There’s nothing quite like the feeling of freshly colored hair—vibrant, shiny, and so much softer and smoother than usual. Annoyingly, that feeling fades pretty quickly—along with your perfect color and, naturally, we want to dye it again immediately.
But is doing so wreaking havoc on your locks?
From classic blonde and brunette hair to daring pastel and jewel-toned hues, we all have the same burning question: how often can you color you safely color your hair?
We’ve taken a deep dive into the subject to get the answers once and for all.
What Does Hair Dye Do To Your Hair?
Whether you’re new to dyeing your hair or you’ve been masking your natural hue for years, you’ve probably noticed that hair dye affects not only the color but also the condition of your mane.
Sometimes it’s down to the type of dye you choose, but how often you color your hair can be a culprit too. Let’s take a closer look at the most common types of dye, and how to use them safely.
Wash In Wash Out Hair Dye (Temporary Hair Dye)
Pretty self-explanatory from the name, this temporary hair dye should last in your hair for one wash only. Notice we say it should because, although it’s not exactly strong, it tends to linger for longer than that.
We don’t say this to put you off, temporary hair dye is always fun and a great damage-free way to try out a new hue with almost zero commitment. Like when you suddenly think you’re destined to be a redhead (and realize immediately that you’re not!) you only have to live with it for a few days.
Just don’t be surprised if you can still see hints of the color even after several washes. This is especially true for bleached blonde hair which is much more porous and can hang on to the dye even longer.
As for its effect on the condition of your hair? Think of temporary color as more of a tint than a dye. They don’t contain bleach or developers so you shouldn’t notice a difference.
And how often can you use temporary hair dye? As often as you like.
Although we don’t recommend it from a color point of view (expect unpredictable results if you use it nonstop!), from a damage perspective, you should be fine.
If you notice any temporary dryness, especially on your ends, stop using it for a while. Indulge in a weekly hair mask or two to reset and bring the moisture back to your hair.
Semi Permanent Hair Dye
Much like wash-in-wash-out colors, semi-permanent hair dyes do not contain developers. These are chemical substances like ammonia and peroxide found in stronger, more permanent dyes.
Because of that, these dyes develop on top of the hair cuticle rather than inside of it. They last longer than temporary dyes but nowhere near as long as permanent ones. With that in mind, they’re great for root touch-ups and giving potential new colors a fair trial run.
How often can you safely use semi-permanent color? Since it won’t disturb the hair cuticle, you should be fine to use this dye bi-weekly – essential for root maintenance! Just keep an eye on the condition of your hair and be mindful of any changes.
Although it won’t cause any lasting damage, semi-permanent hair dye can strip your hair of natural oils. You may notice your hair feels drier after use.
Also, because they don’t last as long, they require more frequent application which can leave your hair feeling dull and lifeless. But will semi-permanent dyes cause any lasting damage? That’s very unlikely.
A great conditioning routine, a few moisturizing hair masks, and reducing heat styling for a week or two should bring it back to life.
Demi Permanent Hair Dye
Somewhere in between semi-permanent and permanent, you’ll find Demi-permanent dyes. These formulas contain developers but in a low concentration.
The developers lift the hair cuticle so that the dye can penetrate and absorb into the strands, however, the color only lasts between 12-24 washes. It all depends on the strength of the developer and the condition of your hair.
If your locks are untouched, the dye will likely wash out quicker than if you have more porous bleached hair for example.
Since these fade gradually and will eventually wash out altogether, they’re used for darkening the hair as opposed to lightening it. Choose Demi-permanent dyes to cover unwanted gray hair or to get a richer tone of your natural hair color. Wait a minimum of four weeks but preferably six in between treatments.
Permanent Hair Dye
Onto the strongest hair color option, permanent dye. Just like Demi-permanent formulas, permanent dyes contain developers, like peroxide or ammonia, but in much higher quantities.
