Hey momoluvers, it's Momo. If you're thinking of changing up your hair color for the new year, this guide will be a life saver! I have done extensive research to include the best tips and tricks, as well as awesome products formulated specifically for your hair type. I included superlative expert advice from real stylists. I hope you find this helpful, let me know what you think!

Step 1: Leave-In Treatments

1. Leave in conditioners
Leave in conditioners can help detangle messy knotted hair. They can also help protect against heat tools in your next use, although, a heat protectant should still be used. There are specially formulated leave in conditioners that are designed to protect color treated hair. If you use irons or heat on your hair a lot, this is especially useful to protect and soften.

GREAT leave-in conditioners:

1. Ouidad Moisture Lock Leave-in Conditioner~10$

2. Aussie Hair Insurance Leave-in Conditioner Spray~3.43$

3. It's a 10 Miracle Leave-in Product~9$

4. Not Your Mother's Kinky Moves Leave-In Conditioner~6.19$

2. Dry shampoos
Dry shampoo is the holy grail for dyed hair. First off, washing your hair every shower can be very wearing on your hair. Over time, the hair will become less healthy and the color will fade gradually. Using dry shampoo in between washes can keep the color vibrant longer. Secondly, applying dry shampoo instead of washing your hair keeps the natural oils in your hair longer, which allows your hair to grow long and thick. The powder in the dry shampoo takes away the greasy look but doesn't remove the natural oils.
STAY AWAY from these dry shampoos:
1. Oscar Blandi Pronto Dry Shampoo Spray. This product has been said to be "a total waste" because of the smell, cost, and dandruff-like residue.
2. Tresemmé Fresh Start Volumizing Dry Shampoo. People have said this product leaves a sticky residue making hair greasiest than before.

GREATdry shampoos:

1. Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo~24.08$
2. Batiste Dry Shampoo Clean and Classic~8.55$
3. Not Your Mother's Clean Freak Refreshing Dry Shampoo~8.99$

3. DIY Natural Enhancers
You can easily make your own color enhancers that keep your hair brighter and aren't harmful.
One example is the lemon juice and water mixture. Simply mix these together and put the mixture into a spray bottle. Coat your hair lightly in it and sit outside in the sun for at least an hour and your hair will be lightened slightly. This enhancer keeps your hair from turning dull or brassy.

Another example is honey and olive oil. Mix together equal amounts of these ingredients and massage the mixture into damp hair.

4. Hair masks
A monthly hair mask can increase shine and strength of your hair as well as a long lasting conditioning effect.
You can usually purchase quality hair masks without any harmful ingredients, or you can make your own with the many recipes out there. They usually consist of olive oil, yogurt, honey, or cider vinegar.

GREAT hair masks:

1. Macadamia Oil Deep Repair Mask~19.49$

2. Moroccanoil Intense Hydrating Mask~29.99$

Step 2: Picking the Perfect Shampoo

Some shampoos can be very damaging and strip away color and shine. There are, however, awesome shampoos made just for your color type.

Great examples for blonde hair:
1. John Frieda Sheer Blonde Highlight Activating Moisturizing Enhancing Shampoo~4.99$ Keeps hair shiny and makes highlights last longer
2. Herbal Essences Color Me Happy Color Safe Shampoo~3.19$ Agreed to have an amazing fragrance and restore shine to dull hair.
3. Blonde Sexy Hair Sulfate-Free Bright Blonde Shampoo~15$ Takes away brassiness, increases strength and health. "This is my ultimate favorite and I've been trying different products for almost 8 years." ~Kerry Hancock; Amazon

Great examples for red hair:
1. TRESemmé Color Revitalize Shampoo~5.49$ good alternative to expensive salon brands, that still keeps color full of shine and vibrancy.

2. Joico Color Infuse Red Shampoo~12.49$ Increase shine and decrease frizz. Adds a rosy glow and prevents color from stripping.

3.Giovanni Colorflage Dailey Color Defense Shampoo, Remarkably Red~6.29$ Fade resistant system and red berry blend for lasting multi-dimensional radiance. Perfect for all types of redheads.

Great examples for brown and black hair:

1. Paul Mitchell Color Protect Daily Shampoo~12.50$ Gentle cleanse and care for color treated hair that revitalizes and restores all hair types

2. Matrix Biolage Colorlast Shampoo~15.99$ Helps maintain color depth, tone and shine for vibrant color treated hair.

3. John Frieda Brilliant Brunette Color Protecting Shampoo~4.33$ Rehydrates and replenishes dry, color-treated brunette hair.

