How to Prevent Hair Color from Bleeding

Co-authored by Karen Leight

Last Updated: April 19, 2024

When you dye your hair multiple colors, you can often encounter problems with the various colors bleeding into each other, or into bleached hair. Any hair dye will inevitably fade, but you can take steps to slow that that process and prevent it from affecting the rest of your head.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Keeping Multiple Dyes from Bleeding Together

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1
Use conditioner to keep color dyes from bleeding onto lighter hair. During the dyeing process, coat lighter hair in conditioner to protect it. The conditioner will act as a shield when you rinse the dye itself out, lessening the unwanted contact that the dye has with your hair.^{[1]
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- Another option is to cover the dyed sections with foil or plastic. Then, rinse the darkest sections of your hair first to prevent them from bleeding onto the lighter sections.
2
Wash and then wait 48 hours before shampooing your hair again after getting it dyed. You will need to shampoo and condition your hair right after dyeing it to get the dye residue out of your hair, but then wait 48 hours to wash it again. Washing it too much too early can dislodge the coloring agents. Though it wouldn’t affect the vividness of your dyed hair too much, those colors can easily find their way into the parts of your hair where you don’t want them.
- You can use warm water to wash your hair, just make sure it is not hot. Hot water opens up the cuticles in your hair and lets some of the dye out; run-off here will be particularly noticeable when you’re trying to keep the colors in your hair separate from one another.^{[2]
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  Karen Leight
  Professional Hair Stylist
  
  Expert Interview. 13 November 2020.}
- Wear a shower cap or pin your hair up out the way to protect it on days you don’t want to wash your hair.
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3
Shampoo with color-safe shampoo.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Karen Leight
Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Interview. 13 November 2020.} You’ll want to use shampoo that’s designed for color-treated hair, to better keep all your colors from bleeding.
- If your hair’s getting too dirty with fewer shampoos from fewer showers, try out a dry shampoo to keep your hair clean in those interim periods. Or, you can also try rinsing and conditioning your hair to get rid of excess oils and dirt between shampoos.
Lorri Goddard-Clark, Hair Colorist

Use a clarifying shampoo before coloring to remove any buildup that may interfere with the color. Apply a color sealer after coloring to help lock in the color and prevent bleeding.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Preventing Color from Fading

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1
Shower less. Water is the primary culprit in color’s bleeding and fading. While you need not swear off showers altogether (please don’t, actually), regular washing causes the dye to fade.
- If you usually shower every day, try transitioning to every other day. Or: wear a shower cap to protect your color on the days you’re only washing your body.
- To supplement this strategy, you can try adding a shower filter specially designed to cut down on mineral content in your water. Minerals like iron and lime are particularly harsh on dyes.
- This advice will be especially relevant if you’re looking to stretch out the timeline on your semi-permanent and demi-permanent hair dyes, as they’re intended to wash out around 12 and 24 shampoos, but keep in mind that this is just an estimate.
^{[4]
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Expert Source

Karen Leight
Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Interview. 13 November 2020.} Warm water isn’t going to be the end of your hair color, but hot showers will only expedite the color’s fading. Heat and steam opens the cuticles of your hair and allows the dye to seep out more easily.
3
Shampoo less often, and with color-safe shampoo. You’ll want to use shampoo that’s specifically marketed for color-treated hair. You should also shampoo less often, as all scrubbing and water will have a negative effect on your hair color.
- If your hair’s getting too dirty with fewer shampoos from fewer showers, try out a dry shampoo to keep your hair clean in those interim periods.
4
Use hair sunscreen. Spritz some hair sunscreen onto your damp hair to better protect your color when you’re out at the beach, or going to be in the sun for extended periods of time. UV rays continue to penetrate and bleach hair, whether it’s dyed or not.
- Focus on the crown of your head with the sunscreen, as it receives the most sunlight.
- You could also look for a shampoo and/or conditioner that contains sunscreen, which is common in color-safe products.
5
Apply a color glaze. Celebrity stylists suggest using a color glaze product in between dyeing sessions. Glaze will boost the brightness and gloss of your hair, combatting the natural color fade that occurs over time.
6
Go for a touch-up every 4 to 6 weeks. Waiting for your color to go away completely before dyeing it again will mean that you are starting over every time you dye it. Instead, get your hair touched up regularly to keep it vibrant. A visit to the salon once every 4 to 6 weeks should be sufficient.
7
Take good care of your hair. Healthy hair looks better and holds onto color better than damaged hair. Get your hair trimmed regularly, avoid using heat styling tools too often, and avoid changing the color of your hair too much.
8
Wear hats or scarves while you’re outside. As mentioned above, UV rays will bleach your hair and affect your hair color. Cover your head while you’re out and about to keep the color consistent, especially when your hair has been freshly dyed.

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How do you stop hair dye from bleeding?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

If you're using a semi- or demi-permanent hair dye, a color sealant is the best option to keep color from bleeding or fading, plus it'll restore nutrients to your hair. You can find ones for a low cost at any place that sells hair or beauty supplies!

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Is it OK to dye your hair when it's greasy?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

Dying your hair when it's dirty can actually prevent the color from absorbing evenly. It's okay to bleach greasy hair, but not to dye it.

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Can vinegar take out hair dye?

Laura Martin
Licensed Cosmetologist
Laura Martin is a Licensed Cosmetologist based in Milledgeville, Georgia. She has been working as a hair stylist since 2007, and began a career as a cosmetology teacher in 2013. She worked as a teacher at Arrojo Cosmetology School, teaching cosmetology practices, hairstyling, and hair color application. She also brought her cosmetology expertise to her work as a staff writer for fashion blog Style Noted, writing pieces related to hair and fashion. She received an MFA in Creative Writing from Georgia College & State University, where she was also an English Teaching Fellow. Additionally, she received a BA in Creative Writing and Literature from New York University.

Laura Martin

Licensed Cosmetologist

Expert Answer

Vinegar can help to remove some hair colors. Do a strand test to see if it works on your shade. If you have colored hair, a vinegar rinse may cause fading so don't use it to treat your hair.

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Towel-dry your hair to help control color bleeding after you shower.^{[5]
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Expert Interview. 13 November 2020.}

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