What Hair Dye Lasts the Longest?

How long will your new hair color stay on your locks being vibrant and shiny? We found it out for you!

Written by Kate Holmsy. Updated on What Hair Dye Lasts the Longest

When you dye your hair a new color, you definitely want it to last as long as possible, being vivid and glossy at the same time! However, those of you who are not newbies in hair dyeing know perfectly well that certain dye colors tend to start fading way too fast after you apply them on your locks!

Is it possible to do something with this issue? Well, you can, of course, spend your precious time stuck in front of the screen searching for the methods of extending a hair color lifespan. However, we offer you a much simpler solution that will not cost you a penny. Just read this article and discover what hair dye colors will stay on your mane much longer than others. Like this, you will know for sure what colors to look for when you decide to change your appearance a bit next time!

What Hair Dye Colors Will Last On Your Hair Longer Than Others?

This is the question that probably most girls ask when they decide to refresh their appearance and go for a new hair color. Of course, if you are a hair dyeing newbie, you will most likely simply pick a dye color that you want to have on your locks, and you dye your mane with it.

However, if you are an experienced veteran of hair color transformations, you already know that certain dye colors have a bad habit of fading way too soon! And what is the point of undergoing quite a time-consuming hair dyeing procedure if the color will start disappearing after a couple of weeks?!

This is why we made a brief investigation and made a list of hair dye colors that will surely stay on your locks longer than others. Each of them can become an ideal choice for the first-time hair coloring, as well as for another look transformation if you are not new to it.

  • red
  • blonde
  • brown

Yep, not an impressive list, only three colors. However, don’t forget that each of them has multiple shades. It means that you will be able to pick up a shade that will fit your appearance best of all.

So how long does each of these colors last, you may be wondering? Well, if you dye your hair red, you can be sure it will stay on your locks untouched and unchanged for six weeks. Blonde will be delighting you for four and up to six weeks as well, and as for the brown dye color, it can be considered the most durable of all three of them. When dyed brown, your mane will keep this color for several months (but only if you wash your hair once a week!).

What Hair Dye Colors Will Last On Your Hair Longer Than Others
Credits: Syda Productions, via Canva.com

Factors That Affect the Durability Of Your Hair Dye

Have you ever noticed that certain colors of your hair dyes tend to last significantly longer in comparison to others? If you have, then you most likely asked yourself why it happens and what may influence such a behavior of a dye on your locks.

See, the thing is that quite many different factors exist that really influence the period of time a dye will sit on your hair and thus the time its color will remain unchanged. And whilst some of these factors are out of your grip and you can’t do anything with them, others can easily be taken under your close control.

Factors That Affect the Durability Of Your Hair Dye
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The Type And the Color Of Your Natural Hair

As you probably know, the color of your hair (as well as the color of skin and eyes) is determined by the amount of melanin. It is a pigment that is housed in the cortex of our hair, and this is the cortex that has to be penetrated in order to change its natural color pigment when we dye our locks. Also, in order to get to the cortex of your hair, the hair dye must also penetrate the cuticle which is the outer protective layer located around the cortex.

It all means that, if your hair is naturally dark, for example, and you want to make it blonde, you will have to strip your hair of its inborne pigment. This is why turning blonde requires lightening and bleaching of our hair that are both highly harmful procedures. It is also the reason why we must moisturize and nourish our tresses properly when bleaching them so that the hair is protected from breakage and damage!

On the contrary, if you are a natural blonde (congrats!), and you would like to become a bit darker, such hair color transformation will be way less harmful for your locks since no bleach will be needed. Also, darker colors will sit on your hair somewhat longer since there is no need to strip the mane of its natural color.

Finally, the type of your hair also matters a lot. What do we mean? Well, if you are the owner of fine hair and you would like to dye it, be aware that fine hair needs less time for absorbing the dye, whereas thicker and/or coarse hair will need significantly more time for changing its color!

We Tested At-Home Hair Dyes To See How Long They LastWe Tested At-Home Hair Dyes To See How Long They Last

Your Hair Health

How healthy and strong your hair is will influence the period of time the dye will be able to hold to it and remain shiny and vibrant. For instance, if your hair is dry or damaged, its cuticles are way more vulnerable and porous. In this case, they will absorb the dye pigment quicker and easier, however, it will also bleed out pretty fast.

This is why it is important to keep your tresses well-nourished and moisturized so that they remain healthy. It will allow you to lock the dye pigment in better which will result in a durable hair color in future.

Your Hair Health
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The Quality Of Your Hair Care

Do you think it matters how well you are taking care of your mane? Yes, it does matter! And it is not only about moisturizing it or keeping it well nourished even though these factors are also important.

