Understanding the “Process”: Why the Salon Washes Your Hair After Coloring?
- Ethos Day Spa
- Apr 7
- 5 min read
Updated: 7 days ago

The Hair coloring process is both a transformative and scientific experience. A transformation that can redefine your overall look and being.
Ethos Day Spa utilizes the top Oway Hair products and color, delivering style and substance without compromising your well-being. Ethos Day Spa has a hair color salon that proudly offers 100% cruelty-free hair color that’s also vegan with no formaldehyde, parabens, ammonia, thioglycolates, or other toxic chemicals that are usually found in typical salon hair dye colors. Using celebrated sustainable industry products, Ethos Day Spa’s Top Stylists are available to be a professional guide to you on your journey of enhancing your confidence and aiding in creating the next best version of yourself!
Like a caterpillar to a butterfly, the hair coloring process is, in essence, a metamorphosis of beauty. There is indeed a “process” to this transformation, whether it’s the literal hair color process or the professional process from coloring to styling. Magic ensues.
How Does Hair Coloring Work and Why Is Washing Hair After Coloring an Essential Step in the Hair Coloring Process?
This post-color wash isn't just a formality, it plays a crucial role in hair dye aftercare, fortifying the longevity of your hair color maintenance and ensuring the balance and health of your hair and scalp. Let's explore why salon hair washing after dyeing is an essential step in this transformation of gorgeousness!
Involving a careful interplay of chemistry and artistry, Professional Hair Coloring at Ethos Day Spa is an experience in itself! At the heart of the hair coloring process are certain ingredients are introduced to the hair. Unlike most salons, Ethos Day Spa takes a well-being-conscious approach. Rather than using harsh chemicals, including ammonia and hydrogen peroxide, among others. Ingredients such as micro-pigments and Phyto-proteins act on the cuticle—the protective outer layer of your hair to penetrate and deliver the full professional hair coloring experience, with a more sustainable hair coloring process.
Unique ingredients you will find in the Oway hair coloring process are:
Biodynamic Hibiscus is commonly used in Ayurvedic medicine for its powerful antioxidants and vitamins that prevent premature grey, discourage split end formation, and promote new hair growth.
Organic Cotton Proteins are rich in reparative Vitamin E and ceramides to bind the cuticle and cortex, adding strength, moisture, and elasticity to the hair.
Organic Perilla Oil is a pure essential oil from the mint family. It's rich in omega-3s that soothe and calm the scalp.
Fair Trade Date Oil is ethically sourced from Burkina Faso to soften and nourish the hair, preventing moisture loss and dehydration.
These exclusive ingredients provide an outstanding hair color salon experience while ensuring the overall health of your hair well-being without the use of Ammonia, Parabens/MIT, Petrolatum, and GMOs.
The hair cuticle, under normal circumstances, lies flat and shields the inner layers of the hair shaft. However, for color to be deposited into the hair, these cuticles need to be lifted, they raise the cuticles, creating an opening to the deeper layers of your hair shaft where the color can be embedded.
The pigmentation process, therefore, involves opening your hair shaft to allow the color molecules to penetrate. Once inside, these molecules bond with the hair's natural pigment molecules, effectively changing the color of your hair. This is why when you decide to dye your hair, you're not just coating the surface but altering the internal structure of your hair itself.
For the coloring process, Oway has several options used at Ethos Day Spa:
Hcolor: This is Oway's permanent, ammonia-free hair color line.
Hnectar: This is a color infusion with integrated hair re-plumping, offering a treatment and color service in one.
Hmelt: This is a collection of pure hair color pigment concentrates for creating vivid fashion colors, pastel tones, and revitalizing natural hair colors.
Hbright: This is a professional ammonia-free hair-brightening fluid that harnesses the natural power of Biodynamic Hibiscus, Organic Perilla Oil, Cotton Proteins, and Ethical Date Oil to infuse hair color with brightness, shine, and strength.
Hypercolor Accelerator Drops: These drops are used to speed up processing time and improve grey coverage.
Htone 9 Volume Cream Developer: This is a cream developer used with Oway's Hcolor line.
Although the ingredients used in Oway professional hair coloring products are created to maintain hair health and structure, they are not meant to stay on the hair for extended periods. The longer these hair color products remain, the more they continue to lift the cuticles, which could lead to damage if the process is not stopped.
That brings us to the question: Why Do Salons Wash Your Hair after Coloring?
The lifting of the hair cuticle during the hair coloring process can make your hair prone to breakage and dullness. Washing your hair after coloring helps to seal the cuticle back down, which keeps the artistry of the hair coloring intact and promotes healthy and shiny hair.
Washing your hair post-coloring is essential to remove any excess dye that may have been lingering on your hair. This is important to prevent the hair color from staining your clothes or skin. Walking around with hair dye on your shirt or forehead? Not a great look!
Hair dye aftercare and why washing your hair after coloring goes beyond just aesthetic reasons, it also helps to remove any residual irritating ingredients that may be lingering on your scalp. These ingredients could cause irritation or even allergic reactions if not properly washed out.
Salon hair washing after dyeing is a crucial step in maintaining healthy and comfortable scalp conditions after salon hair dye coloring. Post-color washing is essential for maintaining the structural integrity of your hair. By cleansing and conditioning, salons help in closing the hair cuticles, locking in moisture, and preserving the smoothness of your locks. This step is especially important when dealing with color-treated hair, which may be more prone to dryness and breakage if not properly cared for.
Oway’s Color Protection Hair Mask is a great add-on when receiving professional hair coloring at Ethos Day Spa, it prolongs color vibrancy and protects against oxidative stress and environmental aggressors. Oxidative stress and environmental aggressors can contribute to depletion and dullness in hair color. Oway’s Color Protection Hair Mask is essential to hair dye aftercare!
To ensure the Hair coloring transformation brings out your best hair color results, washing your hair after professional hair coloring is essential to ensure even color distribution, enhance the longevity of the hair color mastery, maintain the protection of the scalp and hair cuticle, and stop the overall coloring process while removing excess dye.
Completing your hair metamorphosis with professionally tailored styling, at Ethos Day Spa, you will not only leave feeling like the best version of yourself but knowing you received professional hair coloring guidance in the most optimal, sustainable, and outstanding way possible!
References
LaMay, J. (2024, March 7). The real Reason Salons Wash your hair after coloring — the Ministry salon. The Ministry Salon. https://www.theministrysalon.com/theministryblog/why-salons-wash-hair-after-coloring
Oway USA Professional. (n.d.). Hcolor. https://pro.owayusa.com/products/hcolor?variant=45754305478884
Salon, S., & Salon, S. (2025, January 22). Why do salons wash your hair after coloring. Sunday Salon. https://sunday.salon/blog/salon-hair-washing-after-coloring/
Simply Organic Beauty. (2016, October 10). Oway Hnectar Holistic Hair Color Training [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgT4quyT_00
HColor 1.0 Natural Black (3.4oz). (n.d.). Simply Organic Beauty. https://shop.simplyorganicbeauty.com/products/oway-hcolor-1-0-natural-black
Why do Salons Wash Your Hair after Coloring? (Top 7 Reasons). (2023, December 12). Salon Aurora & Barbershop. https://salonaurorabarbershop.com/womens-haircuts-styling/hair-color/why-do-salons-wash-your-hair-after-coloring/
Ryan, A. (2023, May 19). Why Do Salons Wash Your Hair After Coloring — The Glam House Brand | Salons. The Glam House Brand | Salons. https://theglamhouse.com/the-glam-house-blog/why-do-salons-wash-your-hair-after-coloring#heading-1
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