Yes, you can use hair serum before styling. In fact, applying serum before styling can help protect your hair from heat damage (if the serum has heat protection properties) and make your hair look smooth and shiny. Just apply a small amount to the ends of your hair or wherever you feel it's needed, and then style as usual. Make sure not to overapply, as it can make your hair look greasy.
Colored hair requires extra care to maintain its vibrancy, shine, and health. The right hair serum can make all the difference, offering protection from color fade, damage, and dryness.
These serums are formulated with nourishing ingredients like argan oil, vitamin E, and keratin, which work to seal the cuticle, boost shine, and maintain color integrity without weighing hair down.
In this guide, we’ve handpicked the top 7 hair serums for colored hair, focusing on products that are specially designed to protect and revitalize color-treated hair.
Whether you're dealing with dullness, breakage, or want to maintain color longer, these serums provide the ultimate defense for your vibrant, healthy hair.
Table of content
1. What are hair serums?
2. Is hair serum good for colored hair?
3. Best Hair Serums for Colored Hair
4. When color meets strength: Bio-Pilixin Activation Serum
5. How to choose the best serum for colored hair?
6. Can I use hair serum on colored hair?
7. Conclusion
8. FAQs
What are hair serums?
Hair serums are liquid-based treatments formulated with concentrated active ingredients to target specific hair concerns. They are designed to coat the surface of the hair, providing benefits like added shine, reduced frizz, protection from environmental damage, and overall improved hair health.
These serums are essentially a cosmetic product containing silicones, ceramides, amino acids, and other hair-nourishing ingredients.
These components work together to form a protective layer over the hair shaft, which helps in reducing tangles, adding shine, and making your hair feel softer and smoother.
Read this: 15 Best Hair Growth Serums for Superior Hair Growth (2025)
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Is hair serum good for colored hair?
Yes, hair serums are indeed beneficial for colored hair. They help in maintaining the vibrancy of the color, providing protection against UV rays, heat damage, and other environmental stressors that could potentially fade or alter the hair color.
The process of coloring can often leave hair more vulnerable to damage as it alters the hair's structure, making it drier and more porous.
This increased porosity can lead to quicker color fading, split ends, and also makes your dry hair more susceptible to damage from heat styling tools and the environment.
Hair serums, specifically formulated for colored hair, come to the rescue in this situation.
They include ingredients like antioxidants and UV filters designed to help maintain color from fading and offer protection against environmental factors.
Ingredients in the serum aim to form a layer around the hair shaft, which is designed to help maintain color and moisture, contributing to shine.
Best Hair Serums for Colored Hair
🔹 Best Overall: Kerastase Reflection Chromatic Fluid – Protects color-treated hair from fading while enhancing shine and smoothness.
🔹 Best for Hair Density: The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density – Promotes thicker hair growth while enhancing color vibrancy.
🔹 Best for Frizz Control: COLOR WOW Dream Coat – Anti-frizz serum that protects hair from humidity, leaving your colored hair sleek and glossy.
🔹 Best Deep Treatment: Redken Color Extend Magnetics Deep Attraction Mask – Nourishes color-treated hair, sealing in moisture and protecting from damage.
🔹 Best for Anti-Aging: Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Infinite Color Hold Serum – Locks in color and protects against environmental damage, offering long-lasting vibrancy.
🔹 Best for Color Protection: L'Oreal Paris Elvive Color Vibrancy Protecting Serum – Protects color from fading, giving vibrant, healthy-looking hair.
🔹 Best for Frizz Control & Shine: John Frieda Frizz Ease Extra Strength Serum – Helps reduce frizz while adding shine and protecting your color-treated strands.
1. Kerastase Reflection Chromatic Fluid
Kerastase Chromatique products have a solid reputation for delivering brilliant shine and smoothness to color-treated hair.
The Reflection Chromatic Fluid doesn't disappoint with its immediate visible effects, transforming your hair into a lustrous mane.
Users find this serum highly effective for long hair and curly hair, offering a luxurious shine without any greasiness.
It works wonders in various conditions - at the gym, in humid weather, or before straightening - making it a versatile choice for colored hair.
This product is designed to be a beneficial part of your hair care routine.
2. The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Serum for Hair Density
Known for their stripped-back and high-performing products, The Ordinary's entry into the haircare scene has been impressive.
Their Multi-Peptide Serum is a concentrated formula designed to nourish your hair and scalp from root to tip.