Step 3: Using Heat

When using irons or blowdryers, color can seriously be stripped away and left unhealthy if used incorrectly. There are basic steps you can take to prevent this damage from occurring.

First off, the most obvious one, heat protectants. A heat protectant provides the best protection against irons and without a good one, your hair will eventually fade and the color will be ruined.

GREAT heat protectants:

1. TRESemme Thermal Creations Heat Tamer Protective Spray~3.57$

2. Moroccanoil Protect Styling Spray for Heat Styling~23.20$

3. Beat the Heat Thermal Styling Spray~6.19$

Next, know what heat setting to put your irons on. If you set it too high, this can cause serious damage to your hair, and strip it of its natural shine and softness. If you have thin hair, set the temperature from 300-320*F. If you have medium thickness like I do, set the temperature from 330-360*F. If you have thick hair, set the temperature from 370-410*F. Anything out of your range is risky.

Instead of blow drying your hair constantly, try air drying. Although you can protect your hair with a heat protectant, it benefits you to use heat as little as possible. Using a good leave in conditioner or texturing cream can shape your curls and allow for a controlled style.If you wash your hair at night, it can dry for a good 8 or more hours so you aren't stuck in the morning blow drying.

Purchase quality tools! If you have nice heat tools, they won't do as much damage to your hair as regular drugstore tools do. Some of them aren't cheap, so if you want the best quality hair, it's a bit of an investment.

Step 4: Best Remedies for Damaged Hair

If you dyed your hair a while ago and it's already damaged, not all hope is lost! You can still restore your hair shine and strength with natural remedies.

For dry hair: Make a 'Shampoo Omelet'. Mix one egg with 1/2 tsp of shampoo. Then apply it to your hair for five minutes and rinse it out. The proteins in your hair are slightly enhanced with this remedy and damaged hair is restored. Apply this mask once a week for best results.

For dull hair: Sour cream or plain yogurt can restore color and shine to dull hair. Massage about 1/4 cup into damp hair and let sit for 25 minutes. Wash out thoroughly and reapply in a week.

For dry and heat damaged hair: Apply about 2 tbsp of honey and 1 tbsp of olive oil into damp hair. This remedy helps restore keratin protein bonds that are damaged by heat.

For frizzy hair: Try an avocado mask. The oils and proteins in avocados boost nutrients and smooth frizzy hair. Use about 1/4 of the avocado and massage it into damp hair. Let it sit for 20 minutes. Apply every 2 weeks.

You can purchase great remedies here:

Moroccanoil Treatment Light~15$ This mask is great for blonde and lighter hair shades to add shine and restore split ends.

Tropganic Treatment Hair Mask with Argan Oil~13$ Adds moisture and shine to dry and color-treated hair types.

TIGI S-Factor True Lasting Colour~12.99$ Contains ultra sheer oils that naturally enhance color vibrancy and protect against heat.

Step 5: Tips and Tricks

1. Wash your hair in cold water. Washing your hair in cold water often will increase color vibrancy.

2. Avoid using harsh chemicals. PPD, Hydrogen peroxide, Ammonia, DMDM Hydantoin, Parabens like Methylparabens and Propylparabens, Lead Acetate, Sulfates, Sodium chloride, and Resorcinol are extremely harmful to hair and unfortunately have been found in many hair products. When purchasing hair products, make sure to check for harmful chemicals first.

3. Get a haircut often. Getting a light trim every 5-8 weeks can prevent split ends and keep hair healthy.

4. Use a sulfate-free shampoo. Sulfate-free shampoo prolongs color vibrancy and gently cleanses hair instead of stripping it like harsher shampoos.

5. Use heat tools sparingly. Try to use heat tools as little as possible because they can be harmful without protectant and overtime damage hair.

6. Hair mask for blondes or light hair once a week. Any of the masks I mentioned earlier would work great if applied once a week. This will prevent hair from turning brassy and keep it healthy.

7. Silver or purple shampoo. Also for blondes, using a purple or silver shampoo will protect against brassy colors as well. They are gentle and safe even for fine hair.

