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The Global Insight

What happens if I wash my hair after highlights?

Author

James Olson

Updated on May 29, 2026

In the first couple of days after your appointment, the hair cuticle will still be open, and shampoo can wash the colour out. This can cause the highlight to fade faster. Washing highlights the day after only strips the hair, meaning all the beautiful colours will go down the drain (literally).

How many days should you wait to wash your hair after highlights?

"After having your hair colored, wait a full 72 hours before shampooing," says Eva Scrivo, a hairstylist in New York City. "It takes up to three days for the cuticle layer to fully close, which traps the color molecule, allowing for longer lasting hair color."

Do highlights tone down after washing?

Toners Fade

"Unfortunately, toners only last a few shampoos and as they rinse out, highlights can look muted or dull. This can make the allover color look less fresh than when a client has just left the salon," Baumhauer said.

How do you wash your hair with highlights?

With highlighted hair, you should use shampoo and conditioner designed for colored hair, which will keep the dye locked in for longer. If you've just dyed your hair, wait 3 days before you wash it so the color has enough time to fully soak into your hair.

Does washing your hair wash out highlights?

In the first couple of days after your appointment, the hair cuticle will still be open, and shampoo can wash the colour out. This can cause the highlight to fade faster. Washing highlights the day after only strips the hair, meaning all the beautiful colours will go down the drain (literally).

5 Things You MUST Know After Coloring Your Hair

Can I rinse my hair with water after highlights?

Leo Izquierdo, a colorist at New York's IGK Salon, agrees, adding that hot water will lift the outer layer of hair color and cause the color to fade. “Instead, rinse with cold or lukewarm water, as it will help seal up the cuticle and lock in your fresh color,” says Cleveland.

Why do my highlights fade so quickly?

A common reason behind fast-fading hair color is insufficient processing time, meaning the hair color did not stay on long enough. This especially holds true if you or your client have grey hair. Grey hair cuticles are tightly packed down and take longer to open and absorb artificial hair color molecules.

Will highlights darken over time?

"If you apply dye from root to end every time, the result will be that your mid-shaft to ends will continue to get darker and darker, and over time will look too heavy," Friedman says. When it comes to highlights, be sure your colorist doesn't coat the entire length of strands with bleach every time you get a touch-up.

Why do my blonde highlights disappear?

One of the most common reasons your hair color and highlights are fading is the insufficient processing time. This means that you didn't give time for hair dye to process on your hair. Follow the instructions and give dye time to process into the hair cuticle.

Can I wash my hair 24 hours after bleaching?

Avoid washing your hair for the first 48-72 hours after bleaching it. Give your hair ample time to seal in its new color. Because bleaching is such a volatile process, your cuticles remain open for longer immediately following a bleaching session.

How do you keep highlights from fading?

How To Keep Your Blonde Bright

  1. WASH YOUR HAIR LESS. ...
  2. USE A BLONDE FORMULA. ...
  3. CHOOSE COLOUR-SAFE SHAMPOO. ...
  4. END WITH A COOL RINSE. ...
  5. TRY A PURPLE TONER FOR BRASSINESS. ...
  6. COUNTERACT CHLORINE WITH KETCHUP. ...
  7. WASH YOUR HAIR WITH BEER. ...
  8. REFLECT THE LIGHT WITH SHINE SPRAY.

How long should highlights last?

Keep in mind that due to root growth, all-over coloring will need to be touched up every four to eight weeks, while highlights can last up to two or three months. Ask your stylist about a gloss treatment following your color. This step can really add a boost to the color and make hair shinier.

How do I maintain my highlights?

How to maintain your highlights

  1. Stay away from the sun. ...
  2. Avoid styling hair with hot tools. ...
  3. Wash with shampoo and conditioner that are especially formulated for colored hair. ...
  4. Think twice about taking the plunge. ...
  5. Use deep conditioning treatment regularly.

Why do salons wash your hair after coloring?

The biggest reason for washing your hair post-coloring is because it helps to remove any excess color that may have been left on your strands, as well as to evenly distribute the color so that it looks natural and salon-fresh.

What to do when you hate your highlights?

Go Back To The Salon

To change the tone of your highlights, colorists can apply a glaze to eliminate brassiness or deposit semi-permanent color on top of them. If your hair is too dark, they can add some highlights or use something stronger to soften the color.

Are highlights always bleach?

Lighter, glitzer, magic dust…it's all bleach

“If you're going from dark to blonde or getting light highlights, your stylist will be using bleach in your hair. This may be called lighter, glitzer, lifter, gentle lifter, magic dust or whatever,” Martin says.

How do I make my highlights brighter?

Use dish soap as a shampoo for extra color-stripping power.

  1. Since the dish soap will dry out your hair, put on conditioner afterwards and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
  2. You can also add 2 to 3 drops of lemon juice to the dish soap if you want more color-stripping power.

How often get full highlights?

Generally speaking, it's a good idea to go in for highlights every 6-8 weeks. However, the length of time you can go between highlight appointments varies depending on you and your hair, based on the following factors.

Does bleached hair get lighter as you wash it?

Bleach washing is a gentler and easier approach to lighten or lift out darker pigments from your hair. A bleach wash uses a bleach mixture blended with shampoo and applied to wet hair. It blends through wet hair quickly and is easier to apply than regular bleach treatments.

Why do highlights damage your hair?

Highlights and coloring -- Highlights and semi-permanent dyes aren't as damaging as bleach, but they aren't without consequences, Mirmirani says. They can also change the inner structure of the hair, causing a lackluster look and dryness, especially if you frequently color to hide roots or gray hair.

Are highlights hair permanent?

Highlights can be any color, as long as it's a lighter level than the surrounding hair. Hair lightened with bleach or permanent color will be permanent until new growth begins to show. Highlighted hair can make the hair appear fuller. Therefore, it is sometimes recommended for people with thin and fine hair.

Do highlights cause white hair?

It is true that colouring your hair makes it dull and more vulnerable to breakage and loss but, it does not cause premature greying. It is also a myth that dyeing your hair will lead to an increase in the number of white hair.

What age is highlights appropriate for?

Highlights offers 4 age-appropriate magazines for children of all ages: Highlights Hello for ages 0-2, High Five for ages 2-6, High Five Bilingüe (in Spanish and English) for ages 2-6 and Highlights for ages 6-12.

Do I want highlights or balayage?

"Highlights are often placed much closer to the scalp and applied in specific sections while the balayage process includes a graduated painting the color onto the hair in random sections," says Rivera. If you are looking to add non-uniform chunks or sweeps of color, balayage is a better option.