Take a cue from celebrities who continuously change their hair color for film roles and public appearances. Gwyneth Paltrow, Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, Renee Russo, and supermodel Linda Evangelista all know how much fun a new shade can be. After all, changing your color, adding a few highlights, curling, relaxing, or wearing your hair in braids can really add life to your hair and lift your mood. Most of these treatments involve chemical processes that can make your hair look amazing, but they can also cause major damage if used incorrectly. So follow these tips on how to have the look you love without sacrificing your locks.
Letting people know you color your hair used to be almost as much of a taboo as talking about your sex life. Women only colored their hair if they wanted to completely change the color, or if they wanted to cover their gray. In the 21st century, however, with more than 50 percent of women in the United States coloring their hair, it’s not only acceptable, it’s a sign of being fashion forward and up with the trends. What’s more, it’s easy to do and less damaging to your hair than it was a couple of decades ago.
Color Maintenance
Since bleach and dyes can dry out hair and damage the cuticle, color-processed hair needs a little extra TLC. Avoid shampoos that contain Castille soaps or oil or glycerin, which may fade the color, or clarifying shampoos, which may strip the color. Your best bet is to choose a shampoo with extra conditioning properties. Companies such as Thermasik, Aveda, Revlon, Vidal Sassoon, and Artec offer these specialized formulas, and more and more color-maintenance lines are popping up regularly.
Finding a professional colorist is the key to soft, richly hued hair. Those colorists who have honed their skills are being well rewarded financially and raised to celebrity status. Therefore appointments often fill up months in advance. “A reputable colorist provides a very detailed consultation, taking the time to explain the techniques involved in the process,” says Bob Siebert, national director of education for Hans Schwarzkopf Professional. “A good colorist will also give you a road map for maintenance, explaining what you can do to maintain your color at home and make it last until you come in for your next visit, about five to six weeks later.”
It’s best to color your hair at a salon where experts use high-quality color and are experienced enough to know how to do it right—especially if you want a major change. For smaller jobs, like touching up your roots or covering gray, you can probably pull it off at home by reading the directions that come with the product.
Permanent hair color is the most popular because it lasts the longest, delivers all-over, even color, and creates the most dramatic change. How it works: In a single process, peroxide and ammonia are mixed. “The ammonia opens up the cuticle and allows the pigment to penetrate into the cortex where the natural pigment is,” says Siebert. “The melanin in your hair is oxidized and loses its natural color.” According to Siebert, this single process procedure is ideal for women who want to cover gray or lighten their hair a couple of shades from their natural color. Permanent color, however, is the most damaging to your hair, and can make it look flat and unnatural, requiring frequent touchups. Although the formulations vary in potency, most ammonia-containing brands dry out hair and cause it to frizz.
“Double processing—the most aggressive form of coloring hair—requires two steps,” explains Siebert. “First, hair is pre-lightened with lightening powder or bleach, then the color or highlights are applied afterward.”
MYTH: Highlights and color need to be refreshed every three weeks.
FACT: Hair grows at different rates, and this affects how long color and highlights last. The color itself, and its difference from hair’s natural shade, plays a part in how frequently it needs revitalizing. Some women find they need roots “done” every two weeks; some can go a month.
Highlighting involves coloring or lightening selected strands, leaving sections of natural color in between. Typically, a comb or brush is used to isolate pieces of hair with color. These pieces are then wrapped in foil so that the colorist can get really close to the roots without touching the scalp. Sometimes a freehand technique is used to paint the color onto the hair. “Highlighting and lowlighting give hair more dimension,” says Siebert. “Highlights brighten hair by adding light, while lowlights use darker tones to add depth to the hair.” The end result is a beautiful, subtly brighter head of hair, but the time-consuming process means you may not get to see it until you’ve been worked on for a couple of hours.
