Permed Hair & Semi-Permanent Color

Applying semi permanent hair color
Photo: Valua Vitaly/Shutterstock
Q: Can I apply semi-permanent color to permed hair on the same day?
 
A: Technically yes. If the hair has been processed properly and the perm has been properly neutralized, the hair will be completely stable and ready to be styled further. However, it is generally preferred to give a few days at least between chemical hair services - even mild services like semi-permanent color.
 
The reason for this is that most chemical services - particularly perms - leave the hair more porous than it was before the chemical service. By giving time between chemical services, you allow the hair to return to a more normal state, letting the cuticle retract to a smoother configuration.
 
The risk you run is having undesired results from the color application. By applying the semi-permanent color to your hair when it is overly porous, you could end up with the color penetrating much deeper than you expected, or fading much more quickly. Either way, the color results become unpredictable, which is not something you want.
 
My advice is to give your hair at least a week before applying the semi-permanent color. And in the interim - after the initial 48 hour wait after perming - use a moisture-rich conditioner and rinse the hair with cool water to help close the cuticle layer of the hair.
 
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See also:
 
Perms and perming hair
 
Hair color application
 
The use of at-home hair color after getting a perm