The Big Differences In Semi, Demi, & Permanent Hair Color
Have you heard of the different types of hair color before? Maybe you’ve even heard your hairstylist mention a “demi”, but what does that mean? How are semi-permanent hair colors different from demi-permanent? And how do they compare to permanent colors?
In this post I’m going to teach you the differences between the different categories of hair color on the market today, minus bleach!
If you are completely new to the anatomy of a hair strand, check out this post here first. It will be helpful to know about the different layers of hair before diving into this post!
What are the 4 types of hair color?
There are technically four different categories of hair color out there today. They are divided up by how they alter the chemical composition of the hair, and how long they last for. Keep in mind, the color of your hair and the porosity are also factors that determine how long the color will last for.
- Temporary
- Semi-permanent
- Demi-permanent
- Permanent
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Temporary hair color
Temporary hair color is color that will fade out completely when the hair is shampooed. This color only coats the outer layer of the hair strand, or the cuticle.
You can also consider this type of hair color as a “stain”. It is merely staining the hair strand, not altering the chemical makeup of the hair at all.
Some examples of temporary hair color are:
- Hair chalk
- Coloring hair sprays
- Colored hair gel
That being said, some things used as temporary hair color can stain the hair the same way a white T-shirt can be stained with tomato sauce.
When I was a child, I had naturally blonde hair. And one year I was Snoopy the dog for Halloween. My mom put my hair into pig tails, and we used the coloring hair spray to color my pig tails black.
When we attempted to wash the black out, we discovered that my hair was stained a greenish muddy hue. It took quite a while for it to fully come out of my hair. This is because my blonde was so light that it really sucked up the temporary color and stained it.
It did eventually come out, but it certainly wasn’t with one wash like advertised!
Luckily I did win first place in a costume contest, so it wasn’t all for nothing 🙂
Lasts: Until shampooed
Semi-permanent hair color
The next type of hair color we’re going to talk about is semi-permanent. Semi-permanent color is the next step down towards longer lasting color. It is a deposit only color that does not alter the chemical composition of the hair.
This means that these hair colors are still not mixed with developer, but they will penetrate the cuticle of the hair and last longer than one shampoo. The length of time that they will last is dependent on the color you chose verse the color and porosity of your hair.
If you have blonde healthy hair and apply a dark semi-permanent color, it will likely last quite a while before fading out. But if you apply a pastel pink color onto blonde damaged hair, it may fade out as quickly as the first or second shampoo.
The healthier your hair is, the longer the color will last. Also, the darker the semi-permanent color you are applying is, the longer it will last. So if longevity is your main concern here, start with a darker color because it will lighten up in several shampoos.
When it comes to semi-permanent hair color, the hair needs to be light enough for the color to show up. So if your hair is dark, the only colors that will show up are darker colors. The lighter your hair is, the brighter and lighter the colors will show.
Semi-permanent hair colors are also not damaging, because they aren’t adjusting the composition of your hair.
Examples of semi-permanent hair color:
- Purple shampoo
- Color depositing shampoos and conditioners (Overtone, Celeb Luxury)
- Direct dyes (Manic Panic & Arctic Fox)
Lasts: 2-6 weeks
Demi-permanent hair color
Demi-permanent is the next step down the longevity scale for hair color. This type of hair color is the middle ground for semi-permanent and permanent hair color. They are also deposit only hair colors.
Demis are mixed with a very low volume developer (hydrogen peroxide), but they contain no ammonia. This means that they will penetrate the hair strand more than a semi-permanent color will, producing more longevity, without fully altering the chemical composition of the hair.
This color is simply depositing a tone to hair that has already been lightened.
Examples of demi-permanent hair color:
- Toner
- Gloss
- Root smudge/shadow/melt
- Gray blending
Demi-permanent color is a fantastic option for hair that just needs tone added. There really isn’t a need to use permanent color on the hair unless the natural hair color needs to be lightened to accept the desired tone.
Demi-permanent color isn’t damaging to the hair, but it does raise the cuticle slightly to deposit the color. It also will wash out just about completely. But there may be some traces left in the hair especially if the hair was a light color and the demi was significantly darker.
Demi color also does not provide full gray coverage since it isn’t penetrating the cortex (middle layer) of the hair strand. But it will mute some of the grays, especially if the hair is fine. This is a good option for blending gray hair, without full coverage permanent color which will cause a harsh line of demarcation (roots) as the hair grows.
Lasts: 4-12 weeks
Permanent hair color
Finally, onto the big one! Permanent hair color means that it is permanently altering the hair strand. This type of hair color penetrates the cuticle of the hair forever. It will never go back to its natural virgin state again until it grows out.
One thing that most people get confused about is that permanent hair color does not mean that the color doesn’t fade. It just means that the hair has been altered permanently.
When permanent color is applied to virgin hair it adjusts the natural pigment and can lighten up to 4 levels, as well as deposits tone to the hair.
Permanent hair color is used for:
- Full gray coverage
- Slightly lightening virgin hair color
- Depositing color into the cortex
Keep in mind that once the hair has been colored with permanent hair color, bleach must be used to lighten it. Hair color does not lift out hair color. This is why it is so important to be honest with your stylist when they ask if you have virgin hair or not.
Lasts: Permanently altered, will begin fading at 4-12 weeks
Conclusion
Aside from bleach, there are four categories of hair color. Temporary, semi-permanent, demi-permanent, and permanent.
Temporary hair colors fade completely out of the hair when it is shampooed. They only coat the outside of the cuticle of the hair. Think hair chalk and halloween color sprays.
Semi-permanent colors penetrate into the cuticle a little more, and will last for a number of shampoos depending on several factors. These colors are still not mixed with developer, and last anywhere from 2-6 weeks or so. Think purple shampoo and direct dyes like manic panic.
Demi-permanent colors are in-between semi and permanent. They are mixed with a low developer and will last a bit longer than semi, but they do not penetrate the cortex of the hair. These colors will last anywhere from 4-12 weeks. Think toners, glosses, and gray blending.
Permanent hair colors permanently alter the chemical composition of the hair. They penetrate into the cortex changing the hair forever. After the hair has been colored with permanent dye, it will need to be bleached to be lightened. Permanent also does not mean that the color doesn’t fade, as it will begin fading in the same time as a demi which is about 4-12 weeks. It will not fade back to the natural color. It will lighten up and expose the underlining pigment of the hair.
If you have any further questions for me on this topic, be sure to leave them for me in the comments. And as always, Have A Good Hair Day!
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