Hair dyes can leave your hair feeling dry and brittle, but you can take measures to restore your hair’s health. Coconut oil is revered for its hair-saving properties, and it can help repair hair damage. But it’s understandable if you don’t want to do it at the expense of ruining your hair dye job.
So, does coconut oil fade hair color? Well, the answer is no. Whether you’ve dyed your hair or not, coconut oil won’t lighten or fade hair color, at least not by itself. But there are a few things you should keep in mind if you’re planning to use this oil after a hair dye job.
In this post, we’ll talk about whether or not you should be using coconut oil after coloring your hair.
We’ll also talk about the benefits and side effects of using coconut oil on color-treated hair. Read on to learn more!
Can Coconut Oil Fade Permanent Hair Colors?
Before we answer that, let’s understand how permanent hair colors work. A permanent hair dye works by penetrating each hair cuticle and entering the cortex and then reacting with the melanin in your hair. This is usually done with the help of ammonia.
Ammonia is an alkaline solution that increases the pH levels of your hair during the coloring process. This opens up hair cuticles and allows the dye to be deposited. And most permanent hair dyes contain ammonia.
Okay, so what’s the catch? Well, the problem with ammonia is that it damages the hair cuticles and dries out your locks. Not to mention, it can also be quite irritating. If you have a picky scalp, you’re better off without ammonia-based hair dyes.
Coming back to the question, can you use coconut oil after coloring your hair with a permanent hair dye? The answer is yes. Coconut oil will not fade permanent hair colors. In fact, using coconut oil is beneficial for color-treated hair. It will repair the damage done to your hair during the coloring process.
It will also keep your hair healthy and shiny. And the color of your hair will remain vibrant for longer when you’re using coconut oil on a regular basis. Using coconut oil once or twice a week is optimal.
What About Semi-Permanent Hair Colors?
Semi-permanent hair colors work by coating the surface of your hair shaft. They do not penetrate your hair. Now, a lot of people have complaints about coconut oil stripping their hair color.
Although coconut oil doesn’t fade hair color, you should be a bit cautious about using coconut oil after coloring your hair with a semi-permanent hair dye. Semi-permanent hair colors are less durable than permanent colors.
There are no studies that prove coconut oil strips out hair color, but it could be that maybe you’re over-washing your hair. And since semi-permanent colors are a lot less durable, they can fade away when you’re over washing the hair. The condition of your tresses also plays an important role.
In general, if your hair is not healthy, the color can fade easily. There are a lot of other factors that can come into play. For example, the sun is bad for color-treated hair. You should also steer clear of chlorinated water.
That being said, you don’t want to use hot coconut oil. Because heat can also strip out the color. And just to be safe, wait at least 3-4 days to apply coconut oil to your hair after coloring it with a semi-permanent hair dye.
Related: How Long Does Adore Hair Dye Last?
Can You Use Coconut Oil Before Coloring Your Hair?
For the hair color to stay vibrant and last longer, you want to make sure that your hair is in perfect condition before you get on with the coloring process. And applying coconut oil in your hair is a great way to do that.
You see, coconut oil is highly moisturizing. It revives dull and dry strands. Moreover, it also helps detangle your hair. To top it off, it also repairs your hair and reduces protein loss. As a result, you get healthy hair that is ready for coloring.
Keep in mind that coconut oil penetrates your hair, and it can take up to 12 hours for the oil to absorb into your hair.
So, you would want to use the oil on your hair the night before coloring it. Make sure to section your hair as it will ensure easy application. Massage the oil from roots to tips. You don’t want to miss a spot.
Rinse your hair in the morning.
You’ll notice that your hair will be much less damaged after the dye job if you use coconut oil before coloring. And the results would also be better because healthy hair is key to a perfect dye job.
Note: Make sure to invest in a high-quality coconut oil product. Opt for cold-pressed coconut oil that doesn’t contain any additives.
Can Coconut Oil Get Hair Dye Off Skin?
We all end up staining our skin while coloring our hair. And that’s totally normal. But the problem is that sometimes it can be a little challenging to get the dye off the skin. Luckily, coconut oil can help with that.
Start by rubbing coconut oil on the stained area. Then soak the cotton ball in soapy water and let it sit on stained skin for about 4 to 5 minutes. Rub your skin and the dye will fade away.
What’s more, you can also prevent hair dye stains in the first place with the help of coconut oil. You see, coconut oil can create a barrier between your skin and hair dyes.
So, you can apply coconut oil on your forehead, neck, and ears before coloring. This will help prevent dye stains.
Conclusion
Very simply put, there’s no evidence proving that coconut oil fades hair color. In fact, it can increase the longevity of hair color and keep your color shinier and vibrant for much longer. To minimize the damage done by hair dyes, you should start using coconut oil on colored hair.
Your hair will thank you for it. Not to mention, coconut oil is perfectly safe for your tresses and it provides tons of other benefits as well. That being said, you don’t want to overuse it as it can make your locks greasy and dull.
We hope this article helped you find the information you were looking for. If you have any more questions, drop them in the comments below.
