Because Sugar Baby uses direct pigments that coat the hair surface rather than penetrating the cortex, the colour washes out gradually with each shampoo. On moderately porous, pre-lightened blonde hair you can usually expect a visible pastel tone for roughly 4 to 12 washes, though the exact number varies widely. Freshly bleached or highly porous lengths grab pigment more intensely at first but also release it faster, so the initial vibrancy may drop noticeably after just 2–3 washes. Hair that has been toned or lightly conditioned before application tends to hold the shade a little longer because the cuticle is less open.
What accelerates fading: sulphate-heavy shampoos, very hot water, daily washing, chlorine, salt water, and frequent heat styling without protection. What helps extend it: washing every 2–3 days with a gentle, colour-safe shampoo (ideally sulphate-free), rinsing with cool water, using a leave-in conditioner or light oil (linseed oil in the formula already adds some slip), and limiting direct heat on the coloured sections. A strand test before full application gives you a personal baseline for how many washes the pastel tone survives on your specific hair.