The Houston Chronical recently printed an article about coloring your hair at home to save money. According to Proctor & Gamble, about 65% of women color their hair. With the current economic conditions, the question is if you can color your hair at home to save money without damaging your hair or ending up with a funky color.
Home hair color kits used to be extremely harsh. In fact, the chemicals were so harsh, a urine test could show whether or not you colored your hair! Thank goodness things have changed and home coloring kits are now much more sophisticated in addition to saving you money.
As an example of what you can save by coloring at home, Clairol Nice N Easy Perfect 10 sells for about $13.99, which is substantially less than have your hair colored at a salon. It takes about 10 minutes to color your hair and does not have any harsh chemicals.
If you are going to color at home, here are a few tips.
1. Touch Up Your Roots
If you're roots are showing, its a dead giveaway that you color your hair and haven't redone it in a while. There are several products specifically made for root touch ups. The range from $6.99 in your local drug store to $23 in retailers like Sephora.
2. Gloss
Using a hair gloss about a week after touching up roots gives your hair an extra boost. Not only will you see richer color, it will help keep your hair healthy.
3. Don't Shampoo So Often
Frequent shampoos can cause color to fade. Jason Backe, Clairol color director and master colorist at Ted Gibson salon in New York, recommends shampooing every 3 days. Use a shampoo and conditioner specifically for color treated hair in cool water. The cool water keeps the hair cuticle smooth, thus locking in color. If you need to rinse more often than 3 days, just condition and rinse with cool water.
4. Read the Directions
You can avoid most home hair coloring disasters by reading the directions. Make sure you do not leave the color on too long.
5. Be Realistic
Stay within 2 shades of your natural color if you are doing the coloring at home. Anything more than that will lead to less predictable results. If you do want to make a major change, you're still better off spending the money to go to a salon.
If you're not sure how far you can go with color, The Hair Styler has an extremely helpful tool where you can try colors on before you commit to the dye. You can check it out by going to The Hair Styler.
Wednesday
Why Is Red So Hot?
The one great thing about red hair is that it works for everyone....depending on the shade. Natural blonds can go with a more red-gold color and brunettes do well with deeper copper, chocolaty reds. According to Marie Claire magazine, red hair color ideas are influencing all of the other colors right now and is in high demand.
The best thing about red hair color is that its a great way to look younger. A lot of women will look for lighter hair colors thinking that will make them look younger. If you go too light, it can wash color from your face and actually make you look older. Reds add warmth, color and youth to your face.
Reds are good at any age. For a little warmth, use reds to highlight your natural color. For more drama, go all the way with red. Red is literally a head turning color so you need the confidence to deal with all of the attention you'll get! Lindsay Lohan's former colorist sums it up the best by saying "Red hair is like a sequined dress - it walks into the room before you do."
As a case in point - think of all of the actresses that are famous for their red hair. Just to name a few...
Lucille Ball
Sophia Loren
Julia Roberts
Cynthia Nixon
Kate Walsh
Deborah Messing
And here's the best part - did you know none of these actresses is a natural redhead?! This also goes to show that there are a variety of shades of red and this is a hair color that looks good on everyone.
Monday
Hair Color and Hair Lengths
Before coloring your hair, you also need to think about the length. If you have really short hair, all over color is your best bet. Highlights won't blend as well in shorter hair. One thing to remember for short hair is that all over color needs to be touched up every 4-6 weeks. Depending on how short your hair is, this is probably close to your schedule for hair cuts.
That being said, highlighting short hair can be done depending on the cut. As you can see in this photo of Mariska Hargitay, a short cut with long hair on top looks great with highlights. The key is having longer layers on top so the highlights blend.
For medium to long hair, highlights around the face can be especially flattering. Highlights require less maintenance than all over color. You can go 2-3 months between touch ups. However - if you used permanent color for your highlights you also need to watch regrowth so you don't end up with one color on top and a different color at the bottom of your hair.
