Bright color lives or dies in the shower. Look for shampoos made for color-treated hair and wash less often than you think you need to. Pureology Hydrate Shampoo For Dry Hair is a moisturizing, sulfate-free option for medium to thick hair, while Pureology Hydrate Sheer Shampoo for Fine Hair does the same job with a lighter touch. COLOR WOW Color Security Shampoo is sulfate free and formulated without ingredients that leave residue, and the brand says it prevents color fade. Oribe Beautiful Color Shampoo is a gentle cleanser that protects hair from the elements, and Kerastase Chroma Absolu is a sulfate-free shampoo for damaged color-treated hair, made for fine to medium strands.

Moroccanoil Hydrating Shampoo with Argan Oil is a daily shampoo for dry hair and lists color safe among its concerns. K18 DAMAGE SHIELD pH Protective Shampoo is a color-safe, pH-optimized cleanser, and Olaplex No.4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo targets everyday damage.

Pairing tip: wash with cool water, and rinse the last minute of your shower cold. It helps color last longer.

What I would skip: a strong clarifying shampoo the week after you dye. Save it for when your hair really feels coated.

If your color sits on top of bleach or highlights, repair matters as much as shade. Olaplex No.3PLUS Complete Bond Repair Pre-Shampoo Treatment Mask is a three-minute pre-shampoo treatment, and Olaplex No.5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner is a concentrated conditioner for medium to coarse hair. OUAI Bond Repair Balm Hair Mask is a balm for hair damaged from heat, color treating and breakage. Kerastase Chronologiste Hair Mask is rich and made for dry, dull or damaged hair, and Kerastase Blond Absolu Strengthening Hair Mask is made for blonde hair damaged from lightening treatments. L'Oreal Professionnel Absolut Repair Molecular Hair Mask uses bond-building peptides.

Then there is tone. dae Violet Hour Purple Shampoo and Moroccanoil Blonde Perfecting Purple Shampoo both counteract brassiness, and Moroccanoil's is sulfate free and made for blonde, lightened brunette and gray hair.

How I would use them: a mask once a week, a purple shampoo once every few washes, and nothing else on top.

What I would skip: a purple shampoo right before a vivid blue or pink. The violet can muddy a cool shade, so save it for your blonde days.

Start with the color you can picture on your Monday, not only your weekend. If you are new to this, a semi-permanent is a low commitment way to try it, and a strand test in daylight will tell you more than the swatch. Keep one color-safe shampoo, one repair mask and one shade you love. Hair color is the fun part, but hair that feels soft is what makes it look good. Then live in it for a few weeks, and decide if you want to go brighter or softer next time. Good dye young color is meant to be played with, so there is no reason to treat the first shade as forever.