Hair color is one of the greatest inventions of all time. Cleopatra started the at-home coloring trend with her henna treatments. Venetian woman invented the first highlighting cap in the 16th century. They would gently pull strands of their hair through woven bonnets and then cover them with lye. Surely the fair maidens' hearts skipped a beat when they noticed many of their newly acquired burnished golden strands of hair ending up in their brushes.
Many movie stars of the 30's and 40's became the glamorous and idolized blond beauties of their time. I am sure that many of the newly blond actresses noticed their hair was becoming drier with each coloring. Lanolin was applied to put moisture back in their hair. The 50's and 60's brought ultra blond shades epitomized by Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield. Hair was first bleached and then tortured and teased into place. The first hair emergencies probably happened around this time. This was all a precursor to the uber-blond Madonna's hair conditioning treatments documented in her film Truth or Dare. Even with her nightly conditioning treatments, her hair style became shorter and shorter as the "Blond Ambition" tour progressed. You don't have to be a hair genius to figure out what happened.
That brings us to Britney Spears. She made her hair blond, went brown, and then became a blond again. We all know what happened next: She shaved her hair off! Yes, this is a radical way to deal with over-processed hair that might be indicative of issues other than bad hair color, but I am sure that most of us have at least once wished we could start over.
Today I am going to list the
most common hair coloring oops! and some
simple solutions to give you the color you always wanted.
PROBLEM #1. Picking the color by the picture on the box. Just because you think the hair color on the box is pretty doesn't mean that it's right for you. Remember: the picture on the box is just one part of the formula. Your hair provides the rest of the formula. The end result is a combination of both colors.
WARNING! Previous hair colorings, i.e., excessive streaking or hair made very light or dark, will change the final color.
SOLUTION: Read the box and do a preview test. Every box of at-home hair color will have a chart explaining which hair colors are appropriate for each shade. You must use a shade that is right for your hair color. Not doing so will result in an undesirable color. A preview test will also prevent a bad result. To make a preview test, simply color a strand of hair before you do your whole head. This will show you your final results before you begin. The guess work is gone.
PROBLEM #2. You made your hair too light. When you make your hair too light, it often turns a similar color to your skin tone. This will make you look washed out.
WARNING! If you have to wear more makeup to make your new hair color look right, you picked the wrong shade. Hair color should provide contrast with your complexion that will make you look more vital.
SOLUTION: If your hair is too light, you can tint it back to the appropriate color.
WARNING! Do not use ash shades. This might make your pre-lightened hair turn green.
SOLUTION: If your hair is colored blond, use a shade with some red in it. This will prevent a green cast from occurring. If it is a light brown with orange undertones, you can use a neutral shade. Check the hair color every five minutes. Hair that has been previously colored is porous and can soak up hair color quickly.
PROBLEM # 3. You made your hair too dark. This happens when you pick the wrong shade and did not do a preview test to see the results before beginning the color process. This is the most difficult color problem to resolve.
SOLUTION: I would strongly suggest going to a salon and seeing a professional. This type of corrective coloring is much too difficult to do at home. It could take an extended period of time for you to achieve your desired result.
PROBLEM #4. White highlights or highlights placed so close together that the end result looks like a solid hair color. White highlights usually happen when someone is trying to make their hair brighter. White highlights look like frosted grey hair. This actually makes your color dull. Solid highlights result in a loss of contrast. Roots are present almost immediately and all depth and texture is gone.
WARNING! Highlights look more ash once the hair is dried.
SOLUTION: To correct white highlights, use a true semi-permanent color to add gold, warmth or depth. When it's time to retouch your highlights, process the color for a shorter time. Watch the color develop. Rinsing the highlights at the appropriate time will result in the desired color. Placing a few bolder strokes of color randomly on your head will give you a brighter look.
PROBLEM #5. Uneven hair color. Nothing shouts "I color my hair and do it badly" more than light roots and dark ends. Color can grab darker on the ends of your hair shaft if it is porous. This happens if you continually work the color all over your hair at every touchup.
SOLUTION: Place the color on regrowth only. Let the color develop for 25-30 minutes. Work the color through the ends of the hair for no more than 5 minutes. Do not work the color through the ends of the hair if it already too dark.
PROBLEM #6. A dark wall of color around the face. The hair around the face is often a finer texture than the rest of the head. Hair color is determined by texture as well as shade. Fine hair takes color quicker than course hair.
SOLUTION: If hair is dark around your hairline, paint on a few highlights around your face with a hair painting kit. Leave highlights on for 7-10 minutes. To prevent dark hairline on your next touchup, use a hair color a half-shade lighter around your face than you used on the rest of your head. This will prevent a dark hairline and keep color looking natural.
These are some of the biggest problems with hair color. Most of them are easy to correct and prevent with a little patience and common sense. My best piece of advice is to take your time and read all the directions. At-home hair color is easy to use and foolproof when you follow the directions. Salon clients should find a colorist with an aesthetic that they admire. Have a continuing conversation with the colorist. A good colorist will constantly be changing your formula. You should be part of the process. Think before you color and you will never have to say, "Oops, I did it again!"
