Argan Oil and Hair Color: Before Dyeing, After, and for Color Care
Hair color is one of the hardest things you can do to your hair, and argan oil has a reputation as color-treated hair's best friend. Some of that reputation is earned: a handful of lab studies suggest argan oil can reduce the damage that oxidative color causes. Some of it is guesswork. Here is what the evidence supports, and how to time argan oil around your color appointments.
The short answer
Argan oil is generally fine to use around hair dye, and it may help protect hair during coloring. In lab studies, argan oil applied before oxidative treatment, or in a conditioner after dyeing, reduced protein loss from hair. Use it lightly on dry ends before coloring and as a finisher afterward. There is no evidence that it fades permanent color.
Why coloring damages hair
Permanent dyes and bleach rely on alkaline agents and an oxidizer, usually hydrogen peroxide. Alkaline solutions swell the hair fiber and lift the cuticle scales, which makes hair more vulnerable to friction and less strong.1 The process also strips 18-methyl eicosanoic acid, a natural fatty layer bound to the cuticle that makes hair water-repellent.1 That is part of why freshly colored hair can feel rough and tangle easily.
Bleach is the most aggressive. In one lab study using gas sorption to measure the inside of the fiber, oxidative bleaching nearly tripled hair's surface area within the first minute,2 a sign of how quickly it opens up the internal structure. Bleached and chemically treated hair is more porous than virgin hair as a result.1
What the research says about argan oil and hair dye
There are two relevant studies, both done on hair tresses in the lab rather than on people's heads.
Argan oil before an oxidative treatment
In a 2022 study in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, researchers pretreated hair with argan oil before exposing it to an oxidizing agent. One group had the oil wiped off and another had it washed out before the damage step. Both oil-pretreated groups lost significantly less protein than hair damaged without oil, and spectroscopy showed argan oil was still deposited on the hair even after washing. The authors concluded argan oil pretreatment was effective in protecting hair against oxidative damage.3
Argan oil in conditioner after dyeing
A 2013 study lightened dark brown hair with an oxidative ultra-blond dye and peroxide, then treated it with a conditioner base alone or with 1% argan oil, cupuassu butter or both. Hair treated with the botanical conditioners showed statistically lower protein loss than hair treated with the base conditioner alone.4
These results are encouraging but limited. They are small lab studies, the second tested only one hair type, and neither measured how color looks or lasts over weeks of real-life washing. They support the idea that argan oil can reduce some damage from coloring; they do not prove it will make your color last longer.
Is oil a "bond builder"?
No. Salon bond-building treatments are formulated to work on the internal bonds that bleach breaks. Argan oil works at the surface and in reducing protein loss. Think of it as a complement to those treatments, not a replacement, especially before a big lightening session.
Argan oil before hair dye: how to time it
- The night before: smooth a few drops over your driest, most processed mid-lengths and ends. This mirrors the pretreatment approach in the 2022 study.3
- Keep it light where you want even color. A heavy layer of oil could act as a barrier on sections that need to take color evenly, such as regrowth at the roots. Keep oil off the roots and scalp before a root touch-up.
- Follow your dye's instructions. Many box dyes specify whether hair should be washed or unwashed. If they conflict with oiling, follow the box.
- Tell your colorist. Many colorists welcome a pre-oiled head for bleaching; others prefer a clean canvas. It is their formula and their call.
- Patch test the dye, not just the oil. The AAD advises testing store-bought color and stopping if you develop a rash, redness, swelling, burning or itching, which signals an allergic reaction to the dye.5
Argan oil after coloring
Once your color is rinsed and conditioned, argan oil becomes a finisher. A drop or two smoothed over damp lengths helps compensate for the water-repelling lipid layer that coloring strips away, and lab work shows that oil films slow how fast hair takes on moisture from the air, which is part of what keeps color-treated hair from looking frizzy and dull.6
For this step, a pure single-ingredient oil is the simplest way to know exactly what you are leaving on colored hair. Our organic argan oil is cold-pressed from unroasted Moroccan argan kernels, with no fragrance, dyes or added chemicals.
Does argan oil fade hair color?
There is no evidence that it does. Argan oil contains no detergents, no bleaching agents and nothing alkaline, which are the things that strip or lift dye. If anything, the limited lab evidence points the other way: a coconut-based hair oil offered some color protection in a 2022 study,7 although that was a different oil.
