How to Dye Hair with Conditioner

If you use semi-permanent hair color to dye your hair, you’ve probably heard about mixing in conditioner to moisturize your luscious locks. While hairdressers still aren’t in agreement about using conditioner with dye for hydration, you can definitely mix conditioner with a dark dye to make it a little bit lighter. Or, you can make your own color depositing conditioner to refresh your hair in between dye jobs. All you’ll need is your hair dye, some white conditioner, and a bowl, and you’re in business!

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Mixture

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1
Pour ¹⁄₃ c (79 mL) of white conditioner into a bowl. You can use a plastic hair dye bowl or a small plastic container. Grab a bottle of white conditioner and pour about ¹⁄₃ c (79 mL) into the bowl as a base layer.^{[1]XResearch source}
- Always use a white conditioner so you can lighten the dye without distorting the color.
- You don’t have to be super precise with your measurements, but try to make enough to cover your whole head.
- Always use a plastic bowl. Metal oxidizes your dye and can make it change color.
2
Add 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of your hair dye. Mixing conditioner and dye works best if you’re using fantasy colors, or colors that aren’t natural. Pour a little bit of your dye into your conditioner to start with.^{[2]XResearch source}
- Only mix conditioner with semi-permanent shades. Permanent hair dye that needs a developer won’t mix well with conditioner, and it can make the dye bond unevenly to your hair.
- You can use conditioner to make your fantasy color lighter, or even pastel. However, it might fade faster than usual.
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3
Mix the 2 together with a hair dye brush. Give your mixture a good stir with your brush until the dye is fully incorporated. Make sure you can’t see any white spots of the conditioner peeking through!^{[3]XResearch source}
- If your dye isn’t looking how you’d like it to, don’t worry. You can mess with it in just a second.
4
Add in more hair dye to darken the color. Make sure you mix up your conditioner and dye thoroughly to see what color you’re getting. You could even mix colors together to make new ones, like purple, green, or orange.^{[4]XResearch source}
- If you’re going for a pastel color, stick to a little bit of dye mixed with a lot of conditioner.
- If you want a shade that’s deeply pigmented, add in more dye.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Application

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1
Wash your hair like you normally would. Use your normal shampoo, then rinse it out. When you touch up your hair, you don’t need to dry it, since your hair already has a little bit of color in it.^{[5]XResearch source}
- Washing your hair with shampoo usually strips some of the dye out, so it’s good to do it before you apply your color.
- If you’re dyeing your hair for the first time, make sure your hair is light enough to take the color. If you’re going for a pastel shade, it will need to be a light blonde (level 9 or above).
2
Apply the dye + conditioner to your wet hair. Grab a handful of your conditioner mixture and rub it into your hair from the ends to the roots. Coat your hair just like you would with a normal conditioner to hydrate and moisturize your locks.^{[6]XResearch source}
- If you’re worried about staining your skin, you can wear gloves. However, you should be fine if you just rinse your hands off right away.
3
Let the dye sit for 5-30 minutes. If this is the first time you’re using the dye, let it sit for at least 30 minutes.^{[7]XResearch source} If you’re just using your mixture as a touchup, let the dye sit for 3 to 5 minutes.^{[8]XResearch source}
- The longer you let the dye sit, the stronger the color will be.
4
Rinse the dye out with cool water. You can stop rinsing once the water runs clear (this might take a minute or two). Use cool water to make your dye last longer, and make sure you wash all of the conditioner out of your hair.^{[9]XResearch source}
- Leaving the conditioner in your hair could make it dry sticky or slimy, so make sure you rinse it all out.
5
Use your color conditioner anytime your hair needs a refresh. You can use your color conditioner every time you wash your hair or whenever your color is looking a little dull. It won’t be quite as vibrant as an overall color, but it can help you last longer in between dye sessions to protect your hair.^{[10]XResearch source}
- Washing your hair as little as possible and using cool water on it will also help your dye last longer, especially if it’s semi-permanent.