Colored Naturals..Hows Your Hair Doing?

[Keedah]

I really want to play with color but dont want the damage. Right now my hair is a few shades lighter from using Paul Mitchel The Color in Red Orange Brown. For the summer I want to go lighter. Like somewhere in this golden brown range.

So any colored naturals that can share their experience? Has it hindered your goals? My hair is pretty healthy now. I never flat ironed before but plan on doing it every 6-8 weeks. Other than that my hair dries under the hooded dryer. I deep condition once a month.

 

[Rocky91]

i would be lying if i didn't say that color has probably slowed down my retention, because my strands are very fine.
honestly, i don't really care that much, though, because i love my color.
yes, i just admitted that i'm willing to neglect my hair for the sake of style on this forum.
however, if you keep up with your protein treatments and DCs (which i haven't been doing at all because of laziness), you'll be fine.
sealing your colored ends with castor oil will also help out a lot.
good luck....and beware. once you color once, you'll be hooked and can't stop.

 

[SheenaVee]

I colour my hair a lot.

I dyed it a red a while back, then I dyed it black, and yesterday I dyed it a purple but coz my hair was black, it's a really dark purple.

Anyway colour has been cool for me. Straight after I dye it my hair is really dry, but I cowash then deep condition and it turns out fine. And then it's pretty much normal after that. But some people's hair can't take colour so my experience might not be helpful to you at all. All I recommend is to keep it moisturised.

HTH!

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

Excellent thread keedah I've been wondering the same thing myself, I'm dying to do a bold new color for my birthday & the holidays but I'm wondering if my hair can take it, I like to straighten pretty often as well and my hair deals well with it but I wonder if I'll have to switch up my whole regimen once I color.

What shampoo's are best for color treated naturals? What Protien DCs do you use for strength? Has your hair behaved completely differently since using color?

I heard Netta and a coupla other naturals say great things about Aveda color, I'm always more than willing to pay the extra $$ for high quality products and results.......especially considering how rarely I step foot in a salon.

 

[Keedah]

Thank you ladies. I colored a reddish brown about 3 years ago when I first went natural but didnt take care of it properly and my hair was a brillo pad. I dyed it black with henna and indigo and now want to color again. My ends are still black (after getting it supposedly stripped and dyed brown in Sept) but I went to my local stylist and will try to go to an aveda salon next time to l let some color experts handle it. My hair now is back to normal as I consistently DC with moisture and Megatek. My hair is pretty course and thick.

Rocky I looked at your fotki and your color is gorgous! Did you bleach your hair to achieve the blondish color? I love changing my haircolor so much Im thinking of bleaching it a few levels and using a semi permanent for various colors.

 

[Keedah]

Excellent thread keedah I've been wondering the same thing myself, I'm dying to do a bold new color for my birthday & the holidays but I'm wondering if my hair can take it, I like to straighten pretty often as well and my hair deals well with it but I wonder if I'll have to switch up my whole regimen once I color.

What shampoo's are best for color treated naturals? What Protien DCs do you use for strength? Has your hair behaved completely differently since using color?

I heard Netta and a coupla other naturals say great things about Aveda color, I'm always more than willing to pay the extra $$ for high quality products and results........

I just looked up an Aveda salon in my area and it looks like Ill be paying at least $150 for the initial color. Its pricey but I agree...it is worth it.

 

[Rocky91]

Thank you ladies. I colored a reddish brown about 3 years ago when I first went natural but didnt take care of it properly and my hair was a brillo pad. I dyed it black with henna and indigo and now want to color again. My ends are still black (after getting it supposedly stripped and dyed brown in Sept) but I went to my local stylist and will try to go to an aveda salon next time to l let some color experts handle it. My hair now is back to normal as I consistently DC with moisture and Megatek. My hair is pretty course and thick.

Rocky I looked at your fotki and your color is gorgous! Did you bleach your hair to achieve the blondish color? I love changing my haircolor so much Im thinking of bleaching it a few levels and using a semi permanent for various colors.

thank you!!
no, i don't bleach, i use a color from Silk Elements. I can't remember the name of it right now, but it's a reddish brown color. the front of my hair takes the color quickly, and that's why it turns out so blonde.
if you're planning to bleach, i would definitely recommend going to a professional and letting them handle it.

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

Pause.

Hold the phone.

You got yo hurr this light sans bleaching!?!?!?

Explain please!! Is your hair naturally light? Or did your hair start out as dark as mines is in my siggy? If so, I need to get on that color like....yesterday.