It combines natural extracts, peptides, and caffeine to promote dense, healthy and thick hair while offering heat protection against styling tools.
This serum is a boon for those with a scalp dried out from processing, offering nourishment and optimal conditions for hair color.
3. COLOR WOW Dream Coat
COLOR WOW's Dream Coat is a standout product that acts like a serum but is applied as a spray. This heat-activated product works to compress, tighten, and seal hair strands, offering sleek, smooth, and super-silky hair.
Unlike typical humidity guards, Dream Coat does not build up or coat your hair heavily, nor does it leave your hair greasy. Its effects last through 3 to 4 shampoos, making it a long-lasting solution for shiny, glossy, manageable colored hair.
Users praise this product for its ability to keep hair straight and silky, lasting for days without a touch-up.
If you're looking for a product that offers a unique application and high performance, COLOR WOW's Dream Coat is a great pick.
4. Redken Color Extend Magnetics Deep Attraction Mask
Redken's Color Extend Magnetics Deep Attraction Mask is a game-changer for color-treated hair. This innovative hair mask, free of sulfates, is designed to extend the life of color while respecting the hair's natural pH levels.
Its carefully balanced formula ensures the vibrancy of professional color between salon visits, all while adding a healthy dose of moisture and shine to your locks.
The secret lies in Redken's exclusive Interlock Protein Network (IPN) technology, integrated into the brand's SMART Haircare family.
This ground-breaking delivery system provides protein directly to the core of the hair fiber through a trio of potent ingredients.
Working together, they deliver bespoke nourishment to all hair levels and strengthen the hair from within.
By infusing the hair fiber with this level of care, the Color Extend Magnetics Deep Attraction Mask ensures that your color-treated hair not only looks radiant but also retains its health and strength.
5. Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Infinite Color Hold Serum
For those seeking both color rejuvenation and amplified shine, Alterna's Caviar Anti-Aging Infinite Color Hold Serum proves to be an exceptional choice.
Designed for all hair types, this versatile dual-serum envelopes hair strands in a lightweight veil of UV protection and moisture, preserving color treatments and enhancing luminosity.
The serum offers dual functionality - it can be used during conditioning as an amplifier, or applied to damp hair as a hair oil or leave-in treatment.
Users, particularly those with color-treated hair, have reported impressive results from day one. The serum is lightweight and non-greasy, leaving hair smooth and silky.
As an added bonus, a little goes a long way, making it a cost-effective addition to your hair care regimen.
Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Infinite Color Hold Serum stands out as a prime pick for those wanting to age gracefully while keeping their color-treated hair in pristine condition.
6. L'Oreal Paris Elvive Color Vibrancy Protecting Serum
Specially designed to nourish and protect colored hair, L'Oreal Paris Elvive Color Vibrancy Protecting Serum is your go-to product for achieving radiant, long-lasting color.
Enriched with a Color Protecting Elixir and UVA/UVB filters, this serum offers intense care enveloped in a luxurious, creamy texture that your hair will love.
One of the serum's key features is its Color Protecting Elixir. This powerhouse ingredient works diligently to preserve the radiance of colored hair, ensuring your vibrant hues don't fade prematurely.
It also contains hyaluronic acid for added hydration. Whether you've opted for fiery reds, deep blacks, or playful pastels, this serum safeguards your color investment.
In addition to its color-protecting and nourishing benefits, the L'Oreal Paris Elvive Color Vibrancy Protecting Serum also defends your hair against external aggressions.
Sun exposure, pollution, and heat styling can all wreak havoc on your hair, especially when it's color-treated.
7. John Frieda Frizz Ease Extra Strength Serum
John Frieda's Frizz Ease Extra Strength Serum is not just a boon for frizzy hair, but also a vibrant treat for color treated hair.
This all-in-one serum boasts a rich formulation that seamlessly blends into damp or dry hair, offering a wide array of benefits that result in visibly healthy, hydrated, and frizz-free tresses.
One of the key ingredients of this serum is silk protein, which works diligently to seal in color, ensuring its vibrancy for longer periods.
Additionally, the serum offers effective control over your hair, taming it for a polished, salon-worthy look. Its formulation incorporates three vital oils: argan, coconut, moringa, jojoba, and seed oil.
They ensure that not only does your hair stay frizz-free, but it also retains a healthy gloss that enhances your color even further.
