Hair Color: Choose the right one!

Posted on Jul 30th, 2010 | Comments (0)

Aren’t you satisfied with the hair color God gave you or those gray hairs that insist on reappearing? Why don’t you dye your hair then??

Coloring your hair is perhaps the quickest and most dramatic way to change your look. It is also an excuse to go out and buy a new wardrobe of clothes, because you'll find that what suited you as a brunette looks rather drab on a new blonde.

There’s nothing like a great dye job to turn back the clock. Hair color not only covers gray but also boosts volume and shine, makes fine lines, less noticeable, and brightness a dull complexion. There are two types of hair dyes: permanent and semi-permanent, with variations of each.

Permanent Tints:
Must be mixed with hydrogen peroxide to lift hair color. The peroxide opens the hair cuticle so that the tint can penetrate the cortex and form the color. The higher the level of peroxide, the quicker and lighter the result.
Semi-Permanent Colors:
They don't actually lift the color - you can either vary the tone within your natural highlights or go darker. Quasi-color contains ethanolamine and 3% peroxide which slightly opens the cuticle. This means that the color can last up to 20 washes and will softly fade as you shampoo, causing no regrowth problem.
Semi-Permanent Vegetable Colors:
Contain only vegetable extracts and natural ingredients, so no color is stripped from your hair. It is similar to henna but it doesn't coat the hair (adds shine though). This color sits on the hair's surface and will wash out after about 8 shampoos. Due to high salon prices, more and more people are dyeing their own hair. You've seen these people walking around-they can usually be identified by tufts of fried orange hair peeking out from beneath large hats. But a home-hair-colorist's best weapons against hair dye mishaps are careful planning and knowledge. But don’t get afraid by doing it yourself. It's actually quite simple: Stick to colors that compliment your skin tone, figure out if you're better off with single-process color or highlights, and then decide if you're going to pay someone else to do it or do it yourself.

Hair color tricks:

Here are some easy hair color tricks on how to avoid the wrong color to how to do it yourself.

Can You Go Blonde?

Some women look good in any color, but most women don't. If you had blonde hair as a kid, you'll likely look good with blonde hair as an adult. You'll also look good blonde if you have pink skin that burns easily, and blue or green eyes.

For blonde inspiration, check out these galleries:

Remember: if you are going the bottle route, never color your hair more than 2 shades lighter than your natural shade.

The Right Way to Go (or Stay) Brown:
If you have super pale skin and brown hair, consider going lighter. Super dark shades can wash you out and even make you appear older. Once you've colored your hair, protect your investment with best products for colored hair.

To Color or to Highlight, That's the Question:

If you have a great base hair tone, you're better off with highlights. You don't want to mess with nature; what you want to do is enhance it. If your base color washes out your skin tone or is "blah," consider single-process color. Single-process color is cheaper than highlights. Highlights look best when the stylist uses at least two different shades. Ask for more around your face, they can brighten your complexion.

Keep in mind that due to root growth, all-over coloring will need to be touched up every four to eight weeks, while highlights can last up to two or three months, depending on what kind you get. Ask your stylist about a gloss treatment following your color. Gloss boosts color and makes hair shinier.

You're Going for Highlights, But Which Kind?

There are basically 4 types of highlights: basic foil highlights, baliage or "hair painting," chunking or "piecing" and lowlighting.

Foil highlights add strands of color to hair. You can get up to 5 different shades in hair to make it look more natural.

Baliage, or "hair painting," allows the stylist to add natural stripes of color to hair in large or smaller swaths. This is best for women with a great base color who want to go just a couple shades lighter. You won't need to get roots touched up as much with baliage as you do foils.

Lowlighting allows the stylist to add darker shades to hair. This gives color more contrast.

Should You Do It Yourself?

Home-color kits have come a long way in the past few years. They are perfect for busy people and those who want cut the cost of professional colorings.

Some great hair coloring kits include:

L'Oreal Natural Match Hair Color
Clairol Nice and Easy
Revlon Color Silk

If You’re going With a Box, Stick With Semi permanent Color:

Semi permanent colors wash out after a few washes, whereas permanent colors have to grow out.

Gray, Gray, Go Away, Don't Come Again:

Gray hair can be resilient to hair dye because of its coarse texture. If your hair is less than 15 percent gray, opt for a semi-permanent color that's a shade lighter than your natural color (or matches your color). Many women who are more than half gray opt to dye their hair blonde.

So You Hate Your Color? Don't Strangle the Stylist:

Don't be afraid to go back to the salon and talk to your stylist if you are not pleased with the results. There are all sorts of ways to fix color that's just not right. If you did it yourself with a semi-permanent color, look for a shampoo with "ammonium laurel sulfate" to wash away the color faster.

Your Color is Gorgeous, Now What?

You invested money for hair color, now protect your investment with color-enhancing shampoo and conditioner once a week. These products deposit miniscule amounts of color into hair. Choose best hair products for color-treated hair.

Uh-Oh. Your Roots Are Growing In:

You can expect your color to last about 6 to 8 weeks before roots begin to show. If your hair is colored, get your roots touched up or do them yourself with a store-bought kit. For this, I suggest Clairol Nice and Easy Root Touch Ups.

If you have highlights or lowlights, avoid having your whole head colored by asking your stylist to do your hairline, crown and part.

A word of warning:

Foil highlights require precise application and fixing dark roots is nearly impossible. Consider baliage, which looks more natural.

Beside all this, you also have to keep in mind some home hair coloring tips before color your hair.

Home hair color tips:

Rub Vaseline around your hairline as a protective measure before applying color. To remove after coloring, rub a small amount of cream cleanser and wipe off with cotton balls. If you forgot the Vaseline and stained your skin, rub the area with a cotton ball soaked in alcohol-based toner.
Always wear gloves and wrap an old dark-colored towel around your shoulders. Rinse your eyes with water if you get color in your eyes.

Hair Color Advice:

The best hair color advice is to learn how to choose the right color and treatment so you can create an exciting new look for every occasion. When it comes to choosing hair color, you should consider what shade will enhance your overall look and what type of treatment works best for your hair texture.

While your ideal hair cut style depends on your face shape, your hair color should be based on a combination of factors including your natural hair color, eye color, and skin tone.