Do You Deep Condition Before or After Dying Hair? Why?

So you’ve decided to try out new hair color, and you’ve probably made an appointment with a hairstylist or are planning to DIY the entire process. You’re probably excited about the new color you’re trying and cannot wait to get it done.

But in some parts of your mind, you have doubts about how many chemicals you’ll be exposing your hair to and what sort of damage you could face.

You’re probably considering doing a deep conditioning treatment to protect your hair, but you can’t make up your mind on the best time to do it.

Should you deep condition your hair before dying it? Should you wait until after applying the dye? For better protection, can you do both?

This post will answer all your questions, point you in the right direction with extra tips, and recommend some of the best deep conditioners for healthy hair. Let’s dive in!

Is It OK To Condition Hair Before Coloring?

Yes! It’s fine to condition your hair before a coloring process. In fact, you are expected to do that to protect your hair from the damaging effects of the chemicals it would be exposed to. Using deep conditioners before dying your hair will prevent the dye from causing damage to your hair.

However, there are several important factors to note as it concerns conditioning your hair before dyeing it.

First, the timing is of utmost importance. Never make the mistake of deep conditioning your hair on the same day you’re coloring it unless you’re using a natural conditioner.

The best time to condition your hair is five days before coloring your hair to ensure that the conditioner seeps in properly and builds a protective wall around your hair. The conditioner’s purpose is to restore moisture to your hair and maintain its PH balance.

If you ever find yourself conditioning your hair on the same day, use an organic conditioner like coconut oil. It will protect your hair, hydrates ends, but not interrupt the coloring process. However, if you can, avoid conditioning your hair shortly before coloring.

Using a traditional conditioner before dyeing your hair will give you multi-colored hair and mess up the entire process. 

Also, if you use the traditional deep conditioner just before coloring the hair, what happens is that the conditioner will prevent the dye from penetrating the hair shaft properly, so the dye won’t be able to distribute the color properly, leaving you badly colored hair.

When using coconut oil for deep conditioning, ensure to apply it to dry hair a few hours before dyeing the hair.

Heat the coconut oil in a microwave or hot water to lighten the solid consistency.

Apply a moderate amount of the oil and avoid excessive application because your hair shouldn’t be too oily.

After evenly distributing the oil, wait for an hour or two (a minimum of one hour) before proceeding to apply the dye following the usual process.

Your hair now has its natural protection and your hair dye can penetrate your hair shaft without resistance.

Recommended conditioners to use before coloring your hair:

While we have mentioned coconut oil as the best organic conditioner to use on the same day you’re coloring your hair, here’s a list of the best conditioners to use if you’re deep conditioning your hair a few days before you undergo the coloring process.

When Should You Deep-Condition Hair After Dying It?

Now that we’ve sorted out the issue of deep conditioning your hair before dying it, let’s talk about what you should do after dying.

Some persons are often apprehensive right after coloring their hair and they want to apply instant protection to their hair to prevent chemical damage caused by the dye. 

But the big question is; how soon can you deep condition your hair after dying it?

There are two ways to answer this question, depending on the situation at hand.

First, hair experts advise that you wait for 3 to 5 days before deep conditioning your hair to reduce the risk of the new color fading out.

You can even wait for a full week before deep conditioning, especially if you used the coconut oil conditioning process just before dying your hair.

Conditioners can remove the dye applied to your hair if it hasn’t been properly absorbed into your hair. 

However, it is possible to condition your hair immediately after dying your hair- only with a specific conditioner.

You can use the conditioner that comes along with the hair dye in the color box if you just dyed your hair, but no other conditioner is safe.

If you’ve ever wondered why the little sachet or bottle of conditioner comes with your box of dye, you’re finding out now.

The conditioners that come along with your hair dye are specially designed to condition your hair while keeping the color in your hair molecules. So, the conditioner will give your hair the repair and revitalization it needs, but it won’t mess with the newly-applied color.

The conditioner that comes alongside your hair dye can be used immediately after you rinse the color from your hair. 

You’re also expected to use all the conditioner in the bottle at a time so that it delivers enough moisture and protection to your hair. The dying process dries out your hair and its natural oils, so you need a good amount of conditioner to repair it.

If you don’t have the special conditioner at your disposal, then wait for a few days before deep conditioning your hair with a conditioner for colored hair. This conditioner helps your hair to absorb healthy proteins while preventing the color from fading.

Always ensure that your conditioner is safe for colored hair and free of parabens and sulfates.

Another important rule is to consider the color of your conditioner and compare it to your new hair color.

Conditioners created specifically for colored hair often contain different color pigments, hence the different colors they come in.

Ensure to use a conditioner with a similar color to your new hair color because it can help to improve and strengthen your hair color while conditioning it.

After the initial deep conditioning process, you can deep condition your hair once a week with coconut oil or other deep conditioning products.

Coconut oil is always the first consideration because it is natural and won’t cause any damage to your hair while it moisturizes it. It also helps to reduce frizz on your hair, soften it, and minimize all the damage your hair dye could cause your hair.

You can also use a leave-in conditioner as often as you wash your hair to soften and detangle your hair, but ensure that it is color-safe.

Recommended to use after coloring your hair:

The conditioners below can deep condition your hair while protecting your hair, and you can use them any time from a few days after dying your hair.

Final word:

Conclusively, you can deep condition your hair before and after dying your hair, but it is always safest to deep condition a few days before and after the coloring process to avoid spoiling your hair color or exposing your hair to more damage.

You can check out the recommended deep conditioners based on your preference and get that new hair color you love while keeping your hair healthy!