How Long Does It Take to Dye Hair at a Salon?

As the owner of Heather Annz’s Salon, one of the most common questions I receive is how long it will take to have your hair colored by one of my professional stylists. The short answer is, it depends on several factors related to your hair and the services requested.

On average, you can expect the process to take between 2 to 8 hours.

Let’s look at the considerations that determine how long it may take to color your hair at my salon.

Factors That Affect Timing

• The condition of your hair. If your hair is dry, damaged, or color-treated recently, extra time may be needed to properly prepare it for new color. A moisturizing treatment or trim prior to coloring may add 30 minutes to an hour. Starting with hair in healthy, untreated condition allows for faster processing time.
• Color service requested. Highlights, touch-ups, or all-over color may each take a different amount of time. Highlights, especially a full head, typically require the longest appointment due to foiling individual sections. All-over color or touch-ups are often quicker, around 2 to 3 hours.
• Hair length and density. Longer, thicker hair requires more product and time to color evenly. Shorter styles may only need 2 to 3 hours, while longer or fuller hair could take 4 to 6 hours for an intricate color service.
• Number of colors used. Using multiple colors, or vivid or pastel shades that require bleaching first, adds significant time to the process. Each additional color must be applied and monitored separately, and bleaching to pale shades can take up to 2 hours alone.
• Stylist experience. While all stylists at my salon are highly trained, more experienced colorists are able to work more quickly and efficiently while achieving gorgeous results. If time is a concern, you may want to book with a senior stylist.

The Coloring Process: What to Expect

1. Consultation – We discuss your desired look and color, assess your hair’s health, and plan the appropriate services. This usually takes 15-30 minutes.
2. Pre-Color – Your hair is washed and sometimes trimmed. If bleaching, a test strand is done to determine processing time. This can take 30 minutes to 1 hour.
3. Application – Your color is mixed and applied section by section. This typically takes 1 to 3 hours depending on highlights, all-over color, or multiple shades. Your stylist will check on you periodically as the color processes.
4. Rinse and Style – The color is rinsed out and your hair is shampooed and conditioned. Your stylist will then cut and style as needed. This generally takes 30-60 minutes.
5. Take Home Care – Your stylist will prescribe shampoo, conditioner, and other products to keep your new color looking its best. Recommendations for limiting washing and heat styling may also be made.

Understanding the amount of time needed for your salon color service allows you to plan accordingly. While speed is important to many clients, keep in mind that more complex services and healthier, longer hair may require longer appointments to achieve gorgeous, even results that last. Your stylist aims for both beauty and care of your hair. At Heather’s Hair Salon, we never sacrifice quality for speed. Let us know if you have any other questions about what to expect from your customized color service!