If you love changing your hair colour and have a drawer full of hair extensions, you might wonder if you can dye them just like your natural hair. The good news is that you can dye hair extensions! However, many hair extension brands will void your product guarantee if you dye your extensions. Our human hair can be dyed at Stranded, but we say this is at your own risk, and we cannot guarantee the outcome. Try dyeing a small section of your hair extensions to see if you're happy with the results. To help you understand why we cannot guarantee the dyeing of hair extensions, it helps to understand how your hair extensions were coloured when made
1. Understanding how your hair extensions were coloured when made
- Before you colour your extensions, it’s essential to understand how they were originally processed by the brand you’ve bought from. High-quality human hair extensions undergo extensive dyeing and treatment to achieve the desired colour, shine, texture, look, and feel. The hair is typically bleached to a lighter base and then dyed to achieve the final shade using fabric dyes—the same type used to colour your favourite T-shirt. This process is often carried out in a large pot over heat, using powdered dye, where a colour technician combines the perfect ratio of dye to the hair extensions. A colour technician is one of the most skilled jobs in our hair extension factory. With this level of processing and the vast range of colours, you can understand why brands advise colouring at your own risk; they simply cannot control how you dye the hair.
- Synthetic extensions are made from pre-coloured fibres and cannot be dyed in the same way.
2. Understanding the Hair Extensions Material: Human vs. Synthetic
- Remy Human Hair Extensions: The highest-quality hair extensions are made from 100% human hair with the cuticle intact. They can be dyed using semi-permanent, demi-permanent dyes. Toners can be used for blonde colours. Purple shampoo can be used.
- Human Hair Extensions: High-quality extensions are made from 100% human hair; often, the cuticle is stripped from the hair. These can be dyed using semi-permanent or demi-permanent dyes.
- Synthetic Extensions: Synthetic fibres don’t take traditional hair dye the same way, so traditional dyeing is not recommended. Instead, opt for specially formulated sprays or temporary colour rinses for synthetic hair. See our guide on how to apply a route touch-up spray to extensions.
3. Best Types of Dyes to Use on Extensions
- Permanent hair dyes use ammonia and a developer to penetrate the hair’s natural pigment, which can be too harsh for extensions. Extensions are often pre-treated, making them vulnerable to the drying and damaging effects of permanent dyes.
- Instead, opt for semi-permanent or demi-permanent dyes, which gently coat the hair shaft without opening the cuticle, preserving the quality of your extensions.
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Semi-Permanent Dyes: Available in most beauty stores as a box dye, these dyes coat the hair shaft without penetrating deeply, making them ideal for human hair extensions and Remy hair extensions. They offer rich colours without the harsh chemicals that might damage extensions.
Clairol Professional Natural Instincts: This semi-permanent dye, known for its gentle, ammonia-free formula, is a favourite for extensions. It comes in a range of shades and keeps hair healthy and glossy.
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Demi-Permanent Dyes: With a little more staying power, demi-permanent dyes are great if you want a longer-lasting change. They contain a small amount of peroxide, which gently lifts the colour, but are less damaging than permanent dyes.
Wella Color Charm Demi-Permanent: This salon-favourite demi-permanent dye offers vibrant colour without ammonia. It’s perfect for those looking to achieve subtle yet long-lasting results on human hair extensions.
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Hair Toners for Extensions: Hair toners are essential for achieving that perfect, natural look by neutralising unwanted brassy or warm tones in hair extensions. They work best on blonde or lighter-coloured extensions, helping to maintain a cooler, ashy tone or add subtle dimension.
Wella Professional Colour Fresh Mask: This colour-depositing mask is perfect for easily maintaining or transforming the shade of your hair extensions. Designed for weekly use, the conditioning formula delivers noticeable results in 10 minutes, leaving your extensions silky and moisturised. This salon-favourite demi-permanent dye offers vibrant colour without ammonia. It’s perfect for those looking to achieve subtle yet long-lasting results on human hair extensions.
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Bright-coloured hair dyes for extensions: If you’re after a quick colour change or need coloured extensions, temporary colour dyes are safe options. They won’t penetrate the hair shaft, so they’ll wash out easily.
Crazy Colour Semi-Permanent Hair Color: Crazy Colour is excellent for human hair extensions, especially for vibrant shades. It’s highly pigmented and gentle on hair, making it a go-to for bold and bright colours.
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Purple shampoos and conditioners: A must-have for anyone with blonde, silver, or highlighted extensions! These violet-tinted products counteract yellow and brassy tones that can develop over time, especially if your extensions are exposed to sun, heat, or hard water. Once a week, a gentle purple shampoo or conditioner keeps lighter extensions looking salon-fresh and naturally bright without harsh chemical treatments.
