Can I colour my hair after a keratin treatment?

Short answer: yes. With my Semi or Demi, whether colour goes before or after depends on the colour, and I usually colour after. If the colour goes after, vegetable and semi-permanent colour can be done the same day, demi-permanent and permanent colour wait 3 days, and bleach waits a week. If your keratin was done at another salon, much of the general advice online says wait about two weeks before colouring.

Colour and smoothing are often on the same list. The question is which goes first, and the answer isn’t the same for every treatment I do.

My order for smoothing: it depends on the colour

For Straightment Semi and Straightment Demi the same list applies, and it depends on the colour:

• Highlights (bleach): before the smoothing.
• Permanent colour on grey hair: after.
• Toner: after.
• Semi-permanent, demi-permanent and vegetable colour: after.
• Other permanent colour: can be before.

If the colour goes after, vegetable and semi-permanent colour can be done the same day, demi-permanent and permanent colour wait 3 days, and bleach waits a week. I give each client the exact rule in the salon.

Why not straight after keratin?

The heat and the smoothing coat can stop colour taking evenly if it goes on straight after. The colour may not come out the way your colourist meant it to.

That’s why much of the general advice online says wait about two weeks after keratin before colouring. If your keratin was done somewhere else and you now want colour, that’s the general rule of thumb.

My permanent treatments: a longer wait

For my permanent treatments the wait is much longer. With Straightment Permanent and Wavement perms, colour comes after, not before. Leave at least two weeks between my appointment and your colour.

So there are two different rules, and the difference is the wait:

• Straightment Semi or Demi: it depends on the colour (list above). I usually colour after.
• Straightment Permanent and Wavement perms: colour after, at least two weeks later. For Semi and Demi the wait is the same day, 3 days or a week, depending on the colour.

If you’re not sure which one you’re having, ask me before you book the colour.

Tell both of us

Tell your colourist and your smoothing stylist about each other. Your colourist should know you’re having smoothing, and when. I should know what colour you’ve had, and when.

If you’re blonde or have highlights, there’s more on that side in Will straightening ruin my highlights?

Not sure of your order yet? Book a consultation and we’ll plan colour and smoothing together.