Should You Wash Your Hair Before Coloring It? | Madison Reed (2024)

FAQs

Should You Wash Your Hair Before Coloring It? | Madison Reed? ›

Wait at least one full day after washing your hair before you color at home. If you use styling products, comb through your hair before coloring to remove any excess product. If you use any wax-based styling products, you must wash your hair before coloring because these products may prevent color absorption.

It's best to avoid washing at least 24 hours before dyeing. However, if your hair is really dirty, has a lot of product in it, or you need to shampoo for a special occasion, you can do that – as long as it's a one-off, you shouldn't see any long-term negative effects.

The processing time ranges from 35 minutes to 65 minutes depending on the application that is right for you, so call your mom, your sister, a friend to chat away the time, or get comfy with a good book, because... Now you're ready to color your way to gorgeous, healthy-looking hair.

There are multiple schools of thought regarding whether it's better to wet wash your hair before having it colored at a salon. Every hair colorist has their own preference whether they want hair which has aged a little bit to have a build up of natural oils, or whether it's best to have clean, freshly washed hair.

"Semi-permanent and demi-permanent hair color can be applied to wet or dry hair, but wet hair application in not recommended for permanent hair color." Meanwhile, permanent color changes require a dry hair application. This could mean going lighter, or darker.

Come In With Relatively Clean Hair

While it's okay for your hair to be somewhat dirty before an appointment (it's okay if you've gone a couple of days without a wash!), if you think your hair is overly dirty, your stylist probably will too.

Wait at least one full day after washing your hair before you color at home. If you use styling products, comb through your hair before coloring to remove any excess product. If you use any wax-based styling products, you must wash your hair before coloring because these products may prevent color absorption.

It delivers gorgeous, multi-dimensional, 100% gray coverage. Apply it to the densest areas first so it has the most processing time. Repeat application to the ends of hair where you may not have as much gray. To find a hue that's right for you, start with the innovative Madison Reed shade matching tool.

There are 3 types of hair color: temporary, such as Root Touch Up, semi-permanent, like our Color Reviving Gloss, and permanent, which would be our Radiant Cream Color. To understand how hair color works, it's necessary to first understand both the basics of natural hair color and artificial color.

Where possible, you shouldn't shampoo immediately before coloring because this will remove the natural oils that help protect your scalp from any damage during the dyeing process. It's best to shampoo no sooner than 24 hours before applying color.

Can I put dry shampoo in my hair before getting it colored? ›

While dry shampoo doesn't directly interfere with hair dye once your hair has been colored, it may alter the effectiveness of the dying process by preventing your dye from appropriately bonding or "taking" to your hair. Especially if your dry shampoo includes wax, you should avoid using it before coloring your hair.

Any product that's left on your hair before you wash could block the semi permanent colour from attaching to your hair in different places, and nobody wants patchy colour. So give your hair a really good shampoo before you dye your hair, but leave out the conditioner.

As it turns out, most hair dyes are designed to work better on hair that is not freshly washed. Skipping a wash allows for oils to build up on your scalp, which in turn helps protect against irritation that can be caused by hair dye.

Don't shampoo immediately before dyeing your hair. Why? Because 1-2 days unwashed hair has a protective barrier on the scalp - it means there's less chance of any irritation and color pigment is better deposited. Also, just before dyeing, avoid using styling products (dry shampoo, hair spray, gels etc.).

Each kit will have instructions to let you know how to apply it for best results, but in general, you'll want to color hair that is completely dry and prepare by refraining from washing it for a day or two before coloring.

While dry shampoo doesn't directly interfere with hair dye once your hair has been colored, it may alter the effectiveness of the dying process by preventing your dye from appropriately bonding or "taking" to your hair. Especially if your dry shampoo includes wax, you should avoid using it before coloring your hair.

Where possible, you shouldn't shampoo immediately before coloring because this will remove the natural oils that help protect your scalp from any damage during the dyeing process. It's best to shampoo no sooner than 24 hours before applying color.

Ultimately, the answer to this question comes down to the personal preference of the person styling your hair, whether that's you or a professional hairstylist, as well as your specific hair type. Potempa recommends showing up to your appointment with clean hair.

A thorough rinse after the coloring process ensures the removal of any excess chemicals from your hair. This not only prevents potential damage but also encourages the bonding process between the new color and your hair shafts.