We all know how important it is to have a great hair color.
Whether you’re trying a new hue, looking for a new you or covering up the gray, you want to know ‘How often should I dye my hair?’
We’re here to tell you just that!
Table of Contents
- How often should I dye my hair?
- Ask the experts: How often can I color my hair?
- How long can I go without dying my hair?
- Does dying your hair damage it?
- How often can I dye my hair without damaging it?
- How long do you have to wait between dying your hair?
- How many times a month should you dye your hair?
- How can I make my hair dye last for longer?
- Parting words
How often should I dye my hair?
Depending on the type of hair dye you’ve used, you’ll likely want to re-dye your hair every 4-6 weeks.
If you’re using a semi-permanent hair color, it will fade over time so you’ll need to top it up more often, every 2-4 weeks.
If you’re using demi-permanent color, it will last longer than semi-permanent hair dye, but your color will still need to be refreshed at around 4-6 weeks.
If you’re using a permanent hair color, it will last longer but you may still want to touch up your roots and new regrowth every 4 weeks.
Ask the experts: How often can I color my hair?
Here’s a great film by a professional colorist that breaks it down for you how often is safe to color your hair.
How long can I go without dying my hair?
How often you need to dye your hair depends on a few factors. Here are a few ways you can determine how long you can go in between colorings.
The health and texture of your hair
The type of hair you have plays a big part in how long your color will keep looking fabulous.
If you have coarse or thick hair, you can get away with coloring it less often because the color tends to penetrate the hair cuticle better and last longer.
If you have fine or thin hair, you may need to color it more often because the color tends to fade more quickly in fine hair types.
If you’re constantly coloring your hair or using hair bleach, it’s important to take extra steps to keep it healthy. Damaged hair is more likely to absorb color unevenly and can become dry, brittle, and difficult to manage.
Your hair’s porosity is a factor too. Porous hair doesn’t hold dye as well as hair that has never been dyed before, for instance.
If you don’t take care of your colored hair, you may find yourself in a never-ending cycle of damage and repair.
We recommend using deep conditioners, protein treatments, leave-in conditioners, and heat protectants to keep your hair healthy and vibrant until your next coloring.
The type of dye you’re using
The type of hair dye you use also plays a role in how often you should color your hair.
Semi-permanent color can last anywhere from 4-12 washes, while demi-permanent dyes will last around 12-28 washes.
Permanent dyes are just that—permanent—so if you choose this route, be prepared to commit.
Natural dyes like henna also tend to last longer than artificial box dyes.
Your desired results
How often you dye your hair also depends on the look you’re going for.
If you want a high-contrast ombré or balayage effect, you may need to touch up your roots more frequently than someone who wants an all-over color or natural highlights.
Some color effects simply require more upkeep than others—red and pink hair shades and fashion colours like pastels and mermaid are notorious for fasing fast. It’s all about finding what works best for you and your lifestyle.
Budget
Of course, one of the biggest factors in determining how often to dye your hair is budget!
If money is no object, then go ahead and book those monthly appointments!
But if you need to be mindful of how much you’re spending on beauty treatments and dye jobs, then it might make sense to space out your color appointments a bit more.
The good news is that there are plenty of at-home dye kits or root touch-ups nowadays that can help you touch up your color in between salon visits—just be sure to follow the directions carefully so you don’t end up with any unwanted surprises!
5 things to consider:
- How long is my hair? Longer hair will need dyeing more often.
- What texture do I have? More porous and dry hair will see hair dye fade faster.
- Do I dye my roots only or full head color? You might be able to use root cover ups to cut down on coloring sessions.
- Am I going for a change in tone or hue? This will make a difference to how long your hair dye will last.
- Is this just temporary until my natural color grows back in? You might need to bite the bullet and go throught the transitional stage until your natural color comes through.
Does dying your hair damage it?
It’s no secret that dyeing your hair can be damaging. After all, you are essentially subjecting your strands to a chemical bath!
But that doesn’t mean that you should swear off hair color forever.
The key is to find a balance between maintaining your hair health and achieving the look that you want. Here’s a closer look at the pros and cons of dyeing your hair.
Hair dye pros
Does dying your hair damage it?
- It can give you an instant confidence boost. A new hair color can make you feel like a whole new person.
- It can also help you express your unique personality and style. And let’s be honest, sometimes we all need a little change in our lives!
- It can make your hair look healthier. If your natural hair color is starting to look a little dull, adding some highlights or lowlights can give it new life.
- Hair color can also help to disguise any damage or breakage.
Hair dye cons
Does dying your hair damage it?
- Chemicals can strip away natural oils, leaving your hair dry and brittle.
- It can also lead to split ends and breakage.
- Coloring your hair also takes time and money!
