HAIRS SAVING TRICKS

Color-Saving TricksWhether you dye your hair at home (a wallet-friendly strategy right off the bat) or go to the salon, there are ways to keep color costs under control.Pick a shade close to your own You don’t have to be Vidal Sassoon to realize that dyeing dark-brown hair platinum blonde is a high-maintenance, high-cost endeavor. For the most-flattering and longest-lasting results, stay within two shades of your natural color, suggests New York City colorist Kelly Van Gogh. And experts recommend thinking twice before going red or auburn—those shades are notoriously quick to fade.Choose the right dye formulaSemipermanent dye typically fades gradually over four to six weeks, so it won’t leave you with telltale roots if you’re short on cash and unable to get a touch up. Highlights are also a low-maintenance option. “Because you only color-select strands, it’s not as obvious when they grow out. There’s less upkeep, too,” Van Gogh says.Dare to DIYIf you love salon color, but don’t want to blow quite so much dough on it, why not occasionally do your own? If your color-ist typically gives you a single-process color, alternate with an at-home kit that’s meant to be applied only on new growth (not your whole head). We like Clairol Nice ’n Easy Root Touch-Up ($6.99). Highlights are trickier, for sure, but you can pull them off at home: For the best results, use a home highlighting kit, and just add several streaks along your hairline and part.Stretch it out with shampooShampoos for color-treated hair aren’t just a gimmick; experts agree that they can help you eke out an extra week or two between dye jobs. “They help seal the hair’s cuticle, preventing dye molecules from leaching out,” Van Gogh explains. Many also contain UV filters that protect your shade from fading due to sun exposure. Try Nature’s Gate Organics Color Protecting Shampoo ($7.99) or Nexxus Dualiste Shampoo Color Protection + Intense Hydration Shampoo ($11.99).Revitalize with a glazeIf your color’s starting to fade, use an at-home glaze like John Frieda Luminous Color Glaze ($9.99), Dorram suggests. Just don’t use it more than twice a week. “There are ingredients in glazes that can build up on your hair and dull the color if you use them too often,” she says