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Is that old dye package in your bathroom really safe to use?
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You’d like to color your hair, and you find some old hair dye lying around your home. Problem solved, right? Not quite—while most hair dyes are good for 2-3 years, the overall quality depends on multiple factors. [1]
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Research source
Before you recolor your hair, take a few minutes to inspect your dye. [2]
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Expert Source
April Ferri
Professional Hair Stylist
Expert Interview. 8 December 2020.
If you’ve already colored your hair with the dye, there’s no need to worry! There are several ways to tell if the product is past its prime.
Things You Should Know
- Check the expiration date on the hair dye package to see if it's expired. Keep in mind that some products might not list a "best by" date, though.
- Throw out dyes that are opened for longer than a year. If you've never opened the dye, it's okay to hold onto for up to 2-3 years.
- A strange smell, product separation, and overly bright color are all signs that your hair dye is expired.
- Rinse out your hair dye right away if it burns or irritates your scalp.
Steps
Section 2 of 4:
Best Practices
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Toss out pre-opened dyes after a year. Opened dye doesn’t go bad right away—instead, it will last about 1 year before expiring. If you opened your dye more than a year ago or can’t quite remember when you first used it, throw out the product to be safe. [5] X Research source
- If you can’t remember when you purchased or opened the dye, consider getting new hair dye altogether.
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Hold onto unopened dye for 2-3 years. If you’ve had your dye for longer, toss it out and pick up a new product from your local beauty shop. [6] X Research source
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Toss out dyes that were stored in a sunny, hot area. Peroxide and ammonia are common chemicals found in most hair dyes. Unfortunately, both of these chemicals create an unpleasant chemical reaction when they’re exposed to high heat. Examine your storage area—if it’s consistently over 75 °F (24 °C), toss out the dye and pick up something new. [7] X Research source
- This chemical reaction causes the dye to separate, which isn’t good. [8] X Research source
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Throw out the dye if it's leaking. Hold the bottle and tip it upside-down to ensure there are no leaks. If the bottle is leaky, you can assume that the dye has gone bad, and throw it out. [9] X Research source
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Inspect the packaging for dents, damage, wet spots, or fading. Dents, moisture, and other outer damage can spell bad news for hair dye. If your hair dye packaging looks damp or worse for wear, throw it out and use a new product. [10] X Research source
- Sometimes, dye bottles will look lumpy or swollen because of bad chemical reactions.
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Tips
- If you suspect that your dye is expired, don’t risk applying it to your hair. Instead, pick up a new hair dye that definitely won’t tint your hair or burn your scalp.Thanks
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Warnings
- Drugstore hair dyes and popular brands tend to expire more quickly than professional brands. [23] X Research sourceThanks
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References
- ↑ https://boldbarber.com/about-hair-dye-expiration/
- ↑ April Ferri. Professional Hair Stylist. Expert Interview. 8 December 2020.
- ↑ https://botoxcapilar.org/en/does-box-hair-dye-expire/
- ↑ https://beautymag.com/does-hair-dye-expire/
- ↑ https://boldbarber.com/about-hair-dye-expiration/
- ↑ https://boldbarber.com/about-hair-dye-expiration/
- ↑ https://botoxcapilar.org/en/does-box-hair-dye-expire/
- ↑ https://beautymag.com/does-hair-dye-expire/
- ↑ https://beautymag.com/does-hair-dye-expire/
- ↑ https://beautymag.com/does-hair-dye-expire/
- ↑ https://beautymag.com/does-hair-dye-expire/
- ↑ https://boldbarber.com/about-hair-dye-expiration/
- ↑ https://beautymag.com/does-hair-dye-expire/
- ↑ https://beautymag.com/does-hair-dye-expire/
- ↑ https://boldbarber.com/about-hair-dye-expiration/
- ↑ https://botoxcapilar.org/en/does-box-hair-dye-expire/
- ↑ https://boldbarber.com/about-hair-dye-expiration/
- ↑ https://botoxcapilar.org/en/does-box-hair-dye-expire/
- ↑ https://beautymag.com/does-hair-dye-expire/
- ↑ https://boldbarber.com/about-hair-dye-expiration/
- ↑ April Ferri. Professional Hair Stylist. Expert Interview. 8 December 2020.
- ↑ https://beautymag.com/does-hair-dye-expire/
- ↑ https://hairstylecamp.com/does-hair-dye-expire/
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