Finally, Van Clarke says that all those bi-monthly dye jobs are not helping you on your long-tress quest. "I think that people underestimate just how much any chemical process takes out of the hair," he says. As your hair gets longer and you continue to color it, you will notice that the ends fade much faster than the rest of your color. That's because your hair shaft is completely shattered and won't be able to hold on to any color for a long period of time. According to Van Clarke, you're better off using vegetable dye on your ends — it doesn't last as long as chemical colors, but when your hair is damaged, it lasts just about as long as a permanent color would, without damaging (and, in the process, shrinking) your strands any further.

Photos: Via Amazon