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Hair Looks for the Fall and Winter!

September 17, 2010 in Hair colors

Frizzy and Sun-damaged Hair is so last summer!

As much as some of us dislike cold temperatures, I’m glad Fall is almost here for one reason: my hair. This is the kind of weather where blow-drying and managing my hair in general becomes less of a hassle. For many of us, the fall also means new look; new hair cut, hair style, new hair color. Exciting!

For some reason, I really like to go at least one shade darker during the fall and winter seasons. I know a lot of women actually do this, too, year after year. I just love the switch (not to follow trends) and I like the way darker hair brings up my brown eyes against the pale-time season. Since I don’t fake-tan, my light hair can make me look like a Latin ghost in this season.

I think I can come up with at least three different colors that I have done in my life: blond, red, and black. I can say that they’ve all looked good in their own ways. Switching hair color constantly may damage and dry your hair though, so I try to do it only twice a year (when necessary).

Blondes and brunettes are one popular color, but what other colors have you dyed your hair?

I actually know girls my age whose hair is, well, virgin! I don’t know how they do it, but it’s totally true —although, if I had their thick, shiny, healthy hair, I would probably have hesitated to touch it, as well! I just think that every now and then it would be nice to change your look, play with it a little, and just mix it up. It gets boring. Don’t  you think, girls?!

If you are like me and you like change, then I hope you find the new look you want this season. Just remember this: when it comes to dying your hair, the first thing you have to think about is what colors really go with your skin complexion, your eyes, and your style, and whether your scalp is healthy enough to take it. If you have blond hair and mostly like to stay that way, I would say to try adding some hints of different colors—highlights—within the same “family.” Usually, the colors that really rock by this time of the year are shades of black, chocolate brown, chestnut, reddish tones, and the ever-fashionable light golden brown. Just a tip. :-)

Have fun! And don’t forget to comment: what color(s) do YOU prefer?

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Terrible Hair Dye Results?

April 8, 2010 in Bad Hair Days, Hair colors

Dying your own hair at home can be risky, but (unless you really screwed up and got the dye all over your skin and your eyes) what is the worst that can happen…really? You can always change it back if you don’t like it!

Experts suggest that you go see a professional when it comes to using chemicals on your hair, such as dyes. Well, I have been doing my own hair for as long as I can remember, and the only times that I consider visiting a professional hairstylist is when I need a trim, a cut, or something else that I have never tried before. Only then it is a must. Unless you’re completely clueless,  I think it is okay to try things yourself.

One element to consider when dying your hair is to follow directions, especially if you’re going to be trying things at home on your own. I will have to admit that I am not a good follower of directions either when it comes to the prints written on the back of the box. Everybody reacts differently to certain products, depending on the color base that the person already has. So after dying my hair for about 10 years, most times I just use my instincts as my timing. Except for the part that says to avoid contact with eyes, of course. That part, I follow religiously. :-)

Despite the fact that I haven’t been really following the timing suggestions on the box, I recently applied a hair color, and for whatever reason, decided to rinse it out exactly after the amount of minutes indicated on the dye. The results: not what I was expecting! I normally take it off about 10 minutes before than what the product suggests, but this time I left it on for too long and I am not too happy with the results. In my attempt to change it back as quickly as I can, and without irritating my scalp, I did some research and found some tips to correct the error. However, I’m very picky about  the ratings and what kind of reviews certain products get. So I decided not to try  any permanent hair color removers until I hear about something better.

So what can you do about it?

If your problem sounds like mine (you dyed your hair shades lighter than your natural hair color), there’re really not too many options. Some suggest permanent color remover chemicals, such as Color Zap by L’Oreal, Color Fix by Jheri Redding, Roux Clean Touch, among others. But the majority of these products actually work best on hair that has been colored darker, and they are also used to prep the hair before re-applying another color. That can be a hassle and you don’t even know if you’ll get the color you want.

