Question
How can I get the best hair color?
Asked by: Anonymous
Answers (2)
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1
August 6, 2007
Answer by Romi Cortier
- Most women, and some men, have a hair color horror story. The more you can educate yourself, the safer you’ll be. However, mistakes do happen. That is why it’s so important to tell your colorist EVERYTHING, especially if it’s your first time seeing them. The smallest detail can affect the end result. And we all want to look our best, no matter what our age.
- When you’re in need of a root touch up, never wear a straight part. A zig zag part or disheveled hair will help confuse the viewer and buy you a little extra time until you can get to your colorist.
- If you have grey grow out on red or brunette hair, try a colored mousse at the roots or a touch up pencil to help blend the grey.
- If you’re someone who has a one process color that LIGHTENS your hair two or more shades, it might be beneficial NOT to shampoo before your touch up. The added oil can help protect the scalp from itching or burning.
- Conversely, if your hair is grey and you have it tinted DARKER, cleaner hair will help the color to penetrate easier.
- If you’re someone who does their own root touch up, with box hair color from the grocery store or drugstore, be sure to apply it only at the regrowth on the scalp. There’s a big mystery as to what’s actually in these over-the-counter products, particularly when it comes to the strength of the developer. If the developer is strong, and it lifts your hair from brown to blonde, applying it from roots to ends every time will cause extreme dryness, and even breakage.
- Case in point, when I first started working with hair color, I used a box hair color from the grocery store on a friend’s hair, attempting to make him blonde. What we ended up with was brassy hair that felt like mush, which required a trip to the hair salon to fix.
- While the over-the-counter colors have improved during recent years, the high ammonia content can be very damaging. The hair color products that say “washes out in 20 shampoos’’ can penetrate the cuticle of the hair, sometimes lasting much longer than intended. Even a temporary color can become permanent if it’s applied on dry over processed hair.
- Hair that has been bleached to any shade of blonde is extremely absorbent. Imagine putting food color on white paper....it can be that dramatic and that absorbent.
2
July 23, 2007
Answer by Robert Craig
- Using good hair dyes to begin with.
As an example, Color by Robert Craig color has NO peroxide, ammonia, alcohol, etc and is low in ingredients and does NO damage to the hair. - Products are also important. Using products that add necessary moisture are a must while avoiding those that remove color. Oils, proteins, some deep treatments can actually remove hair dyes from the hair.
- Sticking within the hair’s ability to withstand chemicals. If the hair can take color and highlights, then OK. If the hair is weak, you should choose one or the other.
- Finding a colorist that really knows color. Most often this would be a person that only does color for a living. Not a jack of all trades.
As we mature our hair changes right along with the rest of us. The color and texture will change and may require a different style to adapt or a different color to catch up with the extra grey that may be creeping in.
Make sure your colorist is not just using the same formula they did ten years ago. If you have not had a style or color change in the last three to five years it is time.
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