Should I Wash My Hair Before Dyeing? All You Need To Know

If you are new to hair coloring, you may not understand where to get started. You might wonder whether you should use a DIY hair color kit or go to the salon and may struggle finding the right products to care for your colored hair.

You might ask the most common question – ‘Should I wash my hair before dyeing?’ If you too are one of those who are trying to find answers to such questions related to coloring your hair, read on to find them all!

Should I Wash My Hair Before Dyeing It?

Should I Wash My Hair Before Dyeing It?

A lot of people believe that dirtier the hair, better the color turns out to be. The concept of not washing the hair before coloring it goes back to old days when harsh chemicals were used to make dyes. If some natural oil was present on the scalp, it would make sure less harm is caused to the scalp and itchiness is less. This becomes more applicable to bleaching that irritates the scalp a lot. Today, hair color products have become more gentle and they don’t cause harm to the scalp. So you can wash your hair before dyeing it.

However, most hair colors are intended to be used on hair that is not freshly washed. So it is advisable not to use shampoo and conditioner right before applying the hair color. It is also important to note that hair dye should be applied to dry hair so if you wash your hair before dyeing, you should dry them quickly. You can consider washing your hair the night before or a few hours before dyeing rather than just before.

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Tips To Follow While Washing Your Hair Before Dyeing

Here are some guidelines that would help you prepare your hair perfectly for coloring.

  • Whether you are doing it yourself or going to a salon for hair color, ensure that you wash the hair 12-24 hours before getting it dyed. You should shampoo the hair at least 24 hours in advance if you are going to use permanent products.

    This will make sure the hair is clean and has retained natural oils to prevent any irritation or itching. Natural oils are also effective at protecting the scalp from any harm. This is why it is necessary that you give enough time after washing to recreate the oils.
  • You can shampoo the hair but not scratch it aggressively because dye or bleach will cause burning or irritation in any scratches or broken skin you may have.
  • It is really important to wash the hair after a sport or workout. Exercise produces excessive oils that can slow down the coloring process and don’t give good results if your hair is not washed before coloring.
  • If you use oils, you should shampoo the hair well because heavy oils can make the dye ineffective and the hair does not color well. Oils can also make the highlights patchy all over.

Other Important Considerations

By now, you should have a good idea of whether you should wash the hair before dyeing. Apart from this, there is a lot that can concern you if you are getting your hair colored for the first time. Here are some things you should know before getting a service.

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Cutting Hair Before Dyeing

Professionals say cutting the hair before coloring helps give a full color effect. You also save some money if you cut the hair before dyeing because you will end up using more product if your hair is longer.

Washing The Hair After Dyeing

After dyeing the hair, it is recommended that you wait for 1-2 days before using a shampoo. This time would let the product penetrate well. If you want to wash the hair, you can use a conditioner.

According to professionals, washing the hair every two days can keep the color stay longer in your hair. If you like washing your hair every day, you should pick products which are gentle, mild and safe.

Tips To Follow While Washing Your Hair Before Dyeing

Conditioning The Hair After Coloring

Most hair color products include a conditioner that is the best conditioning treatment specialized for the dye.

Using that conditioner after dyeing not only gives the hair a shinier and softer look but also takes care of the hair health. If you go to a salon for dyeing, you can ask the stylist what products are good for your hair care. But conditioning the hair after dyeing is definitely recommended.

Use of Shampoo

As discussed earlier, using a shampoo is necessary to clean the hair before dyeing. You should use the shampoo 1-2 days prior to getting the hair colored. There is one more thing you should note about using shampoos before dyeing.

You should avoid making use of dry shampoo products as they can make it difficult for the color to penetrate into your hair. As a result, you may not get beautiful hair color as you expect.

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The Right Time To Re-Color

The time of recoloring actually depends on what type of dye you used. A demi-permanent hair color lasts for up to 28 times of shampooing which means you will have to recolor your hair in four weeks if you wash your hair every day.

On the other hand, permanent hair color lasts longer. This type of product does not fade until the hair length grows. In addition to this, be careful when you apply dye to the hair roots to avoid any trouble. Make sure you follow the instructions mentioned on the color product.

Styling Colored Hair

Now that you have dyed the hair, you may want to show off the beautiful locks. You can try different hairstyles to expose your newly colored hair.

Talking about the use of styling products, they don’t interfere a lot with dyes. However, you should make sure you brush them out of the hair before getting it dyed if you have applied any product like hair spray.

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