What Hair Color Fades the Slowest (and the Fastest)? (2023) (2023)

FAQs

What hair dye color fades the fastest? ›

It's not your imagination — red hair dye does fade faster than other hair color shades.

More neutral colours like tan, beige, brown, and various shades of white fade the least over time. Compared to brighter pigments like red, blue, and yellow, these and other milder earth tones tend to degrade far more gradually in UV radiation and harsh weather.

The spring hair colors dominating in 2023 are all rich, warm, and deep. We're talking bronze, black onyx, and cinnamon spice as some of the darker colors you'll see everywhere in this transition from winter to warmer weather. But don't worry if you still want to go lighter, though.

If you're hoping for a deep, bright blue color, good luck trying to keep it like that. It will fade pretty quickly at first. The first few times I washed my hair, the color kept getting slightly lighter. I couldn't keep it deep teal like the first day I dyed it.

Navy blue, dark green, dark red, dark brown and black will appear to fade faster because they are deeper into the color spectrum than white, tan or other lighter colors. Rule of thumb: the darker the color, the more obvious the fade.

Permanent hair dye typically lasts for between four to eight weeks before it grows out or fades (more on that below).

As natural brunettes, brown hair dyes can last the longest compared to other hair dyes. There's no need to bleach your hair colour as the eumelanin content will allow the hair colour to stay on longer. Besides, with the aforementioned colouring techniques, you can still flaunt your beautiful brown locks.

Violet travels the slowest so it is on the bottom and red travels the fastest so is on the top. This is because what is called the index of refraction, (the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light in a material), is increased for the slower moving waves (i.e. violet).

What Hair Color Fades the Slowest? Generally speaking, dark colors will last the longest, with black staying nearly permanently. Anything dark has the best-staying power. Black, brown, and dark red fade the slowest, but a darker brown will last longer than a lighter brown.

What are trendy hair colors for 2023? Low-maintenance and subtle tonal changes are trendy hair color options for 2023. These tonal changes include bronze, cinnamon spice, and ash-brown hues. Enhance your natural hair color with nuanced baby highlights that are finely blended.

What is the color for 2023? ›

The Pantone Color Institute named Viva Magenta as its official color of the year for 2023 for its joyous yet powerful nature. A red with subtle notes of purple, magenta flawlessly complements many different color palettes from those on the richer, jewel-tone side of the spectrum to even a lighter, earthy palette.

Unfortunately, pink hair fades fast, so you will need to stay on top of the upkeep. Schulz recommends having at-home products that can keep the color looking fresh. She recommends the Viral Color-Intense Conditioner ($36; amazon.com), which will refresh and moisturize your hair while maintaining the color.

I've had purple last 6 months with no touch-ups or special effort. I've had it fade out in 2 weeks despite lots of proper aftercare. The brand and type of dye matter. Hot water, heat styling, sulfate shampoos, alcohol based styling products, and some dye brands will fade faster than others.

Another fantastic thing about this hair dye is that it's long-lasting. Each application lasts up to 6 weeks, so you don't need to worry about your bold orange hair color fading too quickly.

The reason is that red light is more readily absorbed by water than blue light (by orders of magnitude). The physical reason for the absorption is molecular transitions - in particular overtones of vibrational bands.

Among these absorbed photons are those toward the blue – and higher-energy – end of the spectrum. Red materials are also good absorbers of photons of ultraviolet (UV) light, which have higher energies yet. The result is that the red-emitting chromophores degrade at a faster rate, triggering fading.

Depending on whether your dye is temporary or permanent, your color may last anywhere from 6 to 30 washes. For those who wash their hair multiple times a day or week, this means your hair color may fade faster. The solution is simple – wash your hair less to save your color.

Ash brown is a cool shade that can cancel out warm hues like orange. What color does ash brown fade to? Ash brown color may fade to brassy yellows hues. However, you can maintain and rejuvenate your hair color with purple shampoo to cancel out the yellow tone.

How long does balayage last? Balayaged hair can last between 3-4 months, depending on the colour of your roots, how quickly your hair grows, and how your treat your hair in between salon visits. Balayage means you aren't left with visible roots, and blends seamlessly into your own hair so it looks natural.

Light ash brown hair often develops a brassy yellow hue after a few weeks, similar to ash blonde hair. Due to the lighter colour of ash brown, a quick wash with purple shampoo might revive your colour and eliminate the yellow undertones. Why does brown hair fade to orange over time?

How fast does silver hair fade? ›

In the initial couple of days, or for up to the initial two weeks, silver colour is bright and vibrant and can be seen all throughout your hair. After many washes, the silvery hues will begin to fade to its original colour, which is a very light blonde.

Frequent washing can make the hair color fade faster. Because hair dye is water soluble, the dye molecules dissolve when you wash your hair, and the pigment goes down the drain. Moreover, even oil-based dyes can also wash out, but more gradually.

Aside from yellow and orange - if retaining value is important to you, look to jewel tones like purple, red, green and blue. Researchers say they hold their value better than average.

Green – Quiet and restful, green is a soothing color that can invite harmony and diffuse anxiety. Blue – A highly peaceful color, blue can be especially helpful for stress management because it can encourage a powerful sense of calm.

White is the easiest color to keep clean over time.

White also hides dirt easily, so you don't have to worry about black or grey making it look like you have a dirty car.

Caramel, honey, gold, copper, and strawberry give a healthy brightness that makes us look and feel younger. (Framing your face with lighter shades draws the eye away from any complexion concerns, as well.)