Salon Shades vs. Home Hues
“Everything from cell phones to cars to communication has taken an edge toward fashion. Hair color is the opposite; we have always had the artistic edge, but now we have the technology behind it,” says Deborah Gavin, a stylist and colorist at High Tech salon in Philadelphia. “From many women, hair color is an important expression of who they are and how they want the world to see them.” Here, she shares her top reasons for having hair professionally colored:
“Long-lasting semipermanent or demipermanent color is the quickest-growing color segment in the market for professional and retail color,” explains Siebert. “The benefit is that in most cases they are ammonia-free, so they are a little more gentle on hair. This is a great way for clients to try on color if they’re not ready to make a commitment; they fade out in 15 to 30 shampoos.” Semipermanent color penetrates the hair shaft and stains the cuticle, so it isn’t as dense as permanent color and it’s less noticeable when it fades. Semipermanent color can be used on permed hair and is applied in liquid, gel, or aerosol form. Demipermanent color is used to enhance your natural color and cover 75 percent of gray. But since it only deposits color without lifting your hair’s natural pigment, it won’t lighten your hair. So while that means you won’t have roots to contend with, it will probably fade within six weeks. If you have a fear of commitment, try a temporary color or a rinse, which washes out in three to seven shampoos. “These are made of 100 percent preoxidized pigments that are not mixed with developer or peroxide,” explains Siebert. “They stain the outer layer of hair, then wash away.” Often made of a vegetable dye base, temporary colors applied directly from the tube or bottle in the form of a rinse, gel, mousse, or spray. Funkier versions, such as hair mascara, are now available on the market, and can be fun for a night when you dare to go bold with your hair color.
Natural hair color is ideal for women who are allergic to aniline, a colorless liquid obtained from coal tar from which many hair colors and dyes are made. Reactions to aniline include itchy red patches and welts on the scalp. Natural colors stain the hair instead of dyeing it and don’t penetrate the hair shaft. While several hair color companies sell natural, commercial hair color, only pure Egyptian henna is truly organic. Made from the leaves of the lawsonia inermis plant, henna colors by coating the hair shaft and staining the cuticle. The color is unpredictable and hard to control and not for women with permed hair, since it can clash with the perming chemicals and cause discoloration. If you’re using henna at home, be sure to wear gloves so you don’t stain your hands.
In the 1960s, a hair technique called tipping was extremely popular. Using this method, bleach is applied only to the ends of the hair to make them a lighter shade than the rest of the head. Today, this method is often done using color instead of bleach. “Bleaching can be used in two different ways,” adds Amanda George, a colorist at Prive salon in Los Angeles, “for an overall blond effect à la Marilyn Monroe, or as a double-blonding process by lifting hair all over then bringing it up a tone to beige blond or platinum blond. When you color hair blond, there’s a limit to how light you can go, because it depends on how dark your hair is to begin with. If someone wants a really light shade of blond, pre-lighten with bleach, then add color. For a softer, honey blond, skip the bleach and use tint plus highlights to get the right shade.” At-home color is premixed and geared to cover a more generic range of shades, as opposed to salon color, which is individually mixed for you. Look for low-ammonia or low-peroxide products, which are gentler on your hair.
Which Coloring Technique Is Right for You?
Aside from the basic highlighting, Collin Lively, hair color director for Elizabeth Arden Red Door salon in New York City, helps us sort out the hair color methods you can choose from. Now, you’ll be able to follow all that colorist lingo without feeling in the dark.
Foiling: This technique achieves exact placement of color. Specific strands of hair are selected to receive the color. The color in the foil doesn’t touch any strands of hair outside the foil. The object is to create precise, multi-dimensional hair color. The end result: a very subtle look. Instead of foil, some colorists use plastic wrap or wax paper because they believe some foils, when interacting with certain hair colors, can create a chemical reaction on the hair that will end up looking brassy and may be damaging to the hair.
Hand-Painting: Hand-painting, which is done with a brush, strives for a diffused look. However, the residue from the painted areas is likely to bleed onto unpainted strands. Depending on your desired effect, this may be okay. But generally speaking, hand-painting techniques are always more obvious than foiling.
Baliage: A roll of cotton is set near the base of the hair at the scalp. Hair color is applied to is applied to alternate sections of hair, and hair with color is placed across the cotton so that it arches as it comes off the scalp. The cotton prevents colored hair from touching hair that’s not meant to be colored.
Frosting: This method is not as commonly used as it once was. It involves using a frosting cap (similar to a shower cap with holes in it). The cap is placed on the head and, using an instrument like a crochet hook, bits of hair are pulled through the holes in the cap. Hair color is applied to the top of the cap so that only selective strands are colored. The hair inside the cap will be protected. The result is multidimensional.
Choose a hair color kit that contains conditioning formulas that bind to the hair shaft and add moisture and shine. The dangerous thing about applying at-home color is that it’s easy to overlap your products. “The goal is to put color on new hair and use a different product on the ends than on the roots. If you double-apply product on hair that’s already been colored or permed, you can cause serious damage and breakage,” says Sibert.
