One of the best way to bring about a refreshing change in your looks and personality is by changing your hair color. Today, hair colors are categorized into four different types. They are: temporary, semi-permanent, demi-permanent and permanent. Each one of these types has a unique effect on the hair that largely depends on the extent to which the colors have penetrated into the hair shaft. Demi-permanent colors are mostly chosen by those people who are interested in changing the color of their hair from time to time, but do not want to bring about any drastic change in it. What does a Demi-permanent Dye Consists of? A demi-permanent hair coloring agent can enhance both the color as well as the shine of the hair. It consists of an alkaline activating agent that helps to achieve this kind of effect on the hair. The best part is that it does not have ammonia in it. For this reason, it is considered as safe in comparison to the permanent hair colors. It contains a small amount of peroxide in it that acts as an activator which opens up the cuticle a bit in order to facilitate better penetration of the color into the hair shaft. How Long does it Last? This hair color gets washed out after 18 to 20 shampoos. In general, it takes about 4 to 6 weeks for this hair color to fade out. Uses

• Demi-permanent color is popularly used to change the color and texture of the hair shaft only for a short span of time. However, it stays for a slightly longer duration than the usual temporary colors.
• It is an excellent choice for darkening the color of the hair but is not suitable for lightening the hair. For this reason, it is popularly used for blending of gray hair.
• It is used for bringing about changes in the tone of the hair and for highlighting the hair which has already been colored with permanent colors.
• After a hair relaxing treatment or hair perming, if you are looking for some hair color ideas that can be used without causing any damage to the newly treated hair, then you can safely opt for demi-permanent color.

Removing the Dye Demi-permanent hair dye are formulated in such a way that it would fade out on its own in a matter of a few weeks. However, if your hair color has badly gone wrong, then you cannot afford to wait so long and you have to act immediately. Stop using the shampoo that your beauty salon had recommended, because those shampoos have ingredients that provide protection to the molecules of hair color. Rather, select a strong shampoo with an alkaline base in order to get rid of the hair color fast. You have to wash your hair several times with this shampoo for best results. A hot oil treatment prior to shampooing the hair can be beneficial in removing the color. This is because, the oil penetrates well into the hair cuticle and strips off the color. As this hair color tends to fade out quite easily, you should follow a good hair care regime to keep it intact for a longer period of time. Always use a good quality moisturizing shampoo and conditioner on your hair. Try to avoid daily shampooing of the hair. When you go out on the sun, cover up the hair properly or else, the sun can aggravate the fading process. Tie your hair at the back while doing strenuous activities as sweat may wash off the hair color.