Hair coloring means different things to different people. For some, coloring is a beauty standard they would like to achieve for a better appearance. For others, coloring is an outlet to exhibit their adventurous side. 

Going beyond the art of grooming, hair coloring has become a form of self-expression. Hair coloring enables you to create a style that is unique and totally YOU.

Become an opinion-setter, set new style standards, or enjoy the pure fun of coloring — but color your hair the right way and with the right products for the best results.

It is also important to take care of your hair before, after, and during coloring. Approach a stylist with expertise in hair coloring. If you have already colored your hair, but want to recolor it, then knowing the right time for the treatment will ensure your hair remains healthy and radiant.

Table of Contents:

• Why You Should Wait to Recolor Your Hair: Importance of Proper Hair Care
• What Happens If You Recolor Your Hair Immediately? Risks and Precautions to Consider
• Dry or Brittle Hair
• Itchy Scalp
• Increased Occurrence of Grey Hair
• The Right Spacing Between Coloring Sessions
• Give Your Hair the Right Aftercare

Why You Should Wait to Recolor Your Hair: Importance of Proper Hair Care

If you are using temporary hair color, then the coloring product works by imparting color to the external portion of the hair shaft. A temporary coloring product can also work by entering the hair shaft and forming larger molecules of the new color inside the shaft.

Shampooing can remove the color because temporary hair coloring products do not contain ammonia. As a result, the shaft is not opened during the process of coloring. 

In permanent hair coloring, the cuticle of the hair is opened to deposit the permanent color.

Ingredients in the coloring product undergo a chemical reaction with the inner layer of the hair – the cortex – to first remove the existing hair color and then impart the new one. These functions are performed simultaneously.

Ammonia is used in permanent hair coloring products as it opens the cuticle. A coloring product uses a developer, usually peroxide, to remove existing colors. Peroxide also removes existing chemical bonds within the hair structure, which results in the formation of sulfur. The odor of sulfur is responsible for the smell that hair coloring products usually emit.

The new color gets attached to the cortex while melanin loses its natural color. Permanent hair coloring products may also contain conditioners, which help seal hair cuticles once the new color is deposited. This seal helps make the new color permanent.

Given the extent of the chemical process involved in hair coloring, it is important to wait before every recoloring. When you color your hair, you are exposing the entire hair structure to chemicals. This can result in hair damage.

Even if you are using only temporary coloring, extensive hair damage can occur if you recolor your hair immediately.

What Happens If You Recolor Your Hair Immediately? Risks and Precautions to Consider

Any color treatment can turn out to be rough on your hair. The damage can be intense if the new color is far off from your original hair color. In fact, lighter color shades tend to cause more damage than their darker counterparts.

If you are using DIY hair dyes, then chances are you may be using a product with harsher ingredients. These products can cause more damage to your hair.

A gentle and effective after-color hair routine is key to maintaining your hair’s health after a coloring treatment.

Avoid following up a hair color treatment with recoloring or other styling treatments immediately. You can cause irreparable damage to your hair if you re-treat two weeks after the last treatment.

You may notice the following changes in your hair:

• Dry or Brittle Hair

Hair coloring products do not usually cause intense damage to hair. If you color your hair often, especially without any interval in between sessions, the damage can be severe.

Damage is more than likely if you tend to lighten your hair more. Bleach, the constituent in hair lightening products, can damage hair cuticles when used often. Without the protective cover of the cuticle, your hair loses its strength and shine and becomes dry and brittle.

If you notice more split ends, frizz, unusual dryness, or strands that look lifeless and unhealthy, then you may have recolored too soon.

• Itchy Scalp

An itchy scalp or an unusually irritating scalp can be the result of an allergy to PPDA (p-Pheylenediamine), an ingredient in permanent hair-coloring products. The itching may be mild and even unnoticeable.

If you recolor often, then the allergy can cause irreparable damage to your scalp. Talk to your dermatologist if you start feeling an itchy scalp.

• Increased Occurrence of Grey Hair

You may be coloring your hair to cover greys. But if grey hair keeps reappearing in less than two weeks every time you color it, then it is time to stop coloring. Coloring in less than two weeks, repeatedly, can do extensive damage to your hair.

If you have lightened your hair repeatedly to cover greys, then you may come to a point where your hair turns completely white. It is an indication that the hair-coloring product has stopped working for you. In such cases, it is better to leave your strands with their natural color.

The Right Spacing Between Coloring Sessions

With coloring, the longer you have your next recoloring appointment, the better.

Say, you got the perfect stylist and the hair color you were in love with. If you want to retain the color, then wait for 4 to 6 weeks before going for a recolor.

If the color you had in mind and the one you got does not match, then do not be shocked. It happens in the real world!

Do not try to change your color immediately or within a few days of getting the first treatment. You will damage your scalp and hair with such hair treatment. Wait for 4 to 6 weeks before the correction.

Give Your Hair the Right Aftercare

The aftercare maintenance you give your hair after a coloring treatment is key to keeping strands healthy.

Wait for at least 48 hours to shampoo your hair after a coloring treatment. The longer you wait, the better.

Try to stay away from shampooing after a coloring treatment as much as you can. Limit hair washing to thrice a week to be color-safe.

Use a deep conditioner a week after your coloring treatment to protect your hair.

 Ensure that you use color-safe haircare products. Shampoos with harsh chemicals can further damage your hair. Using such shampoos can damage your hair cuticles and suck the nutrients off strands. The result is unhealthy and lifeless hair.

Limit your exposure to the elements immediately after a color treatment. Expose yourself less to the sun and limit your time in the water.

If you want to use a pool or tub, or head to a beach, then tie your up to protect the color. You may want to use hair sunscreen or wear a hat when out in the sun.

Power-pack your after-color hair maintenance with WOW Skin Science’s haircare products. These products are cruelty-free, chemical-free, and 100% plant extract-powered. All products are free from sulfates, silicones, parabens, and other harmful chemicals.

You may want to try the Coconut & Avocado Natural Hair Conditioner for deep conditioning of your hair after a coloring treatment. Natural ingredients in this formulation repair damaged hair, nourish hair with nutrients and protect strands from sun damage. They moisturize hair and scalp and keep strands soft and smooth.

A range of color-safe shampoos is available at WOW Skin Science. Each of these shampoos is formulated with powerful botanicals, such as apple cider vinegar, green tea extracts, premium Moroccan argan oil, and virgin coconut oil.

Shampoos are formulated to be neutral. As a result, the scalp’s pH remains well-balanced. Apply the shampoo to your scalp and run it along the strands for maximum effect. Wash hair with cool water, which helps close the cuticles and keep the color safe.  

Products are also available in convenient shampoo-conditioner sets. 

Hair color is a way of self-expression. By changing your hair color, you could perhaps change the way the world sees you. Be bold, fun, sexy, or however, you want to be, with vibrant and melodic colors.

Maintaining your hair is crucial to styling your hair the way you want. Use an efficient haircare routine with the right products to keep your hair healthy, clean, and naturally shiny.