“Looking at the shelves can be overwhelming,” says Julia Youssef, director of the technical center for L’Oréal. “It’s important to know your hair type and be able to identify your hair color the way it is at the present time. Look at the color chart on the box, and try to determine if your color is close to the swatch on the box. If it is, you will get the result that is promised. If the color of your hair isn’t identified on the box, that shade isn’t good for you.”
Once you are able to determine your initial hair color, know what you want. “You have to be able to say, I’m medium brown and I want to be a fiery redhead’ or ‘I’m dark blond and I want to be a light blond,’ or ‘I want to cover gray or add a bit of highlights to my medium brown hair,’” says Youssef.
“When determining their natural hair color, most people see their hair darker than it is,” adds Sandy St. Roi, senior manager of product evaluation for Clairol. “Women with medium brown hair always say they have dark brown hair, women with medium blond hair often call it dark blond. It’s vision lighting contrast. If you determine your natural hair too dark, you will choose the wrong indicator on the box.” Roi suggests thinking of your natural shade as one level lighter than what you think it is and selecting hair color that’s within two shades of your natural level. “If you’re dark blond, light blond is a good selection but don’t go to the lightest blond,” she says. Once you have determined your needs, choose the box that appeals to you the most and promises to take care of them. “If you want to cover a full head of gray, look for 100 percent coverage of gray,” suggests Youssef. “If the box says the color will gently chase away first grays, it’s not going to give you maximum gray coverage. If it says it gently boosts and brightens natural highlights, it won’t give you a drastic fashion change.” It’s also important to understand the type of color you are using, which is clearly marked on all at-home color boxes. Level three designates permanent hair color, designed to lighten or darken your shade and cover gray. Level two means semi- or demipermanent, or tone on tone, which is usually non-ammonia formula designed to enhance your current tone before it shampoos out within 28 shampoos. Level one, which isn’t as popular anymore, is a rinse or temporary color. Common mistakes to watch out for: “If you choose a hair color according to the visual on the box because you think it looks beautiful instead of really acknowledging your own hair color and what you want to achieve, you won’t get the color you’re looking for,” says Youssef “If you don’t leave the color on long enough because you don’t want it to get too dark, you won’t let it process correctly or completely and it won’t look even. It’s like taking a cake out of the oven before it’s baked.” L’Oréal’s automatic shut-off feature means that if the recommended time is 20-25 minutes and you leave it on for 35 minutes, you won’t have a problem. Youssef also advises that if you’re doing a touch-up, do the roots first instead of all-over color to give the roots a 15-minute head start.
If you’re doing your hair yourself, price is obviously a factor. “Most hair color costs ten dollars or less per box,” says Roi. One box usually means one application, but, according to Roi, what you should realize is that if your hair is below shoulder length, or if you are trying it for the first time and are likely to make mistakes, you may need two boxes. Clairol’s hair colors also include a patch test, which should be done prior to coloring hair to determine whether or not you are allergic to the color. They usually involve mixing a capful of color and developer, applying it to the inside of your elbow, and leaving it on for 48 hours to see your reaction.
“It’s important to color at least a week before a special event to get the look you want to achieve,” says Roi. At www.clairol.com, you can upload your picture and try on different colors. There are 590 shades and 159 hairstyles to choose from. Roi also advises current color users who want to make a major change—such as if you’ve been coloring your hair red and want to be a blonde—to refer to the company’s 800 number, since it’s a more complicated process. Experts can advise on removing the red tint before applying the new blond color and offer free personalized consultations to help you use the color correctly.
Companies like L’Oréal have been perfecting their home hair color systems for years with drip-free applicators, salon-quality gloves, fresh scents, and “color cues,” in addition to information designed to help you choose the shade that’s right for you. And in an attempt to offer women more intense, light-reflecting color, they have created illuminating and innovative new formulas that enhance color, make hair shine, and leave it looking natural. Other companies such as Schwarzkopf, which launched a new hair color with vitamin C, are going all out to protect against color fading. If you’ve tried making your own hair color, you’ve got too much time on your hands. It’s a tricky process that shouldn’t be messed with. But if you insist, try these tips for a cool new hue.
make your own
Homemade hair dyes: The hulls of black walnuts, which are sold in health food stores, can be pressed to produce a juice that dyes hair dark brown. Wear rubber gloves when applying because it stains skin, too. For a rich hue, combine 1 cup walnut juice, 1 tablespoon ethyl alcohol, and 1 tablespoon each of ground cinnamon and cloves in a screw-top jar. Let stand for a week, shaking daily, then strain through a cloth-lined sieve and add 1 teaspoon salt. Homemade hennas are a bit easier to concoct. To brighten dark hair, try regular-strength brewed chamomile tea; rosemary and sage teas brighten as they add glimmer. Leave on for a half hour, and then rinse with warm water. To liven light hair, or add a reddish shimmer to blond or light brown hair, try a final rinse of green pekoe tea. Or, combine 1 cup water with ½ cup strained lemon juice to bring a touch of sunshine to light hair.