These chemical substances work to swell your strands and open up the hair cuticle. The process will remove your natural hair pigment and deposit the new color in its place. These dyes, therefore, may fade over time but you can never wash them out completely, hence – permanent.
You can use permanent dye to either lighten or darken hair which is what makes them so popular. The downside?
The strength of permanent dye can interfere with your hair’s natural structure and delicate proteins. The changes it makes to both the inner and outer hair shaft can leave lasting damage with your once lustrous mane becoming irreversibly dry and susceptible to breakage.
For this reason, we highly recommend waiting a minimum of 6-8 weeks between hair color appointments. Meanwhile, you can always request semi-permanent dye to touch up your roots and cover unwanted grays.
How Often Can You Bleach Your Hair Safely?
Whether you’re bleaching your hair to wear it blonde or preparing your locks for a more colorful hue to go on top, this lightening technique is notoriously damaging.
Much like permanent hair dye, bleach swells and interrupts the natural structure of your hair to lift and lighten the pigment. This can cause permanent changes to your locks with them becoming drier, frizzier, and weaker.
With all this in mind, we highly recommend waiting at least 8 weeks between bleach appointments. This will give your hair time to recuperate, restore its natural oils, and gain back all that lost moisture through conditioning treatments and gentle styling.
Signs of bleach and permanent hair color damage include:
- Dryness
- Brittle strands
- Dull color
- Excess frizz
- Snapping
- Split ends
- Excessively stretchy hair (from protein loss)
If you’re experiencing any of these hair symptoms, work with your stylist to restore your hair health. We know it’s hard but, for now, forget about bleach or dye. It could easily aggravate the problem and leave your hair damaged beyond repair!
Is Box Dye Really That Bad For Your Hair?
As much as we’d like to say box colors are perfectly safe and won’t damage your hair, they’re often cheaper than a salon trip for a reason. Of course, you’re not paying for anyone to apply the dye, you’ll do that part yourself which makes this option instantly cheaper.
But what we’re really talking about is the quality of the formula. Box dyes, unlike most salon dyes, use cheaper and often more harmful ingredients.
The other issue with box dyes? Few of us are trained professionals and, despite the promising pictures on the box, we have no real idea how a given color will take to our existing shade.
It’s often said that a five-dollar box dye can cost a hundred times that much in salon fees if you end up needing a professional to color-correct your hair. While you might get lucky and find a formula you like that doesn’t alter the condition of your hair, if it does go wrong, in our experience, it’s never an easy fix.
Pro tip: don’t be fooled into thinking another box dye will fix the issue. This often makes things worse. Not only for you but also for the poor hair colorist who has to try and remove multiple layers of color down the line.
All that said, having your hair colored at a salon is most certainly a luxury. Many of us just can’t afford regular upkeep at such high prices and box dyes are our only viable option. If that’s true for you, we have some tips on how to choose a good one!
Look out for non-toxic formulas – Dyes with natural ingredients will be kinder to your hair.
Read reviews – social media can be a huge time waster – it can also be a great place to get multiple opinions on hair products.
Avoid ammonia – If you can, forget dyes containing ammonia and alcohol which can dry out your locks almost instantly.
Look out for nourishing ingredients – Whilst some dye ingredients ruin hair, others help revive it. Dyes containing shea butter, keratin, argan oil, plant extracts, or essential oils are our number one choice.
Always Carry Out A Patch Test
Our most important piece of hair dye advice? If you do choose to use a box dye, always (and we mean always) do a patch test. Is it tempting to skip this step when excited about a new hair color? Absolutely. Is it worth the risk of an allergic reaction? Never.
Even if you’re using a dye you’ve used many times before, always carry a patch test as directed on the box. The ingredients or their quantities may have changed since the last time you used it and you may react differently to the dye this time around.
If you’re having your hair colored by a professional, they too should always insist on a patch test at least 24 hours before your appointment. If they don’t, we highly recommend requesting one yourself.