Does Hair Color Wax Wash Out? (Explained)

Hair color wax is the new trend sweeping the internet – and it’s popular for a reason. If you feel like switching up your hair color for a week, weekend, or even just an evening- hair color wax may just be the best way to do it. But does hair color wax wash out? 

Unlike traditional hair dye, hair color wax is generally easily washed out; usually after just a single hair wash. 

This saves you from going through weeks of that awkward stage as you wait for more permanent hair dye products to slowly leave your hair after multiple washes. 

As a result, you can usually switch up your hair color more frequently than you’d otherwise be able. 

If you’re new to the idea of hair color wax and intrigued to find out more, read on.

It’s important to make sure we’re on the same page when we’re referring to “color wax”. So first, let’s go through what it actually is.

N.B – The term “hair color wax” is ambiguous. The information in this article is for general purposes only and may not be relevant to the particular product you’re referring to. Be sure to check the instructions for your specific product.

What Exactly Is Hair Color Wax?

Hair color wax is a temporary hair dye that is wax-based giving it a thicker consistency than the traditional hair dyes we are familiar with. 

A major benefit of hair color wax is that it usually washes out super easily.

Mofajang is a popular brand of color wax. Click the image to check it out on Amazon if you’re interested. 

How To Wash Out Hair Color Wax

Lots of people are understandably concerned with knowing how easy it is to wash out hair color before they apply it, in case they find out they don’t like the color they’ve chosen. 

This is the main downside of semi-permanent hair dyes, where there is a real risk that you might be stuck with a hair color you don’t like for days or even weeks, simply because it can take multiple washes to get rid of it. 

Lucky for you, this (usually) isn’t the case with hair color wax. 

There really is no secret to how to wash out hair color wax.  Just follow these extremely simple steps:

Step 1: Initial Rinse 

Start by wetting your hair from the roots to the ends under warm running water. Most people will find most of the wax color will actually be removed just with this step.

Step 2: Shampoo

Once your hair is completely wet, add your usual shampoo.

Step 3: Final Rinse

Rinse off the shampoo, then proceed to condition your hair as you normally would.

You may want to keep on hand a couple of wet wipes to wash your hands and bathroom surfaces of any stray color once you’re done. 

Why Does Hair Color Wax Usually Wash Out?

The reason hair color wax usually washes out so easily compared with permanent hair dyes is that it usually doesn’t penetrate the outer cuticle of the hair shaft. 

Permanent hair dyes often contain ammonia and peroxide, which act in a two-step process to infuse hair dye into the hair follicle.

As you’d expect, there are plenty of men and women out there who’d rather not have all of this going on in their hair. 

Hair color wax does not usually contain these chemicals and works by coating the hair without penetrating its outer layer. Because it is waxy it isn’t able to penetrate the hair shaft. 

This makes it incredibly easy to wash out – it’s essentially just a paint job. 

What Is The Difference Between Hair Color Wax And Semi-Permanent Dyes?

Well, that explains how hair color wax washes out so much more easily than permanent hair dye. 

But you might be wondering why hair color wax washes out more easily than semi-permanent hair dyes, as surely they don’t contain the same chemicals as permanent hair dyes?

You’d be partially right in thinking this.

Semi-permanent hair dyes do not generally contain the same bleaching chemicals or ammonia that permanent hair dyes contain.

However, there are exceptions, with some semi-permanent hair dyes containing bleaching agents such as hydrogen peroxide. These will usually be marked as ‘Class 2’ dyes, with ‘Class 1’ dyes containing no bleaching agents. 

Semi-permanent hair dyes containing bleaching agents (Class 2 dyes) will last about 24 washes, compared with Class 1 dyes which will last on average 6-8 washes.

Class 1 semi-permanent dyes usually work by containing pigment which coats the outer layer of the hair shaft, and they will not bleach hair. This is similar to how hair color wax works.

The difference is that semi-permanent hair dye will latch onto the outer layer of the hair shaft more tightly than hair color wax, and hence still requires multiple washes before it eventually fades.

On the other hand, hair color wax can be thought of as more of a ‘paint’ or ‘makeup’ for hair, which will be removed after a single wash. 

Does Hair Color Wax Stain Clothes?

Most hair color waxes wash out of clothes just as easily as they wash out of hair. 

In addition, there is usually minimal transfer to clothes from your hair once the wax is applied, so hopefully, this shouldn’t be much of a problem in the first place.

Many hair color wax brands state that their products set quickly after being applied, minimizing the risk of significant transfer onto clothes. 

Just be aware of not applying too much wax; this can increase the risk of flaking or transfer as it may not set quickly enough if applied too thickly. But as long as you follow the correct technique you can easily avoid this issue. 

Also, be sure to always check the instructions for the specific brand of color wax you buy. Although this is all true for most of the popular ones, you definitely need to check.