Beauty Ideas» Hair Color

Hair colorants 101

Rino Jasper — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 05:14:49 +0000

In the early days of hair coloring, women used dyes found in nature to enhance their natural color or cover up the gray, but today most of us color our hair in a far from natural way. The home hair-coloring kits widely available in drugstores and supermarkets have a high chemical content, so those with fragile locks beware!
But what exactly is in those products that can potentially wreak havoc on your hair? The majority of permanent colorants or dyes contain hydrogen peroxide, which “oxidizes” your hair—it lays the groundwork for a color that will last. If you are a brunette and want to go blonde, for example, the first step of changing your hair color involves stripping your hair of its original shade and this is where hydrogen peroxide comes in. The other main ingredient is ammonia, which then allows the newly applied color to penetrate the hair shaft.
Given the mixture of hydrogen peroxide and ammonia, it’s not hard to imagine why permanent coloring can be harmful to your hair, especially if you color it regularly. Having your hair professionally colored can help make the process a bit less stressful for your locks. (Home hair-coloring may save you a bundle, but it can take its toll.) A good hairstylist will be able to judge what shade will work best for you—permanent dyes are not always the answer, there are semi-permanent and vegetal dyes and even permanent dyes that are ammonia-free (L’Oréal Professional’s newly launched Inoa, for example. More on that in an upcoming post).
Your stylist can also give you tips on how to care for your colored hair, and suggest products that can soften the impact of the chemical process.

Easy Ways to Lighten Your Hair Naturally

Rino Jasper — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:28:58 +0000

Not everyone wants to color their hair with chemicals or even sit through a session at the salon. Some of us would rather have a routine at home to get the most out of our hair color, without resorting to the bottle. Blonde hair can be lightened the easiest, but even darker hair can get lighter naturally.

Here are a few tips:

Lemon juice is a great and cost-effective way of lightening naturally blonde hair. Just mix lemon juice, about half a cup, and a quarter-cup of leave-on conditioner in a spray bottle. Spritz on dry hair and sit out in the sun for awhile. Don’t overdo it—a half an hour is plenty, and of course don’t sit out in extreme heat. You aren’t out there to bake your hair and skin! The idea is to sit out on a sunny day (don’t forget your sunscreen) and let your hair catch some rays.

Rinse out the mixture after you’re finished. Beware: if you have dry or overly processed hair, this is not a good option as the lemon juice will only dry your hair and make it more brittle.

Chamomile is another effective hair lightener. Steep chamomile flowers (these are stronger than the classic teabag) in hot water for 15 minutes or so. Take out the flowers and mix the tea with a few tablespoons of lemon juice. Spray onto your hair before sitting out in the sun.
Cinnamon is a novel way to lighten darker hair. Blend together powdered cinnamon and leave-on conditioner and apply to damp hair. If you have dry hair, add an egg yolk to the mix. Work well through your hair then wrap your head with plastic wrap and leave on for several hours, or overnight if possible. Rinse well and shampoo as usual.

The Essentials: Choosing a Hair Color

Claudie Jasper — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:36:15 +0000

Which shade is best for my skin tone?

Whether you are embarking on a new color to give your hair a bit of pizzazz or to cover up the gray, finding the perfect shade is primordial.
Although there are no hard and fast rules, these pointers will safeguard you from making a big color mistake.

First off, determine if your skin tone is warm (yellow, golden) or cool (blue or pink).

“Warm” skin tones will suit golden or reddish tones.

“Cool” skin tones demand equally “cool” colors—platinum blonde or bluish black, for example.
If you have a cool skin tone and you want to go red, try mahogany or burgundy shades, while warm tones can take the orange or vibrant red route.
If being blonde is your goal and you have warm skin tones, opt for a honey blonde or gold shade. Cool tones call for ash or Nordic blonde.
Take into account your eye color as well; dark eyes and skin look great with dark hair, while light eyes really stand out with lighter-colored hair.
Don’t color your hair with harsh shades as it will only accentuate any imperfections, especially if you don’t have flawless skin, and let’s face it, most of us don’t!
Keep your personality in mind and go for a color that you feel is harmonious and complementary. Extreme changes can be small disasters.
Before making a final decision, select a few shades you’re considering and try on some wigs—this is the best way to really see how a color will look. (Holding up little color swatches to your face can’t give you the whole picture!)
Talk to your stylist about the color you are aiming for. She or he will give the green light if indeed it’s a good choice for you.

