Beauty / Favourites

How to maintain your hair colour at home with celebrity stylist Chris Appleton

hair colour at home

Fade into you. Maintaining your hair colour at home can be a tricky business. Sometimes it is the smallest things that make the difference between a vibrant colour and a fast fade. If you’re keen to stretch out the time between salon visits there are things you can do at home. 

From your diet and your lifestyle, to the products you use in the shower and how you treat your hair. These all play a key role in your hair colour. But where to start and what to do? We spoke with hair stylist Chris Appleton on his favourite DIY tips, which products work best with coloured hair and where to focus your attention if healthy hair is the end goal. 

If you haven’t heard of Appleton just know he was responsible for that hair at J.Lo’s Superbowl halftime performance. Glass hair? He basically invented it. He gave one of the world’s most recognisable names a haircut using a pair of stationary scissors. And so, for perfect hair colour at home, read on.

What ingredients or products accelerate colour fading in hair and should be avoided?

Sulfates are extremely harsh on the hair and accelerate colour fading as well as making hair look dull and lifeless.

Does diet or lifestyle have an effect on hair's vibrancy?

Diet and lifestyle do play an important role on your hair. What you eat either helps with hair growth or can impede it. Eating fruits and vegetables not only keep your hair strong and healthy but also have the same effect on your skin! Take care of your body and it will take care of you.

Thoughts on dying hair at home?

I suggest dying your hair at home should be kept to a minimum. When colouring greys, I recommend colouring the part line of the hair for coverage. It may be difficult to do the back and you want to avoid overlapping to prevent any colour corrections your colourist may need to do in the future!

What are the best at-home treatments to maintain hair colour between salon visits?

Using Color WOW Shampoo and Conditioner is the best way to maintain your hair colour in between salon visits. It's formulated without the typical ingredients found in most shampoos which leave a film on the hair and make the colour look dull. I’d also recommend using a DIY conditioning mask on your hair once a week. Mixing coconut oil (or any oil) with avocado and an egg will create shine and lustre!

What are the best products to maintain hair colour between salon visits?

Your at home maintenance starts with using a clean shampoo and condition, Color WOW Color Security is my go to. After washing, you want to use that lock in moisture and keep the hair hydrated. Dream Coat is perfect to keep your hair looking healthy whilst giving it that luxe expensive texture.

Anything else to add regarding ISO hair maintenance?

I think it’s a good time to give your hair a break. There’s not too much pressure on over styling your hair right now since everyone is staying at home and not going out. It’s a good time to work on the condition of your hair. I really like the Color WOW Dream Cocktails - they really are self care for hair. You can turn your blow dry time into spa time. The Coconut Infused Cocktail is especially great if your hair is feeling dehydrated and dry – it will really repair the condition of the hair. Even though they are heat activated you don’t need to use a blow dryer, you can actually just sit in the sun to activate.