What would you do? Sound advice from ppl with sense needed.....

[Tracy]

Okay - so of course, I'm getting my yearly "the weather will break soon" itch to color my hair.

But I can't decide which direction to go in. Right now, my hair is sort of a burgundy color and it's giving you NOTHING against my skin tone. it's light enough to TAKE color and lift without incident I think, but it's JUST beginning to recover from the damage of the erroneous belief that I could lighten it again without incident. Because color is so tricky, and because I do still have quite a bit of left over color, a good result is not guaranteed. I could end up with any color in the rainbow at this point (because once you color a few times over, between the base colors of the colors you used formerly, your own natural hair color and undertones and the additional base and tone of the color you are currently using, no matter what color your hair looks like it is, it has underlying pigments that contribute to the result you get. So I can't be sure what color I get. That's the pragmatist in me.....it could come out fine...but that's color...there's always a chance it could all go pot to hell.

So my other option is to go darker....which I don't MIND, but I love the look of lighter hair and I wonder about how happy I'll be with it dark. Permanently. Forever more. And if I do color it dark, it would need to be something lasting because I've def. learned that there's only so much of even MILD color your hair can take (I don't mean rinses, so don't everyone PM me at once! ) before it gives up the ghost...

The choice I need you to help me make in light of the background is this: Do I darken my hair and almost guarantee that I can't lighten it again this year, marrying myself to the Kimora Lee look? Or do I throw caution to the wind and lighten it and get the Beyonce look I love...?

By now, much of my really terrible damage has been cut out, but I'd rather not have to do that again. And because it wasn't just coloring that created the problem - but REPEAT coloring over and over and OVER - I think I should be able to color lighter without terrible damage...there's always a chance tho.

Should I chance it? My hair cannot stay the color it is. It makes me look sick.

 

[sengschick]

Oh Tracy, this is sooo unfair. And it's late on Friday! I love your hair colors and I just can't imagine you married to dark hair. I really can't. Beautiful hair color is just part of your spirit and I recall before how much you dislike the dark hair (though I thought it was lovely). Plus I know u are a color magician and you'll know just what to blend and how to keep it healthy. All of this from a person who's afraid of Hennalucence . Okay, do it, do it. Lighten it. But I'm editting my response and deleting those lines in 2 minutes.

 

[Tracy]

Oh Tracy, this is sooo unfair. And it's late on Friday! I love your hair colors and I just can't imagine you married to dark hair. I really can't. Beautiful hair color is just part of your spirit and I recall before how much you dislike the dark hair (though I thought it was lovely). Plus I know u are a color magician and you'll know just what to blend and how to keep it healthy. All of this from a person who's afraid of Hennalucence . Okay, do it, do it. Lighten it. But I'm editting my response and deleting those lines in 2 minutes.

Too late - I already saw it.

You're right...I do love light hair. And I do hate dark hair (on me - I love it on Kimora...and I love that my SO calls me his little Nicaraguan girl at opportune moments when I have it and he's pretending to be a pedophile - but...er....that's TMI. ) but it LOOKS so much HEALTHIER that way and the upkeep is so much less onerous....

No worries. I'm not doing anything now. I'll wait for a consensus from the people with sense and a few stand test will be the only action taken for now.

 

[sengschick]

Too late - I already saw it.

You're right...I do love light hair. And I do hate dark hair (on me - I love it on Kimora...and I love that my SO calls me his little Nicaraguan girl at opportune moments when I have it and he's pretending to be a pedophile - but...er....that's TMI. ) but it LOOKS so much HEALTHIER that way and the upkeep is so much less onerous....

No worries. I'm not doing anything now. I'll wait for a consensus from the people with sense and a few stand test will be the only action taken for now.

That's hilarious!!!!!! Baaaawwwahhhhaa

 

[melodee]

Tracy, I'm having the same color dilemna. I do love how a nice golden brown color brightens my face. It makes me feel so happy and I receive lots of positive comments when I have lighter hair.

BUT, I really want Mid-back length and I know I will never make it there with color treated hair. SO, in an attempt to get rid of dull highlighted ends I tried to rinse them out with a black rinse. Well, it won't take. The dull color keeps rearing it's ugly head in a last ditch effort to be seen.

I will either use a perm dark color and wear it black or get some more lights. But I'm still on the fence.
Hey, my hubby makes the Mexican comments when my hair is really black. So I know what you mean (except for the pediphile thing--he's younger than I).
Why not try some face framing highlights? That way if you do get damage, it won't be to the back length.

 

[sengschick]

That's a great idea Melodee! Highlights! What about that Trac?

 

[Tracy]

Sengs and Mel,

Highlights ARE a great idea. And I've considered them. I almost made an appointment to do them. The thing is I'm afraid to let someone else do them because stylists INSIST they require bleach. And I'm scared to do them myself because I don't think my hand is steady enough....and I doubt I'll be able to find a thick enough highlighting cap without a lot of pleading with Mr. Pedophile for his gifts as a chauffer so I can tool around and stalk BSS's until I find one. Cuz I STILL ain't drivin'!

I don't think permie color highlights will be damaging. But I don't think I can do them.

I think I can make it to mid-back (and you can too, Mel!) with color treated hair, the problem last time was my indecisiveness. My real concern is that the color won't come out right - highlights OR all over. I suppose strand tests would help - but they aren't always accurate either because it really only tells you how the hair in the portion of your hair that you took the strands from will turn out - and on me - that's not as accurate as it'd be on someone else, because my hair isn't one color.

