Have you ever coloured your hair? In most cases, your hairstylist starts putting the colour before cutting or washing your hair. You might do things differently if you are dying your hair at home. Some people dye their hair after washing.
What happens when you dye your hair at home? Why doesn’t it look as good as when you dye at a stylist’s shop? In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about dying your hair.
Can You Colour Your Hair After Washing It?
According to experts, you can colour your hair when it’s wet. But the colour will not be as bright as it would be when you apply the colour when your hair is dry. Experts say water works as a diluting agent to reduce the concentration of the colour. Dyeing wet hair is not wrong, but it prevents the colour from brightening or remaining at its full intensity, which can disturb the lift of the colour and reduce its longevity.
When you apply Hair dye, it usually goes deep into the hair cuticles. [1] It doesn’t remain on top of hair strands. However, it doesn’t get into the cuticles if your hair is wet. The colours only get into the cuticle if your hair is dry.
Let’s take a look at a sponge. Studies show that if a sponge is wet, there will be no space remaining in the sponge for the dye to get absorbed. If the sponge is dry, all the dye can be absorbed easily into the spaces, and it will not disappear in the first shampoo. The same thing applies when you colour wet hair. [2]
In addition, if you want to add a colour that is not noticeable to your hair you can dye your hair when it is wet. This will make the colour thinner and less opaque. If you have coarse or thick hair, [3] colouring wet hair may be good for you because your texture is more absorbent than fine hair. [4]
Some experienced hair stylists also apply colour on wet hair, especially when toning the hair to avoid over depositing when thinner colours are required.