Should You Dye or Cut Hair First? Tips for Ordering Services

Should You Dye Hair Before or After A Cut?

When scheduling a fresh new hair color, many wonder if it's best to color first then cut or vice versa. Both approaches have pros and cons regarding how the color takes and achieving your desired look. Here we weigh the considerations of dyeing both before and after a cut.

Dyeing Hair Before a Haircut

Because freshly lightened hair is more porous and delicate, coloring your strands first then trimming allows precise shaping while avoiding extra stress on newly colored hair.

This method enables your colorist to color and trim hair in one appointment without awkward length discrepancies at the roots versus ends from previous cuts interfering with application.

Benefits of Coloring First

Coloring hair before getting a haircut offers several advantages:

Hair can be colored evenly from root to tip before shaping or layering.
Damaging over-processed ends can be trimmed off for a fresh look.
The stylist can cut your hair to complement the new shade and dimension.
New growth is camouflaged at the same time as your color refresh.

This technique works especially well if going lighter, adding bold color, or making a dramatic change from your current shade.

Downsides of Coloring Before

Reasons why pre-coloring may not be ideal in some cases include:

Newly lightened hair is very fragile when wet so trimming and styling must be gentle.
If planning a drastic length change, cutting off more than an inch can alter how the color takes at different levels.
May miss the opportunity to remove over-processed mid-lengths by not seeing their condition first.

Advantages of Post-Color Hair Trims

Getting your hair colored after a fresh trim enables your stylist to assess your hair's current condition, remove damage, and shape the style to support your new shade.

Seeing Hair's Natural State

Trimming your hair first while still in its current state allows the stylist to:

Diagnose areas of damage, dryness, or thinning to treat before coloring.
Remove splits, knots, or over-processed sections unable to hold color.
Customize cutting strategies to complement the upcoming color and style.

Avoiding Further Damage

In particular for those going lighter, pre-lightening the following key health checks and preventions against breakage:

Assessing if hair's current integrity can withstand lightener.
Removing compromised lengths unable to be colored again.
Avoiding applying bleach right next to damaged areas.
Using bonding and protein fillers to strengthen hair pre and post-lightening.

Enhancing Visible Dimension

Trimming hair into the final shape prior to coloring creates visible definition as the new hue takes. This includes:

Seeing precisely where lighter pieces frame the face.
Carving layers into long styles to encourage movement.
Texturizing ends so color appears intentionally piecy.

Key Considerations for Dyeing Order

When deciding if it's best to get your hair colored or cut first, factor in elements like your hair's baseline health, whether you'll go darker or lighter, your target length, and how drastic of change you plan.

Current Hair Integrity

If your strands already show significant wear and tear with extensive high-lift color, multiple bleach sessions, heat tools, or chemical processing, trim first. This allows precise removal of the most damaged portions unable to withstand more lightening or permanent color.

Whereas for healthy hair, coloring first causes less risk of trauma since hair can still withstand some manipulation when wet before cutting.

Lightening vs Darkening

If going lighter, trimming hair beforehand avoids putting lightener directly on already fragile lower mid-lengths and ends. This prevents further degradation.

However for those adding darker low commitment color, conditioning and reinforced integrity matters less. In those cases, coloring all over then trimming split or over-processed pieces still works.

Target Length

When aiming for a considerably shorter style, cutting hair first gives better visualization of the final silhouette before applying color all over.

With more subtle trims under 2 inches, dying first creates fewer issues blending new growth later since remaining lengths don't change drastically.

Degree of Change

Making an extreme change like going from brunette to platinum merits extra caution. Cutting first eliminates sections too far gone to bleach while focusing the most intense lightening on areas that need it most around the face and part line.

But for those adding lowlights or going a bit deeper, seeing the hair's underlying integrity matters less since it won't endure as much processing trauma.

Best Practice Tips

To maximize both your haircut and color results regardless of order, keep these tips in mind:

Thoroughly discuss both services together upfront so your stylist understands the end goal.
Come with freshly clarified hair the day of appointments to enable predictable results.
Use professional lines for dyeing and conditioning for optimized care, shine, and longevity.
Schedule a gloss or toner a few weeks later to reinforce your new color.

Planning out your coloring and cutting sessions strategically helps you achieve stunning dimension and movement showcasing the healthiest, most vibrant version of your strands!

FAQs

Does it matter if I dye my hair before or after a haircut?

It can matter depending on factors like your hair's baseline condition, whether you'll go lighter or darker, your target length, and degree of change planned. Discuss priorities with your stylist to determine optimal service order.

Should I trim damaged ends before bleaching hair?

Yes, trimming before lightening extremely damaged ends prevents pushing them past the point of no return. It also avoids putting lightener right next to fragile areas. Remove anything too far gone first.

Should I cut curly hair before or after coloring?

With curly hair, color first then cut dry or styled to see the hair's true texture and shape. Coloring curls wet risks uneven results. Cutting curled strands dry creates consistent springy definition.

Will dye look different on previously cut hair?

If you cut more than an inch before dyeing, the new growth bands may absorb color differently than the previously cut mid-lengths and ends, creating a demarcation line. Keeping trims under an inch minimizes this issue.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.