Neal and Wolf Purple Shampoo achieve a brighter blonde on hair extensions. It enhances and protects blonde or lightened extensions. Crazy Colour is excellent for human hair extensions, especially for vibrant shades. It’s highly pigmented and gentle on hair, making it a go-to for bold and bright colours.
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Root Colour Sprays: A quick, easy solution for blending your roots seamlessly with hair extensions. These sprays come in various colours and mimic your natural roots, helping extensions blend with your natural hair. Visit our blog for advice on the best L'Oreal Magic Retouch sprays to add roots to stranded hair extensions in the most popular colours.
Loreal Magic Retouch is lightweight and temporary and will wash out when you wash your hair extensions. It’s safe to use on both human and synthetic extensions, giving you flexible styling without the permanent commitment. achieve a brighter blonde on hair extensions. It enhances and protects blonde or lightened extensions. Crazy Colour is excellent for human hair extensions, especially for vibrant shades. It’s highly pigmented and gentle on hair, making it a go-to for bold and bright colours.
4. How to select the correct hair dye colour when changing hair extension colour
Selecting the right dye colour for your hair extensions is essential for achieving a seamless, natural look. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you choose the ideal shade:
- Match with Your Current Shade: Evaluate your current hair and extension colour. Choosing a dye within the same tone family—warm, cool, or neutral—will help the new colour blend well with your natural hair and extensions.
- Consider the Base Shade of Extensions: Extensions are often pre-treated and may respond differently to colour. Opt for a shade slightly lighter than your goal if you’re dyeing darker extensions, as they may darken with dye.
- Look for Professional Color Charts: Use professional hair dye charts, available in most salons or online, to compare and find the exact shade. Some brands even offer specific formulas for colouring extensions, ensuring a colour close to what you’ll see on your hair.
- Test with a Strand: Test a strand with a small, hidden section of your extensions. This trial run will reveal how well the extensions take the dye and can prevent unexpected results.
- Seek Toners Over Permanent Dyes for Adjustments: If you only want to adjust the shade slightly, try a toner or colour-depositing mask instead of a full dye to maintain extension health and prevent damage.
5. How to Prep Your Extensions for Dyeing
- Step 1: We recommend moving all hair extensions from your head and dyeing them separately to your natural hair.
- Step 2: Deep Clean: Wash your extensions thoroughly to remove any product buildup before dyeing. Avoid heavy conditioners, as they can create a barrier that prevents the colour from taking.
- Step 3: Perform a Section Test: First, test the dye on a small section of the extensions to see how the colour develops and ensure the material responds well.
- Step 4: Use a Colour-Protecting Conditioner: After dyeing, apply a colour-protecting conditioner to lock in moisture and prevent fading.
6. Application Tips for Best Results
- Apply Dye Evenly: Use a tint brush to evenly coat each strand of hair, working in sections to ensure even coverage.
- How long should I leave the dye on the extensions? When dyeing hair extensions, follow the manufacturer-recommended application time, as you would with your natural hair.
- Avoid Heat Tools Post-Dye: Coloured extensions are particularly susceptible to heat damage. Allow your extensions to air dry naturally before styling. If you use heat, always protect them with a heat protection spray. Consider trying some heatless hairstyles instead.
- Store Carefully: To keep dyed extensions vibrant longer, store them in a cool, dry place away from sunlight, which can cause colour fading.
7. Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using Bleach: Extensions have already been processed, so bleach can compromise their integrity and lead to dryness, frizz, and even breakage.
- Skipping Aftercare: Colour-treated extensions need extra moisture, so use sulphate-free shampoos, hydrating conditioners, and weekly deep conditioning masks.
8. Maintaining the Colour
- Use a sulphate-free, colour-safe shampoo to prevent fading, and consider using colour-depositing conditioners to keep the shade vibrant.
- Avoid excessive sun exposure and chlorine, which can alter the colour, especially in light and pastel shades.
Conclusion
Knowing the type of dye and process to make your extensions helps you choose the most compatible products. For human hair extensions, stick to gentle, semi-permanent, or demi-permanent dyes to avoid further chemical stress. In contrast, synthetic extensions are best suited for temporary colour sprays or speciality products designed for synthetic fibres.
Dyeing your extensions can be a fun and easy way to refresh your look—just be sure to choose the right products and care for them well. With this guide, you’ll be ready to experiment with new shades while keeping your extensions healthy and vibrant.
Happy colouring
