Are you bored with how your hair looks? Besides getting bangs, coloring your hair is one of the best ways to give yourself a hair makeover. But the fear of hair damage stops most people from trying out new hair color. The fear is legitimate too. Frequently changing your hair color can take away its natural shine because of the harsh chemicals in hair dyes.

So, the question is – how can we tackle the damaging effects of hair color? The answer to this lies in one simple ingredient – onion. This kitchen staple has been used for centuries to treat various hair conditions. It is known to repair damaged and thinning hair and can also stop premature hair greying in its tracks. So does it work on colored hair too? Read on to find out. 

Table of contents:

• Is onion good for colored hair?
• Can I apply onion oil daily?
• Will onion oil regrow hair?
• How do I keep my dyed hair from fading?
• Can an onion stop GREY hair?

Is onion good for colored hair?

The two main issues with colored hair are –

1. Maintaining the hair color
2. Treating hair damage

Most hair dyes contain harsh ingredients like hydrogen peroxide, ammonia, and phenylenediamine that make your hair brittle and dry and strip the hair of natural moisture. While permanent hair colors go deep into the hair cortex to change the hair color, semi-permanent hair color covers the surface of each hair strand. Some amount of hair damage is expected in both types of hair dyes.

Onions are excellent for providing much-needed nourishment to color-treated damaged hair. Enriched with the goodness of sulfur, this haircare remedy can bring your hair strands back to life.

• The enzymes present in the onion help in boosting hair growth and improve your scalp health.
• Onions contain a high concentration of sulfur, a potent ingredient that nourishes your hair strands from root to tip. When applied on the scalp, it also encourages your hair follicles to boost hair re-growth and reduce hair fall.
• Infused with antioxidants, onions also work excellently in minimizing environmental damage. It is also known to reduce premature greying of hair.
  
  
• The antimicrobial properties of onions are also good for getting rid of scalp infections.

Can I apply onion oil daily?

An onion oil like the Wow Skin Science Onion Black Seed Oil can work wonders on your hair, but it shouldn't be applied regularly. In fact, applying any hair oil regularly can lead to product build-up and clogging of pores. Regular application of onion oil on hair can also sensitize the scalp, leading to itchiness, irritation, and eczema in some cases. This is because of the high concentration of sulfur present in onions.

If you want to derive the maximum benefits from this potent hair oil, limit the application to once or twice a week. And if you have sensitive skin, avoid leaving the oil in your hair for a long duration because it can again irritate the scalp. Massage it into your hair, and leave it for 3-4 hours. Also, make sure that you cleanse your scalp and hair thoroughly afterward.

Will onion oil regrow hair?

According to some research studies, onion oil/juice is an effective remedy for hair loss. This potent ingredient is a one-stop solution that can reduce hair breakage and loss and promote healthy hair growth. If you have been losing hair rapidly, you can use onion hair oil for breathing life back into your hair.

Here is how it helps in increasing your hair growth –

• The sulfur in onion oil helps increase blood circulation to the scalp, which aids in hair re-growth.
• Onion-based products like hair oils, conditioners, and shampoos contain antifungal and antimicrobial properties, which help fight skin infections. When your scalp is healthier, it will naturally promote healthy hair growth.
• The high concentration of sulfur in onion oil aids in the regeneration of hair follicles, which prevents hair breakage and thinning.
  
  
• Consistent application of onion oil can also help replenish the necessary scalp nutrients. Over time, you'll notice that your hair looks shinier and healthier.
• With regular application of onion oil, you'll also see a marked improvement in your hair volume.

How do I keep my dyed hair from fading?

Onion oil can help bring your color-damaged hair back to life, but how do you maintain your hair color? Here are some general hair care tips to prevent your hair color from fading –

• Be careful with freshly colored hair: If you have just gotten your hair colored, experts recommend waiting for a minimum of 72 hours before washing it. Washing your hair color right after a salon appointment can cause the color to drain out and fade quickly.
• Use mild sulfate-free shampoos: When washing your colored hair, make sure to use a sulfate-free formulation like the Wow Skin Science Red Onion Black Seed Oil or Moroccan Argan Oil shampoos. These shampoos do not strip your hair of natural moisture and hydration, as a result of which hair color doesn't fade as quickly.
  
• Trim hair from time to time: When you have too many dry and dead split ends, the color fades faster. Make sure that you get a trim every 3 to 4 months.
• Avoid washing hair with hot water: Hot water will open your hair cuticles, as a result of which color will fade faster. Make sure that you always use lukewarm or cold water to wash colored hair.

Can an onion stop GREY hair?

Yes. One of the many benefits of applying onion oil to your hair is that it stops premature greying of hair in its tracks. 

• You might already be familiar with the fact that melanin is responsible for your natural hair color. Graying of hair occurs because of free radicals that destroy the melanocytes in the hair follicles. Onion oil contains antioxidants like vitamin C and flavonoids like quercetin, which help neutralize these free radicals.
• The hero ingredient in onion oil, sulfur, is known to facilitate glutathione production (a strong antioxidant enzyme). It helps in boosting catalase synthesis, which causes the hydrogen peroxide to break easily. And when there is less hydrogen peroxide in the hair follicles, it causes lesser damage to the melanocytes.

Onion oil can be a boon for color-treated, damaged hair. It's amply evident from this article that it contains a variety of micronutrients that help improve your hair's overall health. Use it bi-weekly and watch your hair health improve drastically. We have a whole Onion Hair Care Range at Wow Skin Science if you want to check out more onion-based products.