For instance, to make the dye color last longer, you shall not wash your mane too often. Otherwise, you will strip it of the new color. The optimal frequency is every other day, but if you can wash it even less often it will be just perfect!

Also, you should avoid using too many products that may cause heat damage. In addition, environmental factors still exist and they do not add extra days to the lifespan of your new hair dye color either. Even the UV from sunrays and the water you wash your hair with will cause your hair dye to fade way faster!

The Quality Of Your Hair Care
Credits: RobertoDavid, via Canva.com

What Brand Is Your Hair Dye?

Are you surprised? You should not be. Hair dyes of reputable brands will last significantly longer after being applied to the locks. Also, you can be sure that their color will remain vibrant and glossy.

So it doesn’t matter whether you dye your hair at home yourself or you go to a salon where professionals do it for you, stick to reputable and approved hair dye brands to be sure of the result!

What Brand Is Your Hair Dye
Credits: Elnur, via Canva.com

What Is the Type Of Your Hair Dye?

If you have some experience in hair dyeing, then there is no need to remind you that semi-perm dyes do not belong to the super long-lasting ones. It means that, if you apply such a dye onto your strands, they will be impressing everyone with a new color for quite a short period of time.

And on the contrary, permanent dyes are known for being much more durable and long-lasting which is the ideal solution in case you are looking for a new hair color that will remain on your locks long without any dramatic changes.

When being aware of all these nuances, you will be able to ensure that you choose the right hair dye and get your locks ready for the color changing procedure properly so that the result will delight you and last to its longest.

What Is the Type Of Your Hair Dye
Credits: Alex_Doubovitsky, via Canva.com

Tips On How to Make Your Freshly Dyed Hair Stay Shiny Longer

Of course, after we dye our hair with a new and such a lovely color (no matter what it is, we just adore it!), we want it to remain on our locks as long as possible. However, reality hits and sooner or later we realise that our vibrant red or romantic blonde mane starts slowly fading away!

Most girls will rush to the nearest salon and have their locks refreshed every three or four weeks only to keep up the color. However, such a method is quite pricey and, well, rather harmful for your hair because of the frequent exposure to various chemicals. Believe us, once your hair starts falling off, you will want to look for another way of saving its color!

Luckily, we can offer you a few easy and way less hazardous ways of retaining your new hair color longer.

  1. Wash your hair less
  2. Use the right care products
  3. Don’t forget about using a hair protector
  4. Forget about clarifying and/or dandruff shampoos

And now let’s see what each of these suggestions mean. So the first recommendation is to wash your mane less frequently, and it does make sense. The less often we do it the less dye will be washed away from the hair. Also, remember to apply the dye on the hair that was washed the day before. Like this, the oils in your scalp will help the dye to attach to the hair way better.

Second is the care products that you use. See, to help your freshly dyed locks retain that virant color and gloss longer, we recommend you make use of sulfate-free hair care products only. If you manage to find a shampoo or other care products that also contain no chemical nasties (or at least have very few of them), you will be our hero!

In addition, try to avoid really hot showers, as well as hot styling tools on your dyed hair. Heat tends to destroy the pigment very fast and very well, and this is what you are trying to avoid by all means.

As for the hair protector, this advice is needed for the avid swimmers and/or sunbathers. Chlorine in a swimming pool water, as well as the UV in sun rays can hardly be called your hair best friends even if your locks are not colored. Imagine now how they will affect the strands that have recently been dyed! So don’t be shy and wear a swimming cap in a pool and a hat when at the beach. And remember to apply sun-protection products to your hair on extremely sunny days!

Finally, if you use dandruff or clarifying shampoos often, we would advise you stop doing that unless they are designed for colored hair. Because if they are not, both products will strip your dyed hair of its new color pretty soon, or they will make it fade in a really odd way!

And now that you have learned so much handy and easy to use information regarding the most long-lasting hair dye and the proper hair treatment and care to make the color last with no changes, we are sure that any hair dyeing experiments you will be up to will always be successful!

Frequently Asked Questions

⭐ What are the best hair dyeing techniques for the first time dyeing?

They are balayage, ombre, highlights, and sombre.

⭐ Is it enough to bleach my hair once if I want to dye it blonde?

Only a professional colorist can tell you how many bleaching procedures you need. One may be enough, or it may not.

⭐ Can white vinegar help to remove dye color?

Yes, it can help since dyes are not designed for withstanding acidic substances.

 
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Kate worked in "The Fashion Magazine" for four years as a freelance writer and loved to consult and help people with their style. How to create your own style, how to look beautiful, and select trendy colors for your hair - these are just a few of many issues Kate will happily explain in Beezzly Beauty blogs!
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