8. Condition hair first when you wash it. "Wet your hair, run conditioner through it, and shampoo directly on top of the conditioner. This puts a barrier between your color and the shampoo while still removing excess natural oils. Next step: Recondition, rinse, and go," says professional stylist Shaun Surething.

9. Protect your new do! UV light weakens your hair by breaking down proteins. Color-treated hair is extra sensitive to UV rays so you always have to make sure you use a heat protectant or color protector.

10. Keep your vivd red from fading. For redheads, use a color safe shampoo and conditioner and about one a week, apply a colorless glaze for long term va-va-voom!

11. Apply oils every 3 days. Oils like Argan, Moroccan, Macadamia, help extend the life of color vibrancy and shine.

12. Less is more! Using less shampoo, conditioners, oils, etc. save your products so that they can last longer, therefore, SAVING MONEY!

13. Try a moisture treatment. This Aussie 3 minute miracle is a great moisture treatment. Moisture treatments are great for restoring color and shine.

14. Comb, don't brush! Purchase a wide tooth comb and use that to detangle hair instead of a brush. Wide tooth combs are gentle and detangle well. Some brushes can cause breakage but wide tooth combs are great for this.

15. Take some vitamins or supplements.Biotin and are great for growing hair fast and keeping it healthy.

16. Give your hair a break once in a while. Every so often, take a break from heat tools, harsh brushes, or hair products.

17. Be gentle when towel drying. Whenever you towel dry your hair, be very gentle because when your hair is wet, it is easier to break and get damaged. Using a cotton t shirt can absorb wetness better than a standard towel.

18. Natural, heatless hairdos. If your natural hair just isn't working for you, but you don't want to se heat, there are lots of hairstyles you can do with no heat that still look good! Check some out here.

19. Customized tips. There are websites online where you enter in your hair profile and you get customized tips and recommendations from experts.

20. Natural waves. When you have dyed hair, natural, heatless waves are the way to go. Try applying mousse and scrunching your hair with a t shirt. You could also try loosely braiding your hair for beauty waves. Another method is twisting your hair in your hand for tight ringlets.

Step 6: Sources Used

"Blonde Hair: 20 Ways to Care For Your Golden Locks." StyleCaster. N.p., 25 Sept. 2013. Web. 01 Jan. 2016.

"How to Lighten the Colour of Your Hair." 3 Ways to Lighten the Colour of Your Hair. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Jan. 2016.

"How to Take Care of Color Treated Hair." : 10 Steps (with Pictures). N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Jan. 2016.

"LEMME BREAK IT DOWN." The Beauty Department Your Daily Dose of Pretty. N.p., 10 May 2011. Web. 01 Jan. 2016.

"9 Benefits of a Monthly Hair Mask." Three Fat Chicks on a Diet Best Weight Loss Support Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Jan. 2016.

"9 Best Types of Shampoos for Blondes ..." Hair on Allwomenstalk. N.p., 18 Nov. 2012. Web. 01 Jan. 2016.

"7 Compelling Reasons Not to Wash Your Hair ..." Hair on Allwomenstalk. N.p., 29 June 2012. Web. 01 Jan. 2016.

"6 Best Dry Shampoos -- and the 2 Worst." TotalBeauty. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Jan. 2016.

"26 Tips to Help Protect Color-Treated Hair & Keep It Looking Fabulous." 26 Tips to Help Protect Color-Treated Hair & Keep It Looking Fabulous. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Jan. 2016.

"Curl or Straighten Your Hair? 5 Tips to Avoid Hair Damage - Discover Good Nutrition, Fitness & Beauty." Discover Good Nutrition, Fitness & Beauty. N.p., 20 Nov. 2013. Web. 01 Jan. 2016.

"How To Avoid Hair Damage from Blow Dryers, Flat Irons, and Curling Irons." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 01 Jan. 2016.

"DIY Hair Treatments." Woman's Day. N.p., 17 June 2013. Web. 01 Jan. 2016.

"22 Hair Color Tips No One Ever Told You." BuzzFeed. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Jan. 2016.

"Tips for Color-Treated Hair." Martha Stewart. N.p., 01 Sept. 2011. Web. 01 Jan. 2016.

"25 Tips & Tricks for Color Treated Hair." Hairspray and Highheels. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Jan. 2016.

"Bad Hair Days: Why You Get Them and How to Fix Them." : Hair Care Tips: Hair Care Advice: Cosmetics Cop Expert Advice. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Jan. 2016.