The Lowdown on Henna

Rino Jasper — Wed, 27 May 2009 12:21:04 +0000

For those of us who cringe at the thought of chemically coloring our hair, henna is a healthy alternative, and if applied properly it can do your hair good. A powdered extract of the Egyptian plant Lawsonia Inermis, henna has been used as a natural hair and skin dye for thousands of years, mainly throughout India and the Middle East.
Henna is best suited to dark or reddish hair types, and not to lighter hair—unless you’re aiming for bright orange locks!

If you have noticeable white or gray hair, beware as they will also turn orange.
When shopping for your henna, be sure to choose “body art quality henna”. This variety binds with the keratin in your hair shaft to create thicker and softer hair.
Experts claim that body art quality henna provides a strong, permanent color that is easy to rinse, while the majority of henna products on the market, or “compound henna”, contain additional ingredients including dyes and metallic salts, which can be harmful in the long run. If you want to color your hair, wait a good three months after your henna application.
While body art henna is more expensive, it is worth the investment.

Here’s how to apply:

Mix henna powder with lemon juice (or any citrus juice, such as orange or grapefruit) until you’ve made a thick, clumpy paste. Let mixture sit overnight at room temperature.
Apply generously to dry hair on your scalp and from the back of the head to the front. Avoid getting henna on your ears and neck as it will stain the skin for a few days if left on.
Cover your hair in plastic wrap for between 2 and 5 hours. The longer you leave it on, the more intense the color will be.
Rinse henna with warm water, and shampoo to get the last bits out. Your new hair color will be brighter in the first few days, but should darken with time.

The ABC’s of Hair Coloring

Rino Jasper — Tue, 12 May 2009 23:48:16 +0000

Back in the day, women colored their hair when the inevitable strands of gray showed up. Much to hair care brands’ delight, covering up gray is now the tip of the hair-coloring market iceberg—today women begin coloring their hair as early as age 13 (mainly highlights, of course) and many continue doing so into their sunset years.
There are a wide variety of hair colorants (formerly known as dyes) available today, from temporary tints and henna to “permanent” coloring, which often contain harsh chemicals.
You need to hit on just the right color so that it both flatters your skin tone and looks as natural as possible. Even if you choose to go technicolor blue, pink or purple—some of these colors will be all wrong, while others, no matter how wacky, will actually suit!

Here are a few tips when choosing a new color:

Remember that while the hair color you were born with is probably your best “fit”, mother nature can sometimes be improved on!
Choose your new color at the salon, at least the first time. Hair stylists are trained to know what looks best, and a good consultation is the best way to avoid making a big color mistake.
The same goes for buying hair colorants—choose the salon over the drugstore.
If you are the stubborn type and want to go at it on your own, choose one or several shades lighter than the color you are going for. Once applied, hair colorants are darker than they appear on the box.
Home coloring kits can be tricky, so be patient. When you just touching up, apply color only to the roots and if needed to the tips. Don’t go overboard as the build-up will only dull your hair and give you denser color than your hair actually needs.

Claudie's Golden rule at home: know what hair color your natural base is, never go more than two shades lighter or darker than your natural color.

Easy Steps to Caring for Colored Hair

Claudie Jasper — Tue, 12 May 2009 23:07:42 +0000

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Hair coloring has gone mainstream, and there will probably come a time when you too will get on the coloring bandwagon—if you aren’t already.
Getting your hair colored is one thing, but using the right products to maintain shiny and lustrous hair and getting the most out of your color is another. Color-treated hair needs more attention than its natural counterpart as it has undergone a chemical process, and is therefore more fragile.

Here are few rules of thumb you should follow to get the most out of your colored hair:

Don’t perm or straighten your hair right after getting it colored. If you must, wait at least two weaks.
Wash your hair only when it really needs it! Excessive shampooing will strip the hair of its natural oils. Remember, colored hair has a tendency to be drier than non-colored hair.
Use products that are specially formulated for color-treated hair. From your local drugstore to your salon there is a wide array of shampoos and conditioners geared towards colored hair on the market. A few of our favorites are Phytocitrus restructuring shampoo and mask and, of course, we are big fans of Beauty-id’s Force & Brilliance shampoo and mask.
Use a conditioning mask minimum twice a week, and apply regular conditioner every time you wash your hair.
Before blow-drying your hair first towel-dry (microfiber towels are great at absorbing excess water) and blow dry when your hair is damp.
Use a wide-tooth comb, which is gentler on your hair.
If you hair is exposed to chlorine, rinse as soon as possible after your swim.
Get a trim on a regular basis to keep any split ends in check.