle and moisture... depleted. Using a heat protector with added UV protection will also help protect hair from environmental aggressors + UV damage.

Use a hair mask once a week, doing so will increase the vibrancy & shine of your colour, and deeply condition to leave colour-treated hair soft and silky. Gorgeous!