Even the best color can fade after a few weeks — especially if you abuse the heat-styling tools, which I’ve been known to do from time to time — so Aura sent me home with an after-care routine. So now, despite aforementioned lazy-girl certification, I’m following all of her tips (I’m committed, you guys). I shampoo once a week with a sulfate-free formula like B3 Brazilian Bond Builder’s Color Care ; if I need to shampoo more than that, a cleansing cream (like Hairstory’s) is my second-day go-to. Aura also suggested Nexxus Color Assure Pre-Wash Primer . “It seals in your color while repelling water at the same time.” And finally — and this was the hardest to get used to — my last shower step is a cool, cuticle-sealing rinse that prevents precious dye from slipping down the drain. (Aura recommends rinsing with a capful of apple-cider vinegar diluted in a gallon of cool water as another at-home sealing option.)On a styling note, Aura’s assistant tipped me off to the salon’s 24K Golden Touch Nourishing Dry Oil for smooth, velvety texture. Paraben- and sulfate-free, it hits the styling sweet spot — after a few drops, the strands are light, not fluffy; textured, not greasy.When I walked out of the salon, I felt like running down the street and singing show tunes, an instinct I thankfully avoided. I felt my equilibrium restored. I was done dyeing and angsting about my ever-growing roots, and that made me feel more like myself. Plus — partly thanks to the gloss — my hair looked anything but mousy; it was more of the rich, chestnut-like auburn I enjoyed before I started attacking it with dye in the first place.After my tint-back, Aura asked me if I’d ever go strawberry blond. I had to think about it for a hot second, and my first response was, “Never say never.” I can definitely see it happening at some point in the future: committing, full-throttle with a double process — bleaching, and then painting on the color.But for now, I'm embracing going back to my roots.