Supermodel Kristen McMenamy and British Vogue’s own Sarah Harris are the fashion world’s poster girls for gray—their every Instagram post proof that a head of silver hair isn’t just acceptable, it’s seriously aspirational. But the period post-lockdown has seen the gray hair movement go mainstream. 

Forced to relinquish their regular salon visits due to COVID restrictions, many women chose to embrace their regrowth, rather than run from it. It seems A-listers were no different, and the return of the party circuit (and unfettered access to glam squads) did nothing to quell enthusiasm for this newly liberated approach to beauty. 

After Sarah Jessica Parker proudly showed off pearlescent roots in a viral Sex and the City reunion snap, and Andie MacDowell’s halo of silver curls became the most admired hairstyle on the Cannes red carpet, intentional regrowth is now infiltrating royal circles. Spain’s Queen Letizia arrived in Stockholm for a state visit this week looking characteristically groomed in a camel cape by Carolina Herrera, with natural strands of silver visible in her glossy dark hair.

Letizia, a former journalist and news anchor who married into the Spanish royal family in 2004, is as influential in Spain as the Duchess of Cambridge—whose tacit seal of approval can be worth millions of pounds in sales to a brand—is in Britain. Her relaxed approach to regrowth is further evidence that the rise of gray hair—part of a broader welcome shift towards age positivity—will be perhaps the biggest beauty headline of 2021. Her segue to gray follows that of another royal brunette, Princess Caroline, whose salt and pepper bob is suitably chic for the daughter of style icon Grace Kelly. 

Should you wash your hair before coloring it and why would you care about whether your hair is freshly washed before a hair color appointment at all? If you have missed the debate over having your hair clean or dirty for the color service and right after it, you are at the right place to clear things up from the very beginning.

As a hair color specialist, I’ve seen both nightmares and success stories when it comes to color maintenance. Read on to know the ways you can get and keep those beautiful colors you’ve always wanted, straight from the source.

Is It Better to Dye Your Hair Dirty or Clean?

Back in the day, hairstylists would tell their clients that dirty hair was best when it came to hair coloring. Hair color was loaded with tons of ammonia, so it could break through any product buildup or natural oils.
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I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that is a big, fat LIE. Color companies use new technology in most of their products now. This means that hair color has become gentler on both the hair and scalp, and it may not break through the 3 days’ worth of dry shampoo stuck to your oily roots. Go to the salon with clean, washed hair, or you may be sacrificing gray coverage.

​Having dirty hair during your consultation with your stylist can be confusing for them, as your strands can appear darker than usual. This can further lead to incorrect formulation to get you to your inspiration photo. This means that you are in jeopardy of getting a shade you didn’t ask for.

Prevent these hair nightmares by using a gentle clarifying shampoo followed by a light conditioner the day of (or the night before) your salon appointment. I like Redken’s Detox Hair Cleansing Cream and Redken’s Extreme Conditioner.

Should I Wash My Hair Before Bleaching It?

For those of you that get bright highlights or a blended balayage, dirty hair could mean an inconsistent end result. The oil within your scalp can block the lightener from lifting the hair, and hair that doesn’t lift properly can turn splotchy or orangey (us hairstylists call this “blorange”).

For those of you that get your roots bleached using an on-scalp lightener, you may want to avoid coming with freshly washed hair. Instead, wash your hair at least 24 hours prior to bleaching it. Remember that fun fact about ammonia breaking through hair color? On-scalp lightener is typically full of ammonia. You want your natural oils to protect your scalp so the bleach doesn’t eat away at it, especially if you have a sensitive scalp prone to irritation.

Rather than using a clarifying shampoo the day prior to coloring hair using bleach, I recommend something moisturizing, like Verb’s Hydrating shampoo and conditioner.

Can You Dye Your Hair Wet?

Water can create a barrier on the hair, complicating the color process. Many times, the color will still work, but it can be unpredictable. For this reason, I blow dry my clients prior to coloring when they come in with wet hair for the color service.

Some color companies have created toners and glosses that can go on wet hair, but this is the only exception in my book. If you are dyeing your hair at home, do start with dry clean hair.

Can I Wash My Hair After Dyeing It?

Short answer? NO.

The way that most hair color works is by penetrating the outermost layer of the hair, known as the cuticle, and pushing dye molecules in to react with the pigment in each strand. It takes 72 hours for the cuticle to close completely. Washing your hair prior to that means that color molecules are going to escape your strands and color will fade quickly.

I speak on behalf of all hairdressers when I say this: PLEASE, skip a few regular wash days and wait the three days for long-lasting color.

Tips on Washing Color-Treated Hair

Now that it’s been three days and you’re allowed to wash your hair, I’ll let you in on some of the best ways to maintain it.