- Once you’ve dyed your hair, you’ll need to invest in special shampoo and conditioner, as well as touch-up treatments every few weeks to keep your color looking fresh.
At the end of the day, dying your hair is a personal choice—one that only you can make.
If you do choose to dye your hair, it’s important to do so safely in order to avoid damaging your strands beyond repair.
How often can I dye my hair without damaging it?
We all want to change our hair color from time to time. Whether it’s going from blonde to brunette or trying out a crazy new color, dyeing your hair can be a lot of fun.
The frequency with which you can dye your hair without damaging it depends on several factors, including the type of dye you use, the condition of your hair, and how well you take care of your hair in between coloring sessions.
If you use a semi-permanent dyes or temporary dye, you can get away with coloring your hair more often because these types of dyes don’t penetrate the hair shaft as deeply as permanent dyes do.
Permanent dyes, on the other hand, should only be used every four to six weeks to avoid damaging your hair.
Of course, if you have damaged hair or if your scalp is sensitive, you might need to take some extra steps to protect your hair before and after coloring it.
There are conditioning treatments that can help fortify your strands and lessen the amount of damage that coloring can do.
And if you’re planning on making a drastic change—say, going from black to white—it’s always best to consult with a professional colorist first so they can determine the best way to achieve the look you want while keeping your hair healthy.
How long do you have to wait between dying your hair?
We recommend waiting at least two weeks before you can dye your hair again – this way your hair has time to recover from any chemical damage caused by the dyeing process.
The most important thing to remember when deciding how often you should dye your hair is that it will depend on the color of your hair, as well as what kind of look you want.
How many times a month should you dye your hair?
If you have light brown or blonde hair, then you may be able to go a few months without dyeing it. Light hair has less obvious root regrowth and blends more subtly with grey.
It also holds dye better so you’ll find your hair dye doesn’t fade as fast as it does for darker hair.
This obviously depends on the color your hair is dyed – you might not be able to go so long in between colorings if you’ve dyed your hair blue!
And sometimes your hair will just need toning to refresh the color.
In general, women who are more fair-skinned can go longer between coloring their hair than those with darker complexions because they don’t need to hide grey hairs.
For dark-haired beauties, every three to four weeks is a good time frame for going in to get highlights or lowlights done. With balayage and ombre styles, you can go longer as the grown-out roots look really works well with these styles.
If you’re looking for an edgy new look with vibrant colors, then you’ll have to dye your hair more frequently to top up the color pigment and keep it looking fresh.
Once a week might be enough – any more than that and you’re going to damage your hair.
Another factor that affects how often someone should dye their hair is whether they work outside where the sun has bleached out their locks. Cover up with a hat, scarf or bandana to keep your hair dye from fading fast.
How can I make my hair dye last for longer?
Shampoo your color-treated hair less frequently. We’re talking once or twice a week MAX. And only with specially formulated color shampoos.
Use shampoos made for colored hair. If you have colored hair, you need to use color-safe shampoos that will look after your hair without using color-stripping sulfates and harsh ingredients.
Freshen up your locks using only conditioner. If you really can’t wait that long in between washes, consider skipping shampoo and just using a great conditioner for colored hair. Your hair will appreciate being topped up with moisture and you’ll be back to smelling delightful again without stripping the color with shampoo.
Use deep-conditioning treatments and hair masks. Once a week, smooth your colored locks with a deep conditioning treatment or hair mask to lock in moisture, keep your color lustre and keep dryness at bay. Leave it on as long as you can to really soften the straw.
Always rinse your hair with cold water. Hot water causes your hair shaft to rise which makes it lose moisture and be more prone to damage and frizz. Giving your hair a final rinse with cold water whenever you wash or condition it will help to seal the shaft – locking moisture and color in.
Get regular trims. Getting rid of your split ends and flyaways not only makes your colored hair look healthier, it prevents against damage to your already frazzled hair shafts.
Cut down on heat styling. Straighteners, tongs, hairdryers, crimpers are bad, bad, bad. But you don’t have to stop using them completely. So at least try and use them LESS or on a cooler setting if your appliance has one to help look after your colored hair.
Let your hair dry naturally whenever you can. And when you do need to glam up, make sure you apply a heat-protecting styling product before, during and after styling.
Use root cover up. There are plenty of root touch up sprays or powder out there that can convincingly cover your roots until you’re ready to visit your hair stylist or hair professional.
You can find all these tips and more in How to look after colored hair and keep it luscious for longer.
Parting words
How often you should dye your hair is totally up to you!
Consider your natural hair color, the health of your hair, and the type of color you’re using when making your decision.
And remember, even if you do end up coloring your hair more frequently than you’d like, there’s always the option of going back to your natural color.
Just give your locks a little break every now and then to keep them healthy and happy.
