How Long Does It Take To Dye Hair?

Waiting is a virtue, and hair coloring procedures are no exception. When you wish to change your hair color, it surely will test your patience. In the end, a beautiful new appearance is worthwhile, but the procedure can be difficult, especially if you don’t know How Long Does It Take To Dye Hair?

How Long Does It Take to Dye Hair?

Two hours is the average time spent getting colored hair at a salon. Allotted time includes preparation, application, and clean up after hair dyeing.

Obviously, this is a rough guideline. How long it takes depends on several variables, such as your hair’s length, its original color, the hair-dying technique used, the type of hair dye used, and the skill and speed of your hairstylist.

Dyeing times vary, depending on hair color, from light brown to sandy blonde, golden blonde, and ash blonde. But, these periods will be shorter for these lighter shades than for black, dark brown, or gray hair.

Hair salon versus at-home hair dyeing, type of hair (e.g., curl pattern), hair health, and color choice are all extra considerations

Choosing a semi-permanent or permanent hair color might also affect the procedure. Last but not least, your stylist’s expertise will determine the outcome and duration of the dyeing hair process.

Expect to spend a few hours coloring your hair if you decide to do so. Here are several variables that can affect the total time it takes to color your hair.

Information on hair’s color, Length, Porosity, and More

The length of time it takes to dye hair might vary from person to person and from hair type to hair type. Hair length and texture, as well as the presence or absence of natural waves, curls, or kinks, are all factors that make up a person’s hair type.

Long hair makes applying hair dye more time-consuming than having Short Hair. Whether you do it yourself or visit a salon, this idea is true regardless of the method used.

The porosity of your hair is also significant. Some hair types take longer than others to absorb the pigment.

Hair that has never been dyed before (also termed “virgin hair”) is less likely to be damaged and more absorbs color, making it a good candidate for a first-time dye job.

How long hair dye takes also depends on the color you’re going for. Making a significant change will need more time and effort than maintaining your current color or switching to a new shade.

If you want lighter hair, you’ll likely need to use a bleaching mixture, which will take more time than coloring your hair a dark shade.

Is It Better to Color Hair at Home or Salon?

Hair coloring can be done at home with packaged colors or at a salon for a fee. If you follow the instructions, you can get good results with at-home dyes.

But, the results you get without a professional stylist’s help will likely not be satisfactory. Yet, you can save time and effort by dying your hair yourself rather than in the salon. This is because you won’t have to wait for the stylist or the other clients to finish their services.

If you want to save money, you can dye hair yourself instead of paying up to $150 monthly at the salon. While, box dye usually costs less than $20 monthly.

You should make a few considerations before selecting whether to color your hair or pay a professional.

Think about how much of a departure you would like to make from your natural appearance and how confident you are in your ability to pull it off.

DIY hair color isn’t the way to go if you’re only trying to save time. Do-it-yourself hair dying (using boxed hair color, for example) is more damaging than getting expert help. Then, you’ll waste effort and resources trying to correct it.

Given the issue’s complexity, hiring a pro is usually best to ensure you’re satisfied with the results.

How Long Does It Take to Dye Hair at Home?

If you want to do it at home, plan on spending around 2 hours (or 120 minutes). But the time it takes to dye hair can vary depending on your hair’s natural texture, the intensity of the color you want to create, and your previous experience with hair dye.

Suppose you have to use bleach to get your hair to the right shade; consider spending an extra 20 minutes on the process. In that case, you won’t be able to use the color you want.

The number of boxes a hair dye comes in is another major determinant of how long it takes to finish a do-it-yourself session.

The recommended period you should leave the color on your head varies from product to product. This period lasts somewhere between 20 and 45 minutes.

If you’ve colored your hair before, you should still read the package directions because they may differ from your previous hair dye. Avoid leaving the color in your hair for more than advised.

Over time, the dye’s harsh chemicals will break down your hair’s cuticle, which could lead to breakage if you leave it in for too long. If you want the greatest results, do what it says on the box.

Salon Visits

Salon hair dying takes longer than using a box color at home because of the expertise required.

That’s because you get the full work done when you visit a professional hairstylist. It’s common practice for hair salons to offer complimentary consultations, shampooing, and haircutting, among other services.

You may get your hair colored in two hours and be on your way out of the salon with a brand-new look. A multicolored balayage, for example, is a more complicated haircut that could take around four hours to complete.

Finally, here are some time estimates if you’re planning on getting any of the below-mentioned services done.

Root Touch-Ups

The term “root touch-up” refers to the process by which a hairstylist repaints your hair’s roots to conceal the area where your hair has grown out.

Root touch-ups are quicker than a full head dye job since there’s less hair to cover, and the stylists do not have to prepare the hair by sealing it in aluminum, as they would for highlights.

It takes around mins for the color to absorb the hair once a root touch-up has been applied, so plan on spending a total of 1 hour on the process.

The entire process of getting your roots colored can be completed in under two hours at the salon.

But, you should allot more time if it takes your hair more time to absorb the color, if you need to wait for your hairdresser, or if you decide to receive extra treatment at the salon.

Bleach

If you go to a salon to lighten your hair color, you’ll have to undergo a second round of dying. Lightening it with bleach, which removes hair’s pigment, is necessary before dying it the color you choose.

When using bleach, it takes anything from 20 minutes (including application time) to 40 minutes (only to rinse out the hair) before it can be rinsed out.

The time taken to color your hair at the salon will increase by one hour if you also plan on using a hair bleach before hair dye.

Dyeing

The duration of the dyeing procedure itself can range between one and two hours. The stylist will need to color your hair beforehand.

It will take longer or shorter depending on your hair’s length and thickness and whether your whole head will be colored or the highlights. 

The next step is for the color to penetrate your hair. It may take up to 45 minutes to complete. After removing the colour, your stylist will dry your hair.

It will take about 2 hours to dye your hair at the salon. Prepare to spend several extra hours in the salon stool if you’re getting a complex, multicolored dye job or if you must also bleach it.

Other Services

Hair dye in a salon takes longer than doing it yourself because the stylist performs extra steps you don’t perform at home. The time spent on these services will be well worth it.

Salon hair cleaning takes longer than at-home washing, even. To shampoo and rinse your hair in the salon, it could take up to 15 minutes.

They will usually shampoo your hair twice, give you a relaxing scalp massage, and then apply any extra conditioners or treatments they deem necessary.

A consultation is something else you can only get at a salon. A stylist will consult you to determine the best method and color for your face and skin.

They’ll be able to tell you what to avoid doing that will harm your hair as well. A consultation may add 15–30 minutes to each visit, but avoiding an embarrassing dye job is well worth it.

Additionally, we recommend that first-timers consider scheduling an appointment for a session with a hair colorist.

Last but not least, many people ask for hair trimming and dyeing at the same salon appointment. Budget an extra half hour to an hour if you want to spend an hour or more in the hair salon for a cut.

Bottom Line

The time required to color your hair varies depending on various things. Whether you get your hair colored at a salon or dye it yourself, the duration of the procedure will vary. It will be decided based on your hair, their natural color, the intended color, the method used, and much more.

Generally, it’s a great decision to allow several hours to dye hair and be patient with your arrangements afterward, as you’re never certain how long this could take.