These Gentle Shampoos Won’t Strip or Fade Your Freshly Colored Hair

When you’ve gone through the time and effort to get your perfect color—the one that compliments your skin tone, looks amazingly shiny, and gives you a confidence boost—you want to keep it that way.

Unfortunately, the wrong shampoo can easily ruin colored hair. “There are a lot of cleansing ingredients in a run-of-the-mill shampoo that can be detrimental to your color,” says Los Angeles-based celebrity hair stylist Josh Miramontes. “You can get your color freshly done, wash with the wrong shampoo, and you’ll find your color is straight gone.”

During the dying process, your cuticle gets raised a bit to deposit color molecules, says Miramontes. The goal, then, is: “how can we be as gentle to these strands to keep the dye molecules inside the hair?”

To make that happen, your cleansing product should be not only safe for color-treated hair, but designed for color-treated hair. (There’s a distinction!) These shampoos will maintain the brilliancy of your new hue, protect it against environmental damage that causes fading, and infuse it with strengthening ingredients, which will improve the health of your hair, thereby making color appear more vibrant.

How to choose the best shampoo for color-treated hair

Figure out your sulfate situation: “Sulfate- and paraben-free shampoos are trendy right now, and that’s what you want to look for, as sulfates are harsh and can strip hair,” says Miramontes. To identify them on your product, either keep an eye out for the words “sulfate-free” or search for ingredients like sodium laurel sulfate and sulfonated oils, adds pro stylist Linda Licocci, founder of Blade Hair Skin Body in Chicago.

However, the advice to buy sulfate-free differs if you’re a blonde and using a purple toning shampoo (which is used to neutralize brassiness). “In that circumstance, you need sulfates to open the cuticle and deposit the pigments into the hair. Otherwise, you won’t get the toning that you need or want,” says Miramontes. When in doubt, ask your stylist whether or not sulfates are right for your color.

Look for UV protectants: “UV protection is a big factor in hair damage and color oxidation. The sun literally bleaches out your hair with UV rays,” Miramontes says. Ideally, your shampoo contains UVA and UVB filters or heat protectants. If it doesn’t, look for them in one of your styling products, he says, such as your hair oil or leave-in conditioner.

Splurge a little: Not all shampoos are created equal, which is why color-safe products exist in the first place. Getting color or highlights is expensive, and it’s important to protect your investment, says Miramontes. While you can get good shampoos at all price points, consider your choice of shampoo an extension of your color treatment. Translation: Spend a little more if it’s in your budget.

Now that you have the basics down, it’s time to find the right product for your shade. Here, the best color-treated shampoos to consider that won’t strip or fade your color.