Green hair, orange, brassy tones, having trouble covering grey hair? Below are some useful tips to hair color disasters.
Coloring Grey Hair
Grey and white hair happen when all the pigment or most leave the hair shaft. These "colorless heads" tend to be more coarse then pigmented hair. This means that the hair coloring process is a little bit different for grey hair, than hair coloring pigmented hair.
• Your grey hair may have to be "softened" to allow the artificial pigment to penetrate your hardened hair shaft. "Softening" increases the porosity of the hair allowing more pigment to set in. This is made with shampoo, developer, and sometimes bleach. Or by applying developer to the stubborn grey for 5 minutes before applying the hair color.
• Allow color to stay on hair at least 35-45 min. It may take longer. The longer you allow the hair color to stay, the better the result.
• Use one hair color shade darker than the target hair color
My Hair Color is Fading and Won't Stay
Your hair color may be fading due to many factors:
• You have chlorine in your water. Buy a water filter to clean out the chlorine
• Your hair may be too porous. If your ends are fading, this is most likely the case. Here's how to make the hair color stay. Use what is called color filler. You can buy it at any professional beauty supply store. Hair color Fillers come in clear and primary colored pigments such as red, blue, and yellow. Opt for the clear one if you are doing this yourself. Apply the filler to the tips of your hair and let it set for its set time. Then apply hair color as you would normally. Always read the directions!
• It may be the hair color brand. Try switching and see if that helps.
• You may need to pre-soften the hair. This means that you increase the porosity of your hair with a mixture of bleach, developer and shampoo. Do not leave on hair for long! Usually, 5 minutes is enough. Then, rinse and apply the hair color normally.
• The type of shampoo you're using can play a big roll in hair color fading. Use a shampoo specifically made for hair color treated hair. Stay away from those $.99 deals on shampoos. We all know what brands I'm talking about! Read more in Maintaining Your Hair Color
• Also check out Why Hair color fades for more information on helping your color stay longer.
Coloring your Hair During Pregnancy
Some Doctors advise their patients to stay away from hair coloring during the first 12 weeks or even throughout the whole pregnancy. While there is little evidence supporting this, you may want to talk to your Doctor. Remember all Doctors and Colorists will have different opinions on this, so keep this in mind. Whatever you put on your skin or scalp, seeps into your bloodstream. Whether in large amounts or small, no one knows. Here is my suggestion, if you do opt to avoid hair coloring during pregnancy, and you are a rookie at hair coloring, go for a highlight with the cap or foiling method. Nothing touches your scalp and it'll give you a new look!
Green Hair
Your hair color may be green for 2 reasons, you're exposed to chlorine in your water or pool or you blotched your hair coloring job! If it's the chlorine, use a clarifying shampoo once a week or get a water filter. If it's the other, apply a red based toner. You can buy them at professional beauty supply stores or you can make it yourself. Get a red based hair color the same level as your hair color. Mix a little of the red hair color, developer and shampoo in a bowl. Apply it to wet hair like a shampoo. Leave it on for only a minute. Remember, if you wash it out and it still hasn't worked, you can re-apply. But don't leave it on for more than 5 minutes or you'll be back at the store looking for a green based hair color and the cycle starts again! You can also try this: Mix a scoop of hair bleach, developer and shampoo in a bowl. Apply on wet hair like a shampoo for 2 minutes. Watch the green disappear and rinse well.
Going From Dark to Light
As brown hair is lightened it goes through a color spectrum from brown to red to orange to blonde. And most (even Level 3) hair colors are only strong enough to lighten medium to dark brown hair into the red area, but not all the way to blonde. To go from dark hair to delicate blonde requires a two-step process: lightening which removes the red and gold pigments, and then toning, which puts the desired shade of blonde into your hair. Hair color can only "lift" you up 2-3 shades from your natural color. So if you are a level 3 (dark brown) and want to be a level 9 (light blonde) you must do a 2-step process. Highly suggest having a professional Stylist do this service for you.
Going From Light to Dark
Be very wary of going darker if you are a level 8 or up. It's in your best interest to have a professional do this because a lot of times you will come out with a secondary color (green, orange etc.) and a second hair coloring will have to be performed with a neutralizing hair color. If you are a level 7 and darker, you should gradually go down 2 levels at a time till you reach your hair color goal. Sometimes, if your ends are very porous, the hair color will grab onto them and they'll turn darker than the rest of your hair.
Neutralizing BAD Hair colors
Green hair- use a red based toner or hair color. (A toner is basically a color)
Orange hair- use a violet based hair color
Blue hair- use an orange based hair color
Red hair- use an ash/green based hair color
Yellow hair- use a neutral or violet based hair color or beige and BE CAREFUL!
Publications: Febstore