Of course, there’s always the chance you might make a mistake. In that event, go to a pro. “Correcting color is one of the most rewarding things to execute,” says Siebert, who is accustomed to typically working with hair that’s been through many processes, and is regularly faced with the challenge of trying to make it look natural. “We try to create a uniform color result,” he says. “We analyze each different area of hair and determine what needs to be done, whether it’s lightening, overlightening, or prepigment. It’s not as simple as applying one color on the whole thing and fixing it. We have to take into consideration the quality and strength of the hair. Our objective is to take clients to their most natural, even color with the least amount of damage.”
Perming is a chemical process that breaks the bonds in the hair’s structure and reestablishes them in the shape of curls. When the process was first introduced to the general public more than seventy years ago, it was a dream come true for straight-haired women bored with their stick-straight locks and tired of all the effort it took to make their hair look a little livelier. Then, twenty years ago, body waves came on the scene, a milder form of the perm, which was created to add lift and body to thin, flat hair. “Perms aren’t as popular now as they used to be,” says Carmine Minardi of New York’s Minardi Salon. “They used to make hair appear thicker or fatter. But hair color, highlights, and bleach all have an alkaline base, and this fattens the hair shaft. By coloring the hair shaft, you get a two-for-one deal, both color and body.” Minardi warns that perms on top of color may be too much for your hair to handle. “Not all perms work well with color, so stay away from perms if you’re using bleach or color. Use curling irons or other styling tools instead.” Any perm veteran will wrinkle up her nose at the mere mention of the word perm—a term that is sure to conjure up smells of the intense perming solution that was used in the process in the old days when nitric acid and heat were used to wave hair. These days, perming formulas are more pleasantly scented and less harsh on your hair. In addition, stylists can use them to control the area of hair they want to perm and the softness of the curl. “It’s about changing the bonds you were born with,” says Minardi. “These disulfonic bonds are arranged like the rungs of a ladder in the hair shaft. Hair is wrapped around a curling rod, using a small rod for a tight curl or a larger rod for a looser curl. Ammonia or the sulfurbased chemical thioglycolate is applied to break the bonds of the hair and relax it, then a neutralizer is used to reattach the bonds in a new configuration and harden that new formation to create the curl.”
Gentler perming solutions from companies like Zotos, Helene Curtis, and Senscience can be found in salons where they are used by experts who have mastered the application of these potent formulas. If you insist on administering your perm yourself, choose a solution that’s thioglycolate-free and contains conditioner to soften hair.
At-home perms may save you a few bucks but can be tricky to choose and to self-administer. “In choosing an at-home perm, we want women to think about what they’re doing to their hair, what they have done to their hair before, and what they want to accomplish now,” says Adrienne Kent, marketing assistant for Colomer USA, the makers of Great Feeling, Equave, and Sensor perms in the Roux collection. “Go to a beauty supply store, look at the perm boxes, read the directions, then go home and call the 800 number on the box and ask all of your questions before you do it. Seek as much professional advice as you can before you do it to help achieve a better end result.” Kent says it’s also a good idea to get a consultation at a salon before doing it yourself.
Straightening or relaxing hair can be a complex procedure, best undertaken by professionals.
Once you decide to take the plunge, follow the instructions carefully. After all, Roux perming instructions are always bi- or trilingual, with explanations in English, Spanish, and French to make sure you really understand what you’re doing. “Do a strand test, follow the diagrams, which show you how to mix the solution, apply it, and roll your hair. Carefully monitor the timing suggested in the instructions, and read about what to do if you feel a tingling or burning sensation, so that you’re prepared to handle it,” says Kent.
Why all the caution? “Overprocessing is the biggest mistake,” says Kent. “Some women tend to allow the perm to stay on too long or use the perming solution when they shouldn’t because their hair has already been through a lot or is overprocessed.” The bottom line: Know what your hair has been through and where you are taking it. “Perms last until the entire length of your hair grows out or until you cut it,” says Oscar Bond, owner, Oscar Bond salon in New York City. “You don’t have to do anything to maintain your perm, but you should make an effort to maintain the condition of your hair by using extra conditioning treatments on a regular basis.” Bond advises cutting off permed hair before getting a new perm or introducing your hair to other chemical processes.