My hair IS the perfect color to be a backdrop for highlights tho. But to get the lighter look I like I would have to do many of them...so the damage factor on me would be about equal in both cases, if it WERE a factor. You see?

Tracy, I'm having the same color dilemna. I do love how a nice golden brown color brightens my face. It makes me feel so happy and I receive lots of positive comments when I have lighter hair.

BUT, I really want Mid-back length and I know I will never make it there with color treated hair. SO, in an attempt to get rid of dull highlighted ends I tried to rinse them out with a black rinse. Well, it won't take. The dull color keeps rearing it's ugly head in a last ditch effort to be seen.

I will either use a perm dark color and wear it black or get some more lights. But I'm still on the fence.
Hey, my hubby makes the Mexican comments when my hair is really black. So I know what you mean (except for the pediphile thing--he's younger than I).
Why not try some face framing highlights? That way if you do get damage, it won't be to the back length.

 

[carolina_belle]

I would suggest going lighter. You are my hair and color guru! I also like lighter color and I think completely going dark might tempt you to try something dangerous later on. Not that you would go out on a limb about color. Highlights are beautiful and that way the entire head is not colored. I can't wait to see what you decide. I am ready to touch up my highlights for the spring too.

 

[candibaby]

I think you should go lighter. Being that you are the board expert on hair color I'm sure you know what colors with which bases not to use so that you don't end up with some odd color. Besides, if you really like your hair lighter and don't really care for having it darker, or at least not permanently, why dye it and be unhappy with it? And as for damage, there's always a chance that you'll damage your hair no matter which road you take when you're talking about permanent color, so I say go with lighter if thats the look you like best.

 

[karezone]

If you really plan on going darker, it does not have to be permanent. I went darker last year with a bark brown hennalucent. My hair was black as can be. I am thinking about getting some semipermanent color and making myself some highlights.

 

[dreemssold]

I REALLY want to say go lighter, but I'm too chicken. For that reason, I say go darker . I LOVE your light hair color, but honestly, you look fabulous either way, so I say stay in safe mode. I mean, unless, you really have to go light...then I say light .

 

[Hair2day]

Hello Tracy . I am so glad I stumble upon this post. I too love light Beyonce type color. This is from a girl who has been coloring her hair since the seventh grade. I have colored my hair dark 3 times since the seventh grade and guess what not only did I get horrible reviewsin 2 cases I also lost alot of hair because of it. I say stay with the light girl. If that is what you truly love. I know I do!!! I will never tint back!!! My natural hair color is a 2(darkest brown/brown black) and I love my hair color to be a 30/27 mix. Girl take your chances. I think you take a larger risk of coloring dark & then after you can not take the Kimora look any more try to lift it!!!Eeewwwehhhh!!! Just the thought of it gives me the shivers. I say Be all that you can Beyonce!!!!

I always used permanent color to lighten my hair{no bleach}
I have used a rinse to go darker once did not like it
Out of the 3 time I have went dark 2 time I damaged my hair to the extreme
Lighten my hair with permanent hair color has never cause extreme damage but using excessive heat has!!

 

[A_Christian]

I think you should go lighter since it sounds like you would be happier with the lighter color. Since you are our resident color expert and already know what works and what what not to try, I'm sure you'll be able to get the color you want without damage this time.

 

[Nyambura]

I agree with everyone else: Trace, you should go lighter. IIRC, you really disliked having dark hair (although I thought it looked fabulous on you). So I agree with everyone who's been concerned that if you go dark, you may get sick of it and attempt to lighten again (and you know what happened this last time ). You love light hair so why not? As for highlights, you've moved to a new place so maybe there is a stylist nearby who *doesn't* believe in bleach...maybe it's worth scouting around a bit?

Whichever way you choose, Trace, I know you'll look lovely!

 

[Tracy]

You guys are great!

I'm gonna go with highlights. You guys know me so well. I agree - it makes no sense to go dark if I'm not going to like it. I think I'm going to investigate the highlight situation a bit further - and that's a fantastic laternative really, because one of my greatest concerns was the uber-blonde look in a more professional setting. Highlights would certainly be a happy medium.

I'll just have to take the risk and do it myself (with LOTS of strand tests, of course) or search around a little for a stylist who will do it with color and not bleach.

I LOVE ya'll..... It's nice to have people to think straight for you!

 

[Tracy]

I REALLY want to say go lighter, but I'm too chicken. For that reason, I say go darker . I LOVE your light hair color, but honestly, you look fabulous either way, so I say stay in safe mode. I mean, unless, you really have to go light...then I say light .

Thanks Dreems.....



You're cute. You sound EXACTLY like what was going in my head when I posted.....

 

[Paris Belle]

I'm probably too late...But I really like the idea of highlights.

Personally, I thought you should have never changed your hair color when it was that beautiful auburn-red and then when you came to the hair meet in NYC and it was a sandy blonde-light brown color. So highlights or either of those two colors. The auburn red is lighter but not too light.

If you go lighter I don't think it would be a problem. I agree that the only problem before was the indecisiveness. You refused to stick to one color because you thought it wasn't perfect enough!! So, whichever way you go, I would caution you to agree to stick with that color for at least a year in order to retain length and to keep it healthy.

HTH...JMHO.

 

[dreemssold]

Thanks Dreems.....



You're cute. You sound EXACTLY like what was going in my head when I posted.....

If what goes on in MY head is going on in your head...GET HELP NOW ! Glad you decided on the highlights, though .