Our hair color may not last forever, but our desire to maintain our preferred hair color often does.
Society has a seemingly double standard for men and women when it comes to going gray (a graying man is a "pepper pot" or "silver fox," whereas a graying woman all too often gets treated like Mrs. Havisham-esque hags).
Either way, few of us would choose to "go gray" if we could keep our current hair color, which is why hair dye flourishes.
Plus, if you consider those who choose to dye their hair not to cover up gray but as a form of self-expression, it's no small wonder why the beauty industry (and the hair dyes it sells) is expected to top $40 billion within the next two years.
In fact, according to the national average, you can expect to pay approximately $100 per month for professional hair-dyeing services.
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Although whatever the reason you dye your hair, and however much you may spend on it, you definitely don't want to spend all that time and money only to see it go bad, which begs the question: does hair dye expire?
If so, how soon? How can you determine if hair dye has expired? What can you do to keep it in the best condition for as long as possible?
Does Hair Dye Expire?
Yes, hair dye expires. An unopened box can last up to about three years. Once you open a tube or bottle of dye, air starts to change the dye ingredients, so follow the date or open-jar symbol on the box. If there isn’t one, use an opened, tightly capped tube within about six weeks, and use mixed dye right away. Expired hair dye can show signs of going bad, including packaging damage, foul odors, discoloration, and a breakdown of the dye’s chemical makeup (i.e., noticeable separation).
Hair coloring treatments can be damaging to the hair shaft, even when the product isn't expired. Consequently, we don’t recommend using expired hair dyes. At best, the color comes out weaker or patchier than you expected. And any hair dye, fresh or old, can cause an allergic reaction, which in some cases can lead to hair loss.
Why Does Hair Dye Go Bad?
There are several reasons that hair dye goes bad, not the least of which is that once you open the bottle, air gets in.
The dye ingredients in permanent hair color react with oxygen in the air, and that’s what darkens and weakens an opened tube over time. The longer it sits open, the further that goes, and the faster that expiration clock ticks away until time’s up.
The peroxide is a separate story. In most box dyes, it comes in its own bottle, called the developer, and you only mix it in right before you color. Peroxide doesn’t react with the air; it slowly breaks down into water and oxygen, so an old developer gets weaker. Temporary and semi-permanent dyes don’t use a developer at all.
Then there's the issue of sunlight. There are reasons why hair dyed a lighter shade needs protection from the sun, but even before you make it that far, you need to ensure that the dye stays good long enough to use it. Prematurely exposing it to the sun's rays and UV radiation can cause it to spoil.
Part of this has to do with temperature. If the hair dye starts to heat up even while it's in the box, heat speeds up the breakdown of its active ingredients.
You might also wonder about bacteria once the seal is cracked.
Those aren’t much of a worry. Permanent dye is strongly alkaline, and germs don’t grow well in it.
How to Tell If Hair Dye Has Expired?
When buying conditioner and shampoo, you'll want to be on the lookout for indications on the bottle that mark how long it will remain good, for example, 3M for 3 months and 12M for 12 months after opening.
You may think that you'll be able to simply check the date on your hair dye in the same way - but you'd be wrong.
While some hair dyes do indicate an expiration date, others lack this kind of identification. Thankfully, there are several signs that hair dye has gone bad. Some of the most evident and notable are discussed below.
1. Foul Odor
This is probably the most obvious indication that you shouldn't use any beauty product. It's fair to say that if something reeks, it probably isn't something you should be rubbing into your hair.
Expired hair dye will often smell foul as a result of the product's chemical makeup breaking down.
2. Changes in the Packaging
One of the most important shopping adages is to leave packages that seem damaged alone, especially if they contain something perishable.
Organic and chemical-based products can be finicky, and all it takes is the slightest dent or rip in the packaging to expose them to the elements, which, as demonstrated above, could mean exposing them to a whole world of trouble.
If you see that the package is dented, lumpy, swollen, or otherwise out of the ordinary, you're better off tossing it.
One of the most obvious examples of this, and another sign that your hair dye has seen better days, is if it is leaking.