Like perming, relaxing involves breaking the hair’s natural bonds to eliminate any wave or curl. But instead of restructuring the bonds into a curlier configuration, the curls are loosened and the hair becomes stickstraight. Relaxing is popular among African-American women whose hair is most naturally curly.
Thinking of relaxing your hair yourself? Think again. “Relaxing your hair involves serious chemicals, and if you try it at home you can get severely burned,” warns Valerie Estrada, master stylist, Allure Day Spa and Hair Salon in New York. “When using a relaxer, it’s also possible to seriously damage your hair. You can miss pieces because you’re not familiar with the proper technique, and if your hair is overporous and overly processed, it may break off.” Estrada suggests going to a stylist who knows the history of your hair and can decide which product is best for you. Cream relaxers are often used on coarse hair because they totally relax the cuticle so that it’s easier to blow out or flat iron. They make unruly hair easier to manage and help your newly straightened hair last longer. How it works: A cream or oil is applied to your scalp for protection, then chemicals are worked into your dry hair one section at a time. The hair will process until it’s as straight as you want, then a neutralizer will stop the process. Three different strengths are available to target different hair types: mild, medium, and coarse. Estrada advises stopping by the salon to retouch the newly grown hair every six to eight weeks to ensure that hair is in good condition and steering clear of relaxers if your hair is already colored or bleached.
Reverse perms, according to Estrada, are another option and use liquid relaxing formulas instead of heavy creams. “Reverse perms relax your curl so it stays straight when you blow-dry your hair, but if you decide to let your hair dry naturally, you end up with a totally softened curl,” she says. “This is great for people with soft wavy or soft curly hair who want to soften their curl, make it appear longer, and take out the frizz and can be redone every three to four months to maintain the look and texture of your hair.” The big news in hair straightening these days is the Japanese straightening system, which is only available in salons. Chemicals are applied to the hair to relax it and then a flat iron is used to totally kill your curls so that you can wash hair, let it dry, and it remains completely straight for up to a year. Imagine how much more free time you’ll have without having to blow-dry.
Braiding can be a beautiful, neat, and classic way to style longer hair.
Centuries ago, people used to keep their hair under control by braiding it and keeping it close to the head in a decorative style. These days, new techniques and styles have made braiding popular again.
Think back to arts-and-crafts hour at summer camp. “Braiding is like macramé,” says Paul Labrecque, of the Paul Labrecque Salon in New York. “But instead of using rope to make knots you are twisting hair together using two or more strands of hair to make interesting shapes on the head.”
There are many types of braids: two-stranded braids, three-stranded braids, fishtails, French braids, inverted cornrows, the list goes on. To extend the length of your hair and give it a completely different look, fake hair can be added to your own hair and interlocked in a braid. Braids can be left loose on the head or can hug it tight to add style or create an interesting look. Before you leave the salon, make sure braids aren’t too tight or they will feel uncomfortable and put a strain on your hair, causing breakage. But the looser the braids are, the more frequently you will need to have them done. Sometimes wet hair is braided and allowed to dry so that when the braid is removed, the hair has a crimped effect. This is a great way to style hair without using heat or chemicals and is less damaging. According to Labrecque, you can wash your hair and scalp once a week with braids in. If left in too long, braids may start to dreadlock and can damage hair. If your scalp starts to itch or flake while your braids are in, pour some SeaBreeze or witch hazel on a cotton ball and dab it on your scalp to take away the itch and dry, flaky skin.
We no longer have to settle for the type of hair we have—we can straighten it, curl it, color it, highlight it, or even braid it. But sometimes we are looking for a quick and temporary change that won’t necessarily need to grow out. Like shopping for the latest trend, we want to try out a new color or style without having to commit to that look for a long period of time.
In Transition: How to Camouflage Your Growing Color
“The level of maintenance your hair requires depends a lot on the color of your natural hair and how dramatic the color is that you add to it,” says Leslie Louise, hair colorist, Miwa Alex salon in New York City. “When I’m talking to clients about the color they want, maintenance is an essential topic. a good color job should last about six weeks, but it really depends on the individual and how fast her hair grows.”
The bottom line: Those last couple of weeks before your next appointment can be brutal. Women have been known to try everything to camouflage their color, even coloring the hair at the roots with eye shadow or mascara in the same color family as their processed hair! Bad idea. These products were not made for your hair. Your best bet? Follow these tried-and-true maintenance tips: