After coloring your hair, you might find yourself wondering just how long hair dye lasts—or whether “permanent” really means permanent. The truth is, hair color can last anywhere from a day to several months—it’s all dependent on the type of dye you choose (and how well you care for your color-treated mane). Ahead, we’ll break down the different types of hair dye, explain how long each typically lasts, and offer tips for keeping your new hue looking fresh, vibrant, and healthy.
Key Takeaways
- How long hair dye lasts depends largely on the formula and color you choose.
- Environmental factors, such as the sun and chlorine, can cause color fading and damage to your color-treated hair.
- You can keep your color vibrant with color-safe shampoos, conditioners, heat protection serums, and hair gloss.
What Determines How Long Hair Dye Lasts?
Ever wonder what causes your hair color to fade? How long hair dye lasts comes down to more than just the formula. While permanent hair dyes are formulated to last longer than semi-permanent or temporary options, your hair color's staying power also depends on other factors like the color itself, how healthy your hair is, your daily maintenance routine, and even how often you wash or heat style.
Your lifestyle also plays a surprisingly significant role. Love a daily hot shower or beach day? Water, heat, and sun exposure can all accelerate the fading of color. And don't overlook your haircare routine. Using color-safe shampoos and conditioners and skipping the daily wash can make all the difference. So, whether you're a platinum blonde or a bold burgundy, how long your color lasts is all about the way you care for it.
Types of Hair Dye and Their Lifespans
Whether you're dreaming of going blonde, hoping to cover grays, or want to experiment with a fantasy hue, there's a hair dye out there to suit your needs. Let's break down the different types of hair dye and how to choose the best one for your next transformation.
Permanent hair dye
If you’re ready for a major hair transformation that lasts, opt for a permanent hair dye. These formulas utilize both ammonia and a developer to lift the cuticle and deposit color into the hair shaft, making it resistant to washing out. It’s the best option for full gray coverage, dramatic color changes, or achieving long-lasting shades that stay vibrant for weeks. How long does permanent hair dye last? With proper care, permanent hair color can last for six to eight weeks or longer, depending on your haircare routine and lifestyle. After that, the vibrancy may begin to fade, and you’ll likely need to hit the salon for root touch-ups.
Demi-permanent hair dye
If you're not quite ready for permanent color but want more staying power than a wash-out dye, demi-permanent may be the way to go. These formulas use a low-volume developer to gently open the hair cuticle, allowing for a wash of color that lasts up to 28 washes. It's ideal for richening your natural tone, darkening hair, or covering grays with a soft, natural finish. Since it's ammonia-free, it's less damaging than permanent dye, but offers more intensity and longevity than semi-permanent or temporary options.
Semi-permanent hair dye
Semi-permanent color is the sweet spot between commitment and flexibility. It typically lasts anywhere from four to eight washes, fading gradually over time. These formulas don’t include ammonia or developer, so they’re quite gentle on the hair. You can use them to darken your locks, camouflage grays, or temporarily experiment with a fantasy hair color. Semi-permanent dyes are also a favorite for those who love to switch up their look more frequently without the maintenance of permanent dye.
Temporary hair dye
If you’re wondering “How long does temporary hair dye last?,” the answer depends primarily on your shower routine. These formulas, which deposit pigment on the outside of the hair shaft, are designed to wash out with shampoo and water. If you lather up daily, you can expect your temporary dye to last one day. Keep it dry, however, and you may be able to stretch it for another day or two. You can use temporary hair color as your chance to experiment with fun colors like pastel pink for a weekend, icy silver for a festival, or a fun gloss for extra shine. It's perfect for special occasions, quick refreshes, or playing with color before going all-in.
Tips To Prolong Hair Color
It can be disappointing when you start seeing your hair color fade, and it no longer seems as vibrant as when you were fresh out of the chair. With products and maintenance tips, there are ways that you can keep your hair color looking fresh and long-lasting.
1. Limit how often you lather up
Shampooing your hair too frequently can cause your hair color to fade or lose its luster. To help preserve your hue, try lathering up once or twice a week, using dry shampoo in between wash days to help control oily roots.
2. Use a color-safe shampoo and conditioner
Adding a color-safe shampoo and conditioner to your routine can help keep your hair color vibrant because they’re formulated specifically for color-treated hair. Try the Matrix Glow Mania Color Protecting Shampoo and Conditioner. The duo gently cleanses and conditions your hair while protecting your hair color for up to eight weeks. It features glycolic acid and rosehip oil to preserve your hair color and shine.
If your color-treated hair is damaged, we recommend giving the Pureology Strength Cure Shampoo and Conditioner Duo a try. The gentle pair helps strengthen dry, brittle strands, softens the hair, and helps protect against future damage. Plus, they feature a patented AntiFade Complex to help preserve your color.
You can also look for products that are formulated for specific hair colors, like blonde and red, to help brighten and prevent color fading.
