A unique look means unique treatment. With red hair, you are sure to stand out amongst the crowd, regardless of whether it is naturally red or color-treated. However, maintaining this vibrant look requires that you take some extra precautions.

Keeping your red hair bright and colorful requires special attention and care, which is why WOW Skin Science is here to help you find the best products and ingredients for your red hair. Once you find the right products and learn how to use them, you will have all the tools you need to prolong the rich color of your hair.

Table of Contents:

• What To Consider for Red Hair
• What To Look for in Hair Care Products for Red Hair
• Hydrating Power
• No Harsh Chemicals
• Damage-Repairing Ingredients
• Powerful Vitamins
• UV Protection
• What Is the Best Shampoo for Red Hair?
• WOW Coconut Milk Shampoo
• WOW Activated Charcoal and Keratin Shampoo
• WOW Himalayan Rose Shampoo
• What Hair Treatments Work for Red Hair?
• WOW Coconut and Avocado Natural Hair Conditioner
• WOW Moroccan Argan Oil Hair Mask for Color-Treated Hair
• WOW 10-in-1 Hair Revitalizer
• WOW 10-in-1 Hair Oil

What To Consider for Red Hair

Whether your hair is naturally red or treated with color, you will want to consider a few different factors. By being mindful of how red hair is different than other types, you can develop the right routines to make sure that you keep its brightness alive.

The most important thing to consider is that red hair is destined to fade, especially when treated with color. Washing the hair, staying out in the sun, and using hot water are all ways that your hair color can fade. By being mindful of the risks, you can find the right strategies to avoid them.

If you have red hair, you’d want to wash it less frequently, since every time you do, you are washing out some of the colors. When you first color your hair, you should allow it to rest at least 48 hours after dyeing before you shampoo. This allows the hair to better absorb and seal in the color so that less is washed away when you shampoo.

Because you should plan to wash less often, you must clean your hair first. Oil and contaminants will build up in your hair the longer you go between washes. Therefore, it is a good idea to choose a shampoo that has strong cleansing power and can handle advanced oil and dirt build-up. Keep in mind that red hair color also has bigger molecules than other colors and is more easily washed out, so you should pick a shampoo formula that is strong and gentle at the same time.

Color treatments can also have a negative effect on your hair, as their ingredients can be quite harsh. As a result, after performing a treatment, you should work to restore possible damage from the treatment and be mindful of choosing ways to prevent further damage. These treatments can make your hair more sensitive, so you should take steps to nourish and care for it daily.

What To Look for in Hair Care Products for Red Hair

Your hair care products play a significant role in maintaining the moisture and texture of your hair, so you should expect that they play a key role in maintaining its color as well. The ingredients in your products can make a big difference in how quickly the redness fades or how long it remains. Some of the most important factors to look for when choosing hair care products for red hair include the following:

• Hydrating Power

Color treatment can have some side effects on hair. Even day-to-day styling and routine hair care product usage can start to take a toll. After treating and styling your hair, you may find it to be dull or dried out.

Plus, moisturizing your hair regularly will make the color appear brighter and more powerful. By choosing ingredients like coconut and argan oil, or aloe vera, you can rehydrate and refresh your hair so that the color looks great.

• No Harsh Chemicals

Harsh chemicals like sulfates and silicones can cause the color in your hair to fade. When choosing hair care products, you should avoid these ingredients, and also alcohols, and artificial fragrances, as they can dry out your hair and affect the color.

Color treatments will also introduce chemicals of their own to the hair, so the last thing you want to do is add more chemicals and cause irritation or damage.

To find the safest products, always choose all-natural formulas without harsh ingredients. Plant-based products are often the best choice as they are created using nutrient-rich, natural ingredients.

• Damage-Repairing Ingredients

It is no secret that split ends and breakage are noticeable and affect the overall appearance of your hair. By repairing the damage that leaves your hair looking dull and lifeless, you can restore the shine and volume to really make the red color pop. To repair damage in your hair, look for ingredients like jojoba oil, coconut milk, and vitamins.

• Powerful Vitamins

Vitamins A, B, and E are full of antioxidants that help strengthen and hydrate your hair to help prevent damage. Strengthening your hair strands helps to seal in color and minimize breakage, so the color stays brighter longer. If you prefer doing color treatments regularly, it is even more important to use vitamin-rich products, so you can fortify your hair strands against damage or irritation from harsh color treatments.

For example, sweet almond oil is rich in vitamins A, B, and E, making it a great ingredient to search for on a product label. Other vitamin-rich ingredients include avocado oil, tea tree oil, and jojoba oil, which are all great to look for in hair care products.

• UV Protection

Whether it is your skin or hair, it is well-known at this point that the effects of the sun’s UV light can be unpleasant. The potential negative effects can only be worse with red hair. If you have ever left your hair exposed to the sun for an extended period, you have probably noticed it starts to fade. 

To help protect your hair from the sun, consider wearing a hat, but also consider choosing hair care products that can reduce the harmful effects of UV light. Sweet almond oil and black spruce bark extract are two natural ingredients that can nourish your hair and work wonders in protecting your hair against the sun’s harmful radiation.

What Is the Best Shampoo for Red Hair?

Although they make your hair look great, color treatments can expose your hair to harsh chemicals, which can dry out your hair and your scalp. As a result, you should aim for a shampoo that is gentle on your hair to prevent causing any irritation.

