Even if you're putting your hair in the hands of a pro, Baumhauer notes that you need to be upfront about your hair history for the best results. That means dishing on everything: if you've chemically treated your hair before, with a relaxer, a keratin treatment, another color, your current gray hair percentage, anything. "Just because you can't see the treatment doesn't mean it's not there -- it will affect your color unless the previous treatment has been cut out," she adds. Here are other things Willhite says to be aware of so you don't freak out during your actual appointment:

• If you're getting highlights: Your colorist will be more cautious when deciding on the strength of product and take much more time with placement -- highlights make more of an impact on curly hair in terms of movement and enhance structure.

• If you're getting overall color: Your colorist will want to use slightly lighter or warmer color on your ends to add more dimension.

• If you're getting ombré: Your colorist can use bolder pieces and chunks of color than they usually would on straight hair because finer strips of color would get lost in the mass of the curl.

Once you have a fresh coat of color, damage control is essential to keep your fragile hair and color intact. Don't co-wash per usual -- instead, use a sulfate-free, cream-based cleanser. It's gentler on your hair and scalp and slows fading, says Dellinger.

As a curly girl, you shouldn't wash every day, but if you do, Friedman recommends Nexxus Color Assure Pre-Wash Primer, $17.99, a treatment that shields water to lock color in and prevent fading and Nexxus Color Assure Glossing Tonic, $17.99, a moisturizing product that adds shine and protects hair from heat styling. When your color starts to fade, work a gentle color booster like eSalon Tinted Love Color Enhancing Treatment, $12.45, or Ouidad Color Sense Shine Boosting Color Extender, $26, to extend the life of your color without harsh chemical ingredients.