Demi vs. Semi Permanent Hair Color: What’s the Difference?
There’s more than just one letter that sets demi-permanent and semi-permanent hair colors apart. In the salon, these two hair color types are more distinctive and different than your clients might realize. So, how do you explain their benefits? Here’s everything you need to know as we answer their top questions – including ‘is semi-permanent hair color damaging?’ (Spoiler alert: with Wella Professionals, it’s not.)
Demi-Permanent Hair Color in Detail
First, let’s quickly cover how permanent hair colors work. They’re usually formulated with ammonia, which helps to open up the hair cuticle, so the pigment can penetrate deep within the hair shaft. It’s this process that makes permanent hues so intense and helps them last longer than any other color. It’s also how certain permanent colors, such as Koleston Perfect and Illumina Color, are able to give your client up to 100% gray coverage.
But demi-permanent hair colors work quite differently. They tend to be ammonia-free, yet they feature an alkali ingredient that gently opens just the outer layer of the hair, so color molecules can rush in. Because this coloring process isn’t as intensive, demi-permanent colors don’t last as long as permanent shades. However, they are also gentler to hair, and offer softer regrowth in between color appointments.
On average, your client’s demi-permanent shade will last around 24 washes, but it may stay true even longer if they’re working bold shades or starting with a lighter base. A demi-permanent color is the perfect pick for anyone who wants to transform their shade, banish brassy tones, enhance highlights and balayage, or even create a soft root smudge. Put simply, it’s ultra-versatile.
Is Demi-Permanent Hair Color Damaging?
Some demi-permanent hair colors offer low damage, and some, like Shinefinity, give your client zero damage. It all depends on the color product you’re working with. As the No.1 salon color brand in the world*, our products at Wella Professionals harness the latest technology to ensure all formulas are kind to the hair. So your client doesn’t have to compromise to enjoy rich, radiant results they can make their own.
Try These Demi-Permanent Hair Colors:
Color Touch: With a huge color palette, a vibrantly rich finish, and the softest root regrowth around, Color Touch is the demi-permanent to reach for when your client wants distinctive toning that’s kind to locks. It respects the natural highs and lows in their hair by enhancing – not covering. So, whether you use it for a client’s dramatic shade switch-up, transformative toning with intense results on blonde hair, or to personalize their balayage, you’ll get a multi-dimensional finish. Plus, it can even be applied for gray blending, with up to 70% gray coverage when using Color Touch Plus.
Shinefinity: This zero lift, zero damage, demi-permanent glaze offers shine you can feel, available in a range of blonde, brunette, red and even pastel hues. If your client wants sheer, radiant color that corrects, enhances and subtly tones their locks, a Shinefinity Color Glaze is their ultimate pick.
The kind-to-hair magic is in the pH-balanced technology, which very gently opens the hair cuticle to let color in, before the pH level drops back down to close the cuticle once more. It’s your partner in shine when your client wants to subtly tint virgin hair, correct unwanted yellow or orange tinges, or tone a pre-lightened base. It’s ultra-quick, too, taking no more than 20 minutes (or less for a softer glow) to develop. In fact, when you try the new high-level flash glaze shades, you’ll get shine and tone in just five minutes.
Semi-Permanent Hair Color in Detail
Unlike demi-permanent hair colors, semi-permanent shades only coat the surface of strands. They don’t open up the outer layer of hair, so no pigment is deposited inside. This means that a semi-permanent color may not last as long as a demi-permanent hue, although it can still offer plenty of staying power, depending on the hair base you’re working with.
As a general rule, your client will get around 10-20 washes out of their shade, but if the hair is very light or highly porous, or the color is bold, it could even stay visible for months. Suggest semi-permanent hair colors to clients who want a low-commitment fling with a new shade, or simply hope to enhance or correct their existing hue without the risk of any damage.
Is Semi-Permanent Hair Color Damaging?
No, semi-permanent hair color isn’t damaging. Because it only tints the surface of strands – not the inside – it has no effect on the internal structure and condition of the hair. So, while these shades might not last as long as a demi-permanent or permanent hue, their zero damage finish means you can top them up as often as your client wants.
Try These Semi-Permanent Hair Colors:
Color Fresh: A conditioning color enhancer, packed with a nourishing vitamin complex, Color Fresh is your semi-permanent product of choice for a range of rich naturals. Blondes, brunettes and redheads can all enjoy its multi-dimensional results. No damage and no lift – just low-commitment color that revives and refreshes locks. Plus, you can retail this product to your clients, so they can refresh their professionally recommended shade at home.
Color Fresh CREATE: All the benefits of semi-permanent hair color are found in the Color Fresh CREATE palette of punchy pastels and bold brights, giving your color-brave clients a damage-free way to work this season’s most vibrant trends. From New Blue to High Magenta to Uber Gold, there are 12 intermixable colors to play with, as well as a Tomorrow Clear additive that allows you to personalize and pastelize the tone. Mix them together or paint them solo for a burst of brightness that fades true to tone.
What’s the Verdict?: The Differences Between Demi-Permanent and Semi-Permanent Hair Colors
Now for a quick refresher. Let’s look at exactly what makes demi-permanent and semi-permanent shades different, so you can make the right color product choice for your client’s hair goals. Here’s what you need to know…
- Longevity: Demi-permanent hair colors, on average, last for up to 24 washes, while semi-permanent shades last for around 10-20 washes. In both cases, this may be longer if the hair is porous or very light, or the shade you’re applying is bold.
- Color process: Semi-permanent hair colors deposit on the surface of strands, while demi-permanent colors do the same, as well as gently raising the outer layer of the hair to deposit a small amount of pigment inside.
- Lifting: While semi-permanent hair color isn’t designed for lifting locks, mixing demi-permanent Color Touch with the right developer lets you very subtly lighten your client’s hair. This makes it ideal for creating vibrant reds, for example, or bumping up your client’s base.
- Gray blending: If a touch of gray blending is important to your client, suggest they use a demi-permanent color over a semi-permanent. And if it’s full coverage they want, a permanent color like Koleston Perfect is the next step up.
- Condition: Semi-permanent hair colors are all damage-free, while demi-permanent hair colors are no to low-damage. Case in point: you can enjoy zero damage with the demi-permanent shades of Shinefinity.
Now you’ve got the full lowdown on the benefits of semi-permanent and demi-permanent hair colors, make sure you share your masterpieces with us on Instagram by tagging @WellaHairUSA and @WellaEducation.
* Wella Professionals is the N°1 salon color brand in the world based on Wella Master Brand USD sales on the 2022 Salon Hair Care Study for the hair coloring products category published by Kline.
