Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Soozi Qu on July 25, 2012 at 2:13pm

Oh gosh, Cecilia, you've certainly given your hair a punishing! The things we ladies do in the name of vanity. My hair is currently about four different colours due to going blonder for a bit then deciding it didn't suit me. So I put a dark brown semi over the blonde foils (lots of them) and then decided I preferred red. Two tries at one hairdresser resulted in red roots and a brown length and then another hairdresser and I have plum roots and brown length with some blonder bits still coming through. Aaaaarrrgggghhhh!!!!

I'm going to the States next week for three weeks and really want to look reasonable when I do so. I'm going to have my hair done the day before I leave and think I'll have to opt for it to be stripped and recoloured just to have one decent colour on my hair. Thing is though, all the chemicals that have been through my hair have taken a toll on it's condition. I never thought about natural colours though??? Might have to do some cyber searching. Good luck, Cecilia!

Permalink Reply by Stephanie McAtee on July 25, 2012 at 2:33pm

I would recommend getting a Redken Chemistry shot.  It will restore some of the protein in your hair so the color can hold on to it.  Other brands have the same sort of thing, but Redken is the best I've come across.  

When I was a redhead, I always did a fill color, too.  I chose a copper fill because I wanted a vibrant orange-y red.  It's pretty much a demi permanent color (Shades EQ is the best!) you put on before the final color.  Sounds like you aren't going much darker from the original bleached blonde so you probable only need one fill.  It really helped my red last longer, although red is tricky because it fades quickly so you keep putting more color on to maintain vibrancy, but the buildup of color eventually leads to a darker appearance.

Have you checked any of the beauty schools around to see what products they use or what the prices are?  A lot of people are scared, but I would rather go to a beauty school for restorative treatments and colors.  Color is much easier than cutting and unlike cutting, almost anything can be fixed.

And just fyi, henna, which is usually in red vegetable dyes is one of the most impossible things to get out of your hair and can mess with any future color you may put on your hair until it gets chopped off as well.  Shades EQ will actually help the condition of your hair and interfere less with any future colors you put on.

Permalink Reply by Johanne L. Martinez on August 8, 2012 at 11:43pm

yikes!!!!!! your hair has gone to hell and back......lol......but its there which is good!!!! Where are you located? I have a amazing vintage hairdresser who would does amazing thing to damage hair :)

She is actually one of the hairdresser for pug.

Permalink Reply by Desilu on September 9, 2012 at 12:35am

Hi Cecilia -

I've done red for a loooooooooooong time (was born a redhead, which gradually darkened as I got older, sadly) and I agree - red is one hell of a color to maintain without fading. There is a brand that I will use occasionally - John Frieda. He has both a shampoo and conditioner, and it picks up all of the different tones in the red that you have. I think part of the problem is the damage that has been done, so it may or may not work. I like it and it does give a nice sheen to the hair, which is good, because with some dyes, you can get a dullness effect, not a good thing.

Hope that helps... John Frieda can even be found at Walmart, so I don't think you'd have a problem finding it online at someplace like drugstore.com, etc. They also make one for brunettes and blondes. He uses natural ingredients also in his products (not all natural, but in addition to).

Jenn =)

Permalink Reply by Ruby duVin on September 9, 2012 at 6:40pm

I have naturally light auburn hair and dye it medium auburn.  I use Davines Alchemic shampoo and conditioner in red - it's formulated to work with natural and color treated hair.  Does stain the tub if not cleaned up straight away.  But it is amazing.  Great pigmentation, but not too much.  And takes the brassiness out as well.