A recurring belief among people with vivid semi-permanent and direct dyes, such as bright pinks and blues, is that oils help pull pigment out faster. These dyes sit more loosely in the hair and fade quickly on their own, and the idea has not been tested. If you wear a fashion color, try oil on a small section first and watch how it fades.
What about "argan oil hair color" products?
Many box dyes and salon color lines now advertise argan oil on the front of the pack. In most of them, argan oil is one ingredient among dozens, often listed well down the ingredient list, which on cosmetics generally runs from highest to lowest concentration. It may contribute some conditioning, but the dye chemistry is the same as any other permanent color: an alkaline agent plus an oxidizer. Choose a dye for its shade, its results and how your scalp tolerates it, not for the argan on the label. If you want the benefits suggested by the research above, a separate, pure argan oil used before and after coloring gives you control over how much you use and where it goes.
A color-care routine with argan oil
- Space out services. The AAD suggests stretching time between touch-ups and having only one chemical service at a time.8
- Stay close to your natural shade. Choosing a color within three shades of your natural color avoids the higher-strength peroxide needed for bigger lifts.5
- Condition after every wash.8
- Protect color from the sun. The AAD recommends a wide-brimmed hat to protect treated hair outdoors.5
- Finish with one or two drops of argan oil on damp or dry lengths, never the scalp.
- Limit heat. Processed hair is more fragile; see argan oil before or after blow-drying.
| Timing | Argan oil? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Night before bleach or color | Yes, lightly on ends | Lab evidence for reduced protein loss with pretreatment3 |
| On roots before a touch-up | No | May interfere with even color uptake |
| Right after rinsing and conditioning | Yes, 1–2 drops | Smooths a roughened cuticle and seals lengths |
| Ongoing color care | Yes, as a finisher | Shine, frizz control, softness |
For more on caring for processed hair, read can I use argan oil on colored and styled hair and our guide to argan oil for dry, damaged and bleached hair. If your scalp reacts to products, see can argan oil irritate skin.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put argan oil on my hair before dyeing it?
A light amount on dry, damaged ends the night before is reasonable, and a lab study found argan oil pretreatment reduced protein loss from oxidative damage. Avoid heavy oil on the sections you want colored evenly, and follow your dye's instructions or your colorist's advice.
Does argan oil fade hair color?
There is no evidence that argan oil fades permanent hair color. It contains no detergents or bleaching agents. Some people with vivid semi-permanent colors believe oils lift pigment faster, but that has not been studied, so watch your own results.
When can I use argan oil after coloring my hair?
You can smooth a drop or two over the lengths once your color has been rinsed and conditioned. If your colorist gives you specific aftercare instructions, follow those first.
Is argan oil good for bleached hair?
It can help bleached hair feel softer and look smoother, and lab studies suggest it reduces protein loss under oxidative stress. It cannot rebuild broken bonds, so very damaged hair may also need bond-building treatments and trims.
Sources
- Gavazzoni Dias MFR. Hair cosmetics: an overview. Int J Trichology. 2015;7(1):2–15. Link
- Hessefort Y, Holland BT, Cloud RW. True porosity measurement of hair: a new way to study hair damage mechanisms. J Cosmet Sci. 2008;59(4):303–315. Link
- Sharifi N, Hamedeyazdan S, Shokri J, Monajjemzadeh F. Argan oil as a pretreatment of human hair before exposure to oxidative damage: attenuated total reflectance and protein loss studies. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2022;21(10):5010–5017. Link
- Faria PM, Camargo LN, Carvalho RSH, Paludetti LA, Velasco MVR, da Gama RM. Hair protective effect of argan oil (Argania spinosa kernel oil) and cupuassu butter (Theobroma grandiflorum seed butter) post treatment with hair dye. J Cosmet Dermatol Sci Appl. 2013;3:40–44. Link
- American Academy of Dermatology. Coloring and perming tips for healthier-looking hair. Link
- Keis K, Huemmer CL, Kamath YK. Effect of oil films on moisture vapor absorption on human hair. J Cosmet Sci. 2007;58(2):135–145. Link
- Kaushik V, Kumar A, Gosvami NN, Gode V, Mhaskar S, Kamath Y. Benefit of coconut-based hair oil via hair porosity quantification. Int J Cosmet Sci. 2022;44(3):289–298. Link
- American Academy of Dermatology. 10 hair care habits that can damage your hair. Link