 

[RubyWoo]

My hair is doing great! I only used permanent color on the front of my hair (pic in my siggy is about 6 weeks post color) and I've been retaining well on both the colored and non permanently colored hair. I haven't had any issues with breaking, dryness or texture change. I wash and deep condition every week and have done so since I BC'd in May 2009. I use a light protein treatment (Redken Extreme Rescue force) every 3-4 weeks. I use Abba Color Protect shampoo (sulfate free) and deep conditioner weekly to help keep my hair healthy and the color vibrant.

My hair was in excellent condition health wise by the time I colored in September 2009. You hair needs to be in healthy condition before you think of using permanent color. I did a lot of research before coloring (I highly recommend Shamboosie's book Beautiful Black hair - the chapter on color is excellent).

I used Clairol Textures and Tones in Ruby Rage (as recommended by Shamboosie) because of the fact that it's made for my hair type and it's ammonia free. Shamboosie discusses the damaging effects of ammonia and I believe that is why some people have horror stories re:coloring in addition to poor maintenance.

I've only used permanent color once and don't plan to color again (touch up) until the spring. I plan to only use permanent color once a year or every 6 months depending on how I feel.

If you plan to color, I believe you are going to need to deep condition more often, protein treatment as needed and lay off the heat. I have yet to use heat on my hair since I BC'd and I think that is another reason my hair has continued to thrive. If you need to use heat make sure you use a color protecting leave-in to protect from damage and color fade in addition to heat protectant. I highly recommend Aphogee Green Tea and Keratin leave-in conditioner (I believe that's the name).

Good luck whatever you decide to!

 

[RubyWoo]

Pause.

Hold the phone.

You got yo hurr this light sans bleaching!?!?!?

Explain please!! Is your hair naturally light? Or did your hair start out as dark as mines is in my siggy? If so, I need to get on that color like....yesterday.

Clairol Textures and Tones has beautiful light colors that you can achieve without bleaching! Bleaching is not always necessary when coloring. It really depends on your natural color, porosity and how light you want to go in addition to other factors that determine if bleaching is needed. As Rocky stated earlier, going to a professional is definitely recommended.

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

Clairol Textures and Tones has beautiful light colors that you can achieve without bleaching! Bleaching is not always necessary when coloring. It really depends on your natural color, porosity and how light you want to go in addition to other factors that determine if bleaching is needed.

I think I'd want color similar to this, but maybe a bit lighter.

Except I would want the highlights and lowlights more chunky then just tiny sections here and there. I would want the crown to be an even lighter color then the bottom.

But yea, this is pretty much what I'm going for do you think I can go from my natural dark color to that with textures and tones without a bleaching step?

My hair drinks up product so I guess that means its porous?

I'm just scared of breakage and losing lengtherplexed and every time I go to my salon saying I want a color they tell me my hair isnt ready for it which I appreciate because they're putting my hair health first but I want a change!

 

[Rocky91]

Clairol Textures and Tones has beautiful light colors that you can achieve without bleaching! Bleaching is not always necessary when coloring. It really depends on your natural color, porosity and how light you want to go in addition to other factors that determine if bleaching is needed.

^^yup, i agree with everything said above. i think my hair might be really porous. in addition, i clarify right before coloring so it takes the color well.
@ "Pause. Hold the phone."
BlackMasterPiece, i use this color: http://www.sallybeauty.com/Hair-Color/SBS-373512,default,pd.html It's Silk Elements, in Santa Fe Bronze.
my hair's natural color is pretty dark, similar to yours. here's a pic of when i was a pressed natural:

 

[almond eyes]

My hair is doing fine. I have fine strands. I think my features are a bit too chiseled so I like a lighter colour in order not to look too severe. However, I have learnt my lesson from the past which is not to colour too far up the colour chart. I go Aveda to get my hair coloured and the prices depend on whether the person who does your hair is a master or a colourist only.

A few years ago I went up to a golden brown and that gave me slight damage but that was a box colour done at a black natural hair salon.

Best,
Almond Eyes

 

[RubyWoo]

I think I'd want color similar to this, but maybe a bit lighter.

Except I would want the highlights and lowlights more chunky then just tiny sections here and there. I would want the crown to be an even lighter color then the bottom.

But yea, this is pretty much what I'm going for do you think I can go from my natural dark color to that with textures and tones without a bleaching step?

That is really hard for me to answer since I can't see what your natural hair color/tone is or how porous your hair is. Since you want highlights, going to professional for a consult would be your best option. I would also get a second opinion. Also, highlights involve the use of bleach.

