What is the ultimate way of changing your look? Getting a hair color treatment or dyeing your hair is a great way to transform your look.
If you want to know everything about hair dyes and get an idea about how they work, this guide is just for you. We will also recommend the best tips for protecting your colored hair, the best colors to choose according to your eye color, and the most popular products for both men and women.
First, let’s learn more about hair dyes and review their different types.
How Does Hair Dye Work
If you choose non-permanent color, hair-dyeing works by coating each hair strand to change your current hair color. However, when you opt for permanent color, the hair dye penetrates each hair’s cuticle and enters the hair cortex to bond with the hair.
Unlike temporary hair dye, permanent dyes change your natural hair color permanently. However, the color gradually grows out because your hair grows constantly.
Here is what really happens.
Permanent Dye
Small color molecules penetrate the hair cuticle and enter the cortex for reacting with the melanin in your hair. The most popular types of permanent hair dyes contain peroxide and ammonia. Permanent shades can offer complete grey coverage and are the best way to add tone or lighten your hair color. Frequent shampooing can fade the color slightly but does not wash it out thoroughly.
Temporary Dye
When you apply a temporary dye, large color molecules make their way into the spaces between the cuticles for coating the hair surface. This type of hair color treatment will work only up to eight or ten washes as it fades rapidly. There is no peroxide or ammonia in these hair-coloring products.
Demi or Semi Dye
In a semi or demi-dying method, small color molecules will penetrate each hair cuticle to enter the hair cortex’s edge. These colors don’t have ammonia either, but they have a little peroxide in the formula. You can cover almost thirty percent of grays with a semi or demi dye. A great thing about them is that they fade gradually, so they can last about twenty-eight washes.
Why Do People Dye Their Hair
Here are some of the most popular reasons why people want to dye their hair.
Grey Coverage
One of the biggest reasons men and women resort to hair dyes is because they want to cover their growing grey hair. Whether you are using a box color or getting a professional hair color treatment at a salon, a hair dye will mask out the grey in your hair.
Seasonal Trends
Following fashion trends is another popular reason for changing your hair color. People of all ages can recreate a new look by choosing different colors, according to different seasons, throughout the year.
For instance, some women lighten their hair in the summer season while darkening it in winter. Men also dye their hair to follow the latest fashion trends or follow a celebrity. Playing with your natural hair color is an affordable way to transform your appearance and look unique.
For Better Texture
Sometimes, the best way to add volume and improve your hair’s texture is to use a high-quality dye. New hair color can make your hair more lustrous by adding a glossy finish. Some hair dyes contain thickening agents so you can boost your hair’s volume to get bouncier and healthier hair.
To Complement a New Haircut
Getting a dye job at the salon after a haircut is a great way to flaunt your new hair-do. If you are getting a bold new cut, the best way to complete your makeover is a gorgeous hair dye. You can also get a partial highlight job for making your new hairstyle stand out.
What Are the Benefits of Dying Your Hair?
Dyeing your hair will not just transform your look but will also offer a host of benefits.
More Body: If you have limp hair, high-quality hair color can breathe a new life into your hair strands. If you get a professional hair color treatment or use a credible hair dye, you can fix common hair issues like thinning hair. Since hair dyes plump hair, they can make your hair look fuller and thicker.
Shine and Dimension: Using hair dyes can add a subtle color to your hair. You can create hues that can reflect and pick up light in numerous ways, making your dull hair look more attractive.
Easy Styling: Since hair dyes from good brands condition your curly hair, you can save the time it takes to style your hair. Enjoy smooth and frizz-free hair for quick hair styling.
Create Your Signature Look: If you want to flaunt your style or show off your personality, dyeing your hair is an excellent form of self-expression.
Protection: Getting a professional hair color treatment can protect your hair from environmental hazards like wind, exercise, pollution, and excessive heat.
Is Hair Dye Bad for You?
Despite the many benefits of hair dyes, many questions and doubts surround the subject. Since conventional hair dye contains harmful chemicals, it can damage the scalp or your hair. Using low-grade hair dyes is also dangerous for salon workers who get exposure to these chemicals during multiple hair coloring sessions at work.
