Four common hair dyeing myths, according to a hairstylist

Jamé Jackson

Updated 15 September 2020 at 4:52 am·5-min read

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If you have dyed hair like me, you’ve probably had the itch to refresh your color while at home. With salons still on alert in the midst of COVID-19, many of us haven’t been able to get our hair touched up in a whileeee. And some have even turned to dyeing their own hair in the meantime.

Trust me, I feel your pain. Dyeing your hair is no easy feat.

In fact, I’ve recently learned that there are quite a few misconceptions about dyeing your hair. And honestly, it’s time for the truth to come out.

In The Know caught up with Lauren Viola, the head colorist over at Eddie Plishti, a luxury salon based in New York City, to find out the truth behind common hair dyeing myths. These answers may just help if you dare to dye your hair at home. Read on for the tea.

MYTH #1: Going blonde will cause my hair to break.

Although I can personally attest to the fact that dyeing my hair blonde has definitely shifted how I care for my tresses, I was still surprised that people still believe that going blonde is a death sentence on your hair. “Although hair lighteners can cause the hair to change the texture, if you take proper care of your hair post-dye, it should not break,” Viola told In The Know.

“When you lighten your hair, you are removing pigment, so you may notice some dryness or dullness,” she adds. “However, there are many products, like Olaplex, that keep the hair shaft strong and re-bond the hair to prevent breakage and keep the hair healthy.”

Personally, I love Olaplex for my locs and have sworn by their products for a little over a year. 10/10, highly recommend.

Shop: Olaplex Hair Perfector No 3 Repairing Treatment, S$38.64

Credit: Amazon

MYTH #2: The dryer will burn my hair.

Contrary to this hair dyeing myth, going under a dryer when you get your hair colored is actually preferred, according to Voila. “After applying dye to your hair, your stylist should have you sit under a dryer, which heats up the hair and allows the color to take. A lot of my clients say that they hear that the heat from the dryer will burn or ruin their hair, but that is simply not true.”

Viola explains going under the dryer speeds up the coloring process, similar to how the sun can lighten the hair after a few hours.

So why the fear? “The main reason that hair gets damaged from being under the dryer is that the colorist is leaving you under the dryer for too long and the dye is over-saturating your hair, causing damage,” Viola explains. “Any reputable salon will check your hair to make sure that the dye is rinsed out before it has the chance to harm the hair. Typically, your colorist should check your hair every 10 minutes and keep the dryer on a low heat setting.”

It’s important to limit your heat tools overall, which will help preserve the health of your hair longterm. “Limit your use of heat tools and always use a heat protectant,” Jasmere Waller, owner of Studio Lush hair salon, told In The Know. “Flat irons should only be used on freshly shampooed and conditioned hair.”

MYTH #3: It’s better to color hair when it’s dirty.

I heard about this tip years ago, but according to Viola, this hair dyeing myth is simply not true. “Hair color can’t properly penetrate the strands when the hair is dirty or has product build-up,” said Viola. “Many people think it’s better to color hair when it’s dirty because the natural oils will protect your hair, but the oils can actually cause the product to distribute unevenly.”

So what should you do? Viola explains, “When coming in to the salon for color, wash your hair 24-48 hours before for optimal results. Also, if you are working out before your salon visit, make sure to do a workout that doesn’t cause you to sweat too much because even if you recently shampooed, the sweat can cause buildup on the hair.”

MYTH #4: It’s OK to wash my hair a day after I color it.

When dealing with chemicals, it’s best to give your hair some time before washing, according to Viola. “I tell my clients not to wash their hair for 24 – 48 hours after getting a color treatment,” Viola says. “After you leave the salon the color is still locking in for at least a day. In order to get optimal results, you should leave the color on without shampooing to make sure that it processes fully.”

When you do begin washing your tresses again, make sure to lock in hydration with a leave-in conditioner. “Color-treated hair is weaker and more prone to dryness because of its raised porosity level,” explains Waller. “It’s important to keep the hair hydrated and balanced with protein to prevent brittleness and breakage. We recommend performing a deep conditioning treatment at least two times per month followed by a moisturizing leave-in conditioner.”

For a deep conditioning masque, I personally run to the SheaMoisture Raw Shea Butter Treatment (S$18.61) and the Aussie 3-Minute Miracle Deep Treatment. Both of them are hair staples and highly recommended (by me).