3. Rinse your hair in lukewarm water
When rinsing your hair, use cool to lukewarm water, avoiding hot water. Hot water can strip your hair color, potentially leading to faster color fading.
4. Keep heat styling to a minimum
For more vibrant hair color, it's best to keep heat styling to a minimum. High temperatures from blow dryers, flat irons, and curling wands can strip away color and fade your shade more quickly, especially if you use them frequently without heat protection. Instead, try air-drying whenever possible, use heatless styling methods, or lower the temperature setting on your tools.
When you do reach for heat, always use a heat protectant spray or serum to shield your strands and help preserve that fresh-from-the-salon look.
Kérastase Chroma Absolu Chroma Thermique Heat Protecting Serum is a lightweight heat protection serum that not only enhances your color vibrancy but also protects your hair against heat up to 450°F.
5. Protect your hair when outdoors
Overexposure to the sun can cause color fading and even brassiness to your hair color. So when you’re outdoors, it’s best to protect your color by wearing a hat or using a leave-in conditioner that includes UV protection, like the Shu Uemura Art of Hair Color Lustre Sealer Spray.
You’ll also want to protect your hair from chlorine during pool days by applying a layer of leave-in conditioner or a serum to create a barrier between your hair and chlorine. Before your swim, try the Mizani 25 Miracle Nourishing Hair Oil, which has a moisturizing blend of coconut, olive, sunflower, and jojoba oils. After swimming, shampoo and deep condition your hair with color-safe products right away so the chlorine isn’t on your hair for a long time to avoid any color fading.
6. Use a color-depositing conditioner or hair gloss
You know when you see someone’s hair color, and you wonder what makes it pop? It’s the vibrancy of the color, and your hair products help achieve this look. Hair gloss is what you need to keep your hair color looking brilliant, and Pureology has color options based on the hair color you’re rocking, but also offers a clear choice if you’re looking to give your strands some shine. Apply the shine-enhancing gloss to your mane once a week or so for enhanced color vibrancy that lasts up to six washes.
How To Choose The Right Hair Dye To Achieve Your Desired Look
Choosing the right hair dye begins with understanding your hair goals and its current condition. First, consider the level of commitment you're comfortable with. Temporary dyes are great for short-term fun, semi-permanent for subtle changes, demi-permanent for more depth and tone, and permanent for a long-lasting transformation or full gray coverage.
It can also be helpful to think about the color you're aiming to achieve. Are you going lighter, darker, or just enhancing your natural shade? If you're going lighter, you may need a dye with lifting power. Coloring techniques like highlights, baby lights, and low lights often use permanent dye. For bold or fashion-forward colors, pre-lightening may be necessary for vibrancy. You would need to use a permanent color to lighten your hair and a semi-permanent or temporary hair color to achieve your trendy color look. For full gray coverage, a demi-permanent can provide long-lasting results, or a permanent dye can be your solution. However, root touch-ups will be part of your maintenance routine.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why is my hair dye fading so fast?
There are a few common reasons for fast-fading hair dye. Overwashing, using harsh shampoos, excessive heat styling, and prolonged sun exposure can all strip color from your hair. The type of dye you use matters, too. Semi-permanent and temporary hair colors tend to fade quicker than demi-permanent and permanent formulas. If your hair is high porosity or damaged, it might also have trouble holding onto hair color, causing the color to fade more quickly than expected.
How can I make my hair dye last longer?
To keep your color looking fresh and vibrant, start with a color-safe shampoo and conditioner. Washing your hair less frequently, around twice a week, is ideal. You’ll also want to use lukewarm water to help seal the cuticle and minimize color fading. Additionally, reduce heat styling and use a heat protectant when using hot tools. Finally, incorporating UV protection or wearing hats when you’re out in the sun, as well as avoiding chlorine, can also help extend the life of your color.
How long should I leave hair dye in?
The ideal processing time for hair dye depends on the formula and your desired result, but most permanent dyes should be left in for 30 to 45 minutes. Always follow the instructions on your dye box, as leaving it on for too long can lead to dryness and damage, while rinsing it out too soon can result in uneven or underdeveloped color. To achieve the best results, book an appointment with a hair colorist to achieve the look you're going for and to ensure your hair is in optimal health during the coloring process.
Does hair type influence how long hair dye lasts?
Yes, your hair type can affect how long hair dye lasts. Fine hair tends to absorb color more quickly, while thicker hair may require more effort to saturate and retain pigment fully. Porosity, which is how your hair absorbs and retains moisture, also plays a role in color retention. Highly porous hair can absorb color quickly, while less porous strands tend to retain color longer. Customizing your haircare routine to your specific texture and needs can significantly impact the longevity of your color.
Next Up: How To Get Hair Dye Off Your Skin: 11 Proven Ways
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Header image credit: @matrix
