The Best Shampoos For Coloured Hair

“You’re different, so you’ve got to learn how to treat yourself differently”

It’s a line I’ve found myself going back to often enough. And I couldn’t think of a better one to start this piece with. It was said in a completely different content, of course, one that was more about the vagaries of love, life and loss, sure. But who said that good writing can’t be contextualised for one’s benefit and the subject of what we’re writing about? After all, hair too is as potent a topic as love, life, and everything else.

Our hair dictates not just our mood but also how we appear to those around us. An unkept mop is instantly noticeable; as in a newly cut and/or coloured one. But if we want our coloured hair to send out the right kind of message, we’ve also got to understand that it needs to be taken care of a tad bit differently.

Coloured hair is different – why treat it like any other?

Whether we’re looking to tackle those ever-increasing number of grey hair (a sign of ageing, unfortunately) or just want to change our hair’s appearance with a shade that isn’t its original one, it’s important to ensure we’re also giving it the right kind of after-care as well.

Why Coloured Hair Need A Different Shampoo

You’d obviously want to know that, right? Since you’ve spent all that time and money getting your hair coloured to your preferred choice of shade, whatever be the reason, you might as well spend a few extra bucks and get a shampoo specifically designed for coloured hair.

Regular shampoos can strip your hair colour or dye far sooner than you’d like, since they aren’t gentle enough to handle coloured hair. And if you’re shampoo isn’t sulphate-free, the harsh detergent-like ingredient in it will further aid in colour removal.

Coloured hair also needs an extra dosage of moisture since most hair colours tend to damage the hair shaft, and a regular shampoo isn’t always equipped with that ability either. No matter what your reason, whether is to counter grey hair or simply get yourself a new look, if you're making a choice to colour your hair, you've also got to make another one to treat it right.

Which is why, as soon as your get your hair coloured, pretty much right away, invest in a shampoo specifically created to tackle coloured hair. This is one of those situations, where anything ‘regular’ just won’t make the cut!

How To Choose A Shampoo For Coloured Hair

Now that you’ve been convinced (hopefully!), let’s dive into the ‘how’ of it all. When you’re browsing through options, of which there are a million, watch out for a few, key terms to help you choose the right kind of shampoo for your coloured hair.

Firstly, ensure the shampoo has sulphate-free cleansing ingredients such as sodium cocoyl isethionate and disodium laureth sulfosuccinate, among others. A shampoo that offers UV protection is also a good option since hair colour tends to fade faster thanks to exposure to sun’s harmful rays. Lastly, a shampoo with a good bunch of nourishing ingredients such as panthenol, keratin, silk protein and argan, jojoba or coconut oil will definitely work well when it comes to nourishing and strengthening your hair.

Best Shampoos For Coloured Hair

Here’s our selection of the best shampoos for coloured hair out there. Take your pick!

Kevin Murphy Cool Angel Color Enhancing Treatment

₹2,750 (250 ml)

Schwarzkopf Professional Color Freeze Shampoo

₹1,975 (1000 ml)

L’Oreal Professionnel Vitamino Color Shampoo

₹790 (300 ml)

Kérastase Paris Bain Chroma Respect Shampoo

₹2,950 (250 ml)

Milk_Shake Colour Care Colour Maintainer Shampoo

₹1,200 (300 ml)

Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo

₹3,200 (250 ml)

Bare Anatomy Color Protect Shampoo

₹595 (250 ml)