What Should I Expect?
Evaluate the maintenance, certain treatments take more maintenance and upkeep than others. Root touch ups are typically every four to six weeks. No matter how well you take care of you hair, fading is inevitable, especially with average hair growth at half an inch a month. A fancier color requires more frequent salon visits which can be costly so try choosing a color close to your natural color or do an ombre, a color technique applied to the ends of the hair, needing a touch up once or twice a year.
Another easy to maintain color treamtent is the Balayage. You can either let it grow out and never go back for a touch-up and it will still look beautiful; or you can keep up with the balayage by getting it touched up with a gloss toner every now again to freshen tone and add shine and by refreshing the color every six to 12 months.
Red shades are the first to fade. Red is the hardest color to achieve, hence the hardest to get rid of, and unfortunately are always the first to fade.
Protect your hair from the sun and elements. Sun can cause your hair to fade faster, turn brassy, as well as leave your hair feeling dehydrated. Use UV-Protectant products or hats and headscarves to shield your hair from the sun. Pool and river water can also damage your hair, be sure to fully rinse your hair with fresh water. Chlorine from pools can really mess with your color, especially blondes. When swimming, copper and chlorine mix onto your hair, when it oxidizes, or hits dry air, it causes the hair to turn green. To help prevent this, you can protect your hair with a hair mask, a thicker type of conditioner for color-treated hair that will help fill the hair cuticle so water can't seep in and strip the color.
First things first, EXPECTING MOTHERS! Please do your research before dyeing your hair! Typically safe, hair dyes can be toxic and a small amount IS ABSORBED into your skin, hence having the potential to harm your baby, either while in the fetus or via breastfeeding. Most articles state to wait until the second-trimester and opt for the safest of services such as color process that isn't applied directly on your scalp or a henna or plant based dye rather than a demi, semi, or permanent color.
Going Lighter:
Going from brown to blonde? Lightener, A.K.A. bleach, has to be used. Think of this to be a process and a journey rather than a one stop shop. Hair has to go through all of its underlying tones to reach the desired level without compromising the integrity of the hair. That being said, the hair shaft and cuticle can only take so much at once. Please allow time for your hair to recuperate between sessions to achieve a serious transformation. Every stylist recommends the use of a purple shampoo and conditioner, alternating with your normal color-treated shampoo and conditioner, which will cancel out brassy tones while you don't get an "over-toned" or "smoky" appearance.
Going Darker:
Going from blonde to brown? Hair needs a 2 step color process, which can be done at the same time, color is applied and a filler is applied which replaces the warm tones, giving the dark color something to "grab" onto.
Be sure to bring pictures with you of your desired color and look; your definition of blonde may be different from someone else's.
Once your hair is colored be sure to use products made for color-treated hair such as Olaplex to rebuild and repair bonds while washing your hair with cold water and either a clear based or a marvelous blue or purple toned shampoo and conditioner like ColorProofs' SuperSheer Line and SignatureBlonde Violet Line to neutralize and keep those brassy tones at bay. Other products can make your color fade faster. If you have blonde, try a purple shampoo and conditioner which banishes brassiness. Read more about how to maintain your color on our other blog post, https://www.thecolorbarsalon.biz/post/how-to-maintain-my-blonde
What Is A Root Touch Up? ~ A root touch up is the application of hair dye to only the roots of the hair, needed between three to five weeks.
What Is A Highlight And Lowlight? ~ Highlighting is using bleach to lift the levels of brightness of the hair strand. A lowlight is using a darker color than your natural color. Both are often the go to for beginner hair dyers. Results are more sublte, enhancing your natural color.
What Is A Balayage? ~ Balayage is a freehand painting technique that creates a super blended multi-tonal and sun-kissed result. It is super different in the way that it is applied, as lighter pieces are blended throughout, starting very fine at the top of the hair and gradually getting thicker though the mid-lengths and ends. The technique produces a warmer color outcome and is best used on base colors in the dark blonde world. Balayage will simulate clients natural hair’s lift in extreme sun for a long period of time.
Keep in mind that a difference between ombre and balayage is that a balayage is done all over your head, while an ombre is only the ends.
What Is An Ombre? ~ Ombre is more of a coloring technique and less of an overall lightning one. The ends are lightened so it looks like you are growing out your latest blonde or your hair got naturally sunkissed while you were on a sunny beach somewhere.
What is Permanent Hair Color? ~ Permanent Hair Colors are colors that lift “lighten” and Deposit “darken” at the same time. Permanent Hair Colors contain both ammonia and peroxide. Permanent Hair colors can lighten up to four shades or levels. Some Permanent High-Lift Colors lighten almost up to 6 levels. It all depends on the porosity and condition of the hair. It works by opening up the hair cuticle and depositing the color pigment deep into the hair shaft. Even though they are called Permanent Colors, they still fade due to hair washing, conditioning, sun, light, heat, humidity and styling. The color usually stays true up to four weeks, before fading starts to show. However, Dark and Blonde tones do NOT tend to fade as fast as Reds and Coppers.
When can Permanent Hair Color be used on my hair? ~ Permanent Hair Color can be used on virgin hair and chemically treated hair. Even though it can be used on previously colored hair, it does NOT lighten it. Only Lighteners such as Decolorizer can lift Permanent Hair Color. It can only lighten virgin hair. However it can darken previously colored hair. Hair that has Henna in it can NOT be colored or lightened.
What is Semi Permanent Hair Color? ~ Semi Permanent Hair Colors are colors that can ONLY darken or change the tone of the hair. There are many different types of Semi Permanent hair colors, some are made from chemicals and others are made from natural ingredients “such as vegetable dyes”. Semi Permanent Hair Colors do NOT contain ammonia and most of them have less than 2% peroxide in their developers “mixing lotion”. Some will have no peroxide at all. It works by depositing the color on top of the hair shaft, therefore not lasting for more than three to six weeks.
When can I use Semi Permanent Hair Color? ~ Semi Permanent Hair Color can be used on all types of hair. However, it does NOT lighten hair. Semi Permanent Hair Color can darken hair to any color that is lighter than the existing hair color. It can change the tone of the color. In a lot of cases, Semi Permanent color is used as a toner.
What is Demi Permanent Hair Color? ~ Demi Permanent Hair Color is a color that falls between a Permanent Color and a Semi Permanent Color. It contains no ammonia but has peroxide in it. Even though it has peroxide, it does NOT lighten the hair; it only darkens and changes the tone. It is more aggressive than a Semi Permanent Color, in that it penetrates the hair shaft therefore allowing for more deposit. The longevity of this color is just as good as a Permanent Hair Color.
When can I use Demi Permanent Hair Color? ~ Demi Permanent Colors can be used on all types of hair. However, it does NOT lighten hair. Demi Permanent Hair Color can darken hair to any color that is lighter than the existing hair color. It can also drastically change the tone of the color. It usually gives a brighter effect than the Semi Permanent Color and it lasts about as long as Permanent Colors.
What is a Toner? ~ A toner is a Type of Semi Permanent Color that is used to darken or change the tone of highlights. Just like a Semi Permanent Color, Toners do not lighten hair and do not contain ammonia or peroxide.
When can I use a Toner? ~ A Toner is used when Hi-lights are too light and need to be darkened a little. It also changes the tone of the highlights and adds shine to the hair.