Sitting under the dryer when coloring hair. What’s the use? Is it always necessary?

 

Do you remember the first cell phones?

They were so big that you almost had to hold them with both hands. They seemed to be bricks.

Technology has evolved. Nowadays, cell phones are small pocket computers that make our lives easier. However, it isn’t the only technology that has evolved.

 

In hair matters, things have also changed in the last twenty years.

Nowadays, products like Olaplex restore hair health from the core. Also, high-lift hair dyes that lighten dark hair without the need for bleaching.

Yes, things have changed a lot.

I still remember when I used to take my mom to the salon to get her hair colored. She’d be placed under the dryer with her hair dye on.

I think that my vocation for hair care and beauty awakened at that time.

 

 Now, the days of using the blow-dryer to maintain the temperature of the hair dye are long gone. 

Nowadays, almost no hairdresser uses the blow-dryer after applying the hair dye.

 

We don’t use it because  it’s not necessary. Hair dyes contain the necessary ingredients to ensure that the pigments penetrate and settle in the hair fiber. 

 

Also, we use a thermal or plastic cap to keep the head warm while the hair dye is on.

Do you know what’s more important than using a hair-dryer?

 

That the temperature is constant where you apply the hair dye. Also, there shouldn’t be drafts. That’s the only thing.

Do you know why? Because heat is very important when applying the hair dye.

 

Why it is important to keep the heat when applying the dye

The hair dye needs heat to reach the chemical reaction that produces the absorption of the pigment.

This chemical reaction is produced by the combination of ammonia and peroxide.

 

Once you finish applying the hair dye, you have to check that the head and scalp don’t lose temperature.

If the temperature drops during the first 20 minutes, the color will be totally uneven, and your hair will probably get damaged. Why?

 

Let’s see. The cuticles open during the first 20 minutes, and the pigment penetrates. If the hair dye loses heat at that moment, the reaction stops, and your cuticles can break.

What do hairdressers do in the salon to prevent the hair dye from losing temperature?

 

 We wrap the head with a plastic or thermal cap. 

 

Modern salons use an infrared heat applicator. It’s a ring that lights up and heats. In this way, the coloring process proceeds evenly and doesn’t damage the hair fiber.

Of course, you probably don’t have an infrared heat applicator at home. What can you do?

I’ll tell you about it below.

 

How to replace the blow-dryer if you are coloring your hair at home

If there’s one thing you should avoid when coloring your hair, it’s using a blow-dryer.

If hairdressers no longer sit clients under the dryer when coloring their hair, why would you?

 

Times have changed, and we learn from history’s mistakes.

Let’s look at the lessons we learned over time.

 

In the beginning, we used to sit our clients under the dryer as soon as we finished applying the hair color.

 Then, we realized that the hair dye dries when it’s exposed to the heat of the dryer.  And if the hair dye dries, it’s almost impossible to rinse it out. The hair fiber is saturated with color and keeps on expelling pigment residues.

 

Then, we started to use the hair dryer, covering the hair with a cap.

From this mistake, we learned that the hair dye didn’t lose temperature and didn’t dry, but  the scalp could not breathe, and most women had to get out of the dryer. They felt an irritation on the skin  and scalp.

 

That’s why we no longer use the dryer to maintain the temperature of the hair dye. Neither should you.

 

4 options to cover your hair when coloring it

There’re several ways to cover your hair for coloring to make sure the color turns even and harmonious.

 

Of course, you shouldn’t apply the hair dye in drafty places. The room temperature should be constant and comfortable.

Finally, wrap your hair with a shower cap or a thermal cap for extra safety.

 

Conclusions

Sitting clients under the dryer after coloring is outdated. Nowadays, salons use infrared heat applicators or even thermal caps.

 

If you’re going to dye your hair at home, make sure that the room temperature is comfortable and constant. Also, that there aren’t drafts that could disrupt the chemical reaction of the hair dye.

Finally, it never hurts to wrap your head with a plastic cap, bathing cap, or even a nylon bag.