Tuesday
Summer and Hair Color
Summer is just around the corner and the weather is finally getting warmer. All of us are itching to get outside now that the weather is nice! But did you know being in the sun for a short time can affect your hair color? The sun can do as much damage to your hair as it can to your skin. If you've taken the time to color your hair, or even if you haven't, here are some things you need to know.
The sun causes hair to shed the outer layer of the hair shaft. When this happens, your hair will look faded since the color pigments have been removed. The ends will also dry out. All of this removes the shine from your hair. Here's the surprising thing - all of this can happen within one hour of being in the sun!
How do you avoid all of this? Wear a hat or use a hair treatment that will protect your hair color.
Hair Color Ideas for Winter
Now that winter is here, hair colors will shift to darker, warmer colors. In particular, colors will lean towards red and auburn shades. Why is this good news? Everyone can pull off red! You just need to find the right tone for your skin color.
The summer’s multi-tonal colors are over. Hair naturally darkens and skin gets paler in the winter when people are spending more time indoors. Opt for simple shades and low-lighting, which will complement winter looks. Elegance is in for the season, so take the shade a little darker and a little warmer to find your look can be just a touch more sophisticated.
If you have dark hair, opt for hair colors ideas involving chocolate browns and cinnamon tones. If your hair is light or medium brown, don't go too dark. This will give you a "gothic" look you may not be going for.
Blondes - brighten your natural color using soft, darker tones for depth and dimension. And be careful! Don't go too light! A very light blonde will make lighter skin appear even paler and look out of season.
With holiday parties and events, it's the perfect time for a new, richer hair color!
Monday
When Good Hair Color Ideas Go Very Bad!
Here is what happens when good hair color ideas go bad!
As you can see, dyes you buy at the store don't work on all hair colors! At most, you can accent your natural color. If you want to try a dramatic hair color idea or make a major change, leave it to a professional!
Another major mistake - don't make a major change before a big event!
As you can see, dyes you buy at the store don't work on all hair colors! At most, you can accent your natural color. If you want to try a dramatic hair color idea or make a major change, leave it to a professional!
Another major mistake - don't make a major change before a big event!
Thursday
The Gray That Started The Quest for Hair Color Ideas
I never considered hair color ideas until I finally found one. Actually my sister found it while I knelt down to tighten my roller blade.
"What's that in your hair?", she asked.
"I don't know. I don't have eyes up there," I said, "Get it out....Ouch! I said get it out - not yank out my hair!"
"You said 'get it out' so I did. And look what it is!" she said with a bit too much glee. "A gray hair! You've got gray hair!"
Are you kidding me? I'm not old enough for gray hair. I was getting ready to roller blade 12 miles and people with gray hair are too old for that. AND - I don't have kids so I really can't have gray hair.
Once I admitted they were there, they had to be dealt with - immediately. I thought this would be a simple trip to the store for a box of dye close to my natural color, but that was not to be. First I had to figure out what brand to go with. I could rule out the one just for men. But then what? Do I go with the one that's nice and easy or the one that makes me feel like I'm worth it? Once I got that sorted out I had to find a shade.
There are unlimited shades of brunette. Am I Natural Golden Brown, Natural Auburn Brown, and exactly what is Natural Medium Neutral Brown? It sounds so "average." I decided to find a color by holding my hair against the picture on the box. That worked until I noticed the pictures on some of the Medium Spice boxes didn't match. I finally decided I wasn't ready for a commitment and bought a "glaze"(or semi-permanent color) that would only last about a week. After coloring, my hair was a kind of muddy reddish brown, so I wasn't thrilled with the results. I can't prove it, but I suspect someone switched the colors in the box.
After this debacle, I wanted information before another attempt at coloring. As you read this blog, you'll see there's lot of information to think about (types of dyes, how long they last, how much they change your color, benefits or drawbacks, coloring techniques, etc). We've all seen botched dye jobs, so you need to know this before thinking about hair color ideas.
Did you know permanent dye is the only way to completely change color or lighten hair? If you want to go lighter, cover grays or dye your hair purple, now you know you need a permanent dye. Once you know how things work, you can think about hair color ideas and techniques. I never knew about lowlights and then learned they're good for blending grays and great for brunettes!