To avoid all that, I think the best thing you can do is just shampoo your hair more regularly so that some of the color can start coming off, or just dye your hair back a darker shade. It would be good for your scalp if you don’t re-dye your hair the same day; wait at least a few days before coloring your hair again. But having it done by a professional hairdresser wouldn’t hurt either.

I have never tried a particular permanent hair color remover before, but I’d love to know what REALLY works out there. So please comment if you have tried any!!

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More about Hair Color

March 19, 2010 in Hair colors

How It All Works

If you are all about trying different shades each time you decide to dye your locks—even blue–there are luckily so many to choose from in today’s market.  Maybe you are one of those who thinks that blonds have more fun, or maybe you’re only interested in covering your grays with a shade close to your natural hair color. In any case, you color your hair every few weeks or or so, but you might not know what makes the color stay on your hair…or not.

Some of the most common processes of hair coloring are natural, semi-permanent, and permanent hair  coloring.

NATURAL

With natural hair colors, it’s hard to tell if the end results will be what you expected because the dosage and strength of its active components cannot be measured or controlled. Some natural hair dyes contain natural bleaching agents and pigments that change the color of the hair. The natural pigments usually coat the hair shaft, blending in with your natural color. They can last a few shampoos, depending on how frequently you wash your hair. Even though the name says it’s natural or doesn’t contain ammonia, natural dyes are not necessarily less aggressive to the hair than other permanent hair dyes. So always make sure to do the strand test.

SEMI-PERMANENT

Semi-permanent hair dyes deposit the color over the outer layer of the hair shaft. They consist of molecules that can permeate the cuticle without opening it. Most of these dyes contain little or no peroxide. Some color will come out each time your shampoo your hair, but will last longer than natural hair colors; hence, semi-permanent. To make a semi-permanent color last longer, you have to wash your hair less frequently and use shampoos for color-treated hair.

PERMANENT

With permanent dyes, pigment molecules are released within the inner layers of the hair shaft. The cuticle has to be opened first in order for that to happen. Most permanent color consist of two steps: the original hair color is removed and the new color is deposited. The result: long-lasting color.

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Hair Coloring

February 28, 2010 in Hair colors

Properties of Hair Color

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Natural hair color is the pigmentation of hair follicles due to two types of melanin, eumelanin and pheomelanin. If more melanin is present, the color of the hair is darker; if less melanin is present, the hair is lighter. Levels of melanin can vary over time causing a person's hair color to change, and it is possible to have hair follicles of more than one color.

But we can also change our hair color by a chemical process, which is what most people do these days. Hair coloring is classed as "permanent" or "semi-permanent".
Permanent color, as the name suggests, permanently colors the hair. However, because hair is constantly growing, the color will eventually grow out as new, uncolored hair grows in.

Permanent hair color gives the most flexibility because it can make hair lighter or darker as well as changing tone and color, but there are negatives. Constant (monthly or six-weekly) maintenance is essential to match new hair growing in to the rest of the hair, and remedy fading. A one-color permanent dye creates a flat, uniform color across the whole head, which can look unnatural and harsh, especially in a dark shade. To combat this, the modern trend is to use multiple colors - usually one color as a base with added highlights or lowlights in other shades.

Semi-permanent color washes out over a period of time – typically four to six weeks, so root regrowth is less noticeable. The final color of each strand is affected by its original color and porosity, so there will be subtle variations in color across the head - more natural and less harsh than a permanent dye. However, this means that gray and white hair will not dye to the same color as the rest of the head (in fact, some white hair will not absorb the color at all). A few gray and white hairs will blend in sufficiently not to be noticeable, but as they become more widespread, there will come a point where a semi-permanent alone will not be enough. The move to 100% permanent color can be delayed by using a semi-permanent as a base color, with permanent highlights.

Semi-permanent hair color cannot lighten hair. Hair can only be lightened using chemical lighteners, such as bleach. Bleaching is always permanent because it removes the natural pigment.

"Rinses" are a form of temporary hair color, usually applied to hair during a shampoo and washed out again the next time the hair is washed.

Original text is available at Wikipedia under a creative commons license.

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