Calkwalk, celebrity and editorial stylist Larry King has been hairdressing since he was a teenager; honing his skills and building his brand for over 20 years, he’s regarded as one of the best in the business.

London-based, Larry has salons in South Kensington and Westbourne Grove, an outpost in Monte Carlo, and his own haircare line. With all this know-how, he’s shared his top tips when it comes to maintaining dyed hair.

Choose your colorist wisely

Although everything on social media is instant nowadays, hair color isn’t. It’s very much a science and an art form. Getting the color you want, especially if you’re looking at a big change, can take several strategic appointments to get you to the color of your dreams. So the number one thing here is patience; a good colorist will prioritize the health of your hair over instant satisfaction. Do your research, look for colorists’ work on Instagram, and see if they do the sort of look you want and whether the hair still looks healthy in the photos. Curl’s take a slightly different approach, so make sure your colorist is confident with these techniques before they start.

Keep it healthy

Having a regular trim is important to maintain hair health. Colour only generally looks good when it’s shiny and reflective. Trimming away dry ends will instantly make the color look better.

Control the heat

Excessive heat can affect hair health and color fade. I’m Dyson’s global ambassador and have spent several days in the lab with them, learning about the effects of excessive heat on hair. One of the reasons I love Dyson tools is that they have intelligent heat control built in, which is a significant factor in keeping your color from fading between appointments and maintaining overall hair health.

The 48-hour rule

Don’t wash your hair for 48 hours after any color treatment; this allows the color to settle into the hair shaft longer. Use a gentle sulfate-free shampoo on your color so that all the time and money aren’t just washed down the drain. My Good Life Shampoo is perfect for this, and then I’d alternate with a really good color mask or color shampoo. The colorists in my London salons love Redkens Blondage range for bright, well-toned blonde every day.

Mask armory

I’d advise you to use a really good mask once a week. There are several types of masks on the market, including bonding, protein and moisture-rich formulations. Find a formulation that suits your hair’s needs and use it once a week to keep your color in optimal condition.

Pop in for a mid-appointment gloss

Glosses are great for conditioning and shine and enhancing your color between appointments. A gloss is like a little color top-up without any permanent damage. It can be applied swiftly at the backwash and is the perfect accompaniment to a blow dry.

Holiday notes

The sun and pool are not your best friend regarding hair color. Keep hair out of the pool as much as you possibly can. The intense Sun can fade your color within hours, so I’d suggest applying a mask in the morning and then popping it under a hat or headscarf. The heat will intensify the mask, allowing it to penetrate the hair shaft further, but the hair is protected from direct sunlight.

In winter

Winter is a great time to give the hair a break from intensive color treatments; rich browns or more lived-in golden blondes and coppers look beautiful at this time of year and give your hair a break from Spring/Summers’ intense and more damaging blonde treatments.

See more on larryking.co.uk.