As the saying goes - knowledge is power, so you can make informed decisions. Also, the more you know, the better chance of getting results you want whether you color at home or go to a professional. An even better solution - try hair colors on before you make any decisions.
Hopefully you'll find this information useful and avoid wasting an hour and a half of your life standing in a drug store perplexed by hair dye.
Sunday
Temporary Hair Color Ideas - For the Commitment-phobe
One of the easiest hair color ideas is temporary colors. These usually come in rinses, gels, mousses or sprays. They usually wash out in 2-3 shampoos, so there's even less of a commitment than with the semi-permanent colors.
The main reasons to use a temporary hair color are to restore hair to it's natural color if it's fading, neutralize a yellowish tinge in gray or white hair, tone down hair that's been over-highlighted so you don't have to do another chemical process or to boost your natural color. Results on gray or graying hair will be very subtle, so this is probably a good option if you have the few random gray hairs to disguise. Temporary color is not the way to go for big changes or to really cover/color gray.
The good thing is that you can really play with temporary colors. A lot of temporary colors come in sprays, gels and even hair mascara in some really funky colors. Some of them even work well on really dark hair. However, these products don't look remotely close to natural but are a lot of fun to play with!
The bad thing about temporary colors is they may not evenly cover your hair. They can also rub off on pillows or clothes and can also start to run if you get caught in the rain. (This happened to me in high-school when I was experimenting with blue hair. I ruined my favorite shirt, so that was the end of that.) Temporary color doesn't have much impact on dark hair but it can stain your natural color if you use it on light hair. The best bet is to stick to something close to your natural color if you use a temporary color.
If you're looking for temporary, fun hair color ideas, you'll find a lot of options in your local drug store. You can easily do these on your own and if you don't like it - just wash and rinse!
The main reasons to use a temporary hair color are to restore hair to it's natural color if it's fading, neutralize a yellowish tinge in gray or white hair, tone down hair that's been over-highlighted so you don't have to do another chemical process or to boost your natural color. Results on gray or graying hair will be very subtle, so this is probably a good option if you have the few random gray hairs to disguise. Temporary color is not the way to go for big changes or to really cover/color gray.
The good thing is that you can really play with temporary colors. A lot of temporary colors come in sprays, gels and even hair mascara in some really funky colors. Some of them even work well on really dark hair. However, these products don't look remotely close to natural but are a lot of fun to play with!
The bad thing about temporary colors is they may not evenly cover your hair. They can also rub off on pillows or clothes and can also start to run if you get caught in the rain. (This happened to me in high-school when I was experimenting with blue hair. I ruined my favorite shirt, so that was the end of that.) Temporary color doesn't have much impact on dark hair but it can stain your natural color if you use it on light hair. The best bet is to stick to something close to your natural color if you use a temporary color.
If you're looking for temporary, fun hair color ideas, you'll find a lot of options in your local drug store. You can easily do these on your own and if you don't like it - just wash and rinse!
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Semi-Permanent Hair Color Ideas Are A Good Way to Test the Waters
If you're looking for hair color ideas that aren't as permanent or you're just starting to explore hair color ideas, semi-permanent may be for you. These are also knowns as "glazes." Most semi-permanent colors last 6-12 shampoos (depending on what type you use), so if you don't like it it will be gone in a few days. In addition, you won't have to deal with the root problem since the color will just fade away.
Semi-permanent color basically justs coats the hair shaft with color. Since semi-permanent color doesn't have to strip your hair to deposit color, it's less damaging than permanent color. However, since it doesn't remove the original color, you won't get a dramatic change if your hair is dark and you want to go lighter. (Remember - only permanent dye can lighten your hair or drastically change the color.) Semi-permanent colors don't use ammonia or peroxides, and those are the agents you need to lighten your hair.
If you want to deepen your natural color or add a layer of color to make it "pop," semi-permanent color will do that for you. I used a semi-permanent color for my first (and only) attempt to color my hair on my own. My hair was redder than I wanted, but I was impressed that it really did boost my natural color. I was also very glad that it was gone in about 2 weeks and I could go back to square one!