You also want ingredients that are going to support your hair color, whether it has been chemically colored or is all-natural. Even though the shampoo is meant to be powerful enough to cleanse your hair down to the roots, it does not have to be damaging to your hair color. Made with gentle, natural ingredients, the following shampoos are the best for red hair.

• WOW Coconut Milk Shampoo

Coconut milk is great for nourishing and hydrating your hair, especially after a color treatment. WOW’s Coconut Milk Shampoo uses the power of coconut milk extract to promote a healthy scalp, boost circulation, and combat damage. With both almond oil and argan oil, this shampoo softens and moisturizes your skin to improve the vibrancy of red hair. The power of almond oil also helps protect against harmful UV light. Since this formula also includes aloe vera, it is great for treating any burns or irritation that result from color treatment.

• WOW Activated Charcoal and Keratin Shampoo

This shampoo uses the power of charcoal and keratin to remove intense build-up at the scalp for a detoxifying and deep clean while leaving stronger, fortified hair along the way. With such a strong and effective cleaning formula, it may be surprising that this shampoo will also leave your hair nourished and hydrated, but with the soothing benefits of aloe vera, it will.

Aloe vera also helps in this shampoo to repair dead skin on the scalp, smooth out the hair, and leave behind a remarkable shine. Without any harsh chemicals to irritate your scalp, you will be pleasantly surprised by the powers of WOW’s Activated Charcoal and Keratin Shampoo. Altogether the benefits of this product will leave your hair stronger and more hydrated so the color can shine through.

• WOW Himalayan Rose Shampoo

Another great option for maintaining the bright and beautiful look of red hair is WOW’s Himalayan Rose Shampoo. The key ingredient of this formula is rose hydrosol, which helps to nourish and moisturize the hair for a natural shine. Like other great color-safe shampoos, this shampoo has sweet almond oil, argan oil, and coconut oil to moisturize the hair and provide it with essential nutrients to remain silky and strong. With its floral base and all-natural ingredients, our Himalayan Rose Shampoo is gentle on your hair and minimizes fading during every wash.

What Hair Treatments Work for Red Hair?

The shampoo is not the only way that you can take care of your colored hair. A holistic hair care routine not only supports the health and appearance of your hair but can also help you prolong the effects of the color treatment or keep your natural color bright.

There are a variety of other hair treatments that you should consider to maintain vivid red hair. In order to prolong the powerful, vibrant red color for longer and make it more noticeable, you should focus on keeping your hair shiny, hydrated, and smooth. As you take care of your hair, try the following products.

• WOW Coconut and Avocado Natural Hair Conditioner

WOW’s Coconut and Avocado Natural Hair Conditioner is full of hydrating ingredients that help to rejuvenate and repair damaged hair. Coconut, avocado, castor, and almond oils all provide your hair with excellent vitamins and antioxidants that help restore hair color. The conditioner helps lock in moisture to improve the overall appearance of your red hair. Without sulfates, parabens, or silicones, this conditioner is excellent for providing vital nutrients without stripping the color from your hair.  

• WOW Moroccan Argan Oil Hair Mask for Color-Treated Hair

WOW’s Moroccan Argan Oil Hair Mask is specifically designed for color-treated hair, helping it to retain that vibrant red color. This once to twice-a-week treatment help protect your hair from UV light that can cause the color to fade using the unique powers of Black Spruce Bark Extract.

With the addition of hydrolyzed wheat proteins, the mask also works to thicken your hair strands and prevent damage. All of this, combined with advanced hydrating powers, this hair mask is an excellent option for rejuvenating your hair.

• WOW 10-in-1 Hair Revitalizer

Leave-in conditioners are a great way to add new life and shine to your hair. WOW’s 10-in-1 Hair Revitalizer helps you replenish dull hair and support volume. This treatment combines olive, almond, argan, and jojoba oils to provide essential vitamins, fatty acids, and antioxidants that hydrate and repair damaged hair.

By improving split ends, restoring damage, and moisturizing the hair, you improve the overall appearance of your hair to make the color stand out and appear more vibrant. This hair revitalizer also strengthens your hair and removes frizz so that the focus is all on your beautifully colored hair.

• WOW 10-in-1 Hair Oil

An oil treatment after coloring your hair has several benefits, especially when you use the right product. WOW’s 10-in-1 hair oil allows you to repair split ends, restore brittle hair, and keep the scalp moisturized. This hair oil is a powerhouse of ingredients, including extra virgin olive oil, sweet almond oil, Moroccan argan oil, jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, and more. With all of these powerful ingredients, this 10-in-1 formula provides vitamins A, C, D, and E, among others, to strengthen and revitalize the hair.

Red hair requires special attention and care. Fortunately, once you find the products and routines that work for you, it is not that hard. Using products that hydrate your hair and repair damage help to lock in color and minimize fading, as well as allow the color to appear more vibrant.

Take the right steps to keep your red hair bright and lively. At WOW Skin Science, we offer a wide range of products to help you along the way. Explore the WOW website for more natural hair care products. From our all natural sulfate, silicone and paraben-free hair care collection we recommend Apple Cider Vinegar Shampoo and Red Onion Black Seed Oil Shampoo. And if you would like to learn more about apple cider vinegar's benefits or onion oil's benefits check out our ultimate guide on how to use them on your hair.