3: Salon color lasts longer and is healthier on your hair than box hair color.
Are salon hair dyes better? Simply put, when it comes to salon color vs. box dye, it's always best to get your hair colored at the salon by a professional. Salon formulas better for your hair, and having a pro colorist apply it also ensures the best results.
1. Box dye color only coats the cuticle of your hair but doesn't penetrate to your cortex, making your hair appear and feel dry. However, when you use professional hair color, it penetrates deeply through your cuticles into your hair cortex, thus making it feel silky and look glossy. 2.
As a general rule, hair color lasts about 6-8 weeks, depending on if you're covering gray hair or not. If you don't have a lot of gray and you're dying your hair to change up your color, there are ways for stylists to blend in highlights with your natural hair color to keep it looking fresh for longer.
“Does box dye damage hair?” Yes! Box dye is not formulated to the same standard as professional hair colour. Salon hair colour costs more because it is better quality. It doesn't contain so many harsh ingredients and often works to protect your hair as it colours.
They typically contain high amounts of ammonia, PPDs, nitro dyes, metallic salts, and even unclean henna. These are harsh chemicals that can be extremely damaging to the hair as well as cause reactions to sensitive skin and allergies. When you apply box dye, the hair is permanently altered.
When it comes to salon treatments, the best professional hair color line is Wella Illumina Permanent Creme Hair Color. Available in 36 shades, the colorist-recommended formula is gentle, versatile, and leaves hair oh-so-shiny.
Does that mean that salon-colored hair always last longer? Not necessarily. Whether you use box color or go see a colorist, it still depends on the factors we have previously discussed. However, professional colorists can assess your hair condition as well as its type and color it in a way that's best for you.
3: Salon color lasts longer and is healthier on your hair than box hair color.
A common reason behind fast-fading hair color is insufficient processing time, meaning the hair color did not stay on long enough. This especially holds true if you or your client have grey hair. Grey hair cuticles are tightly packed down and take longer to open and absorb artificial hair color molecules.
Ideally, permanent hair colour would stay just as vibrant as it was the day you coloured it, at least until the roots grow. On most heads of hair, that would mean a good 6-8 weeks between touch-ups.
In short—the answer is yes. For starters, the hair color offered in at-home varieties is of a lesser quality than those you find in salons. This is because they contain harsher, more concentrated chemicals and often skip out on the protective ingredients used in a salon setting.
As natural brunettes, brown hair dyes can last the longest compared to other hair dyes. There's no need to bleach your hair colour as the eumelanin content will allow the hair colour to stay on longer.
The salon price to dye your hair can fall between $75-$200+ depending on the coloring technique used, the salon, the experience level of your stylist, and your current hair situation. Meanwhile, you can expect to pay $5-$30 for an at-home hair dyeing kit. There are many techniques used to change your hair color.
Bishop adds that demi-permanent colors are often used in salons alongside permanent dyes, and semi-permanent dyes are most frequently used in DIY coloring kits. That's not to say salons don't ever use semi dyes—but more on that later.
Wella (For Dependable, Versatile Color)
Well, simply put: its one of the most popular and well-known hair colors around the world. Everyone has heard about Wella, with over 135 years of history behind it. Did you know every 10 seconds, a salon orders Wella products?
Generally salon colour lasts longer, not because of the product but because of the application, as it is applied just to the roots, then refreshed rather than applied all over straight away as most home colouring goes. The ends don't get so porous so will last longer.
Salons use semi-permanent color to add depth to your color, grow out permanent color, or add gloss and shine to your strands. “It can even create a highlighted look, depending on the hair and the shade selected,” Shade says.
The professional brands each have their own unique and conditioning agents or complex to condition the hair while coloring. Many even improve the hairs shine and texture. Not to mention healthy hair holds color better and longer.
It's not your imagination — red hair dye does fade faster than other hair color shades.
Generally, it's safe to re-dye every 6 to 8 weeks. Permanent hair dye lightens the hair and deposits color.
Our best overall pick is Biolage Haircolor, a henna dye that's free from harmful chemicals including ammonia and PPD. We also love Madison Reed Radiant Hair Color Kit, which is free of ammonia, parabens, resorcinol, PDD, phthalates, and gluten, plus the added benefit of being packed with hydrating ingredients.
For at-home color, you can count on Revlon Colorsilk to get the job done without damaging your hair. This permanent ammonia-free hair dye comes in myriad shades, from stark blue-black and rich brown to vibrant red and ultra-light platinum blonde.