Hair dye failure - how long should i wait til i dye my hair again?

June 16, 2018 7:40 AM

I have thin hair and all i do with them is dye them red at home. I have tried out another hair dye brand (same shade) this time and there was no effect, the roots of my natural color are still visible! How long should i wait until i reapply the dye?
posted by Salicornia to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (2 answers total)

Are you using a major brand like L'Oreal? If yes, there's usually a phone number on the packaging (or googleable) where you can reach a representative to discuss this with. I know when I had a L'Oreal situation similar to what you describe, they told me I could dye again straightaway. But I also know that red is different than brown, which is what I was using. Lastly, maybe you can clarify if you're talking about a natural red color, or bright clown red a la Manic Panic.
posted by BlahLaLa at 8:34 AM on June 16, 2018

What type of dye are you using - permanent, semi/demi permanent, direct dye fashion color, etc? How does your hair feel in terms of texture and damage?

If you’re using a direct dye (you apply straight out of the tub or jar, most common for “fashion colors” like purple or pink, you can dye again immediately - those dyes don’t damage hair and in fact help my hair feel more conditioned.

If you’re using a semi-permanent and just adding red without lightening, you can probably dye again pretty much right away as long as your hair feels normal. That type of dye generally isn’t very damaging.

If you’re using a permanent dye and especially if you’re going lighter as well as red, I’d be a lot more cautious. Bleach can damage your hair, and too much bleach can lead to hair breaking. I’d probably do some deep conditioning and Olaplex treatments before re-dying in that case, and possibly just go to a salon.
posted by insectosaurus at 9:21 AM on June 16, 2018