If I dye my hair the same color twice, will it be lighter?

If you dye your hair the same color twice, your color will be darker because it’ll have an excess of pigments and become saturated.
If your hair is too dark after coloring, you should reapply a color that is two shades lighter than the previous one.
To prevent the coloring chemicals from damaging or drying the hair, it’s best to use well-known hair dyes. Later, I’ll tell you which ones you can choose.

with box dye

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I have to be honest. I often hear comments about colorimetry that seem to be a figment of a science fiction writer’s imagination. In that sense, the idea of applying the same hair dye color twice in a row to lighten a color wins all the awards.

It’s literally science fiction. Do you know why?

Because you’re adding the exact same coloring formula to your hair, with the same amount of pigments.
Then, the color won’t lighten but darken.
Please re-read the two sentences above.

The excess in pigments will cause your hair color to become saturated and, therefore, darker.

What’s your aim when applying the same color twice in a row? Are you looking for a lighter color?

I have a much more effective and less damaging solution for your hair. Do you want to know what it is? Read on because I’ll tell you:

What to do if the hair dye left your hair too dark
How long to wait to apply the dye again and lighten the color

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What to do if the hair dye left your hair too dark

at the store

If you colored your hair and it got too dark, you should reapply another dye. However, it shouldn’t be the same color because you’ll only darken your hair.

You must apply a color that is up to two numbers lighter than the previous color. Even with just one number difference, you can still see your hair color just a little bit lighter.

Each hair dye color has a number that identifies it. So, it’s easy to choose a lighter hair dye than the color you applied previously.

If you follow the two-tone rule, you can lighten your recently colored hair. How to choose the perfect color? Follow this chart:

Dark to intermediate colors:

If you applied a black 1, apply a dark brown 3.
If you applied a dark brown 3, apply a medium brown 5.

Intermediate to light colors:

If you applied a brown 4, apply a dark blonde 6.
If you applied a medium brown 5, apply a blonde 7.
If you applied a dark blonde 6, apply a light blonde 8.

Light to very light colors:

If you applied a blonde 7, apply a very light blonde 9.
If you applied a light blonde 8, apply an extra light blonde 10
If you applied a very light blonde 9, apply the extra lightening shades 11 or 12.

The most important thing is to respect the difference between the two tones.

Remember that tone-on-tone hair color lightens with that difference. If you’re looking to lighten your hair more than two shades, you’ll need to bleach your hair.

Now that you know what color to use on your freshly colored hair to lighten it, you’ll be eager to do it. But you may be wondering…

How long should you wait to color your hair again to lighten it?

I want to be honest. We stylists don’t agree on some hair issues as it happens in all professions. Why should we be the exception?

Some stylists recommend a 10-day period between coloring sessions for the color to settle and clearly see the results.

It’s quite logical because it takes time for the hair to finish absorbing the color and expelling the excess.

Some people claim that two coloring sessions are possible on one day if the result was not what was expected or if the color was too dark.

It makes sense too. In the salon, we have elements that aren’t for non-professionals or people who don’t have experience in coloring.

Finally, some stylists, like me, think that you should color again if necessary. Also, if necessary, allow for at least ten days between each coloring session.

In addition, to avoid extreme damage to your hair, I recommend that you use quality products.

For example, they could be L’ORÉAL, GARNIER, WELLA, PRAVANA, MAJIREL. They’re brands that manufacture their own hair dyes with top quality ingredients and contain moisturizers to avoid hair damage.

If you use those brands, but you still notice your hair is weaker, you should do an intensive nutrition treatment.

How to repair your hair after coloring

It wouldn’t make much sense to get that color you crave if your hair ended up looking sad like a zoo lion, would it?

Your goal should be to achieve the color you want and to keep your hair looking healthy. How can you do it?

You should try using ingredients that you’ve probably already added to your beauty routine. If you haven’t, it’s time to do so.

Coconut oil is a natural moisturizer that doesn’t damage the color and can be used as many times as you want.

Apply it once a day on your ends without rinsing, or from root to tip during the night as a hair mask, rinsing it the next morning.

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Micellar water provides hydration and elasticity to the hair.

Simply spray it on your hair every 3 or 4 hours.

Repair masks: start using them two weeks after the second hair coloring session.

If you use it before, the color of your hair will fade.

Any one of L’Oréal’s moisturizing masks will give your colored hair back its lost moisture.

One of my favorites is “Elvive Total Repair 5, Damage Removal Balm”. It’s made with almonds, proteins, and ceramides, which are the best ingredients to repair the damage after two coloring processes in a short time.