How long does semi permanent hair dye last?

If you are in this article, it is because you are probably wondering how long does semi permanent hair dye last?

The truth is that the duration of this type of dye depends on several factors such as the porosity of the hair, the quality of the dye or the type of shampoo with which you wash your hair.

Semi-permanent dyes usually last between 4 and 6 weeks in the hair. Its duration depends, among other factors, on the type of color with which you dye your hair. Deep natural colors like browns or honeys usually last about 6 weeks. More dedicated colors like red or ashy tones will probably only last only 4 weeks or less.

One of my favourite things about semi permanent dyes is that the don’t damage the hair as much as traditional permanent dyes. 

Let’s see everything you need to know about semi permanent dyes:

How long does semi permanent hair dye last?

Semi-permanent dyes are an excellent solution to temporarily dye our hair without damaging the hair too much.

It is important that you understand that semi-permanent dyes, unlike permanent dyes, do not usually have ammonia and therefore do not open the scales of the cuticle of our hair.

This means that it will not damage our hair as much, but its coloring power is limited. With semi-permanent dyes you will not be able to cover gray hair or lighten your hair.

These types of dyes only deposit color, which are ideal for toning and removing brassiness from the hair, or for temporarily darkening your hair.

How long does exactly a semi permanent hair dye last?

As you have seen before, semi-permanent dyes usually last on the hair for 4 to 6 weeks. However, there are several factors that will determine how long the color will last:

• The quality of the dye: If you buy a semi-permanent dye in the supermarket, it is very likely that it will wash out much faster and that it will also be more aggressive with your hair. If you use a professional semi-permanent dye like Shades Eq from Redken, or Dia from L’oreal, your color will last much longer.
• The porosity of your hair: When your hair is damaged by chemical processes such as bleaching or dyeing, the cuticle scales of your hair will be very open and this will make the color run off much more quickly. On the other hand, if your hair is in better condition, the color will stay sealed in your hair longer and last much longer.
• The type of color that is the semi permanent dye: Reddish, coppery, fantasy or ashy colors fade extremely quickly. Colors with more natural reflections such as honey, chestnut or intense brown tend to last much longer.

In a nutshell, if your hair is bleached and you put on a semi-permanent ash dye it won’t last very long. On the other hand, if your hair hasn’t been heavily processed and you put on a semi-permanent brown hair dye, it will last much longer.

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Is a semi permanent dye a good option for me?

Semi-permanent dyes are not better or worse than permanent dyes. What makes the difference is the purpose for which we use them.

Professionally we recommend using semi-permanent dyes in the following cases:

• Semi-permanent dyes are an excellent option if you just want to tone your hair to remove excess brassiness. In this case, you should avoid permanent dyes, since they could look patchy and would hurt our hair.
• Another of the most recommended cases is when we want to darken our hair or change our color but we are not very sure about it. The advantage here is that if you regret it, in a couple of weeks your color will look very similar to how it was before.
• Semi-permanent dyes are great for refreshing color from mid-lengths to ends in an overall dye application. Ideally when you touch up the color throughout your hair, use a permanent dye on your roots and a semi-permanent dye from mid-lengths to ends in the same color to keep your hair healthier.

If what you are looking for is to lighten your hair or a color that lasts a long time, this type of dye will not be your best option.

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How to get the most of a semi permanent dye

To make your semi-permanent dye last longer and avoid fading, I highly recommend that you:

• Wash your hair no more than twice a week and avoid too hot water. High temperatures wash out dyes faster.
• Always use a professional color-sealing shampoo like Kerastase Bain Chromatique. This will make your color last 80% longer.
• When you apply the dye, always do it on dry hair. This will make it penetrate much deeper. Let it act for about 20 minutes.
• When you have your color freshly done, do not wash your hair after a minimum of 3 days. This makes the dye pigments seal much better in your hair.

You can apply semi-permanent dyes frequently because they don’t damage your hair as much. However, the optimal frequency is that you use them every 6 weeks.

If for some reason you need to remove semi-permanent dye from your hair fast, my best advice is to wash your head with very hot water and the cheapest shampoo you can find. You will see that in a couple of washes it will be completely gone.

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Let’s have fun with color

I hope this article has been helpful to you in knowing how long semi-permanent dyes last. If you put into practice the advice that I have given you here, you will see that you will make them last much longer.

As a professional, I love semi-permanent dyes because they allow me to play with color without damaging my clients’ hair. What is very important is to buy the highest quality dye you can.

Do not be afraid to try new things, and take advantage of the fact that it is a semi-permanent dye! If you regret it will be relatively easy to return to your previous color.

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments. Until next time!