You could also do a strand test to see how your hair will react to the color. That is what I did. But since you want highlights and most likely a multi-dimensional effect color wise, going a professional is best.

I know for myself, my hair is dark (level 2) w/red tones and I was able to color w/o bleach. The color turned out pretty vibrant and I used a level 6. Based on my experience with my hair, I know I could go lighter with T & T w/o the need for bleach.

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

^^yup, i agree with everything said above. i think my hair might be really porous. in addition, i clarify right before coloring so it takes the color well. I use
@ "Pause. Hold the phone."
BlackMasterPiece, i use this color: http://www.sallybeauty.com/Hair-Color/SBS-373512,default,pd.html It's Silk Elements, in Santa Fe Bronze.
my hair's natural color is pretty dark, similar to yours. here's a pic of when i was a pressed natural:

Thanks so much love!!! This is sooooo exciting!! I have hope! You seem to have a hair texture and type very similar to mine!!

What do you clarify with before washing?

Do you think my NourishSpa would do the trick? It doesn't leave any buidup at all.

Do you self color or do you go to a salon to get it done?

How has caring for your hair changed since coloring? how often do you apply heat? i do it pretty oftenerplexed my hair can handle it just fine virgin but I wonder of that'll change if i color I loves my presses!

What are your staples/reggie? Sorry for the 8000 questions but now I'm really excited!!! I don't have to bleach!

 

[Keedah]

Thats a really pretty color. The only reason Im considering bleach is because my black ends wont budge. Ive colored them and had them stripped and they're still black (note: indigo and henna are very permanant!).

Im hoping I can achieve the color without bleach.

 

[Rocky91]

Thanks so much love!!! This is sooooo exciting!! I have hope! You seem to have a hair texture and type very similar to mine!!

What do you clarify with before washing?

Do you think my NourishSpa would do the trick? It doesn't leave any buidup at all.

Do you self color or do you go to a salon to get it done?

How has caring for your hair changed since coloring? how often do you apply heat? i do it pretty oftenerplexed my hair can handle it just fine virgin but I wonder of that'll change if i color I loves my presses!

What are your staples/reggie? Sorry for the 8000 questions but now I'm really excited!!! I don't have to bleach!

no problem at all-glad to help out a hair cousin...

I use a baking soda/water mix and my Aussie Moist shampoo to clarify. I think your Nourish spa will be just fine, just follow it up with a baking soda/water mix.

i've only gone to the salon once, and it wasn't really worth my money. she wanted to charge me extra for a DC . so now i just do it at home/in my dorm room, where i know i'll be gentle with my head.

caring for my hair hasn't changed much at all. i do have to keep up with my ends, sealing them with castor oil and keeping them trimmed. i'm a reckless self-trimmer, which is a bad habit for length retention, but i can't help it. i'm always picking up scissors and snipping away. i use heat whenever i feel like it...sometimes every two weeks. i don't usually flat-iron though, because i don't like how straight hair looks on me. i usually just do a blowout, and then wear it in braidouts, twistouts, etc. until i'm ready to wash again. if your hair is anything like mine, it'll handle the combo of heat + color just fine. just add some protein DC's into the mix once in a while. about once a month, add an egg into your regular DC for some protein.

my reggie changes with my mood, but usually ends up like this:
-I'll go one week where I cowash everyday and wear a wet bun.
-follow that up with a shampoo, DC, twist my hair, and leave it alone for a week.
-next week, i'll shampoo and DC again, do a blowout, and leave my hair alone for two weeks.
products: (i'll admit, i'm cheap, so i use a lot of commercial products.)
shampoo: Aussie Moist
conditioners: Aussie Moist, Suave Tropical Coconut
leave-ins: Cantu Shea Butter, Herbal Essences Long-Term Relationship
oils: coconut oil, castor oil
protein: add an egg to my Aussie Moist mix. or maybe some yogurt, that works too.

whew-i feel like i wrote a research paper.
hope all of that helps!! i love your hair-your length is probably my goal-i don't think i want hair any longer than that.

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

Thank you soooooooo much sweety!! This is beyond exciting for me so did you get your hair that light with just one application?

I'm gonna take everything you said into account ad let my stylist know how I want this done
How do you get the two toned effect yourself (like making the top lighter etc)? I'm a hair color virgin and dont know how these things go:blush3:

 

[Rocky91]

Thank you soooooooo much sweety!! This is beyond exciting for me so did you get your hair that light with just one application?

