How Long Does Dyed Hair Last? What Factors To Include

logo by Editorial Staff | Posted on July 22nd, 2022

How long does it take for hair color to fade?


In today’s society, several hair colors are on the market. You may get your hair tinted blue, red, green, purple, or any other color you like! Changing the color of your hair is as simple as changing the color of your nails.

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How long do hair dyes last? There are several alternatives available on the market. However, the color of the dye fades over time, as it does with all nice things.

How long does hair dye last?

Hair dye will last between 4 and 6 weeks, depending on the type of color applied.

In general, hair color lasts four to six weeks. So it doesn’t stay on your hair indefinitely – as your hair grows out, the color loses its effect and intensity as your roots begin to appear. And now is a fantastic opportunity to visit your favorite salon to get it recolored or rejuvenated.

However, the time it lasts on your hair depends on the kind you apply, each having a distinct function and matching a unique hair styling need. In addition, hair color is available in both temporary and permanent formulations.

How long does permanent hair dye last?

Permanent hair dyes typically last 6-8 weeks, although this might vary based on your lifestyle and hair care regimen.

Permanent hair color is a chemical technique penetrating deeply into the hair shaft. While this is best done at a salon, permanent hair colors and dyes are available in stores. They may not look as nice as a professional dye job, though.

How long does semi-permanent hair dye last?

Semi-permanent hair colors do not last as long as permanent dyes, but they can usually withstand up to eight washes (though many claims to last longer than that).

Check out the video below from Buzzfeed to see how two of the most popular semi-permanent products fare after more than 20 washes.

How long does semi-permanent hair dye last? 

Demi-permanent hair color is squarely in the middle of the benefits of semi-permanent and permanent colors.

While semi-permanent hair dye acts as a gloss or stain on top of your hair, demi-permanent dye contains just enough peroxide to allow the color to permeate your hair shaft, much like permanent dye.

It does not contain the peroxide that makes permanent dyes more harmful.

Demi-permanent dye is far superior to permanent dye for darkening hair than lifting colors. So that may be one disadvantage. However, because of this, it’s a terrific, risk-free solution for concealing grays.

While it is a comparably colorful choice, it does not have the same durability as permanent hair coloring. Because it penetrates the hair, it only lasts 10-12 washes. Thus it truly relies on how you keep it.

However, it is frequently favored because of its reduced chemical damage and dazzling effects. It’s also ideal for people with textured hair because the chemical components will not straighten your curl pattern.

How long does temporary hair dye last? 

Other temporary dyes are available, and their components and hues vary greatly. Its lifespan is determined by the product and how your hair is colored.

Is it merely a semi-permanent dye that coats your hair? It will most likely wash out shortly.

Is it a chemical procedure that opens up the hair shaft? It will most likely persist longer.

However, in the case of most temporary dyes, you’re more likely to obtain a stain or glass-like finish. Especially when using more natural hues like vegetable dye and henna, they can persist for a few weeks.

One-time use temporary hair colors are available in sprays, wax, shampoos, hair mascaras, and even chalk!

How long does hair dye last after it’s been mixed?

For optimal results, apply mixed hair dye within 1 hour of mixing. Mixed hair color should not be stored… Simply put, it is not safe to do so!

How long does bleached hair color last?

Hair color used with bleach, believe it or not, can decay much faster… In some circumstances, even in as little as 20 minutes!

If you’re asking how long hair dye lasts without bleach on your locks, the answer is that it depends on the type of hair color (permanent or semi-permanent) and your lifestyle, as previously said.

Compared to the question of how long permanent hair dye lasts on bleached hair, we can answer that dyeing bleached hair will win out.

Hair colors typically last 4-8 weeks on bleached hair and 2-6 weeks on unbleached hair. Individual outcomes, however, vary greatly.

What are the many sorts of hair dyes?

There are four types of hair colors on the market:

  1. Permanent hair colors last the longest in your hair, but they also cause the greatest harm. This is because many chemicals are potent, and the combination is left for an extended period until the color is complete.
  2. Demi-Permanent hair colors do not penetrate the hair cuticle and employ a low-level developer. These are a variety of bright pigment hues.
  3. Semi-Permanent — These hair dyes do not need an activation agent. This sort of dye creates the appearance of hair color and lasts for roughly 8-15 shampoos.
  4. Temporary – These are hair dyes that can be washed away. These hair colors will last anywhere from a day to a week.

Factors that cause hair dye to fade

How long does it take for hair color to fade? Unfortunately, coloring outcomes vary from person to person. However, the real things might influence how long your color lasts.

In general, temporary hair coloring can last 1-2 weeks, and permanent dye can last 4-10 weeks. However, the following factors can influence that estimate:

1. Type of dye used

What kind of dye did you employ? The type of hair dye is mentioned on the box, or you may ask your stylist if you visited a salon. Hair color is often classified into one of four categories:

Permanent

Permanent hair color, as expected, lasts the longest. It usually lasts till your hair grows out or you re-color your hair. However, some people experience fading, which causes their hair to be a different, typically washed-out, tone than when they started.