The consensus is that grey is out and warm neutrals will continue to dominate in 2023. “The color trends have gone from all white to warm neutrals, and in 2023 we will be warming up those neutrals even more,” says Brooke Moore, Interior Designer at Freemodel.

Is long hair out of style 2023? ›

Longer lengths will be just as hot for 2023—but it's not the mermaid-esque, small-of-the-back grazing tresses that have dominated for the past few years. Instead, Lopez says longer hair is landing somewhere in the middle.

Pink hair is going mainstream in 2023: candyfloss, peach, fuchsia and more. Like dopamine dressing but for your head. Experimenting with your hair's cut, colour and length is always exciting.

The soft orange shade Apricot Crush has been named colour of the year 2024 by colour authority WGSN in collaboration with Coloro - The Color Code.

A hot pink called Viva Magenta that is reminiscent of blush has been named as 2023 colour of the year by the American colour company Pantone.

Introducing our Color of the Year, Darkroom — inspired by the desire to craft a comfortable, yet elegant and romantic home. This alluring black is a classic for heritage interiors, yet modernly retro for a throwback inspired aesthetic. It's a new neutral that creates dimension.

As your magenta dye job fades, Friedman says it will go from a hot pink to a lighter shade, depending on how vivid you go.

Pink hair is no exception to brassiness. Over time, pink hair will start to look a bit like a faded peach color and look dull. Purple shampoo helps refresh your hair dye by working on the yellow tones. Because the warm tones are removed, your hair color won't look faded anymore.

In general, most purple hair dyes will fade to a lighter, more pastel shade of purple over time, as the color molecules gradually break down and are washed out of the hair. Some purple dyes may also fade to pink or blue tones, depending on the undertones in the dye and how it interacts with your hair.

Good news – since you don't have to bleach your hair, burgundy doesn't fade into a lighter colour. It will mostly fade to a deep violet or a purple hue.

“Since lighter shades like lavender or lilac use less pigment, they'll automatically fade faster than darker eggplant or violet shades,” says Nation.

Does green hair fade fast? ›

Dyeing your hair green is a fun way to express your personality and switch up your style. Keeping your hair vibrant at the shade you want can be a frustrating process, especially since green tends to fade pretty quickly.

“Copper colors fade the fastest and need more maintenance,” says Rez. Between growing-out roots and fading color, retaining that vibrant, fiery look can be hard, but the right products can make attaining the hair goal much easier.

As it turns out, you can use a blonde hair dye to neutralize your orange hair — the secret is to look for a shade that's ashy. Ashy, cool undertones are the key to canceling out the warm, unflattering orange tones that currently adorn your strands.

As natural brunettes, brown hair dyes can last the longest compared to other hair dyes. There's no need to bleach your hair colour as the eumelanin content will allow the hair colour to stay on longer. Besides, with the aforementioned colouring techniques, you can still flaunt your beautiful brown locks.

“Red is the hardest color to keep lustrous and the hardest color to remove,” she adds.

Best Overall:REVLON Colorsilk Beautiful Color

This hair dye fromRevlon'sColor Silk range provides long-lasting gray coverage. Its nourishing formula is enriched with keratin and silk amino acids to strengthen your hair.

Shampooing Too Often After Coloring

Depending on whether your dye is temporary or permanent, your color may last anywhere from 6 to 30 washes. For those who wash their hair multiple times a day or week, this means your hair color may fade faster. The solution is simple – wash your hair less to save your color.

Dark and Lovely Fade-Resistant Rich Color is permanent hair color which delivers vibrant, fade-resistant color and shine. Dark and Lovely's exclusive Moisture Seal Technology's super rich conditioning. Your hair receives double conditioning power to protect relaxed and natural hair while coloring.

I've had purple last 6 months with no touch-ups or special effort. I've had it fade out in 2 weeks despite lots of proper aftercare. The brand and type of dye matter. Hot water, heat styling, sulfate shampoos, alcohol based styling products, and some dye brands will fade faster than others.

The rarest natural hair colour is red, which makes up only one to two percent of the global population. You commonly see these hair colours in western and northern areas of Europe, especially Scotland and Ireland. However, natural redheads may not exist for much longer.

What hair color is most attractive? ›

Which hair colour do women think is the sexiest? Most women think brunette hair is the sexiest, as 25% of those polled favoured this option. Womens' second preference is blonde, which was voted as the sexiest hair colour by 19.6% of women. Again, red took third spot, accounting for 11.8% of womens' votes.

Neutral shades like soft blonde, mushroom brown, light copper, and caramel blonde balayage are the easiest to blend gray into (and maintain over time without wanting to shave your hair off).

Revlon Colorsilk Beautiful Color Permanent Hair Color

For at-home color, you can count on Revlon Colorsilk to get the job done without damaging your hair. This permanent ammonia-free hair dye comes in myriad shades, from stark blue-black and rich brown to vibrant red and ultra-light platinum blonde.

Lowlights tend to be more low maintenance than highlights. Brennan usually suggests her clients with highlights to come back every two-four months for a touch-up, lowlights can last months.

According to hair biology experts and styling experts alike, grey hair is more resistant to color than younger hair because of its texture. The relative lack of natural oils in the hair compared to younger hair make it a rougher surface that tends to reject the color being applied, especially around the roots.

The more you wash your hair, the faster your color will fade. Shampooing causes the hair strands to swell, and the color then washes out little by little.