1. First things first, use whatever shampoo your colorist recommends. They know your hair best. Their hands are in it. A drugstore shampoo can create buildup, cause hair loss, and cause chemical reactions during the color appointment. I personally recommend color-safe lines, like Redken, Living Proof, or R+Co. Every shampoo by any of those companies is safe for color-treated hair. Most of these have UV protection technology in it to help protect your color from the sun. This is major!
2. Wash one to three times a week in lukewarm water. Hot water will open the cuticle of the hair and help your color pour out of it! As a result, you might need to schedule a new color service sooner than expected.
3. If you are a brunette going blonde, you might consider using a blue shampoo to remove orange tones. For a blonde that is trying to stay bright, I recommend a purple shampoo or a violet-toned mask. Do not use either of these products more than once a week: over-toning your hair can complicate the coloring process in the future. Overusing these toning shampoos can also cause dryness in the ends of the hair.

 
I will add a bonus hot tip here: consider purchasing a shower head filter to remove hard water and other impurities from your water. Your water can be causing dry scalp, brassiness, and brittle hair.

The summer months are always a fun time for hair trends. Warm weather often inspires dramatic chops and shorter styles, while others opt for light-colored tresses or even undergo multicolored transformations to match the vibrant atmosphere of the season.

Wella colorcharm has launched the second volume of its “What’s Trending in Hair Color” report just in time for summer 2021. The report, which surveyed a representative sample of 1,000 U.S. women ages 18 and up, uncovered the hair coloring behaviors as well as sought-after trends.

In addition, Wella also interviewed two stylists from the colorcharm Top Artist team. Oliver Adams (@kolorking) and Luis Rodriguez (@luisfernando_hair) shared what’s trending in the salons.

Y2K Beauty is Back

According to Rodriguez, “Looks from the early 2000s are definitely coming back. Chunky highlights, colorful streaks and especially rose gold and pink are some of the top requests in the salon today.”

The report found:

• The colorful streaks trend interested 39.47% of survey respondents.
• Chunky highlights interested 36.71%.
• Pink highlights interested 34.06%.
• The money piece interested 32.78%.
• Black streaks interested 26.77%.

Rushing to Red

Adams stated in the report, “Red is one of the most requested shades in the salon. Clients with a lot of warmth in their skin’s undertone (orange, red or yellow) wear cooler tones better, such as red-violet, merlot, crimson and burgundy. Clients with cooler skin tones (olive, beige or taupe) wear warmer reds like copper and a traditional red better.”

The report found:

• Burgundy had the most interest among survey respondents with 44%.
• Red interested 39%.
• Ruby red interested 35%.
• Strawberry blonde interested 34%.
• Copper interested 29%.
• Red highlights interested 61% of at-home colorists.

Hair Color Behaviors Among Consumers

• Six in 10 women change their hair color at least once every six months.
• Of those surveyed, 79% plan to undergo a hair transformation in the next two to three months.
• More than half of women surveyed are looking to color their hair at home and plan to do so even as salons conduct business as usual. 

The Top Hair Transformations

Of those looking to undergo a hair transformation in the next few months, the report found:

• Blonde highlights were the top pick for 18%.
• Vivid colors were the top pick for 17%.
• Red hair was the top pick for 17%.
• Brown hair was the top pick for 15%. 

The Very Short Bob
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“I think we’re going to see a lot of short hairstyles, especially very short bobs – under the ears. Something like you see on Mathilda in the movie Léon. I love this look because it has the most effortless cool factor.” – Aaron Grenia

​The Shift

“Specifically, for spring 2021, we’re forecasting a shorter hair comeback. I like to think that the trend will be shorter hair with longer, disconnected lengths through the top including varying lengths and textures. I like to call this haircut the Shift as its ability to have versatile styling options, from something edgy and raw, to extremely polished and sophisticated. The idea with this is that the haircut can be finished to suit the individual’s personality and meet them for who they are within that day. This is a haircut we are also pushing through R+Co again, forecasting trends and the future.” – Adam Federico

Truth #4: You Need To Maintain Your Color At Home

You leave the salon loving your blonde color, but a few weeks later it’s feeling brassy and coarse—this isn’t uncommon. Color maintenance is KEY. “Light blonde color on textured hair can be the most DIFFICULT to maintain! Colors like this are not for the faint of heart and require major TLC in and outside of the salon,” shares @haircolorkilla.

That’s why Kara always STRONGLY recommends that her clients use a toning washing system like the Matrix So Silver Shampoo, Conditioner and Mask trio to keep color fresh and yellow-free.

For clients with curly and textured hair, it’s also important to add protein and moisture. Kara recommends products like the Redken Extreme Hair Strengthening line that brings protein to the core of the hair fiber.

Truth #5: Here’s How You’re Going To Get That Lived-In Look

When we talk about “root shading,” here’s what we mean: a demi-permanent color tapped at the roots to blur out any highlight lines for a more lived-in look. Here’s why it works.

“Not only does this give a more natural look but it allows your grow out to look SEAMLESS for 12+ weeks,” @hair_by_mallory_ wrote in a recent IG post. “Where as a non-root shaded look would look grown out in anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks! Some of my clients go anywhere from 3 to 6 months with this technique!”
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Pssst… colorists, do you LOVE this blonde? Same. Mallory pre-toned with Moroccanoil® Blonde Perfecting Purple Shampoo to get these bright, clear blonde results. ​