The Hair Color Thread - Do we have one already?

[longhairlover]

What's a good brand? (if I want to do it myself)
I use textures and tones I think it's by clairol, but I use black to maintain my natural color. They do have all colors of course but to go lighter your gonna have to use bleach (which to me is where it gets scary) to lighten your dark hair.

-Should I go to the salon and have it professionally done?
For the first time I would go to the salon, but go somewhere that specializes in hair color, a good place will give you a consult and come up with a color that will match you and your skin tone perfect. I would watch them and their technique see what products they use to lighten how long they process etc. just in case you want to do the color at home. I really wouldn't mess with bleaching and color at home now dying your hair the same color yeah that's easy the bleaching part not so it's best for a pro that specializes in color

-How much damage do you think I can expect? (if I should)
If you go to the salon to have the color maintained then you shouldn't expect any damage, ask the colorist which products are best for at home maintenance, most likely with poos and such you only need color safe products so the hair won't bleed as much and last longer.

-What color if not any of these do you think I should try?
a brown tone as bmp stated something with highlights and lowlights of a blonde range but done subtle. try a color consult though i'm sure they could really come up with the perfect color blend for you.

I am a diyer (specialities perms, trims, styling) but for things I am not a diy pro at like color I would consult a good pro. I see alot of people color on their own and their hair is a mess, some can do it well but most look a mess imo, the strands look dry etc. they overprocess the color and all types of mess. not saying a pro can't do that either but I would research and find the right place.

colored hair need lots of moisture because it can become very dry and brittle if not treated like a baby

a great site to visit for expert color advice tips etc. www.killerstrands.com she has a yahoo group for those who want to diy.

hth

 

[KrystalClear]

First, I have to say her hair is gorgeous!! I love it both ways. Her jet black hair is so lush, but the blonde looks so soft and moisturized! She does a very very good job.

But I use Clairol Texture and Tones.
I've done all types of colors lol, and the best advice is to make sure you do a very moisturizing treatment afterwards. Obviously you'll have to be very consistant with this due to the drying affect of coloring hair. (IDK if anybody already said this, but I just looked at the thread and posted w/o reading other replies) HTH!

 

[gymfreak336]

I am just looking for a medium-not too dark brown. I use henna but I was wanting something a little more.

If your hair is already dark, you really won't be able to lighten it with a rinse.

Usually what I would do to get that color is use clariol lumanize and lift my hair one level. That usually was enough to brighten the base a bit. Then I would apply a ash based light brown rinse because the ash in it would help tone down the red (naturally in my hair and more noticeable when the base is lifted) and give me a more uniform light brown color.

If you really want to try to do it with a rinse, pick something that is more of a golden congac color. Don't pick a brown at all because it will just add pigment to your base and make it look darker. Go for something golden orange that will contribute to making your hair look brighter which translates into looking lighter.

 

[gymfreak336]

Over the last couple of years, I have become a rinse lady. I have used just about all of them and some are better than others for certain uses.

A general FYI...If your hair has a hard time holding on to rinses, try applying them directly after using a deeper cleansing shampoo. Also stay away from hot water and oil because they will leach color. For relaxed heads, you will get a longer lasting color if you apply it during the relaxer process.

Adore- this brand is one of my favorites. I am talking about the ones in the white bottle, their old original formulas. We had a member here, Tracy, that got me hooked to these. She was THE color queen and her color knowledge is missed

Adore comes in a ton of colors, from bright pink, crimson red, and hunter green. This is useful because using the brighter more unconvential colors allows you to correct and tone color pretty easily at home. The crimson red is the one I always add to my black rinses to cancel out any green tones. BTW....Another tip I learned from Tracy is to shake up the color, wait a minute and then twist off the cap. In that remaining little bit of color you can figure out what color base the color usually has. I have never meet an Adore color I didn't like but some of my favorites are French Cognac, Cajun Shrimp, and Mahogany. They have the best Mahogany IMO.

Kiss- In general kiss is okay but sometimes they can be very watery and some colors have funky undertones. Many people like the kiss blue black. I personally like the kiss clear.

Ion at sallys-These colors are affordable since they often have them on promo but the color range is limited. I have tried them in about 4 shades. I will say that the brown takes much darker than expected but I don't really mind too much. Some people complain that these colors don't last long and I find that to be true sometimes I like their medium red because the color is really well balanced. The Ion permanent and demi permanent color is a dream though, tons of colors that are fabolous.

 

[Vanity1]

I got some highlights last year, chestnut blonde. You may be able to see them slightly in my avi, but I love them. I used to be the chick who colored her hair every month. But I love the color so much I haven't even thought about switching.

I got it professionally done and haven't had any issues related to breakage or dryness related to the color. I will probably get them touched up once a year since it blends in with my natural hair color so well.

I used to color my own hair but it was always a major fail. If you can do it yourself go for it.

 

[back2relaxed]

For semi permanent colors I like 2...Adore(yes GymFreak they are the bomb), and Clairol Beautifuls. I have highlights but I use the semi perms to boost the highlight colors. I usually buy a bright red or burgundy from Adore b/c they have soo many colors to choose from. They are available everywhere and they are cheap!!