The 8 Best Shampoos for Color-Treated Hair, According to Lab Testing
The top formulas stopped fading for a month—and kept color salon vibrant.
Tested by Chiara ButlerBeauty and Personal Care Lab Reviews Analyst
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Whether you’ve just refreshed your hair color at the salon or dyed your hair at home, the last thing you want is to wash that gorgeous color down the drain. Thankfully, the best color-protecting shampoos can slow down the fade. Believe it or not, water is what strips color when you wash your hair, not the shampoo itself, so color safe shampoos aim to protect your strands from water. “The formulas use special conditioning agents that coat your hair’s surface to prevent dye molecules from escaping,” says GH Beauty Lab Director Sabina Wizemann.
Our top picks:
- Best Overall: Redken Acidic Color Gloss Sulfate-Free Shampoo
- Best Value: Tresemmé Revitalized Color Shampoo
- Best for Shine: Biolage Color Last Shampoo
- Best Volumizing: Ceremonia Guava Color Protect & Damage Repair Shampoo
To find out which shampoo protects hair color the best, our scientists put the latest products on the market to a controlled, head-to-head test in the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab. GH Beauty Lab Reviews Analyst Chiara Butler dyed real human hair samples and washed them with our test shampoos 20 times each to assess color fading. She also sent the shampoos (with the brand names hidden) to 76 consumer testers across the country to get real-world feedback. Below, find the best shampoos for color-treated hair according our test, plus recommendations from salon professionals.
Best Deal
Pros
- Reduced hair color fading for a month in Lab testing
- Makes color look rich, shiny, and vibrant
- Effectively cleanses and softens hair
Cons
- Pricey
For hair color that stays salon-level vivid and glossy long-term, look no further than this Redken formula and its corresponding conditioner, which won the GH Beauty Lab's most recent shampoo for colored hair test. Though pricey, the products earned the best score for preventing hair color from fading over a month of simulated wear.
Our testers said: This set was the best at making color look shiny, richer, and more vibrant. An impressive 100% of users agreed the set left hair clean and soft. “My hair color did not fade using these” and “they left my hair feeling silky and shiny,” two reported. Others noted that the conditioner was “thick” and “hydrating."
| Hair Type | All |
| Size | 10.1. fl oz. |
Pros
- Reduced hair color fading over a month
- Thoroughly cleanses hair
- Strong conditioning effects
Cons
- Some testers thought the bottles were bulky
Tresemmé’s drugstore shampoo with matching conditioner delivers a luxe shower experience—and real hair color-extending effects—at a bargain price (for a huge bottle!). In my most recent test, they performed almost as well as the winner at keeping color intact, plus got raves from users on their scent and cleansing.
The products ranked near the top for protecting hair color from fading for a month and tied for best at conditioning in Lab tests. They also rated highly for being simple to use (however some noted that the bottles were bulky and they'd prefer pumps for easier dispensing).
Our testers said: A full 100% of testers agreed the shampoo created plentiful lather, made hair feel cleansed, and didn’t irritate. “The lather was very foamy and satisfying,” one said. “My hair color stayed vibrant,” another added. Several commented on the “wonderful” scent and how shiny their hair was after use.
| Hair Type | All |
| Size | 28 fl. oz. |
Pros
- Purifies hair
- Won't strip hair color
- Lightweight
Cons
- May not lather as easily
This protein-infused shampoo (and its conditioner counterpart) from Nexxus win the praises of color pros thanks to its ability to remove product buildup without stripping color.
Expert says: "It prevents fading on any color-treated hair and maintains hair health," says New York City hairstylist Patrick Kyle. One reviewer wrote that it takes a decent amount of shampoo to get a good lather, however.
RELATED: 13 Best Clarifying Shampoos to Remove Buildup and Deep Clean Hair
| Hair Type | Oily, fine |
| Size | 33.8 fl. oz. |
Pros
- Adds shine
- Gentle formula
- Leaves hair soft
Cons
- Not smoothing
Infused with antioxidant-packed soybean oil to condition and seal in moisture, this Color Last shampoo from Biolage also contains stearic acid to coat hair in a protective veil to keep color intact. According to the brand, it helps prevent color fade for up to four weeks and leaves hair with 35% more shine after a single use.
Our testers said: “Overall, my hair feels soft and shiny,” a tester said. “I don’t feel like my hair faded from this wash, but will continue to use to see. I found the shampoo and conditioner to have a nice scent and I found the packaging interesting and lightweight. I would say my biggest con is still my hair is quite frizzy with this shampoo; it’s not very smoothing.”
| Hair Type | All |
| Size | 33.8 fl. oz. |
Pros
- Effectively conditions and smooths hair
- Lathers well
- Easy to use
Cons
- Not as strong hair color protection
This affordable Pantene shampoo and corresponding conditioner tied for the top score in GH Beauty Lab testing for conditioning hair, and 100% of testers agreed the shampoo provided a lush lather. The products also scored highly for being easy to dispense. One drawback: They didn't perform as well at hair color protection. That said, testers praised the formulas.
Our testers said: "Even on the most humid days, this left my hair smooth and sleek and eliminated my need for additional smoothing products," a user raved. "I had a luxurious blowout look without any of the time and effort!”
| Hair Type | Coarse, frizzy, dry |
| Size | 10.4 fl. oz. |
Pros
- Second best at preventing hair color fade
- Lathers well
- Appealing scent
Cons
- Not as effective at conditioning
This shampoo from beloved salon brand IGK has a luxurious lather, and when used with its matching conditioner had powerful color-protecting effects in GH Beauty Lab testing. They came in second for stopping hair color from fading over one month in Lab evaluations.