Because you apply full strength developer to properly enter the hair cuticle cortex, these hair dyes persist for so long. This permanently alters the natural melanin of the hair.

Semi-permanent

These hair colors often do not require the use of a developer or activation agent. This is because the dye covers the cuticle with big color pigments rather than permeating it. This gives the appearance of color to your hair, but it only lasts 8 to 15 shampoos, while some can last up to 28.

Demi-permanent

Demi-permanent hair color lasts somewhat longer than semi-permanent dye and does not cause the extra harm that permanent dye can. This is because it only partially enters the hair cuticle when employing a low-level developer. In addition, these hair dyes usually blend large pigment colors and smaller intermediate hues.

Temporary

Vibrant fashion hues like blue, green, and pink are often dye only used for a short period. They can last anywhere from a day and a week. Some colors are meant to wash off after one shampoo, while others are meant to last longer.

These hair colors cover the hair cuticle rather than entering it, making them simple to remove.

2. Dyes’ color

What does the color of your skin have to do with it? As it turns out, the dye hue directly impacts how long it will persist.

Different pigments are used to create dye hues. The more pigments in color, the longer it will last.

A purple dye, for example, may have 8,000 pigments. A red dye, on the other hand, may only contain 3,000 pigments, while a blue dye may have even less, at 1,000 pigments.

Darker colors generally stay longer than lighter colors, especially if you need to “raise” or open up the hair cuticle to accept the lighter hair color. By bleaching or utilizing a hi-lift color, you may elevate your hair.

If you need to open up your hair cuticle, your new color is less likely to seal into the cuticle, contributing to how fast you lose the dye.

3. The pre-dye hair form

Next, your hair’s natural state before dyeing affects how long your color lasts. You may already know that the more damaged your hair is, the faster it will lose color. This relates to the health of your hair cuticle.

Even if you don’t elevate your hair color, your cuticles will become porous if you mistreat them with traditional style or previous coloring. As a result, your hair color may “leak” out readily.

4. Hair color maintenance

Furthermore, how you care for your newly colored hair affects the dye’s endurance.

Washing

Washing your hair using shampoo and conditioner formulated specifically for colored hair will help it stay longer. Look for shampoos that will restore the pH balance of your hair and heal the cuticle. Simultaneously, avoid strong shampoos that might remove your colors, such as ones targeted for oily scalp or dandruff treatment.

Also, avoid washing your hair with hot water. Shampooing causes your hair to swell, which might result in color leaks. Hot water, on the other hand, allows more pigment to escape.

Sun

Do the elements have a role in fading? Absolutely. As a result, you should always wear a hat when going outside in the sun. Atoms, molecules, and free radicals can take electrons from pigment molecules, causing them to fade.

Styling using heat

If you can’t live without your hot iron, consider investing in an excellent thermal protection cream for your hair. Straightening, curling, and blow drying your hair can all cause extra damage to the cuticle. As a result, the color pigment may escape more easily when you wash your hair.

How Frequently Can You Dye Your Hair?

You can dye your hair as often as you like, but spread treatments out by weeks to minimize hair damage.

You can color it as frequently as you like if you have virgin hair. It should be free of harm if you haven’t colored or used any chemical treatments on your hair.

However, if you’ve had some coloring done and done it as frequently as a pop star, give your hair six weeks to breathe before your next coloring treatment.

If your hair looks to have any breakage, dryness, or brittleness, postpone dying until you’ve restored health to your mane by receiving a salon treatment or treating your scalp with organic solutions.

Hair damage is caused by more than simply the frequency with which you color your hair; your initial color also plays a role. You may be harming your strands, for example, if you transition from dark to light hair (brunette to frosty blonde). If you need to move from dark to light, wait six weeks before coloring your hair again.

The type of color you choose will also influence how frequently you dye your hair. If it’s semi-permanent, wait for four to ten shampoos before changing colors. If it’s permanent, wait till your roots appear.

Is it possible for hair coloring to fade completely?

The short answer is that it depends.

Because semi-permanent colors coat the topmost layer of hair, they can fade entirely in weeks. Shampooing can remove it, and it will ultimately go away.

Permanent hair color may take longer to disappear. This is because permanent hair dye alters the structure of your hair, causing it to take on a new hue. This implies it will be more durable than a washable dye.

It may, however, begin to diminish. However, due to how it alters the hair on a molecular level, it will never totally go away unless you grow out your hair and cut it off.

Conclusion

It is up to you to decide what color you want for your hair. The four color kinds available to you decide how long the color will persist. It is also critical to retain the color of your hair with proper hair care.

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Editorial Staff

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