Why Does My Hair Dye Fade?

Imagine this: You’ve finally achieved your dream hair color, but within weeks (or days), it’s already faded. What's going on? And is there anything you can do to stop the premature fading? In this article, we’ll share why your hair dye fades and give you practical tips to make it last longer.

You Have High Porosity Hair

Hair porosity refers to how well your hair holds onto things like water, oils, and...hair dye molecules. Low-porosity hair retains dye for much longer than high-porosity hair can. High hair porosity can be genetic or may develop due to aging or hair damage. If you have high porosity hair, here’s what you can do to combat it:

• Use high-quality hair dyes - they are formulated to last.

• Get your hair professionally colored.

• Do a protein treatment or color filler before coloring your hair.

• Get yourself a color-protecting shampoo and conditioner.

• Only wash your hair when you absolutely need to.

• Shield your hair from the sun.

The Color Didn’t Process Long Enough

To get long-lasting results, ensure the hair dye processes for the amount of time recommended by the manufacturer. If the dye hasn't had a chance to get to the inner layers of your hair and deposit the color pigment, the color will fade right away.

When coloring your hair at home, read the time recommendations on the packaging and follow them to the letter.

*Note: Grey hair typically needs a longer processing time than non-grey hair.

You Prefer Hot Water When You Shampoo

As tempting as a hot shampoo session may sound, rinsing your hair with hot water is a surefire way to strip hair dye. Hot water lifts the hair cuticles, making the dye easier to rinse away. This one’s easy to fix—turn down the temperature of the water. Warm water is better than hot.

You Washed Your Hair Right Away

Did you know your hair color needs time to set before you first wash? If you wash your hair immediately after coloring, those color molecules will quickly wash out, resulting in premature fading. If you want to preserve your hair color, wait at least 24 hours for your first post-dye shampoo session.

Your Hair Products are Stripping the Color

Hair products aren’t all created equal. Some products contain color-stripping ingredients that could dull your new color within days. Typical culprits include sulfates, drying alcohols, and any products with a high pH. Often, while using them, you’ll notice color bleeding. Avoid these if you want your color to stick around.

Your Hair is Chronically Dry

Hair dye and dry hair don’t mix. If your hair is severely dry, you can’t expect long-lasting color. Luckily, regular hydrating, moisturizing, and sealing can eliminate dryness. Hydrate your hair with water or rose water, and apply your favorite moisturizer. If that’s not enough, add a hair sealant to lock it in—jojoba, grapeseed, and castor oil are great for this. In addition, here are some dry hair hacks to consider. 

So, there you have it - why your hair dye fades fast and some tips and tricks you can use to make it last longer. If you haven't already done so, we recommend checking out Daily Dose Deep Conditioner and Leave-in Conditioner, both of which can give your hair a much-needed pick-me-up. The deep conditioner penetrates your hair shaft for some serious repair and rejuvenation. And the leave-in adds extra hydration, aids in detangling, and protects the hair from outside influences. Check both products out here. We hope you found all the information you were looking for, and we wish you the best with your hair.

Author: Andrea Reyes

Andrea is a mother, wife, writer, and natural hair enthusiast of 15+ years. Currently on her natural hair journey, she’s been trying countless products and techniques to understand and embrace her natural hair. She is the creator of CurlAdvice.com, a new website featuring informative articles that share tips, tricks, and techniques aimed to help others learn to love their hair through proper hair care. She writes with the hope of making hair care easier to understand and implement.