Hair colour behaves differently here. That is the part most people do not expect when they move to Bangkok, and it is the reason we see so many clients arriving with colour that looked right in the salon and wrong three weeks later.

Two things are working against you in this city. The UV index sits high for most of the year, and sun oxidises pigment faster than anything else. Then there is the humidity, which keeps the cuticle swollen and lets colour molecules wash out more easily every time you rinse. Put those together and a colour that would hold for two months in a cooler climate starts shifting after four or five weeks here.

What actually happens to each colour family

Blonde goes brassy. The cool tones lift out first under UV, and what remains underneath is the warm base. This is not a mistake by whoever coloured you, it is chemistry, and it is why blonde in Bangkok needs toning more often than blonde anywhere else.

Ash and grey shades fade fastest of all. They are built from the most fragile pigments we work with. If you want ash in this climate you should know going in that it is a commitment, not a one-time appointment.

Red loses intensity quickly. Red molecules are large and sit closer to the surface of the hair, so they rinse away sooner than any other shade.

Brown and dark shades hold best. If you want colour that survives a Bangkok summer with the least maintenance, this is where to look.

What we tell clients before we start

Choose a shade close to your natural base if you do not want to be back every month. The further we lift you from your own colour, the more visible the regrowth and the more often you will need us.

Condition matters more than shade. Hair that is already porous from previous bleaching will lose any colour faster, whatever we put on it. Sometimes the honest answer is to repair first and colour after, and we would rather say that than take your money twice.

If your hair is damaged or you are planning to lighten it significantly, a repair treatment before or alongside the colour makes a real difference to how the result holds. You can read what each option actually does on our keratin treatment Bangkok page.

Where to go next

For the full range of colour services and prices, see our hair colour salon in Bangkok page. If you are deciding between techniques, we have written separately about the difference between balayage and ombre and how long balayage lasts. If ash grey is what you are after, there is a dedicated page on ash grey hair colour.

Not sure which shade suits you? Come in and we will look at your hair and your natural base and tell you honestly what will hold and what will not.

46 Studio, Sukhumvit 46, Phra Khanong, Bangkok 10110. Walking distance from BTS Phra Khanong. Open until 19:00. Call us on +66 99 906 9746.