However, reputed and famous hair dye products feature natural and safe ingredients. Don’t forget to check the label for ingredients and chemicals whenever you are buying a box color. If you are getting a hair dye from your local stylist, don’t forget to ask about the product’s ingredients.
How Do You Keep Colored Hair Healthy
Here are some tips to protect your colored hair from enjoying your dye longer.
Don’t Shampoo for Three Days after a Hair Color Treatment
During a hair dyeing process, your cuticle layer opens up to allow the color to penetrate the hair shaft. The cuticle layer could still be open soon after the dye. If you shampoo within the first few days, you could end up washing all the colors before even enjoying your new hair color. The more time you give for the color pigment to soak into the cuticle, the better results you will get from the dye.
Buy a Sulfate-free Shampoo
Always read the label to see if the shampoo and conditioner you are buying contains sulfate. Reputed brands like L’oreal offer a wide range of hair care products for all hair types. Regardless of your hair type, using a sulfate-free shampoo for your colored hair will protect your hair from damage.
Mix some Dye to Your Conditioner
This tip is one of the best-kept secrets of today’s top stylists. Add a bit of blue, purple, pink, or black dye to your conditioner frequently for re-dyeing your hair slightly.
Wash your Hair with Lukewarm Water
While you may love getting a hot shower every morning or before going to bed, high temperatures are no good for dyed hair. That’s because the hair’s cuticles open up due to hot water, which causes them to lose color.
Hence, our expensive dye job literally goes down the drain. So stick to lukewarm water to wash or rinse your hair. After using conditioner, rinse your hair with cold water to lock the moisture in from your conditioner and seal the cuticle as well.
Don’t Shampoo your Hair Every day.
If you can’t imagine washing your hair twice or thrice a week, you can shampoo your hair every other day.
Use Dry shampoo
Skipping shampoo doesn’t mean you can’t clean your hair. Choose a good-quality dry shampoo for washing your colored hair. Use a blow dryer for styling to finish off your cleaning routine. There are several color-tinted dry shampoos available on the market for protecting colored hair.
How Do You Restore Color-Treated Hair
If you frequently dye, get ready for some side effects such as damaged and dull hair. The best way is to prolong the time between touch-ups and your next full dye. Here are some more tips.
Stay on shade: Going for lighter or unnatural colors will require more maintenance and frequent touch-ups. Top stylists recommend going for a darker dye than your original hair color to reduce hair damage.
Choose Demi or Semi-Permanent Dye: The only way to get rid of permanent dye is to outgrow your hair color. A semi or demi hair color is a safer option if you want a temporary color. If you are curious about demi-permanent hair treatment, we’ve created a more detailed guide on removing demi-permanent hair color.
Don’t Treat your Hair Right after a Color Treatment: Whether you want to chemical perm, relax, or straighten your hair, getting it right after a hair dye will damage your hair.
Protect your hair from the Sun: Wear hats or scarves to avoid direct exposure to the sun.
Don’t Brush Wet Hair: Over time, colored hair can become weak and brittle. Air-dry your hair before combing through colored hair to avoid breakage.
How Long Does Hair Dye Last For
Typically, permanent color stays until your hair grows. That means permanent dye can stay for four to six weeks, after which roots begin showing. If you use a demi-permanent dye, the color will last up to twenty-eight shampoos.
Is Permanent Hair Dye Permanent
Interestingly, permanent dye is not strictly permanent. In this type of hair color treatment, the permanent dye seeps into the hair and changes the color of the shaft from the inside out. An activator present in the dye opens the cuticle and allows the color pigments to enter the hair.
Permanent dyes are excellent for grey hair coverage, mainly because it adds pigment to your hair instead of coating it from the outside. Such dyes are more natural-looking and are less prone to flaking. However, exposure to sunlight and heat can also affect the permanency of the dye.
Partial Highlights Vs. Full Highlights
What are Partial Highlights?
Some stylists refer to this look as a ‘half head of highlights.’ If you get partial highlights, you can allow most of your natural hair color to peek through from the back.