Semi-permanent also doesn't really cover gray hairs. What it does do is coat them with color so they blend with your hair and don't stand out as much. If you have only a few grays popping up, semi-permanent may work for you. As a rule of thumb, if a third of your hair (or less) is gray, you'll still get good results with a semi-permanent color. In fact, since the grays are lighter than your natural color, they may actually look like highlights once a color/glaze is added to them.
Semi-permanent is an easy and low risk dye process that you can do at home since it doesn't last long. There are still tips and information to help with the coloring and maintenance. You can also have a "glaze" done at a salon to add shine and pump up your color.
Semi-permanent color basically justs coats the hair shaft with color. Since semi-permanent color doesn't have to strip your hair to deposit color, it's less damaging than permanent color. However, since it doesn't remove the original color, you won't get a dramatic change if your hair is dark and you want to go lighter. (Remember - only permanent dye can lighten your hair or drastically change the color.) Semi-permanent colors don't use ammonia or peroxides, and those are the agents you need to lighten your hair.
If you want to deepen your natural color or add a layer of color to make it "pop," semi-permanent color will do that for you. I used a semi-permanent color for my first (and only) attempt to color my hair on my own. My hair was redder than I wanted, but I was impressed that it really did boost my natural color. I was also very glad that it was gone in about 2 weeks and I could go back to square one!
Semi-permanent also doesn't really cover gray hairs. What it does do is coat them with color so they blend with your hair and don't stand out as much. If you have only a few grays popping up, semi-permanent may work for you. As a rule of thumb, if a third of your hair (or less) is gray, you'll still get good results with a semi-permanent color. In fact, since the grays are lighter than your natural color, they may actually look like highlights once a color/glaze is added to them.
Semi-permanent is an easy and low risk dye process that you can do at home since it doesn't last long. There are still tips and information to help with the coloring and maintenance. You can also have a "glaze" done at a salon to add shine and pump up your color.
So What the Heck is Demi-Permanent Color?!
In my quest for hair color ideas, I finally ended up at my salon. I came to the conclusion that it was just better for everyone (especially myself) if I left this to the professionals. This was my first encounter with demi-permanent hair color.
So what is it exactly? It's sort of like a semi-permanent color but lasts 4-6 weeks instead of a few shampoos. It does have hydrogen peroxide in it (like a permanent dye) to deposit color, but at lower levels. That means it's not as damaging to your hair. Demi-permament colors adds shine, blends grays like a semi-permanent color and enriches the color overall.
Even though demi-permanent dyes have the hydrogen peroxide, they don't really lighten your hair. Once again, these dyes will boost your color or darken it only.
After a lot of discussion and going through several hair color ideas with my colorist, I ended up using a demi-permanent color. It perfectly disguises the few little pesky grays that have sprouted up on the top of my head. My colorist blended 2-3 colors with my natural color, which I never would have been able to do on my own in a million years. It gives me wonderful depth and shine.
So what is it exactly? It's sort of like a semi-permanent color but lasts 4-6 weeks instead of a few shampoos. It does have hydrogen peroxide in it (like a permanent dye) to deposit color, but at lower levels. That means it's not as damaging to your hair. Demi-permament colors adds shine, blends grays like a semi-permanent color and enriches the color overall.
Even though demi-permanent dyes have the hydrogen peroxide, they don't really lighten your hair. Once again, these dyes will boost your color or darken it only.
After a lot of discussion and going through several hair color ideas with my colorist, I ended up using a demi-permanent color. It perfectly disguises the few little pesky grays that have sprouted up on the top of my head. My colorist blended 2-3 colors with my natural color, which I never would have been able to do on my own in a million years. It gives me wonderful depth and shine.
Here's another bonus feature if you color your hair - more volume and fullness. Who knew?!
Even though I went to a professional, it's easy to work with demi colors at home. The key is having try colors and get information to get the results that you want and be able to maintain them.
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