Temporary hair color is both a gift and a curse. It can give you that gorgeous color pop that you are looking for in your life, but it can also fade over time and become muted. Whether you decide to color your hair pink, purple, green, blue, any color really, there are several steps that you can take to make your temporary hair color stay beautiful for longer.
3. Apply on dry hair for a more vibrant color
4. Don't spend too much time in the sun
6. Stay away from chlorine and other harsh chemicals
Frequently shampooing is a quick and easy way to get rid of your temporary hair color. If you follow that train of thought, not shampooing often is a great way to keep your color around longer. With temporary hair color, you should be shampooing your hair only around 1-2 times a week, and when you do shampoo your hair color-safe and silicone-free shampoos are a great option. Most color-safe shampoos are already silicone-free and have other nutrients to help your hair stay healthy but staying silicone-free is important because it can easily open your hair’s cuticles and quickly strip the color.
Following your hair appointment or after dying your hair yourself, you should always wait a full 72 hours, or 3 days, to shampoo your hair. This allows your hair cuticles to close and seal the hair color inside. By shampooing earlier when the cuticles are still open, you just let the color seep out and get lost among the rest of the shower water. Literally, money down the drain.
If your hair mood is super greasy and often unmanageable, dry shampoos are a great way to try and combat the shiny look on the top of your head. Dry shampoos don’t do anything to your hair’s cuticles so are safe, but if you really want to be sure there are other color-protecting dry shampoo products on the market. (2)
Once again, cold water is great for the cuticles in your hair. Just as you should take a cold shower after shaving your legs, or use cold water after shaving a beard, you should take a cold shower to help your temporary hair color last longer. The cold water, especially before shampooing, will keep your hair’s cuticles closed with the color closed inside as well. Following the same vein, if you are using color depositing shampoos or conditioners you should open your hair’s cuticles with warm water, but make sure to rinse it all out with cold water after! (1)
If you are dying your hair at home, or anywhere but a salon, you should make sure that your hair is dry to help you to achieve a brighter, more vibrant color. Aside from applying the color on dry hair, you should also be sure to apply the dye in sections around your head, starting from underneath, and fully saturate each section. This will help the color to appear fuller and create more coverage. If you are using several different colors, using foils to separate each color is a must to keep it from blending and bleeding. If you are looking for that muted or softer finish with one or more colors, however, applying the color on wet hair is a great idea. (1)
Just like with your skin and old furniture, your hair can burn or fade when exposed to too much sunlight. Too much exposure will start to damage your hair proteins and can start to decrease and fade both natural and artificial pigments. By wearing a hat, a scarf over your head, a hood, or some other sort of protection from the sun you can help slow the fading. (2)
Having stronger, healthier hair can also help prevent sun damage. Coconut water, aside from all its other health benefits, is a great option to hydrate and condition your hair to make it stronger. (5)
Like warm showers, heat styling will also open your hair’s cuticles and allow the temporary hair color to escape. Heat styling includes straighteners, crimpers, curlers, and hair dryers which are all used to help create gorgeous daily hairstyles. Instead of these, there are many heatless options you can try to achieve the same look. Sock curls, curlers, braids, and wrapping your hair around your head are just a few. If you really feel that you need those heated products, using a heat protectant spray can help keep your cuticles closed, and the color inside. (2)
Chlorine, like the sun, can also fade your hair color and sometimes even give it a green tint if the color is light enough. By using a leave-in conditioner or a protectant crème before you get in a pool you can help to protect your color. Another alternative is to mix conditioner and water together into a spray bottle, and thoroughly coat your hair both before and after going into the pool or ocean. This can help to keep your hair hydrated and healthy. Castor oil is another good natural hair conditioner that also helps with hair growth. Mixing in some castor oil with your water and conditioner mix will help it grow and stay healthy. (4)
This vinegar wash, created by the temporary hair dye company Manic Panic, can also help to rejuvenate your hair color shortly after dying it. The white vinegar will help to raise the pH level of your hair dye, which enables it to last longer.
Although this vinegar wash can only be used shortly after dying your hair, it will help keep your temporary hair color bright and colorful for longer!
Written by Alyssa Thompson
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