Question on coloring...

[cutiepie7]

Ok...I've been reading through some posts on color and I think I understand this:

You CAN lift your shade up to 2 shades with permanent color without additional bleaching?

Ok...well if that statement is true...then this is what I want to do....my hair is a very dark brown and I basically want it to stay that way but kick it up a practically undetectable 1 or 2 shades just to uniform out the color and get it the slightest bit lighter. Then...I'd like some highlites....now....after I've lifted my color say....2 shades....can I go another 2 shades up with my highlites? Like a medium brown or medium/dark brown. I just want a very subtle change, but I do want color and highlites. Is this possible without bleaching?

 

[Karonica]

If I knew exactly what bleaching was, I'd be able to answer the question. I've never been quite clear on the concept. But it will take peroxide for you to achieve the results you are talking about. A booster (is a booster bleach, I dunno) may not be needed.

 

[cutiepie7]

Ok...so the booster is what comes with the color automatically right? It's not something that would need to be purchases seperately?

 

[Karonica]

Nope, it doesn't come with the color automatically. This is a tuffy because I went into the BSS and asked them for some booster and they didn't sell it. What they had was bleaching powder and lightening activator. Are they the same, don't ask me.

I will tell you this. If you want to purchase a home color kit, most of them do NOT come with a booster, unless you're getting a blonde shade. How can you tell if there's a booster on the inside? The box will tell you. Just read what comes in the box. Textures and Tones Honey Blonde and their other blonde color comes with a little packet of booster, and the blonde color of Dark and Lovely (the box with the lady who has short texturized looking hair) comes with one.

But the color you're describing that you want to achieve doesn't sound like it needs a booster. But, everybody's hair is different and some hair is highly resistant to just peroxide alone (like mine) so in order for it to do any lightening, a booster is needed for this type of hair.

 

[cutiepie7]

Thanks Karonica and I looked back at my question and realized that I asked the wrong thing. I meant to ask if peroxide is automatically contained in the color and comes with it, but a booster.

 

[Karonica]

Oh, peroxide automatically comes with home permanent coloring kits (well, they should). The name it'll be referred to as is "developer." So when you see that word, you'll know they're talking about the peroxide, and you'll know this for sure when you look at the ingredients and see "hydrogen peroxide" listed as one of the main ones.

 

[cutebajangirl]

If your hair is dark naturally and not due to any rinses, then for what I picture from your description of what you want then I would think you wouldn't need a booster. Are you doing it yourself? In that case dye most of the hair with the color of your choice and then go one shade lighter than what you want for the higlights and put that on the hair that you didn't dye in the first step. So if the highligts come out too light for you then you can tone it down with a rinse.

 

[cutiepie7]

cutebajangirl, so are you saying that when i orginally do my base color, i should leave some parts (the parts that i would highlight later) uncolored? How would I do that? And couldn't I just color my whole head and go back with highlites?

 

[Tracy]

If I were you and you only want to "brighten" your natural color, assuming you have never colored before, I would get a DEMI-permanent color - Calirol Natural Instincts or L'Oreal Casting in a shade like Cinnaberry or Suede (these are Instincts shades).

I would do that and see how you like it as far as "brigtening the base".....

Then, I'd wait a few months (or weeks - watch the spacing of your touchups tho if you relax - touchups FIRST, THEN color) and go to a salon to get your highlights.

Be sure they use a lightening product that isn't too harsh....

They'll know what to use.

Don't try it at home tho. Highlights RARELY come out nicely at home.

And then you'll need to bootcamp - LOTS of protein...

Using rinses over the final result will be a good idea as well. Seals the cuticle and gives a nice tone and blend to everything.....


Sounds pretty...good luck to you.