“I generally tell my clients to wait 48 hours before they wash their hair,” VanDyke says. During the first 48 hours after a color service, the pigments of the salon color are still settling—meaning if you shampoo your hair too soon after an appointment, it can cause your hue to fade quicker.
Dyed Hair is more likely to become dry and brittle, so treat it often with conditioners specifically formulated for color-treated hair. It helps create a protective barrier, which can prevent your dye from quickly washing out. Make sure to condition every time you shampoo, even if you have fine hair.
Shampoo doesn't do any favors for color-treated hair, so it helps to be strategic with your washing. After color application wait 24 hours before washing your hair. Try not to wash your hair every day. Every other day is better.
How long should you wait to wash your hair after coloring? As Francesca points out, your hair will usually be washed as part of the dyeing process; so if possible, don't re-wash it as soon as you get home. However, if you do have to jump in the shower ASAP, it won't make an impact on the vibrancy of your color. Phew!
To Prepare Your Hair for the Next Treatment
Whether you're getting a haircut, keratin treatment, or blowout, washing your hair prepares it for the rest of your salon services. Most styling services are best performed on clean hair, so washing your hair helps your stylist do your next service or treatment the right way.
Oribe Shampoo for Beautiful Color: $46
Oribe's cleanser designed for color guards against damage and delivers intense moisture. Trust us, it's well worth the splurge. Your color will appear even more vibrant with each wash than when it was first dyed.
"After having your hair colored, wait a full 72 hours before shampooing," says Eva Scrivo, a hairstylist in New York City. "It takes up to three days for the cuticle layer to fully close, which traps the color molecule, allowing for longer lasting hair color."
As a result, deciding how frequently to color your hair is a delicate balancing act. As a general rule, wait at least four weeks, and preferably six weeks, before starting another treatment. Semi-permanent hair color can be used more frequently than permanent tints if desired.
Adding back moisture to your hair
Condition your hair right after dyeing. Usually some sort of conditioner is included with the dye product that is to be applied. If there is not, condition your entire head using your usual conditioner, leave in for at least three minutes, then rinse out with cool water.
If it's permanent or semi-permanent, you can leave the dye for around 30 to 45 minutes. What is this? But if it's henna, it will be longer. Around two to six hours of waiting.
Make sure that you give your hair enough time to dry before bedtime. If you must go to sleep while your hair is still wet, braid it first. Don't pull your hair into a bun or ponytail before going to sleep, even when it is dry. This will damage your hair further.
Some people think you should wait to wash your hair after coloring it, but that's a myth. Experts say you can wash your hair later that day if needed. The key to preventing color fading is not overwashing and choosing the right hair products.
Lou Birkett, a hair salon co-founder, also told the outlet that although peeing in the shower would save water, it's best to err on the side of caution. You won't create mustard gas, but you could harm your skin with bleach, which is an irritant. Just rinse your hair out in the sink.
"If you leave your color on for too long, there is potential for extra deposit of pigment to occur. You can't make your hair too light by leaving a tint color on too long (unless you're bleaching), but it can make your hair darker than intended," says Tardo.
Generally, it's best to wait four to seven weeks before re-dyeing your hair so that you don't damage it, but you can try to dye it earlier if you really hate your current dye-job. If you're re-dyeing just to have a change, wait at least four weeks to apply the new color.
You can dye your hair while it's wet, but the color might be less vibrant, it might not last as long, and it might be a little more uneven than it would be if you colored it while it was dry.
Can I Oil My Hair After Coloring? Yes! Coconut oil can benefit all hair types - especially dry, damaged, and color-treated hair. The chemicals present in hair dye can make your tresses dry and rough, but coconut oil counteracts these effects.
"After you dye your hair, don't wash it for at least two days because the hair is still sensitive and therefore will be more like to fade faster," says Sergio Pattirane, a hairstylist at Rob Peetoom in New York City. "We recommend waiting to wash it so that the color stay fresh and longer."
While hair color can be applied to wet or dry hair, applying to wet hair does have a couple perks worth making note of: A little bit of dye goes a long way: The added water moisture helps the color to distribute itself evenly.
After the initial dye appointment, wait at least 24 hours before you wash your hair to allow the hair color settle into the hair shaft. If you must wash your hair, run your scalp under cool water and scrub with your fingertips. No, this won't give you a soapy lather, but it will give you that just-cleaned feeling.
Should You Wash Your Hair Before Coloring? As it turns out, most hair dyes are designed to work better on hair that is not freshly washed. Skipping a wash allows for oils to build up on your scalp, which in turn helps protect against irritation that can be caused by hair dye.
Generally, it's safe to re-dye every 6 to 8 weeks. Permanent hair dye lightens the hair and deposits color.
Hot roots occur because the heat from your scalp causes the colour at the roots to develop faster than the colour on the mid-lengths or ends. This can lead to a lighter colour result at your roots than the rest of the hair.