The packaging should not be so flimsy as to allow hair dye to seep out, and it shouldn't be that watery in the first place. If it is starting to leak out, it's ready to be thrown out.
3. Discoloration
Strange discolorations around the cap are another sign that your hair dye isn't in good shape. Whatever hair color it may be, it should not leave a discolored ring around your container.
Dye that has been exposed to air tends to darken, so a dark ring around the cap is a warning sign.
4. Changes in Consistency
As mentioned above, exposure to sunlight and heat while the hair dye is still in its original packaging can cause it to prematurely separate and affect its shelf life.
Once it has separated, the integrity of the hair coloring solution will quickly start to degrade.
Think about how hair dye is "supposed" to feel in your hands and hair.
The dye should also have a consistent texture. If its consistency has started to clump into pieces, become hard, or look murky, the hair dye is probably bad.
Why Is Expired Hair Dye a Problem? Are There Side Effects of Using Expired Hair Dyes?
While nobody buys perishable products expecting to use them once they've gone bad, you might wonder what's so bad about expired hair dye. Are there actual reasons women shouldn't use hair dye beyond its reasonable shelf life?
After all, you're not going to consume it, and in any case, hair dye doesn't typically come with a "Use By" date like food.
Even if it did, foodstuffs don't magically go from perfectly fine to instantly rancid on the day after that "Use By" date, so what's the big deal about using expired hair dye?
For one thing, as noted above, hair dyes that have gone bad can start to smell and won’t color evenly, which is not exactly the kind of mixture you want to go mixing into your hair.
Even setting that aside, expired hair dye can change color in the tube, and an old dye may not give you the shade on the box. (If your hair has ever turned green after dyeing, that usually comes from blue or ash pigments meeting yellow tones in your hair, or from copper in pool or tap water, not from old dye.)
With old dye, there’s no telling exactly what shade you’ll get, or whether it will come out even.
And whether the box is fresh or old, hair dye can cause an allergic reaction, with an itchy, red scalp. The FDA says to do a skin test before every use, even with a dye you’ve used before: put a little on the bend of your elbow and leave it for 48 hours.
How to Extend the Shelf Life of Hair Color
The simplest thing you can do to extend the shelf life of hair dye is to keep it sealed. This is true for drugstore brands and other DIY box dye kits.
That may seem obvious, but from the second the bottle is sealed in the factory, the clock is already ticking on its expiration. The second you open the bottle, you cause the hands of that clock to tick faster. Unopened hair dye generally has a longer expiration date.
The practical upshot of this is not opening a bottle unless you're sure that you're ready to use it. What's more, it's worth considering how much of the hair dye you are ready to use.
If you are only going to use a little, it's worth considering whether you want to open a new bottle or if you can use one that's already open.
One more rule: never save mixed dye in a sealed container for later. Once the developer is mixed in, the peroxide keeps releasing oxygen, which can build up pressure in a closed bottle. Mix only what you need, and rinse out the rest.
You may also want to consider applying dry shampoo to your hair rather than washing it as much when dyeing. Washing your hair too much immediately after a hair dyeing session risks rinsing the dye out.
On the other hand, you might want to try and pre-shampoo your hair to prep it for your dye.
How Should You Store Hair Dye?
You'll also want to make sure that you keep your hair dye away from any warm areas. A spot at room temperature, out of the light, is ideal.
Cool, neutral conditions away from light are the best storage option for hair dye products, including temporary and permanent hair dye. Store it on a closet shelf rather than in a bathroom cabinet, since a bathroom gets warm and steamy.
Related Articles
- Does Shampoo Expire?
- Can Hair Products Expire?
- Does Hair Bleach Expire After Mixing?
- Does Expired Conditioner Work?
In Conclusion
Hair dye can add a lot of color to your hair care regimen, but only if you make sure that it hasn't passed the expiration date or is prematurely spoiled.
While it may seem harmless, expired hair dye can leave you with a patchy, off-shade result. And if you’ve mixed more than you need, don’t save it: mixed dye can’t be kept for later.
By keeping your hair dye in cool, well-controlled conditions, being careful about when you open it, and looking out for warning signs, you can get the most out of your hair dye and ensure that it remains good for as long as possible.
