Can I process my hair color more quickly with heat?

If you’re planning to color your hair at home, it is important to know some insider tips and tricks. Hot and cold play an important role in the hair coloring process. While hot water opens the cuticle, cold water closes it. The most important part of coloring your hair is being patient with the entire procedure as it is fun but time-consuming. To cut down on a few minutes in the entire process, there are some methods that you can try. The same is shared in this blog. 

The first step for coloring your hair at home is hair bleaching or pre-lightening it. For the bleach to process faster on virgin black hair, you can definitely use aluminum foil or wear a shower cap. The extra heat, whether from your own head or an external source like a blow dryer or steamer, will optimize the mixture’s processing for stronger results. The hair opens up, allowing color and moisture to really get in there deep. This will allow you to get the best results and the bleach will lift your natural hair color to 4-6 levels.

Furthermore, even after bleaching with additional heat, you might not be able to achieve your desired results as sometimes it is difficult to do so with natural black hair. In this case, you can allow your hair to regain its strength before going in with another round of bleach. You may also use a blow dryer to provide external heat during the bleaching process as it will allow the color to lift well.  

However, when it comes to applying semi-permanent hair color, heat will not have any specific impact on the processing time. The colors are conditioner based and do not require external heat to process faster. You use a cling film roll or foil to separate multiple hair color strands if you are using more than one color. But the same will not result in any changes with the color deposit. What matters with semi-permanent hair colors is the duration you keep the dye in your hair for. Ideally, we would suggest you keep it for 30-60 minutes. Keeping it any longer won’t harm your hair but it will not have any additional benefits either. 

To conclude, while it is not necessary to use external heat on your hair during the bleaching process, you may do so to speed up the process. It is not at all imperative to use external heat while applying semi-permanent hair color to your hair. You may consult a professional for expert guidance if you feel the need to do so.