Our testers said: The duo's pleasant scent, which one user called "divine," also rated highly. While testers found they rinsed easily, be aware that these formulas didn't perform well at conditioning hair. "I actually got a lot of compliments on my color recently and this might be why," a tester noted.
| Hair Type | Oily or fine hair |
| Size | 8 fl. oz. |
Pros
- High score for color protection
- Boosts shine
- Leaves hair feeling clean and full
Cons
- Lowest level of conditioning tested, so may be better for fine hair
Ceremonia's shampoo infused with plant extracts helps hair color resist fading without weighing hair down. In Beauty Lab testing with its conditioner, the two ranked highly at protecting color and making it shiny. They also made strands feel clean, but the "thin" formulas scored lowest for conditioning effects.
Our testers said: Hair was "very full" and "lively" after using these, two testers commented.
| Hair Type | Fine, oily |
| Size | 8.45 fl. oz. |
Pros
- Gentle cleansing
- Helps prevent color fading
- Created for blonde hair
Cons
- Scent is polarizing
Due to the bleaching process, blonde dyed hair can be even more prone to damage and dryness. Enter this Schwarzkopf shampoo formulated specially for blondes, which celebrity hairstylist Michael Dueñas raves "helps strengthen the hair internally."
The castor oil ingredient leaves hair feeling incredibly soft and shiny, he adds. It's "also gentle with cleansing and retains your hair's natural moisture, ensuring you don’t strip away your artificial color," Dueñas says.
Our testers said: The scent was polarizing among users, though; while some raved about the "clean" aroma, another user called it "overpowering."
RELATED: Best Purple Shampoos
| Hair Type | Damaged, dry |
| Size | 10.1 fl. oz. |
How we test shampoos for colored hair
As the reviews analyst in the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab, Chiara Butler tested the latest shampoos for colored hair alongside each product's matching conditioner both in the Lab and with consumer testers at home. In the most recent test, she narrowed down 97 new products to the top contenders across a range of prices based on their color-protecting claims.
In the Lab, Butler conducted a color fade resistance test. She dyed 17 white human hair swatches with red hair dye. Then, using a special washing station that controls water temperature and flow rate, Butler washed and dried the dyed hair with each shampoo and conditioner 20 times to simulate a month of wear. For comparison, she washed some hair with a control shampoo and conditioner with no color-protecting claims. Additionally, Butler exposed the hair swatches to 19 hours of UV light to simulate daily sun exposure.
She then measured the change in hair color with the VeriVide DigiEye machine (below). Butler also determined the hair conditioning ability of the shampoo-conditioner sets using the Instron device, which measures the force needed to comb wet hair samples washed with the products.
To test real-world performance, she hid the brand labels on shampoo and conditioner sets and distributed them to 76 consumer testers who used them for two weeks, then completed a survey about the products’ ease of use, formula attributes, and how their hair looked and felt after use. At the end of the test, Butler tallied 208 technical measurements and 1,513 consumer survey responses to determine the winning formulas.
What to look for in a shampoo for colored hair
Here are the GH Beauty Lab's top tips for buying the best shampoo for color-treated hair:
✔️ Don't worry about "sulfate-free." It’s a myth that sulfates in a shampoo cause hair color to fade faster. Our testing in the Beauty Lab shows that shampoos with sulfates can actually perform better than sulfate-free formulas at preventing color fading. In our most recent test, the sulfate-containing Tresemmé formula outperformed two sulfate-free formulas in color protection. As a cosmetic chemist who has formulated shampoos, Butler can say that the overall formulation of the product—including the addition of color-protecting polymers and UV-shielding ingredients—is more important than the absence of a single ingredient.
✔️ Check for specific color-protecting claims. After reviewing the product entries for this test, Butler recommend seeking out trusted brands and specific number-based claims about protecting hair color. For example, “provides long-lasting color vibrancy for up to 32 washes,” which is claimed by our winner Redken Acidic Color Gloss Shampoo and Conditioner. Those numerical claims, especially when made by a well-known brand, indicate a higher level of testing than very broad claims like "helps keep hair looking vibrant" or "for colored hair."
✔️ Use the matching set. In GH Beauty Lab testing, we always use the matching shampoo and conditioner set together because they are formulated to work the best together and are tested together during their development. The brands’ claims about color protection are usually based on washing hair with both products in a set.
Do you really need special shampoo for colored hair?
Not necessarily, but it can help. The biggest contributor to color fading during your wash is actually the water, not the shampoo. Hair science expert Dr. Trefor Evans describes in this article that dyed hair fades about the same whether it is washed with water and shampoo or just water. One way color-protecting shampoos help prevent fading is with special hydrophobic polymers that prevent the dye molecules in the hair strand from being washed away by water. Because UV light is also a culprit of color fading, you can protect your hair color by staying out of the sun or keeping your hair protected with a hat.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
GH Beauty Lab Reviews Analyst Chiara Butler is a cosmetic chemist who has formulated shampoos and conditioners. She conducted the Beauty Lab's most recent test of shampoos and conditioners for colored hair and updated the piece.
GH Senior Style & Beauty Director April Franzino worked closely with our Beauty Lab scientists to research and write this story with the Lab's testing data and expert insights.
Chiara (she/her) is a reviews analyst in the Beauty and Personal Care Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she’s been doing hands-on testing of beauty products since 2022. She also covers aesthetic treatments like injectables and lasers. She earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Columbia University. Before joining GH, she worked as a cosmetic chemist, formulating skincare products for a variety of brands and learning to decode ingredient lists, evaluate ingredient efficacy and scrutinize product claims. When not at GH, you can find her wandering the beauty aisles of the drugstore.
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