I'm gonna take everything you said into account ad let my stylist know how I want this done
How do you get the two toned effect yourself (like making the top lighter etc)? I'm a hair color virgin and dont know how these things go:blush3:

yep, just that one application.
that two-toned effect just happened-i even applied the color to the bottom half first, but i think my top half of hair just processes much faster than the bottom half. your stylist might have to take all of that into account as well, if you want a uniform color.
i also believe that the top layer gets exposed to the sun more, so that might influence the color change.
no problem at all-i'm glad to help out.

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

Oh I was asking that because I LVE the two toned effect I def DONT want uniform color I want hi-lights lo-lites mid-lites all that lol I feel its looks way better, more multi-dimensional and natural.

ETA: How long do you leave the color on for to get it so light?

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

Hey Rocky, how long do you leave the color on for to get it light?

 

[Eritreladiee]

I highlighted my hair 2 months ago and to be honest I kinda regret it. My hair is definitely much drier now. I usually wear my hair curly and I think it being a few shades lighter also makes it look even drier on top of that.

I've been deep conditioning and doing all the things I need to be, and it definitely does help, but obviously it isn't the same moisture level as it was pre-processing.

Don't get me wrong, my hair is still in decent condition- it's just more split ends than usual, so I'll definitely be scheduling a trim much sooner than I had anticipated. (Even though I just had it trimmed when I got the highlights done.)

I don't want to discourage you, but I gotta be honest.... Hell, I wouldn't do it again, and right now I'm actually concerned about how I'm gonna get it back to black. I definitely don't want to dye it black, and at the same time I don't want to henna because it's so drying for my hair.

Anyway, just keep in mind that once you decide to colour your hair, you're gonna have to maintain the colour as it grows out or you'll have to get it back to black, which either way will likely dry your hair even moreso.

(By the way, I have very fine hair (it's thick, but fine) so perhaps my experience may differ a great deal with someone else's)

 

[chebaby]

my hair is colored. not drastic though. i coored it 3 times when i first bc'd because it didnt seem like the color ever took but now i can see it. i guess because i was always out in the sun it got lighter and lighter.
my hair is doing great though. i keep it in ps, always pre poo, deep condition and moisturize 2x daily.

 

[Ms Lala]

I think coloring my hair was the worst thing I've ever done. It was 3 years ago and I feel like I"m just now getting over all of the damage. I had consistent breakage despite plenty of deep conditioning and taking care of my hair. Most of the color is gone now and my hair feels totally different. Hopefully I can retain more length now.

 

[Mrs. Verde]

Keedah ~OMG I l:heart2::heart2::heart2: this color. But I am too scary to go this light. I died my hair dark brown in June . My hair is fine, but I don't think I could go that light.

 

[Miss AJ]

For my 1 year anniversary of being natural the first time around I dyed my hair Blazing Burgundy with textures and tones. My hair was in good condition but it took me a good while to get to SL from NL. I have been getting the dye itch lately but I said I was gonna stop coloring my hair and let it grow to it's full potential with no chemicals and even after stopping the growth aids I've been growing and retaining at a good rate.

 

[Rocky91]

Hey Rocky, how long do you leave the color on for to get it light?

sorry, i went away for a minute.
i leave it on for a half hour at the most-but once i've left it on for an hour (had to go to class) and that turned out really pretty. your stylist will know what's best for your hair.

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

Oh okay cool, so you said you started to have more issues with split ends....do you feel the color kinda compromises retention since you had to up the trimming? I'm really terrified of thaterplexed.......I'm so conflicted

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

*bump*

Any colored naturals or formerly colored naturals that can chime in? Any naturals that regularly use heat??

 

[Eritreladiee]

I'd definitely say there's a trade-off between colouring and retaining. And it isn't just split ends per se, the quality of the hair itself just downgrades. It bugs me so I'll trim more often and in larger amounts.

Just so you have an idea- I highlighted my hair in the summer of '08, this September I did it again- but it was on a head full of virgin hair- I chopped off all the processed hair over the course of the year.

IDK, maybe I'm kinda dramatic about it because I'm used to my hair having a certain quality to it. Before these 2 highlights I hadn't coloured since middle school- so the difference is very noticeable to me.

Basically:
-Hair will still be healthy
-Will go down a couple notches in quality
-More split ends

(FYI, I don't really use heat much, so i know that's not a contributing factor.)

I personally won't be colouring again.

Another thing- the reason why the quality downgrade bugs me so much is because I feel like it adds frizziness