Can I Colour My Hair With Hair Extensions Fitted?

So how do you keep your colour fresh whilst wearing hair extensions? Here we will discuss your options.

Colouring Your Hair When You Wear Hair Extensions

Fortunately for those of us who regularly dye our hair, this is still possible once the hair extensions have been fitted, so there will be no need to worry about those roots or greys creeping their way through and ruining your beautiful new locks. There are of course differences in how to approach hair dye and colour when dealing with hair extensions, so here are our tips on making this process as simple as possible.

Before You Have Your Hair Extension Consultation

Before you seek a hair extension consultation you will need to ensure that your hair is your preferred colour. This means that if you dye your hair, you will need to seek an appointment with your colourist before scheduling your hair extension appointment. The reason for this is that during a hair extension consultation a colour match will take place, and therefore your hair colour will need to be the exact colour you want, as the extensions will be matched accurately to this shade.

If colouring your hair before your hair extension consultation, be sure to do this a week or so earlier than your consultation is booked for. Often when dying your hair the colour can take a few days to adjust, for example if you dye your natural brown hair a darker shade of brown, often the colour is slightly darker for the first few days. After a few washes however it will settle down to your usual tone, and this is the time in which the colour is at its best for a colour match. Having a colour match the same day as your hair dye appointment may results in the extensions being darker than your hair on the day of the fitting.

Tell Your Hairdresser You Are Planning To Have Hair Extensions Fitted

Before having your extensions fitted you should also discuss your plans with your colourist to ensure they are experienced in colouring hair with extensions fitted. Fortunately, due to their immense popularity most hairdressers are familiar with this request, but it is certainly worth checking in case you do need to do a little research to find an alternative.

Do Not Dye Your Hair At Home If You Wear Hair Extensions

Sorry girls, we know you love a bit of home colour box dye, but it simply does not match the knowledge, expertise and quality of a salon colour. Dying your roots or colour yourself is not recommended as you may not be able to achieve the full coverage you are looking for, and at worst may change your own hair colour so that it no longer matches your extensions. By seeking a salon professional you can be confident that your roots and colour will be well taken care of so that you can continue to enjoy your beautiful, perfectly matched extensions.

Planning To Colour Your Hair After Your Hair Extensions Have Been Fitted

Once your hair extensions have been fitted, within 4-6 weeks or so you may need to make some changes to your colour, be that covering your roots, brightening your shade or covering your greys. Your salon colourist will be able to work around your extensions to cover as much of the visible hair as possible, concentrating on the hair which does not contain the extensions, as well as the crown and hair bordering the face. It would be a good idea to book this appointment in advance so that you know it is booked and ready for you when you need it.

Changing The Colour Of Your Hair Extensions

Whilst it is not a problem to dye your hair whilst wearing hair extensions, we would not recommend dying the extensions themselves. This is why it is so important to have the colour right during the consultation to avoid this issue. Colouring the extensions can cause damage to the hair, as it has already been dyed once the outcome of dying will be unknown to your hairdresser, and the colour may not come out exactly as you plan.

If you absolutely must dye your extensions, dying them a shade or 2 darker shouldn’t be an issue and cause minimal side effects, however this cannot be guaranteed. We would never recommend attempting to lighten them.

If you do decide to go against this advice, we cannot recommend strongly enough the need for a strand test. This will help you establish how successful the attempt to colour the extensions will be, and whether it is likely to cause any long term damage.

Correcting Brassy Blonde Hair When Wearing Hair Extensions

For blondes, a common issue even without wearing extensions is the tendency for your colour to turn brassy around the time in which you need it redone. Using a silver shampoo on your hair is usually the answer to this, and this can also be applied to the hair extensions. Again, as with the advice above this is still an attempt to alter the colour in some way, and great caution is recommended to ensure the outcome is as you desire. It is worth noting that hair extensions tend to be a lot more porous in general, therefore washing the purple shampoo out quickly will be key.

Our Top Tips For Colouring Your Hair When Wearing Hair Extensions

In summary, dying your hair whilst wearing hair extensions is perfectly achievable, and should not cause you any trouble at all, you simply need to run through a quick check list first to ensure you are fully prepared:

• Ensure your colour is correct during consultation
• Check that your colourist is confident in working with hair extensions
• Ensure that you only seek a professional and do not attempt a home DIY job
• Do not attempt to alter the colour of the extensions
• If you do decide to go against this advice, a strand test is recommended first.