Hair Color 411

Thinking about a hair color change? A change in hair color can be achieved a number of ways depending on what look you’re going for. The right color can also highlight your features, create warmth and add personal style. The following basic information will help you to make a more informed decision.

Different Methods to Color Hair

Semi-permanent/Temporary hair color/Level 1 – Temporary hair color or rinses are the mildest form of hair color - typically rinses do not have any ammonia or peroxide, so they are fairly gentle. Rinses do not lift hair color, meaning they will not lighten your hair color. For example, if your natural hair color is dark brown and you want to go to a medium red, a rinse will not alter the color. Rinses only deposit hair color onto hair and will wash out in 4-6 shampoos so you will need to reapply it again.

Rinses are also a great way to add richness and depth to your natural hair color. Some great brands to try are “Jazzing” or “Beautiful” by Clairol (both of which can be purchased at Sally’s Beauty Supply).

Demi-permanent hair color/Level 2 - Demi-permanent hair color is stronger than semi-permanent hair color. While it still does not lift darker hair color to a lighter hair color, it will deposit a darker hair color onto hair and will not shampoo out. For example, if you put a brown demi-permanent color over a red hair color then the brown demi-permanent hair color will not shampoo out and this will become your new hair color.

Demi-permanents are a great way to add depth and richness to your natural hair as well. A great one to consider is “Natural Instincts” by Clairol (which can be found at most stores).

Permanent hair color/Level 3 – Permanent dyes will change your hair color from lighter to darker or from darker to lighter depending upon what your preference is. This type of dye contains hydrogen peroxide and ammonia. These ingredients allow for your natural hair color to be lifted and for the new color to be deposited all in one step.

Permanent hair color can be damaging. The risk with natural hair is that it can also somewhat loosen your texture. This is not always the case but it happens to some, so you may want to consider this if you desire permanent hair color.

All permanent hair colors do not contain both hydrogen peroxide and ammonia – some only contain hydrogen peroxide - these are the better choices as they will be gentler than the hair dyes that contain both. Permanent hair coloring can truly rob the hair of moisture so deep conditioning and extra moisturizing is an absolute must!

You can choose to do highlights with a permanent hair color rather than an all-over color but highlights are very difficult to achieve at home simply because you are not equipped with the tools that professionals have nor do you have the training to achieve beautiful highlight effects. I recommend a professional.

Bleaching hair – This is the ultimate and sure fire way to achieve the exact color that you see on the box as opposed to permanent hair coloring which may yield slightly darker results than what you see on the box. Bleaching involves using bleach to lift your natural color completely generally to a lightish blond and then depositing the desired color onto the hair. The darker your natural hair color is, the more bleach will be required to lift it – this lifting actually leaves the cuticles open and exposed and this is what causes the damage and often frying of the hair.

While bleaching is the best way to achieve the true to life color, it is very harsh and can leave your hair lifeless and unable to be properly moisturized due to the damage that it causes.

A Professional Permanent Dye Job

Although there are plenty of permanent hair dyes to choose from in the store such as Clairol’s “Textures & Tones”, a professional hair colorist is trained to distribute color evenly and can help you truly achieve the color that you desire.

In addition, a professional hair colorist can better assist in choosing a color that really compliments you, and they can assess how your hair is taking to the color during the actual process. A professional salon to consider would be Aveda – they have salon locations all over the world. Their permanent hair color line is gentler than most and contains a lot of natural plant dyes.

Color Mishaps

Most of us have done it! We knew that we’d be fierce in that fiery red but our roots came out lighter than the rest of our hair, not to mention some patches of color are lighter than others – UGH! What can I do to correct this? Well there are a couple of solutions to correct a color mishap.

If you still want the color that you were originally shooting for then you will need to see a professional – there is no way around this. Should you choose to cover the color (meaning going to a dark brown or black) then you can use either a rinse or a permanent dye. I have always gone the rinse route – simply because it is only depositing color onto my hair and not harming it – very gentle. You can actually even do a rinse on the same day. Be advised that the rinse will start to wash out over the 4-6 weeks so you will have to reapply it.

Over time, your hair will automatically begin to tone down and then you can choose to discontinue the regular application of the rinse, if you are satisfied with the toned-down color. When covering with a dark brown or black permanent color, it is advisable to wait for at least four weeks as this is yet another process in the same day. If you can’t wait out the four weeks and a permanent dye is your choice over a rinse or temporary color, then you can most certainly go to a professional on the same day to have it corrected as well.

Written by: Nekea Valentine

A freelance writer and editor, and owner of Valentine Writing Services. Look for her work in Naturally You! Magazine and other upcoming projects as well.