Pros
- Since you bleach fewer strands of hair, there is less potential damage
- Partial highlights are more affordable than full highlights
- You can place them wherever you want for acquiring a new look every time
Cons
- You won’t see most of the color if you wear a high ponytail
- You can’t create a dramatic look or go ‘full blonde’ with partial highlights
What are Full Highlights?
These highlights wrap all around to create a ‘full head of highlights.’ The effect is an entirely new look. From brunette to balayage and blonde, you can use full highlights for creating a more intense look. Most women go for bronzy-gold colors to create a multi-dimensional effect.
Pros
- You don’t have to bleach your hair for going from dark to light
- You can create an entirely new look, depending on your choice
Cons
- Full highlights can be more expensive than partial highlights.
- Getting them frequently can damage your hair
It’s not an easy decision to make and that is why we made a comprehensive guide if you’re still undecided whether partial highlights or full highlights are the way to go.
Box Hair Color Vs. Salon
You can’t get professional-looking results by buying cheap hair-dyeing kids that come for home use. That’s because a professional stylist has the right kind of equipment, expertise, and training to dye your hair. You may also not have access to some of the latest dyes from reputed brands.
Here are some pros and cons of using box hair colors vs. salon’s professional hair dye.
At home
If you don’t have a good-quality dye or don’t know how to choose the best hair color, you may end up ruining your hair and look.
Here are the pros and cons of using a hair dye at home.
Pros
- The most significant advantage is buying a box is cheaper than getting a professional hair-dyeing job at a salon. If you dye your hair at home, you can save tons of money.
- You don’t have to schedule an appointment with your stylist, which means you can dye your hair at your convenience.
Cons
- If you use cheap hair color, you may not get the desired results
- You may not choose the best color that will look good on you
- If you don’t know how to bleach your hair, you may end up damaging your hair and scalp
At a salon
Visiting a salon is the only way to get professional-looking results. Here are some pros and cons you get from a professional hair dye application.
Pros
- You get the exact color and shade you want
- You don’t damage your hair while dyeing or bleaching.
- Your hair stays healthier and stronger
Cons
- Professional dye is expensive than a box color application at home
- You may not know about the products that the salon uses for dye application
Now that you know so much about hair dye let’s find out some exciting things about getting a hair dye that looks great on you.
What are the Best Hair Colors for Blue Eyes?
- Golden Bronde
- Ginger
- Burgundy
- Warm Browns
- Golden Blonde
- Red
What are the Best Hair Colors for Brown Eyes?
Light colors, including platinum blonde and ash, go well with brown eyes. You can also go for jet black or dark brown colors.
What are the Best Hair Colors for Green Eyes?
- Light Auburn
- Ash Brown
- Pastel Pink
- Chocolate Brown
- Platinum Blonde
- Warm Blonde
- Copper
- Blackberry
What are the Best Hair Colors For Gray Hair?
- Subtle Lowlights
- Blonde Highlights
- Ice Blonde
- Radiant Red
- Soft Silver
- Warm Brown
What is the Best Hair Color For Women?
Here are the top 5 hair color products for women.
- Olia Permanent Hair Color from Garnier
- Keratin Color Permanent Hair Color from Schwarzkopf
- Precision Foam Colour from John Frieda
- Nourishing Color Crème from Garnier Nutrisse
- Superior Preference Glam Light from L’Oréal Paris
Best Hair Color For Men
Here are the most popular hair color products for men.
- Personalized At-Home Haircolor from Color&Co.
- Original Formula Men’s Hair Color from Just For Men
- Hair and Beard Color from Manly Guy
- Men’s Hair Color from Clairol Natural Instincts
- Dark and Natural 5 Minute Shampoo-in Hair Color from SoftSheen-Carson
Final Thoughts
That was all that you needed to know for getting the best hair color treatment. Whether you want to dye your hair at home or get a professional hair dye at a salon, make sure you use nothing but good-quality hair color products to protect your hair.
Sources
https://byrdie.com/best-professional-hair-color-lines-348331
https://www.allure.com/gallery/ten-home-hair-color-kits-under-20
https://www.vogue.com/article/best-at-home-hair-color
https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/g28505937/best-at-home-hair-color-dye/
https://www.cosmopolitan.com/style-beauty/beauty/g28505937/best-at-home-hair-color-dye/
