Hair, a woman’s best accessory, a female’s worst nightmare. Are not we always googling how to take better care of our tresses? Well, the newest worry related to hair women are going through these days; is regarding whether to color their hair or not. In this blog, we will first answer the question – “Should I color my hair?” and then, if you decide to go ahead with this adventure, you will find a list of pointers to keep in mind regarding that too.
Coloring the hair, especially permanently can lead to dry and damaged hair. Bleaching of hair is another detrimental step many of us are taking these days. Bleaching is usually done when we aim to get a lighter shade of hair. Oxidizing the hair follicles through coloring, damages the hair by removing its moisture. Bleaching, hence causes breakage and split-ends.
That does not mean one can’t successfully color their hair, but one must be cautious to seek only the best help through professionals. Here is a true hair color experience, in which the narrator talks about how hair coloring damaged her naturally luscious and straight hair.
That being said, it is not necessary that the hair coloring experience shall be equally harsh for all of you. If you still want to get a kick out of it, by trying something new, read the below listed points to get the best results.
1. Choosing correct color
Have you observed someone getting the loveliest shade of turquoise, but it just does not suit them? To ensure it does not happen to you, one needs to know their skin undertone. After knowing your undertone, you can now choose a hair color that matches your skin tone. This does not imply one is restricted to five or six colors, it is just that your are more probable to get a successful haircut by following the skin-tone, hair color match.
How to find your undertone?
- Check your veins. Blue veins = cool undertone. Green veins = warm undertone. Purple or mix =neutral undertone.
- Which jewelry suits you better? Gold= warm. Silver = cool. Both= neutral
After finding your skin-tone, you can now know which hair color shall suit your skin the best.
2. Take a picture to the salon
“Red” or “Purple” are broad colors that have a myriad hues ranging in their palette. Do take a screenshot of the picture that shows the exact shade of blue you want- might it be electric blue or an icy blue shade, don’t settle for the vague term, specify your wish.
We thought to include a few trending colors in this blog, for you to decide which one works best for you.
1.Mahogany Brown Hair
2. Tie and Dye Hair
3. Dark roots, Blonde hair
4. Ethereal Purple-Grey Tresses
5. Peekaboo Hairstyles – These are hair colors which are applied below the top layer or the most visible part of the hair. The color is only visible when you do a half bun or maybe a high ponytail. If you are specifically interested in a peekaboo hairstyle, you can find truly creative options here.
6. Icy blue queen
7. Red Hair Highlights
8. Nude Hair Color
9. Chunky Color Blocked Hair
3. Always consider the financial aspect
Dyeing itself might not seem that expensive, but the products to use after getting it done are. Upkeeping also requires several appointment to redo and retouch the roots, so as to maintain healthy hair. Rainbow colors require more maintenance than natural shades such as brown. Do consider the money before jumping into this, as, no matter what money matters.
4. Bleaching is a must
If you are going few shades lighter, it is a MUST to have your hair bleached first. If your hair is say jet black, it becomes all the more necessary to remove the natural pigmentation before introducing a new one. Also, it is suggested that you maintain hair strength before bleaching it. Bleaching fragile or damaged hair can make them worse.
5. If it is your first time, trust the pro
I know it seems like a piece of cake, but experts are experts for a reason. There are a lot of rookie mistakes which don’t seem apparent to the naked eye, but happen all the time to noobs who opt for coloring their hair themselves rather than going to the salon. Uneven coloring with patches left undone, too less time or too much time for the process, not buying the correct products are few of them.
6. Dyeing may affect your texture
Dyeing, especially the ones that require lightening, bleaching and more number of appointments can affect your texture. It can make them dry and messy, and can even impact volume in some cases.
7. Take time to commit
Don’t take drastic measures. Going completely blond or grey is probably not a good idea. Experts suggest to go about it in sessions for it to have a better effect. That way, the transformation won’t be a complete shock and you can probably pause at the color you find favorable.
There are different types of coloring options within hair dyeing :
- Temporary if you like switching up the colors every once in a while, or you wish to keep it for a specific event. It is also a good choice if you don’t want to commit right away.
- Semi-permanent if you want to you are growing our a previous hair color or you don’t want to face the harsh repercussions associated with permanent dyeing.
- Permanent if you are super confident and don’t want the hassle of recoloring again and again.
8. Water Babies, be alerted
Chlorine is damaging to the skin, especially if your hair is bleached. It will ensure that your hair loses all its shine. If you still must go to the pool, do wear protective gear such as swimming cap. You can also wash your hair with pure, non chlorine water before and after swimming for better look.
9. Use appropriate products, post dyeing
Post dyeing you need to use products that complement your new color, moisturize your strands and aid in retention of your shade. While buying, do ensure that the shampoos are sulfate free. There are several beauty care products curated specifically for colored hair.
10. Don’t shampoo post dyeing
You must not shampoo your hair at least 72 hours after getting it colored, so as to ensure that the color seeps into your cuticles properly. This point is underlined for those who have gone for more vibrant or brighter shades.
To conclude, it is not exactly unwise to color your hair, as #YOLO- It is indeed one life, but one must be wary of all the consequences attached with it. We guess we did a good job of delivering that to you.
For those who have decided to embark on this colorful journey, we have an additional bonus for you 😉
Here are some post-dyeing tips that will help you maintain those luscious locks:
- Choose Sulphate -free, color protecting shampoo and conditioner. Sulphates rip off the natural oils and moisture present in your hair because of the foaming effect they have. It can lead to shedding of the beautiful color you spent time, money and hopes upon.
- Washing hair with hot water is anyway not recommended. For people with colored hair, it is a NO as it can open your hair cuticle, allowing color to wash out during shampooing.
- Washing hair less often is another task you must undertake. Unless you are working out intensely, you must restrict the number of washes to three ( at the most). Obviously, higher the number of washes, faster the color fading in the hair shall take place.
- Using heat protectants before using any hair straightener, curler etc is necessary as heat can strip away color and moisture leading to undesired hair.
- Try using dry shampoo, if your hair needs constant washing beyond the recommended use. You can also try using color tinted dry shampoos that will refurbish your hair color and also, save you a visit to the salon.
- You can sometimes skip to conditioner, eliminating the shampoo altogether. Shampoo is more likely to result in color loss, but conditioner will preserve the moisture without major damage. When shampooing, conditioning is absolutely mandatory, especially at the roots.
After all this lengthy discussion, we are bursting with curiosity to take a peep into your minds. Which color would you love to get done on your hair this season? Let us know in the comments below.
