What to Look for in a Shampoo and Conditioner for Coloured Hair in 2026, Recommended by Professionals

Whether your hair is bleached, fine, highlighted or chemically treated, professional stylists share why Pureology shampoos and conditioners work for colour-treated hair

United Kingdom, London , May 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stopping colour fade between salon appointments – that is the age-long question asked by women around the country looking to keep their hair looking fresh and vibrant. Often the secret to maintaining colour vibrancy comes down to one thing: what you’re washing your hair with. Finding the right shampoo and conditioner is crucial, so you can continue to care for your hair without stripping colour with every wash.

To find out what that looks like in practice, we asked the professionals, the colourists and stylists who spend their days working with coloured hair.

Pureology has been a professional staple for years. Sulfate free across the entire range, 100% vegan formulas, and formulated specifically for colour treated hair, it's built around a single purpose: keeping colour in for longer. Its AntiFade Complex, provides a gentle lather that seals the cuticle, helping protect hair from damage and lock in colour vibrancy for longer.

Shampoos and Conditioners:

Pureology Strength Cure Shampoo & Conditioner

Best for: bleached, damaged or colour-compromised hair

Bleaching puts hair under significant stress. The process raises the hair cuticle, making hair more susceptible to damage and breakage. For anyone who colours regularly, and especially those who bleach, repair needs to be the starting point, not an afterthought.

Pureology Strength Cure system for damaged hair, designed to help target chemical and environmental damage, these hair repair products contain Keravis, Ceramide and Arginine to help strengthen hair and seal the cuticle to help protect from future damage. Strength Cure colour-treated hair products feature the Asta-Repair complex to help support hair health and luster.

Blonde specialist and Pureology Pro Ambassador @carlybrown9 uses it on her own hair:
"As a blonde specialist I truly believe hair health starts with strength. Pureology strength cure restores hair strength, helping to rebuild compromised strands. Luxury repair is now within reach, strength starts here."

Pureology Hydrate Sheer Shampoo & Conditioner

Best for: fine, coloured hair that needs hydration without weight

Bleached and highlighted hair is thirsty hair. The colouring process can leave hair feeling dry and more susceptible to breakage, making nourishment essential for maintaining both hair health and colour vibrancy. The problem, for those with finer strands, is that some conditioning shampoos deliver nourishment at the cost of volume, leaving hair limp and flat.

Luxurious, lightweight, rich-lather shampoo. The gentle, light hydrating system of shampoo and conditioner revitalizes, softens, and nourishes fine, dry colour-treated hair. The shampoo is silicone-free and sulfate-free to allow for gentle cleansing. Formulated with key ingredients Jojoba, Green Tea, and Sage and a signature aromatherapy blend of Lavendar, Bergamot, and Patchouli. The result is genuine moisture, enough to make a difference to bleached or highlighted hair without the heaviness. The conditioner works in the same way, nourishing and detangling without weighing strands down.

Stylist and blonde specialist @daisy_goord has been using it on herself and her clients for years:

“Pureology Hydrate Sheer Shampoo is a staple for myself and my clients when it comes to looking after their hair. Being a stylist who focuses on mainly blonde clientele hydration is key for keeping their bleached hair healthy and strong. It's simple to use but feels and is luxury for your hair.

If the spa like smell alone doesn't grab your attention the way your hair feels after using it certainly will, think hydration without weighing your hair down. That's why it's the shampoo I recommend most for my clients and have used on my own hair for years.

Having the Sheer option in the Pureology Hydrate range was a game changer for myself and my clients with naturally finer hair that gets weighed down easily. Still the same incredible hydrating results just without any heaviness.”

Why Professionals Use It
The reasons professionals keep returning to Pureology are consistent across the board:

Sulfate-free: Pureology's sulfate-free formulas provide a gentle lather, helping cleanse the hair without stripping the colour.
100% vegan: Every formula is entirely free from animal-derived ingredients, without any compromise on performance.
Built for colour-treated hair: the brand holds an exclusive ‘anti-colour-fade complex’, designed to expertly care for colour-treated hair. Developed from the ground up for hair that has been coloured, bleached or chemically treated.

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About Pureology
Pureology is a professional colour care brand offering transformative results with an unparalleled blend of gentleness and performance. In its simplest sense, the Pureology name (pure x ology) exquisitely blends two ideas to construct your ideal hair care journey: Sensory x efficacy. Pure x scientific. Lavish experience x unmatched quality.

With our signature sulfate-free lather, enticing aromas, and silky-smooth results, Pureology strives to stimulate the senses while protecting each precious hair strand during washing. All of this is delivered through 100% vegan formulas that carefully preserve your colour without compromise.

Founded in California, Pureology launched with a promise of superior colour care that refused to sacrifice purity for performance. We remain the pioneers of pure, gentle formulas that not only feel, look, and smell indulgent, but also deliver real, professional results.

Q&A

How often should I wash colour-treated hair? It really depends on your hair. People with coloured hair often worry about washing their hair too frequently because it can accelerate fade. However, when you wash with a shampoo like Pureology, you're cleansing without stripping due to its expert colour protect formula.
My hair feels dry and brittle after bleaching. What should I be using? Bleaching can cause that dry, snapping feeling. You need a shampoo and conditioner that actively helps strengthen your hair inside-out, not just adds surface softness. Pureology Strength Cure is formulated specifically for this, it contains Keravis, Ceramide and Arginine to help strengthen compromised strands.
I have fine hair but it's bleached and needs moisture. Everything I try either doesn't hydrate enough or weighs my hair flat. What do I do? This is genuinely one of the most common frustrations in the salon. Fine, bleached hair needs hydration but can sometimes be weighed down by the heaviness of the formula. Pureology Hydrate Sheer was built exactly for this, it's silicone-free and lightweight but delivers real nourishment, not just the appearance of it. Your hair will feel soft and conditioned without losing any volume or movement.
Is vegan haircare actually as effective as traditional formulas? The assumption that vegan means less effective is outdated. Pureology has been 100% vegan since its founding and is consistently recommended by professional colourists, not because of its credentials, but because of its results. The formulas are built around performance first.
Should I use a different shampoo in summer versus winter? In summer, UV exposure can lead to colour fade. Heat, chlorine from swimming and salt water all compound this. In winter, central heating and cold air can also strip moisture. The good news is that Pureology's AntiFade Complex, works year-round against both. If anything, you might find your hair needs extra moisture support in winter, leaning into Pureology’s Hydrate or Hydrate Sheer during the colder months makes sense for most coloured hair types.

Ellie Ford, Advocacy & Influence Manager, Redken & Pureology eleanor.ford@loreal.com

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