When it comes to the ins and outs of dyeing your hair, there are a few common questions we get asked here at Coloured Hair Care. Below are the answers to the most popular hair dye FAQs!
Is box dye bad for your hair?
Box dye is bad for your hair because the processing involved in changing your hair colour dries and weakens the structure of your hair.
This causes your hair to become brittle, break easily and sometimes feel sticky when it’s wet because it’s lost all elasticity. This is true and can happen whether you use permanent, demi-permanent or semi-permanent dyes.
How deep the colour penetrates, and therefore how long it lasts and stays in your hair, depends on the type of hair dye it is.
The only dye that doesn’t damage your hair are temporary colours as they coat or stain your hair rather than penetrate deep into your hair shaft.
It’s no surprise that the chemicals used in hair dye and the process itself can dry out and damage your hair.
Hair dye can weaken your hair shaft, causing your hair to become brittle, lose its elasticity and snap.
All the processing your hair goes through when you use hair dye wears your hair out and can make your colour become dull and lifeless.
A deep conditioning treatment once a week is like a mini spa to rejuvenate your colour and keep it at its best.
Which hair dye is best for me?
Which hair dye is best for you need depends on a few important things:
- The colour your hair is now
- Whether your hair has been dyed before
- The colour you want to be
- The condition of your hair
So there’s really no straight answer. When it comes dyeing your hair at home, the types of hair dyes, you can choose range from permanent, semi-permanent, demi-permanent and temporary. Each one works in a different way to deposit that fabulous hair dye colour onto your hair.
Here’s a round up of the brands we recommend. Read more about why in Which hair dye is best?
Best hair dyes to use at home at a glance.
| Hair dye | Looks like | Best for | Buy it now |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Frieda Precision Foam Hair dye. | Permanent hair dye. Darker colors. | ||
| L’Oréal Colorista Semi-permanent Hair Dye. | Semi-permanent color. | ||
| Clairol Natural Instincts No Ammonia Vegan Hair Dye. | Demi-permanent color. | ||
| Colorista Hair Makeup | Temporary color. | ||
| L’Oreal Excellence Creme hair dye. | Lighter colors. Blondes. | ||
| Garnier Olia | Dry/damaged hair | ||
| Garnier Nutrisse | Long-lasting color. | ||
| Schwartzkopf Live Hair Dye | Bright, bold colors. |
Do hair dressers hate box dye?
We asked our go-to colourist Paul Letts, if this is true, and why. He told us;
“It’s not that we hate boxed hair colour, it’s that there’s so much that can go wrong. Hair colour is an art, a science, we’re trained to learn how to do it. And it’s something you learn through experience of colouring hair for years. It’s not as simple as picking a box off the shelf because you like the colour.
My biggest pet hate is people trying to lighten their hair with boxed dye. 9 out of 10 times that will go wrong. When you come into my salon, we’ll assess your hair condition, the colours and hues in it already, things like your skin tone and natural colouring. Box dye is just one colour whereas we’ll mix a few to find the shade that’s the best for you.
Saying that, some people have good results with them. If you learn the colours that work for you, apply it well and just want an all over colour, they can work out ok. At the end of the day, it’s what you’re happy with yourself that matters.”
Does hair dye cause hair loss?
Hair dye can weaken your hair shaft, causing your hair to become brittle, lose its elasticity and snap.
This is how it can seem like hair dye can cause hair loss, but in fact, it is your hair weakening and breaking off.
There are many other reasons your hair may be falling out that aren’t to do with hair dye.
Hormone imbalance, thyroid imbalance, nutrient deficiency, stress, toxin exposure can all cause hair loss.
If you’re worried about hair loss, you can see a professional Dermatologist who’ll be able to pin-point the cause through tests or consultation. They’ll also offer medication, treatments or remedies that will help.
Will my hair fall out if I dye it twice?
Your hair won’t fall out if you dye it twice. But it’s not a good idea to dye your hair too often or have treatments too close together.
This is because hair dye can dry and damage your hair, causing it to break off and snap. So it’ll need time to recover and replenish it’s natural oils in between.
We recommend leaving it at least two weeks in between colourings to let your colour set and your hair regain some strength.
Smother it with a good deep conditioner before, during and after to give it extra nourishment.
How often can I dye my hair?
As the answer above, it’s not a good idea to dye your hair too often or have treatments too close together.
This is because hair dye can dry and damage your hair, causing it to break off and snap. So it’ll need time to recover and replenish it’s natural oils in between.
If you’re dyeing your hair often to cover root regrowth, try a good root cover up instead to lengthen the time in between colourings in a safer way.
You can shampoo your hair as part of the hair dyeing process to remove all the hair dye formula. Rinse it thoroughly to ensure you don’t end up also dyeing your pillows!
After this, try and wash your hair with a good, colour-safe shampoo just once a week. This will help to prolong your colour and keep it looking luscious for longer.
Can hair dye go out of date?
The answer is, technically, NO, hair dye can’t go out of date. If you look for a ‘Use by’ date, it’s likely you won’t find one on the box.
This is because hair dye manufacturers believe that, stored correctly, a sealed hair dye box can last forever. Yippee!
Can hair dye kill head lice?
Permanent hair dye is said to effectively kill head lice by suffocating them with the ammonia that the hair dye contains.
To use it this way, use your hair dye normally as instructed but spend extra time rinsing and combing to shake off the dead lice.
Be warned that if you have nits, you’ll still need to use a nit comb and the hair dye may not have successfully killed off all of the lice. So you may need to follow up with a medicinal treatment after a week or so.
When was hair dye invented?
Hair dye as we know it today was invented in 1907 by the founder of hair experts L’Oreal, Eugene Schueller.
Hair dye works by coating or penetrating your hair to change its colour permanently, semi-permanently or temporarily.
How deep the colour penetrates, and therefore how long it lasts and stays in your hair, depends on the type of hair dye it is.