When color meets strength: Bio-Pilixin Activation Serum
Bio-Pilixin Activation Serum combines scientific research and natural ingredients, aiming to offer a unique experience in hair care.
It is a unique amalgamation of a lustrous hair gloss serum and a potent hair growth formula, designed to address hair loss and thinning, while promoting radiant color and shine.
The complete instant recovery serum harnesses the power of Capilia Longa, a potent ingredient derived from the stem cells of the curcuma longa plant.
Capilia Longa is an ingredient that has been researched for its potential to support hair density, offering an option for those concerned with fine or thinning hair."
The serum also features Niacinamide, a vital vitamin that augments scalp blood circulation. Increased blood flow to the hair follicles is thought to support the overall condition of the hair.
Moreover, the inclusion of Vanillyl Butyl Ether, a mild warming agent, stimulates blood circulation in the scalp, further supporting the absorption and efficacy of other active ingredients.
The company provides a 150-day money-back guarantee as a commitment to customer satisfaction.
If, for any reason, you are not satisfied with the results, you can confidently return the product, underscoring Bio-Pilixin's commitment to customer satisfaction and product integrity.
How to choose the best serum for colored hair?
Choosing the best serum for colored hair involves considering factors such as the ingredients in the serum, your specific hair type and concerns, and the kind of protection the serum offers against color fading and environmental damage.
Here are some key points to consider when choosing a serum for your colored hair:
- Ingredients: Look for a serum that contains beneficial ingredients such as antioxidants, UV filters, silicones, and ceramides. These will help protect your hair color from fading and also contribute to overall hair health.
- Hair type: Your specific hair type - whether it's dry, oily, curly, or straight - plays a significant role in determining the kind of serum you should use. For instance, if your hair is dry and damaged from coloring, you may want to look for a hydrating serum with nourishing oils and proteins.
- Protection against environmental damage: Colored hair can be more vulnerable to damage from environmental factors like sun exposure and pollution. A good serum for colored hair should offer protection against these elements to maintain the vibrancy and longevity of your hair color.
- User reviews and recommendations: Lastly, consider user reviews and recommendations when choosing a serum. Other users with similar hair types and concerns can offer valuable insight into the effectiveness of the product you're considering.
Can I use hair serum on colored hair?
Absolutely, hair serums can be used on colored hair. They not only provide a protective shield against damage but also enhance the longevity and luminosity of the color.
Coloring hair is a chemical process that can significantly alter its texture and condition.
While the end result is visually appealing, the color treatment can leave your hair more susceptible to various forms of damage, including dryness, breakage, and dullness.
A high-quality hair serum comes equipped with ingredients that are capable of addressing these issues promoting healthy hair.
By applying a serum to your hair, you create a protective barrier that wards off potential harm caused by factors like pollution, dust, heat, and excessive styling.
This protective shield not only ensures the health of your hair but also enhances the vibrancy and lifespan of your color, so that your hair looks fresh and radiant for longer.
Conclusion
Choosing the best hair serum for colored hair involves considering various factors such as ingredients, your hair type, and the specific protection your hair needs.
With so many hair serums on the market our comprehensive list of the top 7 hair serums to try for colored hair offers a starting point for your quest for the ideal product that caters to your unique hair needs.
From the Kerastase Reflection Chromatic Fluid that offers lustrous shine to the Bio-Pilixin Activation Serum that marries hair growth properties with color protection, there's a serum for every hair type in our list.
Ultimately, the right hair serum can do wonders for your colored hair, preserving its vibrancy, boosting its health, and ensuring it looks its absolute best, day in, day out.
Your hair is an expression of your individuality, so it's essential to treat it with the care it deserves.
FAQs
Can I use any hair serum on my colored hair?
Yes, you can use hair serum on colored hair, but it's important to choose a serum that is specifically formulated for color-treated hair. These serums often contain ingredients that help protect and nourish colored hair, keeping it shiny and healthy. Look for serums that are sulfate-free and have UV protection to help preserve the color and prevent it from fading.
How often should I use hair serum on my colored hair?
You can use hair serum daily or as needed, depending on your hair's condition. If your hair is dry or damaged from coloring, you may want to use it every day. For normal to slightly dry hair, using the serum 2-3 times a week should be sufficient. It's a good idea to adjust based on how your hair feels.
Can I use hair serum before styling my colored hair?
References:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7522433/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8197201/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9231528/
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