For those of us not born with a naturally beautiful hair color, highlighting and coloring are the only options to attain a less mousy or more flattering hue.  The only trouble is, how to maintain our chemically enhanced shade after spending all the time and money it requires.  I mean really—after dropping $125+ and 2 hours shrouded in foil, I want my luminous locks to remain so for as long as possible!  As a former marketing writer for a major beauty distributor (a perk of which included a fabulous employee discount on hair products), I have coated my hair in nearly every brand of shampoo and conditioner out there and let me tell ya, not all shampoos are created equally.  So for those of you paddling along in my blonded boat, here are a few suggestions from a self-proclaimed hair product junkie on which brands to try.

Pantene Pro-V

Ok, so you don’t have to work for a beauty distributor to get the inside scoop on Pantene.  After all, it’s sold everywhere.  BUT, what impresses me about Pantene is its bang for the buck.  So, if pinching pennies is on the top of your priority list and things like rent and groceries come ahead of hair products, give this brand a try.  It will keep your hair shiny and smooth and help it to hold its color.

Pureology

On the other end of the spectrum we have Pureology—a bit on the spendy side, Pureology’s entire mission is promoting hair health and maintaining the highlights.  This brand’s primary demographic is us foil heads.  With a wide array of shampoos, conditioners and styling products, Pureology is the brand to use to ensure your hair stays looking its best.  And for an added bonus, Pureology is now sold at Target!

Redken color Extend

For $45 on Amazon I recently bought a 33.8 oz. bottle of Redken’s Color Extend Shampoo and the conditioner in the same quantity.  67.6 ounces of hair product for $45?  Yes, please!  And I’m loving it!  My only advice is, if you have thin fine hair (ahem, like me), only use a small amount of the conditioner.  This stuff is super thick and will leave your hair limp and soft if you use too much.

Aquage Color Extend

I love Aquage—probably because I’m an ocean-lover and Aquage sets itself apart by using a mainly sea-botanical formula.  Their styling products work wonders with my hair as do their hydrating shampoo.  As for the Color Extend, it’s a great product but should really only be used by those of you who have thick hair.  No matter how little I use, the Color Extend conditioner leaves my hair a bit on the listless side, but for those of you with more than four hairs on your head, it will leave your locks full and bouncy.  I can’t recommend this brand enough.