Changing the color of the chevelure is a responsible task. The tiniest wrong move or action can lead to a catastrophic effect on your head!
So, “should I wash my hair before coloring it?”. Yes, it will be great if you wash your hair 12 to 24 hours before coloring. The hair will be clean, and your scalp will produce all the necessary moisture. But you should skip the hair conditioner on the day of coloring.
Well, let’s figure it out.
Washing Hair Before Dying. Yes Or No?
Many women are not quite sure whether it is required to wash hair before dying it either at home or in a salon.
The general scheme of thoughts is clear: most of us, ladies, think that clean locks are more susceptible to the coloring agent. Respectively, the procedure will go faster and simpler if we give a good “bath” to our chevelure before going to visit our colorist master.
But some women are in doubt: should I wash my hair before dying it at a salon?
Let’s take a closer look at the major issues that must be taken into account before we decide whether or not to wash hair before coloring.
- You might not be aware of it but most of the dyes meant for the chevelure are composed and work significantly better on slightly dirty hair! It doesn’t mean that you need to visit the salon with the oily and dirty mass on your head. Instead, give the locks a brief wash if they badly need it the night before the procedure.
- If you wash the hair before applying color to it, there will be a high risk that the coloring agent will not get fixed properly and, respectively, it will not be attached to the chevelure as it should be.
- Not to mention, hair dye must always be applied to dry chevelure, so if you still want to wash it, make sure that it is properly dried before visiting the salon.
- Washing hair before dying it is acceptable if it is done no later than the night before the date of the coloring procedure. On the other hand, leaving the chevelure visibly dirty is no good as well because the excess of skin oils will make it more difficult for the stylist to work with the hair.
- Going to the salon with recently washed chevelure (meaning it has been washed on the same day) may be a cause of certain complications because dying clean hair is a difficult task since the coloring agents don’t stick to the hairs so easily as they should be.
- One more significant argument against the pre-dying wash is that in this case all the defensive layers of scalp oils will be deleted which makes the scalp’s skin more sensitive and vulnerable to the exposure of the chemicals that the dye consists of.
As a result, a slight but quite an annoying itching may appear after the procedure.
And in case one has naturally sensitive skin on her head, the result can be even worse.
So, after all these pros and cons, the conclusion will be that it is better not to shampoo the hair before coloring on the day of the coloring appointment. Like this, the dye will be applied finer and more qualitatively, besides, there will be no significant unpleasant effects like itching or allergy reactions.
Related: How to get hair dye off the sink
Will Washing Your Hair Before Dying It Affect the Result?
Honestly speaking, this is another big point of concern for the ladies that are in doubt and don’t know for sure whether to wash hair before coloring at the salon or not.
We are talking about the effect the foamy “bath” might have on the final result.
Is there going to be any difference between the chevelure that was shampooed and the one that was dyed being a bit not fresh?
Honestly, no significant difference must be found.
If we take two girls with the same hair dye and one of them will color her chevelure when clean and another will leave it unwashed, the final color will be identical. The chevelure will have the same fresh and shiny looks.
Nevertheless, after a while, the chevelure that was dyed over the washed hair will start fading and losing its color and the roots may appear, too. Whilst another one will still look gorgeous.
So, the color loss is the only significant difference and disappointment that can appear when we wash the hair before dye.
Washing Hair Before Dying. Frequently Asked Questions
Replacing the natural color of the chevelure with the artificial one is always a stress for our hair. That is why it is our direct responsibility to take a proper care of our locks to get them ready for the upcoming procedure.
Here are the most frequent questions that are asked about washing hair before dye.
Should I wash my hair before coloring at a salon straight away?
The optimal answer is no. The coloring agents work better on a bit dirty hair so the best will be to wash the chevelure from twelve to twenty-four hours before the visit to the stylist.
On the other hand, if for some reason there was no time to prepare the locks in advance, they can be washed in a salon but then you will have to wait till the chevelure is completely dry before the dye will be applied.
Is washing hair before coloring required if I have a product on them?
If there is any styling or other product on your chevelure, it is better to wash it down before visiting a salon because any extraneous products could complicate the procedure.
Should hair be washed before coloring if it’s greasy?
Nope, if the chevelure is visibly dirty and looks oily, give it a proper “bath” and dry thoroughly if the coloring appointment is set for the same day.
Hopefully, the information provided above was useful and it will be handy whenever you decide to refresh the looks once again. Choose the salon and the stylist carefully and follow the care instructions to extend the coloring effect.
Use these tips and your locks will always look gorgeous!
Read Next: What Color To Dye Over Green Hair When it’s Time For Changes?
