Over the past few days, multiple people have asked me how I've managed to keep the pink/red in my hair vibrant for so many months. It's a bit tedious to explain each and every time, so I thought it'd be cool to not only share all that I've learned, but to put my knowledge about the process in a handy post, so that I can just share the link whenever I'm asked again.

And please feel free to share your own hair color expertise in the comments! It's always good to learn more, right?

Before coloring, make sure your hair is clean. Strip away all that dirt and nasty build-up. Shampoo thoroughly, but do not use conditioner. Conditioner seals the hair and the dye won't be able to hold as well.

Of course, you have to first make sure that the dye you're using is meant to stay in the hair for a long period of time. Read more about that here. Secondly, if you're trying to put some light color onto dark hair, you'll probably need to bleach, otherwise the color will fade wickedly quickly. The dye I've been using for the past year or so is L'Oreal Colour Rays, which doesn't require bleaching because it's already included in the process. Perfect for my naturally black hair. If you're getting your hair done at a salon, discuss these options with the stylist.

Normally, I shampoo and condition every single day, but that's when I don't care about fading or I'm waiting for my roots to grow out so that I can do something new. When I want to keep fading to a minimum, I wash my hair about four or five times a week. On only three of those four or five occasions do I use shampoo. The rest of the time, I just use conditioner. This is just what works for me... If your hair gets oily or greasy really easily, then, for the love of God, wash your hair more often than I do. Oh, and be sure to use shampoo and conditioner that is specifically for color-treated hair. Currently, I'm using Herbal Essences Color Me Happy line because A) it smells good and B) I had a coupon. Experiment with different brands and types, because, as with any shampoo, what works for one person may not work as well with another.

Don't expose hair to extreme heat. Try to lay off the blow dryer and hair straightener as much as possible. This is a tough one for me, because I cannot live with my hair straightener. What I usually end up doing is setting my straightener to one of the middle temperature settings rather than cranking it up all the way. And for my friends who like to take scalding hot showers, washing your hair with insanely hot water isn't a particularly good idea either.

Hair can get pretty fragile, especially after bleaching(s). Take extra care of it by keeping it well-conditioned, or it might start breaking, which doesn't create a particularly attractive look, leaving bits of split hair on the shoulders of your favorite black sweater.

Thanks to this process, roots are my only enemy.